This is the Last Will & testament of me John LOCK of Dorchester in the County of Dorset cork cutter plumber and glazier being infirm of body but of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding thanks be to Almighty God for the same made and published this second day of January in the year of our Lord 1828

First I will and direct that all my just debts and funeral and testamentary expenses be paid and satisfied within one year after me decease by my Executors hereinafter named

I give and bequeath all my money and securities for money book debts stock in trade implements and tools of my several trade household goods and furniture and all other my personal estate effects of what nature or kind so ever and wheresoever situate // (end of 1st page)

lying or being unto Thomas LOCKET grocer and James KEATES the elder cordwainer both of Dorchester aforesaid their executors and assigns upon trust that they the said Thomas LOCKETT and James KEATES and the survivor of them his executors or administrators do and shall with all convenient speed after my decease either by public auction or private contract as they or he shall think fit sell and dispose of all such part and parts of my said personal estate and effects as shall not consist of money or security or securities for money or book debts and convert the same into money

Subject nevertheless to the provisions hereinafter contained:-

As to my implements and tools of trade and then do and shall by and out of the clear proceeds thereof after paying all costs charges and expenses attending such sale or Laws of disposition of my said personal estate and effects so as aforesaid directed to be sold and payment of all my just debts and funeral and testamentary expenses pay over and apply one full and equal sixth part or share the whole into six equal parts or shares to be divided of the net residue or surplus of all singular my personal estate and effects unto:-

My mother Mary TOMS to and for her own absolute use and benefit,

One other full and equal sixth part or share thereof unto my son George LOCK to and for his own absolute use and benefit,

One other full and equal sixth part or share thereof unto my son John LOCK to and for his own absolute use and benefit,

And I do hereby will and direct that me said Trustees and the survivor of them do and shall retain in their or his hands or hand the other three full and equal parts in six of my said net residuary personal estate and effects upon the trusts following that is to say in trust to put and place the same out at interest in their or his names or name on some Government or other good real or personal security or securities as they or he shall think fit and from time to time to call in and again put and place out the same on the like security or securities and from time to time at their or his discretion pay over or apply the interest and proceeds thereof together with all or part of the principal money unto or for the maintenance education and advancement in life of my three younger children Hezekiah LOCK; Jane LOCK; and Mary Ann LOCK according to their respective presumptive estates and interests therein for the time being until he she or they respectively attain his or her or their respective age or ages of twenty one years and then In Trust to pay over one full and sixth part of all such my said residuary estate and effects unto each of them my said three younger children when and as they shall respectively attain the said age or so much and such parts thereof respectively as shall not have been by my said trustees or the survivor of them his executors or admons (administrators) previously paid applied or disposed of in or towards his her or their respective maintenance education or advancement in life as aforesaid

And I do hereby will and direct that in case any one or more of my said three younger children shall happen to die before his her or their respective part or share of and in my said residuary estate and effects shall have been fully paid or applied or become a vested interest by or on their attaining the said age of twenty one years respectively Then the share part or proportion of him her or them so dying under the said age or so much thereof as shall then remain unpaid or unapplied for the purposes aforesaid shall go and be paid unto and equally amongst all other my said children living at the time of such death or deaths respectively in equal proportions

-Provided nevertheless if my said son George LOCK shall be minded and desirous of taking to the tools and implements usually employed in my business or trades of a plumber and glazier Then and in that case I will and direct that the same tools and implements of trade, other than and except my stock in trade, shall be fairly valued by two competent persons one to be the son by my said son George and the other by my said Trustees or the survivor of them his executors or admons (administrators) and in case of their disagreement such two persons to be at liberty to name and call in a third person as an umpire and that the decision of such arbitrators or umpire as the case may be shall be conclusive as to the amount in value of such tools and implements and I will and direct that such amount shall be taken by my said son George LOCK as in full or in part of his sixth part or share of and in my said residuary estate and effects according to the amount or value thereof and if the same shall exceed such part or share then such surplus// (end of 2nd page)

To be paid for and by them unto my said Trustees for the benefit of such persons as shall be by this my will entitled to the other five parts in six of my said estate

-Provided also and I do hereby further will and direct that it shall and may be lawful to and for my said Trustees and Executors respectively and their respective executors and administrators by and out of the monies which shall come to their or his hands or hand respectively to deduct and reimburse themselves and himself respectively of such loss costs charges damages and expenses as they or either of them shall put unto suffer sustain or bear for or by reason or means of the management or execution of the trusts of this my Will whether the same shall happen by reason of any suit or suits at Law or in equity or otherwise howsoever so as the same happen not by or through his or their own respective willful neglect default or other misconduct and that they my said Trustees and Executors or either of them shall be answerable or accountable for any more monies than they respectively shall actually receive nor shall one of them be answerable or accountable for the other or others of them, or for the receipts payments disbursements acts or defaults of the others or other of them but each of them for his own receipts payments acts and defaults, nor shall they or either of them be answerable or accountable for any loss that shall or may happen to the said Trust Estates in any respect howsoever unless the same happen by or through their or his own respective wilful neglect or mismanagement

