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| The Last Will of William Valentine Wait October 11th 1853 |
Wills can give the family historian details of an ancestors life that can not be found anywhere else. This is the Will of my 4x great-grandfather's son William Valentine Wait (1791-1857). His name was wrongly recorded as William 'Balentine' Wait amongst the baptism records on Ancestory.com, but further investigation showed that he was William 'Valentine' and born on 14th February 1791 and baptised at Holywell Mount Chapel a month later.
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| Baptism of William Valentine Wait 14th February 1791 |
William appears to have been the first son of John Wait, a carpenter (1766-1831) and Ann(e) née Wheatley (d.1840) of Shoreditch in Middlesex. Valentine's Day was an important date in their lives. Not only was William born on that particular day but John and Ann(e) were also married on the 14th February at St. Luke, Old Street, Finsbury in 1790.
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| Descendant chart of John Wait (1766-1831) |
The Will was extremely difficult to read in places, and I needed help to decipher some of the words. But it was worth it:
"This is the last Will and Testament of me, William Valentine Wait of 39 Sandwich Street, Burton Crescent, in the County of Middlesex Gentleman. I direct all my just goods and funeral and testamentary expenses to be paid by my Executrix hereafter named as soon as avunculocality may be after my decease. I give unto my brother John Wait all my clothes and wearing apparel. I give to my friend Mary Ann Kelley of Sandwich Street aforesaid my plated castor stand and my mahogany Elizabethan bedstead. I give to my sister Ann Gunn the wife of Mr Gunn of Oakford Bampton in the County of Devon, School Master, five silver table spoons, twelve teaspoons, four salt spoons, caddy spoon and sugar tongs and all other, my plate and plated articles and things except my plated castor stand. And I give to my said brother John Wait the sum of one hundred pounds now, three pounds five shillings per cent annuities part of a larger sum life annuities standing in my name in the books of the governor and company of the Bank of England. And to the said Mary Ann Kelley the sum of two hundred pounds life annuities further part of the larger sum life annuities absolutely for their own use and benefit free of legacy duty and to be transferred or paid to them respectively immediately after my decease. And as to the residue of the said bank annuities and all the Rest Residue and Remainder of my household goods and furniture books prints and pictures, plate, linen, glass, looking glasses and china and all other of my personal estate and effects whatsoever and whatsoever of which I may be possessed at the time of my decease and not hereby otherwise disposed of, I give and bequeath the same unto my said sister Ann Gunn absolutely. And appoint the said Ann Gunn sole Executrix of this my will and hereby revoke all other wills. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this Eleventh day of October One Thousand eight hundred and fifty three. William Valentine Wait."
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| William V Wait on the 1851 Census HO 107/1495 |
The 1851 Census, taken on Sunday 30th April of that year, shows William lodging at 39 Sandwich Street, St Pancras, Marylebone. He is 60 years old, unmarried and a barristers general clerk. His place of birth is partly illegible, but seems to be Shoreditch. The head of the household was Mary A. Kelley, aged 38 and a 'proprietor of houses'. She was unmarried and born in Greenwich, Kent. There was also a servant, Fanny Allen aged 19, born in Aldgate, Middlesex.
The census gives us more details of the people and property mentioned in William Valentine Wait's Will. We can see that Mary Ann Kelley aged 38 was his landlady at 39 Sandwich Street in Marylebone. It is also interesting to see that William was a barristers clerk.
We know that William's sister, Ann Gunn née Wait (b.1795) was named as the executrix and left various plates and cutlery. His brother John Wait (b.1796) was left William's clothing. But what about his other sister Sophia (1792)? My research shows that she was probably the Sophia, aged 2, recorded being buried at Bunhil Fields Burial Ground, City Road on July 26th 1795.
William Valentine Wait died during the early weeks of 1857 (Pancras 1b 45) aged 66.
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| Burial of William Valentine Wait February 7th 1857 |
He was buried on February 7th 1857 in St James Cemetery, Swain's Lane, Highgate, London.
On 5th January 1817 William's brother, John Wait, my 3x great grandfather (1796-1868), married Jane Clevely in Christchurch Greyfriars, Newgate Street, London.Their first son was born on May 31 1822 and baptised William Valentine Wait.
If you would like me to research your family history, please contact me at tonywait@tonywaitgenealogist.com
