The Will of Francis Simpson dated 19 September 1735.
Francis Simpson lived between 1677 and 1738. One of Fishlake’s wealthy gentlemen he and his family lived at Fishlake Hall during the early part of the 18th century. His transcribed Will below gives an insight into his affairs, a farmer, property owner, involved in local politics and family man.
Francis was born at Fishlake on 4 May 1677 and baptism 5 June 1677. His father was Thomas Simpson who died in 1704 and buried at Fishlake 28 October 1704, described as gentleman. Francis’s mother Margaret was also buried at Fishlake 4 October 1718 and described as a gentlewoman.
Francis married to Hannah Wormley, a member of the notable Wormley family of Riccall, on 16 November 1699, at Wheldrake Church. See Wormley family website for more details of this interesting and important Yorkshire family.
Wormley Family History | The Wormley family of Yorkshire through 950 years
The Will mentions his wife and nine children although only eight are named, Edward was baptised in Riccall, his mother’s home on 13 September 1699. I have not found the baptism of either Hannah and Francis. All his other children were baptised at Fishlake: Elizabeth 13 March 1706 (later married Blanchard), Margaret 12 March 1708, John 10 June 1711, Anthony ?August 1715 and Martha 18 August 1717.
The Will mentions his main dwelling house, Fishlake Hall, now know as the Hall Farm. There is also mention of several other properties a house and land in Doncaster, a farm at Sykehouse, another major property in Fishlake called Bynd Hall. It is uncertain were this was but the name Bynd is very similar to Bind which is the name of a bridge mentioned on old maps which was situated on Far Bank very close to what is now Bank House Farm so it might be that the present Bank House Farm may have been originally known as Bynd Hall in 1735.
He leaves £600 to 6 of his children this according to the National Archives currency converter would now be equivalent of about £71,000.
Francis died at Fishlake 1738 and buried 12 November 1738 at St Cuthbert’s, described in the register as a gentleman.
His wife Hannah died 1759 buried at Fishlake 11 March 1759 described in the register as Mrs.
(This transcription was undertaken by the Rev George Ornsby but I have checked it with a copy of the original Will.)
In the name of God, Amen, I Francis Simpson of Fishlock in the county of York Gentleman being in an ill state of health & senaible of the uncertainty of human life make this my last will and testament.
First - I give my soul to God it's Great Creator & hope He will gratiously receive it for Jesus Christi sake & I order my body to be burijd at the discretion of my Executors.
Secondly - I give devise bequeath & surrender my capital Messuage house wherein I now dwell with ye Mault House Kiln Mill Dovecoat Barns Stables all other Buildings with the foldsteads Garden Orchards and Apurtenances & also one close called Town croft one close called Huderoft one close called Buttler Garth with several measteads common Rights Parcells of land & priviledges to the same belonging; And all my lands in the arable common towne fields of Fishlock; And all my lands in the Town Ings not now tenanted two acres of meadow in ye Fen Carr & halfe an acre in Fishlock Moors unto my dear wife for & dureing the term of her naturall life And after her decease to my eldest son Edward Simpson Doctor of Laws & Master of Trinity Hall in Cambridge & to his heirs & assigns for ever.
Thirdly - I give devise bequeath & surrender my freehold message called
Bynd Hall wherein John Throop now dwells with Mault House Kilne Mill Barns Stables & other Buildings foldsteads Orchards & Apurtenances & all ye land as well freehold as copyhold lying now in five severall closes there unto adjoyning to ye said Edward Simpson my eldest son his heirs & assigns for ever on this speciall trust & confidence & condition that he and his heirs shall within twelve month after my decease pay unto my daughter Elizabeth Blanshard one hundred pounds to my daughter Margaret Simpson one hundred pounds to my son John Simpson one hundred pounds to my daughter Hannah Simpson one pounds to my son Anthony Simpson one hundred pounds to my daughter Martha Simpson one hundred pounds or to such of them as shall be then liveing and I charge my said message called Bynd Hall & the five closes & lands thereunto adjoyning with the payment of the said severall sums amounting in the whole to six hundred pounds.
Fourthly - I give to my dear wife two milk cows such as she shall choose & all my houshold goods plate & linnen but desire she will give one of my silver tumblers to each of my children that have not already had one.