And Lastly I do hereby nominate constitute and appoint my said Trustees Thomas LOCKET and James KEATES the elder, joint Executors of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking and making void all former and other Wills by me at any time heretofore made

In Testimony whereof I have to this my last Will and Testament contained in four sheets of paper to the first three sheets hereof set my hand and to this fourth and last sheet set my hand and affixed my seal the day and year first above written

John LOCK

Signed sealed published and declared by the said John LOCK the testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto at his request subscribed our names as witnesses thereto

Thomas SABINE
John NEAL

Genealogical Notes:- (Last updated September 2013)

Settlement Examination
for John Lock taken 3rd June 1815
© Karen A Lock

A Settlement Examination: has survived concerning the testator John LOCK (1784-1828) who was a cork cutter by trade . It includes his sworn statement which I have transcribed below as it is not particularly easy to read and it provides a lot of important background to his life:-

From this it is clear that he was the illegitimate son of a single woman called Mary HALL and born around the year 1784 in Bere Regis. He was probably baptised in the parish church of St John the Baptist in Bere Regis but the town suffered a number of disastrous fires, the worst being in 1788 when the Vicarage and more than 40 other houses in addition to stables, barns and outbuildings were reduced to ashes. It was said that the church was several times threatened by the flames, but that the efforts of the firemen and others prevented it from being damaged. The parish registers were not so fortunate, being at the time in the Vicarage so we are unlikely to ever locate his baptism. He married twice under the name of John LOCK RIDDLE but records show both Lock and Riddle used as a surname so he is more correctly referred to as John LOCK alias RIDDLE. It's possible that his father's surname was Lock or Riddle as I have not located any reference to him using his mothers maiden name of Hall. Riddle seems to have only been used was used in Bere Regis and Lock elsewhere.

His mother Mary Hall later married the widower Christopher TOMMS at Bere Regis on 16th Oct 1797, hence she is referred to by her married name in the above will.

John married first as John Lock RIDDLE to Jane BROWN - Banns were read on the 3rd; 10th and 17th April at Bere Regis and they married there on 11th May 1803. Jane produced 5 children the last 4 being named in the settlement examination:-

(1) Catherine RIDDLE, who does not appear to have been baptised, but was buried at Bere Regis as the daughter of John Lock RIDDLE on 30th Oct 1804

(2 & 3) The twins George and John were actually baptised together at nearby Turners Puddle on 5th Nov 1805 where the entry states under the year 1805 "John and George twin children of John and Jane LOCK of Bere Regis baptised 5th Nov'. George LOCK (1805-1831) went on to marry Maria DUFAL at St Peters church Dorchester on 1st Feb 1827. Their son George (referred to in the above will) was baptised at St Peters on 2nd Aug 1829. George senior and junior both died in 1831 follow link to Maria above for more information.

(4) Hezekiah was baptised at Bere Regis on the 3rd Jan 1808 as the son of John Lock RIDDLE. He married Ann BROWNE at Winterbourne Steepleton on 25th May 1829 when he gave his name as Hezekiah LOCK and his father John LOCK signed as a witness. The 1841 Census lists 6 of their children and shows his trade to be that of a grocer. He died at the age of 37 as Hezekiah Lock being buried in the parish on 31st March 1845.

(5) Jane was also baptised at Bere Regis on 28th Oct 1810 also being named as the daughter of John Lock RIDDLE.

Jane (nee BROWN) was buried at Bere Regis as 'the wife of John Lock Riddle' on 25th Feb 1812.

John Lock RIDDLE, now recorded as a widower, remarried in Bere Regis to the spinster Elizabeth LOVERIDGE (1789-1816), Banns being read from 1st Aug 1813, and the marriage taking place on 30th. They had two further children also referred to in the Settlement examination:-

Andrew was bap at Bere Regis on 6th Dec 1813 by which time we have the benefit of the new baptism forms. This shows that he was the son of John and Elizabeth the surname being given as 'LOCK RIDDLE', his fathers occupation as cork cutter, and residence as Shitterton in the parish of Bere Regis. Andrew we know from the removal order was with them when they were returned to St Peters Parish in 1815 and he died there being buried at St Peters Church on 17th June 1818 recorded as 'Andrew son of John & the late Elizabeth LOCK'.

Mary Anne was baptised in Bere Regis on 2nd April 1815 just 4 months prior to removal. Her baptism shows the same parentage etc as her brother Andrew. She may have married George Brett at St Peters in 1835

Unfortunately Elizabeth recorded as 'the wife of John LOCK' died at the age of 27 and was buried at St Peters in Dorchester on 21 Jun 1816.

The Testator John LOCK (1785-1828) was buried at St Peters on 24 Aug 1828; age 43 years by Rev John Morton Colson Rector.