Nat Gould

His life and books


Will of Nathaniel Gould 1824-1874

Will of Nathaniel Gould 1864

This is the last Will and Testament of me Nathaniel Gould of Manchester in the County of Lancaster Tea Dealer I first of all [direct] my just debts and funeral and testamentary expenses to be paid by my executors hereinafter named I desire that my executors will with all convenient speed after my decease settle and wind up my partnership concerns and interest in the firm of Nathaniel Gould and Company whereof I am now a member and either forthwith receive the balance which may be out and payable as my share of the capital property and profits thereof or give to the surviving partner such time as to my said executors shall seem proper for payment of the said balance with security I give and bequeath unto William Wright of Bradbourne in the County of Derby Farmer and John Woolliscroft of Cheetham in the County of Lancaster Commercial Traveller the amount to which may be due upon my life policy with such bonus or bonuses which may have accrued thereon together with such sum which may be due to me as my share of the business as Tea Dealer and General Grocer now trading under the said firm of Nathaniel Gould and Company Upon trust to invest the same in their names or in the name of the survivor of them in the public stocks or funds of Great Britain or upon mortgage of real or leasehold property in England or the debentures of any such Railway or other Incorporated Company all calls on the shares thereof having been paid or in the bonds of the Liverpool Mersey Docks and Harbour Board as my said trustee or trustees shall think well established and sound with power from time to time to vary any such investments and I direct that my said trustees and trustee shall stand possessed of the stocks funds or securities in or upon which the said sum which may be due to me shall be invested upon trust out of the interest and dividends and annual produce thereof to pay such income arising therefrom into the hands of my dear wife Mary during her life free from the acts control or interference of any husband and so that she shall not have power to alien charge or incumber the same in the way of anticipation I further order that at the decease of my said wife Mary that the money or monies so invested shall be equally divided among my surviving children and in case they should die prior to my said wife Mary then at her death such sum or sums of money which may also be invested shall be equally divided between my brothers William Gould Gilbert Gould my sisters Mary Gould Elizabeth Ann Dain and my sister in law Sarah Wright I furthermore order that my aforesaid wife Mary shall enjoy the benefit and use of all my furniture plate and glass during her lifetime and at her decease the same shall be disposed of by public auction or private treaty as my said trustees or trustee shall think well and the amount realized shall be equally divided among my surviving children and if any [be] not living at the time of my wifes decease then the said sum accruing from such sale of furniture plate and glass shall be equally divided among my aforesaid brothers sisters and sister in law and I direct that if my said trustees or either of them or any trustees or trustee to be appointed under this clause shall die or be desirous to be discharged from or become incapable of acting in the trusts hereby reposed in them or him it shall be lawful for the continuing or surviving trustee with the consent nevertheless of my said wife during her life to nominate and appoint one or more person or persons to supply the vacancy or vacancies so to be occasioned and on such new appointment the trust property hereinbefore given to my said trustees or to become vested in them or the survivor under or in pursuance of the trusts of this my Will shall be assigned conveyed and transferred so as to vest effectually in the new trustees or trustee jointly with the former continuing trustee or solely as the case may require upon the trusts hereinbefore appearing or such of them as shall then be subsisting unfulfilled as aforesaid as if such new trustees or trustee had been appointed by this my Will I appoint the said William Wright and John Woolliscroft Executors of this my Will In Witness whereof I the said testator Nathaniel Gould have hereunto set my hand this first day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty four

- Nathaniel Gould

The writing contained in this and the preceding sheet of paper was signed by the said testator Nathaniel Gould as for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us the undersigned present at the same time who at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses

- Thomas Henry French, Accountant, 17 Dickinson St. Manchester - John Goudle French, Slade View, Levenshulme.

This is a Codicil to the last Will and Testament dated the first day of November one thousand eight hundred and sixty four of me Nathaniel Gouldof Manchester in the County of Lancaster Tea Dealer Whereas by my said Will I have devised and bequeathed certain property and given certain powers directions and authorities to William Wright and John Woolliscroft therein named and appointed them executors of my said Will Now I revoke my said Will so far as the said John Woolliscroft is an object thereof and I appoint Francis Wright of Manchester in the County of Lancaster Tea Dealer to be a Trustee and Executor of my said Will jointly with William Wright in the place of the said John Woolliscroft and I declare that my said Will shall be read and construed and take effect throughout as if the name of the said John Woolliscroft had been inserted therein as a trustee and executor with the said William Wright in the place and stead of the said Francis Wright and I confirm my said Will in every particular in which the same is not hereby revoked or altered In witness whereof I the said Nathaniel Gould the testator have to this my Codicil to my last Will and Testament set my hand this thirty first day of January one thousand eight hundred and sixty seven

- Nathaniel Gould
Signed by the said testator Nathaniel Gould as and for a Codicil to his last Will and Testament in the presence of us the undersigned present at the same time who at his request in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses

- John Richard Clarke, Manchester - Thomas Henry French, Manchester

Proved at London with a Codicil 10th. December 1874 by the oaths of William Wright the Executor named in the Will and Francis Wright the Executor named in the said Codicil to whom Administration was granted.

[William Wright the executor was probably William Wright 1826-1904, the brother-in-law of Nathaniel Gould.]


See also the Provisions of the Will of Nathaniel Gould 1824-1874.