Fithly - I give and assigne over the lease & lands I hold of Mr Eratt & Mr Perkins to my son John. & his assignes & I also give my son John eight horses & mares with eight complet pairs of gears and harness of the same, and two siding horses with saddles and bridles, two waggons one cart two plows three pait of Harrows, three sledges with all the swingle trees tackle & utensills
thereunto belonging all the said Horses gears Waggon Cart Plows Harrows, ect to be chosen by him before therebe any sale of my goods.
Sixthly - And to enable my Executors to perform a contract I an under for the saile of part of my estate & to pay off the mortgage that is upon my estate soe that all the messages & lands above mentioned may be clear & discharged there from & wholly apply'd to the uses above named & exprest; & that they may allso sell & raise money to pay all my just debts & make further provision for all my nine children, I give devise bequeath & surrender to my sons Edward Simpson, Francis Simpson and John Simpson my message Appurtenances in Doncaster which Mrs Jennings rents of me my messuage House Farm and Lands which John Winn lately farm of me at Sykehouse; a Ring of severall closes & lands near Penny Shaw which Jonathan Cass lately farm'd of my severall closes called Dormer Crofts & Birksikes & meadow in the ley Ings which wm Ridley lately farmed of me, severall lands & closes now or lately let to David Cass, Richard White, Henry Casson, Joseph Taylor & an House & severall closes & lands let to Wm Pinder of Pollington three woods & parcells of wood grounds called Mallorn Shaw, Penny Shaw & Hazle Hurst Shaw. With all my other Houses, lands, wood tenements & Asuditenements not herebefore disposed on, by whatsoever name or names these or any of them on or may be called or Knowne by, with all their Rights members & apurtenences, & all my Right title & Intrest in & to the same I give devise bequeath & surrender unto my said sons Edward Simpson, Francis Simpson & John Simpson & to the survivors & survivors of them & to their heirs & assigns for ever, subject never the less to such trusts, uses intents & purposes as herein mentioned.
I allsoe give devise bequeath to my sons Edward, Francis & John all my corn on the ground in the barns stacks or elswhere all my Hay Horses beasts & other cattle all my waggons plows & husbandry gear & utensills & all my other goods chattles & debts due to me & all other things whatsoever or wheresoever not herebefore otherwise disposed on And do make and apoint them the said Edward Simpson, Francis Simpson & John Simpson Executors of this my last will & testament in trust & confidence that my said executors shall immeadeately or within six months after my deceace call in the debts owing to me & sell all the said messages Houses lands wood & wood grounds & my reall & personall estates herein given to them for that purpose & by & with the money soe to be raised & received my will & mind in that all my just debts be first pay'd & what shall remaine clear over & above paying my debts I give & bequeath to & among all my children; to be preportioned by an account to be kept and stated by my nine executors whom I order to allow & take to themselves & to the rest of my nine children each their severall & respective parts & shares in proportion to the said account, to be settled by my executors, which account I will & order shall be finall & my executors not lyable to be call'd over again or to make any other accounts. And as I wish Unity Love Pease & prosperity to all my family I desire my dear wife & children to assist & advise each other.
In witness wherof I have hereunto set my hand & seal and publish'a & declar'a this my last will & testament this nineteenth Day of Febuary in ye year of our Lord one thousand and seven hundred thirty five.
sign'd seal 'd publis'd & declar'a before us who have hereunto subscrib'a our
names a witnesses in the presence
of the testator.
Hannah Lee
Joseph Taylor
John Taylor.
note. Meastead means 'a strip of land in a meadow'.
Fishlake Hall the home of the Simpson’s. A detail of the sketch by Samuel Buck about 1720 while Frances was alive. Thanks to The National Archives.
Further notes on Francis’s eldest son Edward.
His eldest son Edward, mentioned above, became the notable Sir Edward Simpson LLD, 1699-1764 at one time master of Trinity Hall, Cambridge and the Dean of Arches (title of a senior judge).
Also, MP for Dover and lived at Acton, Middlesex. Although not born at Fishlake he must have sent his boyhood here as his family were settled in the village by 1706 (his sister was baptised at Fishlake church in 1706). It is highly likely that he attended the Endowed Grammar School before going up to Cambridge in 1718. After his death in 1764 he left all his estate to his wife Elizabeth.