1774 Will of Thomas Pike of St John's Wapping (proved in 1774)

Source: TNA, Prob/11/1002

Also, if you are a male Pike/Pyke (or you know one) who may be willing to do a genealogical DNA test, then please check out the Pike DNA Project for which I am a volunteer coordinator. There are several Pike/Pyke families that are not yet represented in the project, and for whom participants are wanted.

In the Name of God Amen

I Thomas Pike of the parish of Saint John's Wapping
in the County of Middlesex Gentleman being of sound mind
memory and understanding (praised by God for the same)
but being mindful of the frail and uncertain condition of
this Transitory Life Do make and declare my last Will and 
Testament in manner and form following that is to say
first and principally I commend my Soul into the hands of 
Almighty God my Creator and Jesus Christ my only Saviour
and Redeemer by whose Mercy and Merits I believe and do
assuredly hope to obtain free pardon and Remission of all my
Sins and Offences and to inherit amongst the ???? the Joys
and fruition of eternal Life my Body I commit to the 
Earth from whence it was Extracted to be decently interred
in the family Vault in the Parish Church of Saint George
in the East in the said County of Middlesex at the
discretion of my Executrix hereinafter named having only one
Coach to attend the hearse and my desire is that the
Expences of my funeral together with Mourning to such
as my dear Wife Ann Pike shall think to give to do not
exceed the Sum of One hundred pounds in sure and
certain expectation of a joyful Resurrection at the last Day
and in respect of my Worldly Estate which God of his
exceeding Bounty hath endowed me with in this Life I
order and dispose of the same as follows the first I Will
and direct that all my just Debts and funeral Expences
be fully paid and satisfied as soon as conveniently may be
after my decease and after payment thereof I give 
devise and bequeath all that my freehold Estate situate
at Duddington in the County of Northampton in the Tenure
or Occupation of Mr Samuel Freeman and also all that
my freehold Estate situate and being in Old Gravel Lane
late in the Occupation of one William Lamey Wheelwright
the rents Issues and profits of which said Estates I desire
my said Wife Ann Pike may enjoy during the term of 
her natural Life and after her decease I give devise
and bequeath the same to my dear Neice Ann Freeman
her Heirs and Assigns for ever Item I give and
bequeath to my said dear Wife Ann Pike All my
Household Goods plate Dinner ??????????? for her
own sole and separate use during the term of her natural
Life only ( Except Our Silver Tankard with my Arms thereon
and our Silver pint Mug without Arms which I give and
bequeath to my Sister Sarah Freeman widow ) and after the
decease of my said Wife then I give and bequeath All
my Household Goods &c to my said Niece Ann Freeman
her Heirs and Assigns for ever Item I give and
bequeath unto Robert Freeman Sarah Freeman Ann
Freeman Frank Freeman and Lydia Freeman a ring each of
a Guinea Value and as to all the rest and residue of my
Estate and Effects whether real or personal Cash Book
Debts &c that I may be in possession of interested in or 
intitled unto at the time of my decease I give devise and



bequeath the same and every part thereof unto my dear
Wife Ann Pike her Heirs and Assigns for ever And I do
hereby nominate constitute and appoint my said Wife Executrix
and Mr Robert Freeman of East Smithfield Baker and Mr
George Sibley of Little Trinity Lane London Merchant Executors
of this my Will revoking all former and other Will or Wills
by me at any time heretofore made And I do declare this
to be only last Will and Testament In Witness whereof 
to this my Will contained in two sheets of paper to the
first whereof I have set my hand and the second and last
my hand and seal this eighteenth day of June in the
fourteenth year of the reign of our Sovereign Lord George
the third by the Grace of God of Great Britain France
and Ireland King Defender of the Faith and so forth And
in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred 
and seventy four   Thos Pike   Signed sealed published
and declared by the Testator Thomas Pike as and for his
last Will and Testament in the presence of us who 
attested the same in his presence and in the presence of
each other   Henry Crane   Wm Bowing   Saml Ravenscroft
No 64 Cr???ed Fryers

This Will was proved at London the twenty sixth
day of November in the year of our Lord One thousand
seven hundred and seventy four before the Worshipful
George Harris   Doctor of Laws and Surrogate of the
Right Worshipful Sir George Hay Knight Doctor of Laws
Master Keeper of Commissary of the Prerogative Court of
Canterbury lawrfully constituted by the Oaths of Ann Pike
Widow the Relict of the deceased Robert Freeman and
George Sibley the Executors named in the said Will to whom
Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods
Chattels and Credits of the said deceased having been 
first sworn duly to administer

Last Modified: Sunday, 19-Apr-2020 12:33:16 NDT