Grace begins her will, written on 30th July 1818 by describing herself as "of Launceston (otherwise Dunheved)". She appoints two men as her executors. One is Richard Eastcott of Stowford in Devon and the other was Richard Rowe of Penhole, near Coad's Green.
The first bequest in Grace's will was one of five guineas to Emlin Wollcock nee Wevill (1732-1824) who also lived at Penhole. She was the widow of John Wollcock who died in 1797 and who was buried in St Torney's churchyard, after many years serving as the curate there.
In the north aisle of St Torney's is an incised slab as a memorial to John Wollcock that records him as a rector of St Augustine's Church adjacent to St Paul's Cathedral in London, pictured here. The main structure of St Augustine's was destroyed by bombing in The Blitz on London during World War 2. In 1954 the tower was restored and is now part of the St Paul's Cathedral Choir School.The time that John spent as Rector of St Augustine's has not been established; the Church of England Directory of Clergy does not evidence this. Emlin died in 1824 and is buried at St Torney's.
Grace's will makes bequests to her nieces, including her favoured niece Ann Hurdon, as can be expected of a childless widow and as a result the main body of the will contains nothing remarkable. The Codicil dated 1823, however, has a point of interest. Grace had an estate that included monies held as investments that were, of course, available to her to use as she saw fit in her lifetime.
Two years after writing her will, Grace's niece the aforementioned Ann Hurdon, married in St Mary Magdalene in Launceston to Henry Greenwood. In her codicil Grace describes him as a "Common Brewer".
Around this time the owner of the Turk's Head in Launceston, a Mrs Cullis, had been obliged to surrender her ownership of the public house and two associated dwellings on account of her bankruptcy. The property's sale was administered by Messrs Pearce and Dymond who put it up for auction in the White Hart in Launceston on Friday 13th July 1821. Grace attended the auction and successfuly bought "The Turk's Head" and the dwellings on Church Street for £810.
Grace was the owner unti her death and the codicil to her will instructed that the property be placed in trust under the governance of Richard Eastcott and Richard Rowe for the benefit of Ann Greenway, nee Hurdon. The codicil protected the property such that Henry could not become owner but could take an income from it in the event of Ann's death. After both Ann and Henry's death the property was to pass to any children they may have.
As with James' will, the original document no longer exists. The copy held by Kresen Kernow under reference: CRO/SO/W/360 is the copy made by the Stamp Office. This was a forerunner of the Inland Revenue and it's role was to collect death duties. Between 1812 and 1858 there was a collection of wills in the Exeter registry, the originals of which were destroyed in 1942 when it was hit by a bomb. Old original wills dating back to the 15th century were destroyed, however, copies of wills from 1812 up to 1858, that period where copies were sent to the Stamp Office, being located elsewhere were later lodged with county record offices.
A transcript of the will can be seen on the Online Parish Clerk website.
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