Will of Charles Allen dated 1775

This is the last Will and Testament of me, Charles Allen, of Deopham in the County of Norfolk, Shopkeeper.
First, I give and devise All and every my Messuages, Lands, Tenements and Hereditaments whatsoever as well Freehold as Copyhold or of whatsoever other nature or tenure the same be, situate, lying and being in Deopham aforesaid, or in any other Town or Towns thereto near or adjoining with their and every of their Rights, Members and Appurtenances unto my Son, Charles Allen, and to his Heirs and Assigns for ever,
Subject nevertheless and upon Condition that he or they shall out of the same pay off and discharge all such just Debts as I shall owe at the time of my decease and the two ??? Legacies or Sums of Money which I have herein after given and directed him or them to pay (that is to say)
I do hereby will, order and direct that the said Charles Allen my Son and his Heirs shall out of the premises devised to him as aforesaid, pay the Legacies or Sums of Fifteen Pounds apiece of good and lawful  Money of Great Britain unto my two Daughters, Sarah Allen and Hannah Allen as herein after mentioned (that is to say)
– the sum of Five Pounds apiece part thereof to them my said Daughters respectively within one Calendar Month next after my decease and
– the residue and remainder of the said Fifteen Pounds apiece to them the said Sarah Allen and Hannah Allen at their respective Ages of Twenty One Years;
And I do hereby declare my will and mind to be that in case default shall happen to be made of, or in, payment of the said Legacys or Sums of Fifteen Pounds apiece herein above given or directed to be paid to my said two daughters Sarah Allen and Hannah Allen or any part thereof at the times herein before mentioned for payment of the same,
Then it shall and may be lawful for my said Daughters Sarah Allen and Hannah Allen or either of them who shall be so unpaid to enter in and upon all and every the Messuages, Lands, Tenements, Hereditaments and Premises herein before given and devised to my said Son Charles Allen and his Heirs or any part thereof with their Appurtenances and to have, hold, use, occupy, possess and enjoy the same until they shall be respectively fully paid and satisfied together with her or their full costs and charges of entering and recovering the same;
And (also subject to the payment of all and every my just Debts, the said Legacies herein before mentioned) my Funeral Charges and the Charge of proving this my Will, I give and bequeath all the rest, residue and remainder of my personal Estate of whatsoever nature, kind or quality the same be unto my said Charles Allen;
And I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint him the said Charles Allen my Son sole Executor of this my Will.
In Witness whereof the said Charles Allen the Testator have to this my last Will and Testament Contained in one Sheet of Paper set my hand and Seal the Thirtieth day of December in the year of Our Lord One Thousand and Seven Hundred and Seventy Five,

Charles Allen

Signed, sealed, published and declared by the said Charles Allen the Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have subscribed our Names as Witnesses hereto (the Words “contained in one Sheet of Paper” being first Inserted)

Sarah Ransome
Anthony Ransome
James Henry Page

Proved by Executor 24^th Oct 1777 before the worshipful Peter Petitall M.A., Commissioner etc.

All rights reserved by Norfolk Record Office who hold the original; their ref is NRO AF 1774/8 W60; MF232

The burial of Charles Allen is recorded in the Deopham register of Burials on August 31^st 1777.

In 1777 and 1791, Charles Allen was recorded as one of the Homage at the Courts of Deopham of the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury.

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