Abstract of the Will of John Bunce 

PROB11/1696/222 

I John Bunce late of Brompton Row, Kensington, Grocer, then of Harlington? Middlesex, Gentleman, then of King’s Road, Chelsea, then of Brompton Row, and now of Amelia Place, Fulham Road, Middlesex, Gentleman 

I wish to be buried in the same grave as my dear late wife, Ann Bunce 

To my servant, Mary East, if she be with me at my death, for her long and faithful servitude, £100. She shall be provided with a full suit of mourning at the expense of my estate  

To the daughters of my brother in law, Mr. Chapman, of New Brentford, Middlesex, Gardener, namely Jane E------ Frances Chapman, Mary Earn Amelia Chapman and Susan Chapman, £10 each  

I give to William Edwell, one of my executors hereafter appointed, £20 for the trouble he may have in the Executorship  

I give to my son, the Reverend Bunce of Cooks Ground, Chelsea, and to my friend, William Edwell of Leader Street, Chelsea, the remaining years of my two leasehold messuages in St. George’s Row in the parish of St. George, Hanover Square now in the occupation of Mr. Haw------ and Mr. Russell, in Trust to receive the rents and after expenses, use the residue for the benefit of my late brother’s children, Thomas Bunce, James Bunce and Ann Clark.in equal shares  

To my son the Reverend John Bunce my moiety and share in the messuage in Sloane Street, parish of St. Luke, Chelsea, now in the occupation of William Caul, plumber, my three properties – 17, Brompton Row, now in the occupation of Mrs. Fuller?, one in Marlborough Place, Chelsea, in the occupation of Mr. Lucas, and one in Leader Street, Chelsea, in the occupation of ---- Kendell, and all my wearing apparel and body linen, and such of my books as he may choose  

To my Trustees all my leasehold property at 9, Amelia Place, Brompton, where I now live with my daughter, Amelia Towlson, and her husband, John Towlson. My daughter and her husband should continue to live there, having the use of all the furniture that belongs to me, and they being responsible for all outgoings, rent, insurance, repairs, taxes and otherwise

If my daughter survives her husband she should occupy the house for her life, or receive the rents thereof for her own use, and after her death, whether her husband survives her or not, I give my bookcase, bureau, chest of drawers, bed, mattress, bedstead and furniture belonging thereto, to my grandson, Robert Rymill, son of my daughter, Amelia Towlson  

The rest of my furniture should form part of my residuary estate  

If John Towlson survives my daughter he should be permitted to continue to occupy the house for his life if he so wishes  

To my Trustees John Bunce and William Edwell my three leasehold messuages – 2 Queen’s Buildings, --------- on lease to Mr. Robert Mason, 1 Queen’s Buildings, Queen Street, on lease to Mrs. Martinent, and one in Lower Sloane Street, Chelsea, on lease to ------------- (parts of the Will are faded and I cannot read the names) and after expenses the profits should be for the benefit of my daughter, Amelia Towlson, and not for the use of her present or any future husband, for her life  

If she pre-deceases John Towlson, the rents should be paid to him until the youngest of their children is 21, to be used for the maintenance and education of those children. When the youngest is 21, the leases should be sold, and the receipts divided equally between those children. If there are no such children reaching 21 the proceeds should be paid to my grandson, Robert Rymill.  

To my Trustees John Bunce and William Edwell all my stock in the Bank of England, on Trust, to pay the interest to my daughter, Amelia Towlson, for her own separate use, for her life  

After her death the funds to be divided in half, to my grandaughter, Ann Bunce, the daughter of my son John Bunce (this is all faded, possibly I have missed something) for her maintenance and education until she is 21, and the other half to my grandson, Robert Rymill, for the same  

To my grandson, Robert Rymill, the lease of property I purchased from Thomas Fuller for his own use  

All the rest of my estate I give to my son, John Bunce, whom I appoint residuary legatee  

I appoint John Bunce and William Edwell Executors  

Signed             17 May 1823  

Witness           Isaac ------, 26 Charles Street, St. James Square, Solicitor, Thos. Bond, his clerk  

Probate            London 14 March 1825 to the Rev. John Bunce, the son, and William Edwell