22 December 1844 Will of Stephen Pyke of Sturminster Newton Castle, Dorset, innkeeper (proved 20 December 1845)

The original will can be obtained online from The National Archives.

Source: TNA, PROB 11/2028


If you came to this page directly, then you might want to know that I have additional Pike information on my website.

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.



This is the last Will and Testament
of me STephen Pyke of Sturminster Newton Castle in the
County of Dorset Innkeeper Firstly I desire that all my just
debts funeral and testamentary expences be paid and satisfied by
my executors hereinafter named as soon as conveniently may
be after my decease and secondly I give dvise and bequeath all
and every my household furniture linen wearing apparel books
plate pictures china horses carriages carts and also all and
every sum adn sums of money which may be in my house
or about my persai or which may be due to me at the time of
my decease and also all other my monies invested in stocks 
funds and securities for money book debts money on bonds vills 
notes or other securities and all and every other my Estate and
Effects whatsoever and wheresoever both real and personal whether
in possession reversion remainder or expectancy unto William
Colbourne of Sturminster Newton Castle aforesaid Bankers Clerk
and John Lambert of Salisbury in the County of Wilts Gentle-
man and the survivor of them and the executors and adminis-
trators of such survivor upon trust for my dear Wife Eliza Pyke
for and during the term of her natural life and after her decease
in trust for my son William Henry Pyke and any other child
or  children I may leave by my said Wife living at the time
of my decease their heirs and assigns for ever and it is my will
and I hereby direct that in case my said Wife should die before
my said son William Henry Pyke and any other child or child-
ren as aforesaid should attain the age of twenty one years respec-
tively then I direct all my freehold leasehold or personal Estate
and Effects be sold by public auction or otherwise as they shall seem
meet and when and as soon as the same shall come to their
or either of their hands upon trust to invest the same in some or
one of the Government stocks or funds of Great Britain upon trust
for my said son William Henry Pyke or any other child or child-
ren as aforesaid to be divided between them as tenants in common
but if there should be but one child living at the decease of my
said Wife then in trust for such one child and I declare that the
??iares of my said children shall be vested interest and shall be
paid or transferred to him her or them as to sons on their attain-
ing the age of twenty one years and as to daughters at their at-
taining the like age or on their marriage respectively which shall
first happen and I direct that it shall be lawful for my executors
and the survivor of them and the executors and administrators
of such survivor or other the trustee or trustees for the time being of
this my Will to pay and apply the whole or such part as they in
their discretion shall think fit of the interest dividends and annu-
al produce arising from the said estate property goods and chattels
in and towards the maintenance and education or advanceman
in life of my said son William Henry Pyke or any other child or
children as aforesaid until they shall severally and respectively
attain the said age of twenty one years or marry as aforesaid
and in case my said son William Henry Pyke or any other child
or children shall happen to die before their share or interest un-
der this my Will shall become payable then I give and bequeath 
the share or shares of him her or them so dying as aforesaid
unto the survivor or survivors of such children respectively his
or her executors administrators and assigns in equal shares
such accrued share or shares to be vested interest at the same


ages days or times and the dividends and interest thereof be subject
to the like discretion of my said executors of appropriation during the
minority or discoverture of any such child or children as aforesaid
and I hereby declare that the receipt or receipts of my executors or the
trustees or trustee for the time being of this my Will to the purcha-
ser or purchasers of any part of my Estate or Effects or to any person
or persons who shall have any of the trust monies in their his or 
her hands shall be a good sufficient discharge for so much money 
as in such receipt or receipts shall be expressed to be received and
I further direct that in case either of my executors hereinafter 
named or any future trustee or trustees to be appointed under the
provision in their place or the place of any of them who shall
die or becoming unwilling or unable to act in the aforesaid 
trusts before the said trusts shall be fully executed and performed 
then and as often as the same shall happen it shall be lawful for
the surviving or continuing trustee or trustees of this my Will or
the executors or administrators of the last surviving trustee to nom-
inate any fit person or persons to supply the place or places of the
trustee or trustees respectively so dying or becoming unwilling or
unable to act as aforesaid and that immediately after every such
appointment the said trust monies stocks funds or securities shall be
assigned and transferred so that the same may vest in such new
trustee or trustees jointly with the surviving or continuing trustee or
trustees or in such new trustee or trustees solely as the case may
require subject to the trusts aforesaid and such new trustee or trustees
shall be competent to exercise all the powers and authorities what-
soever hereinbefore contained in the same manner to all intents
and purposes as if he or they had been appointed trustee or trustees
in and by this my Will and I do hereby declare that my siad
executors hereby appointed and also the trustee or trustees to be appoint-
ed by virtue of the provision lastly hereinbefore contained severally
and respectively and their several and respective heirs executors and
administrators shall be charged and chargeable with such sums
of money only as they shall respectively actually receive by virtue 
of the trusts hereby reposed in them notwithstanding their join-
ing in signing any receipt or receipts or doing any other act for the
sake of conformity and that they or any of them shall not be an-
swerable or accountable for any misfortune loss or damage which
may happen in the execution of the aforesaid trusts or in relation
thereof except the same shall happen by or through his her or 
their own wilful act neglect or default and in that case each person
shall be answerable only for such loss or damage as shall arise
from his own act neglect or default and I do further declare that my
executors herein named and such future trustee or trustees to be ap-
pointed as aforesaid severally and respectively and their several and
respective heirs executors and administrators shall and may out  the
monies which shall come to their hands by virtue of the trusts 
aforesaid deduct retain and reimburse to himself and themselves res-
pectively all costs charges and expences which they or any of them
may sustain or incur in or about the execution of the trusts of this
my will and I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint the
said William Colbourne and John Lambert trustees and Executors
of this my Will and hereby revoking all former or toehr Wills
by me at any time heretofore made I declare this to be my last
Will and Testament In Witness whereof I the said Stephen Pyke
have to this my last Will and Testament as well as to a Duplicate
thereof set my hand and seal the twenty second day  December in


the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty four
Stephen Pyke  LS  Signed sealed published and declared by the Test-
tator Stephen Pyke in the presence of us present at the same time
who have at his request hereunto subscribed our names as wit-
nesses in the presence of the said Testator and of each other as we
have also to a duplicate thereof  Alice  Ann Marsh  John H??i??

On the 20th day of December 1845 Admon with the Will annex-
ed of the goods chattels and credits of Stephen Pyke late of Sturmins-
ter Newton Castle in the County of Dorset Innkeeper deceased was gran-
ted to Eliza Pyke Widow the Relict the universal Legatee for life na-
med in the said Will having been first sworn by Comon duly to 
administer William Colbourne and John Lambert the Executors
and universal Legatees in trust named in the said Will having
renounced as well the probate and execution of the said Will as the
Letters of Admon with the said Will annexed of the goods of the
said deceased as by Acts of Court appears




[Home] [Mail]

Last Modified: Sunday, 19-Apr-2020 13:09:44 NDT