The will and codicil of Jacob Ricardo

Dated 19 October 1824, Proved with a codicil 24 June 1834

I Jacob Ricardo residing at South Lambeth desire that this shall be considered my last Will @ Testament I leave @ bequeath to my dear Wife Harriet Ricardo £1500 (fifteen hundred pounds) pr annum during her life to be invested in the names of four trustees my executors @ one other partly in the english @ partly in the french funds in such proportions as my executors may think most advantageous at the death of my said Wife Harriet Ricardo the capital to form part of the residue of my estate @ to be disposed of as hereinafter mentioned should my said Wife marry again I order and direct that her annuity of £1500 pr annum be reduced to £400 (four hundred) I leave £1500 to my said Wife to dispose of as she thinks proper I leave £7000 to each of my undermentioned children Harriet Ricardo the younger, John Lewis Ricardo, Anna Esther Ricardo, Emily Ricardo, Frederick Ricardo, Ellen Ricardo, Albert Ricardo @ Walter Ricardo to be invested as aforesaid I direct that £150 pr annum for each of my children above mentioned be allowed from my estate from their education cloathing @c. @c. I leave to my son John Lewis Ricardo my freehold house at Clapton Terrace to be at his sole disposal when he attains the age of twenty one years the rent of the said house to accumulate for his benefit from the time of my death I also leave @ bequeath him a small freehold property that I possess in the County of Kent in the same manner as the above I direct that the £7000 bequeathed to each of my four daughters be settled on them in the following manner when they shall attain the age of 21 years they or their husbands (if married) shall have the free disposal of £3000 the £4000 to be settled on them in trust as aforesaid the interest for their benefit during their lives the said £4000 to distend and be equally divided with among their children at their decease should they or any one of them die without a issue it is then to fall into my estate @ be divided accordingly the £7000 to be given to each of my four sons when they shall attain the age of twenty one years I leave my furniture, wine, plate @ linen for the use of my dear Wife provided my children reside with her should she marry again I direct that the whole shall be sold for the benefit of my estate my books I leave to my dear son John Lewis to my brother Joseph Ricardo I leave £40 (forty) pr annum during his natural life I leave £50 for mourning to each of my brothers @ sisters except my brother Francis Ricardo, Ralph Ricardo @ Samson Ricardo to whom I leave £100 each @ appoint them my Executors to set this my last Will @ Testament duly put in force @ I must earnestly intreat @ exhort them to protect and cherish my dear Wife and children I leave £20 to each and every one of my servants male @ female that shall have lived with me three years or upwards at the time of my decease the reversionary property I possess I should wish not to be sold but wait till they fall in by the death of the parties @ form part of my estate the same to be observed with regard to the Annuity of Mr Bruton The Residue of my estate which comprises every species of property not named in this Will that I may die possessed of or that may be due to me hereafter I direct to be divided equally among my above named eight children or any child or children that my Wife may be pregnant with at my decease in this is included the capital of my Wife's Annuity which is to be so divided at her death I direct my executors to settle @ pay all debts I may owe at the time of my death and that they will endeavour to obtain what may be due to me. I beg that Mrs Joshua I Brandon may be presented with a ring as a small token of esteem @ friendship. I desire that my brother Samson Ricardo may retain £30,000 at the current interest to continue a business we are now carrying on under the firm of J @ S Ricardo for a term of five years provided he will give at least one third of the proceeds of the regular business to my wife @ son John Lewis I request that this £30,000 be appropriated in the manner I direct previous to any investments for the different trusts above named I must solemnly invoke my brother Samson to love, protect and be as a father to my dear son John Lewis Ricardo that he will take him in the business as soon as he is of an age competent for it in all respects treat him as my representative. Oct. 19, 1824 signed J Ricardo.

Thos. Boulton.//.

Since the above I have purchased some freehold property in the Village of Mattersey in the County of Northampton I direct this to form part of the residue of my estate to be sold @ divided as such should my son John Lewis be able or willing to become the purchaser I request the Executors will afford him every facility for so doing the £1500 that I bequeath my wife to be at her own disposal I direct shall be increased to £2500 (say two thousand and five hundred pounds) London. June 1st, 1826. J Ricardo.//.

In the Goods of Jacob Ricardo Esq. deceased.

Appeared Personally Charles Pouza of Angel Court Throgmorton Street London Gent. and Henry Ricardo of Barnards Inn London Gent. and jointly and severally made oath that they knew and were well acquainted with Jacob Ricardo late of Angel Court Throgmorton Street in the City of London but at the City of Paris Esquire deceased for several years before and down to the time of his death and having frequently seen him write and also write and subscribe his name are thereby become well acquainted with his manner and character of handwriting and subscription and having now carefully perused and inspected the paper writings hereunto annexed being respectively the Will and Testament with a Codicil thereto of the said deceased the said Will beginning thus “October 19, 1824 I Jacob Ricardo residing at South Lambeth desire that this shall be considered my Last Will and Testament” ending thus “@ in all respects treat him as my representative Oct. 19, 1824” and thus subscribed “Signed J Ricardo” the said Codicil beginning thus "Since the above, I have purchased some freehold property in the Village of Mattersey” ending thus “I direct shall be increased to £2500 two thousand five hundred pounds London June 1st 1826” and thus subscribed “J Ricardo” and having particularly viewed the interlineation of the words “in the names of four trustees my executors and one other” between the fourth and fifth line from the top of the first side of the said Will the interlineation of the words “to dispose of as she thinks proper” between the eleventh and twelfth lines from the top of the said first side and the erasure in the fourth line from the bottom of the fourth side of the said Will with a cross or asterisk referring to the words and initials “erased by J. R” written at the bottom of the said fourth side the words for a term of five years written between the first and second line of the fifth and last side of the said Will they say that they verily and in their consciences believe the whole contents of the said Will and Codicil beginning ending dated and subscribed as aforesaid and the whole of the before recited interlineations and the words and initials referring to the said obliteration in the said Will as hereinbefore recited to be of the true and proper handwriting and subscription of the said Jacob Ricardo Esquire deceased. ____ Charles Pouza ____ Henry Ricardo ____ On the 20th day of June 1834 the said Charles Pouza and Henry Ricardo were duly sworn to the truth of this affidavit Before me William Robinson Surr. ____ Pres. M. Orme Noty. Pub.//. Proved at London with a Codicil 24th June 1834 before the worshipful William Robinson Doctor of Law and Surrogate by the oaths of Francis Ricardo Esquire Ralph Ricardo Esquire and Samson Ricardo Esquire the brothers the Executors to whom admon was granted being first sworn duly to administer.//.

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