Transcript from 1771 will of James Francis Perkins

This subject of this unorthodox photo is a little complicated: it shows parts of two non-contiguous pages of the 1771 will of James Francis Perkins as transcribed in 1772 by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury after granting probate to his estate.

The object of locating this document was to shed some light on the Perkins family of Winkton, near Christchurch, and thus the mausoleum shown in yesterday's photo. I had incorrectly assumed that the J F Perkins in question would turn out to be the Lieutenant-General who died in 1803 - see the reference in yesterday's Commentary.

The Canterbury Court was the highest probate court in England, and it was usual for those with higher social status to have their wills proved there. The proving of a will (establishing it to be valid), otherwise known as probate, is the court's legal authority to executors to deal with the deceased's estate.

It is clear from the will that the Lieutenant-General J F (James Francis) Perkins was the youngest son of the JFP who made the will and died in 1772. The copperplate script is not easy to read, so this is the relevant part of the text, which conveniently starts on the line marked with a cross in the bottom extract:

"And whereas my youngest son James Francis Perkins hath already received greatly more than his fortune as a younger child now I so only hereby give unto my said son James Francis Perkins and his now wife the sum of twenty guineas both for mourning"

So there was no inheritance for the soldier son, but a substantial allowance for mourning. Given that the son's wife had an identical allowance, perhaps the money was simply intended to ensure that they would buy suitable mourning clothing.

JFP senior refers to JFP junior as having "received greatly more than his fortune as a younger child". I read this to mean two things: firstly, that an eldest son could in principle expect to inherit rather more than a younger one; and secondly, that the money already paid by JFP senior had included the purchase of a commission for him in the British army.

The position of an officer in the army was obtained by purchase, and could be sold on retirement. The practice was introduced in 1683 and ended in 1871, just after the end of the Franco-Prussian War, during which it became clear even to the ultra-conservatives in the military that an army without professional officers was an army courting a future disaster.

There are other illuminating aspects of the will:

His wishes for burial: "to be privately buried... in the vault lately [?opened] at Christchurch... for my late beloved wife being first put in a leaden coffin... I will that eight of my tenants be nominated to be the bearers to convey me to the grave"

Why eight coffin bearers? Well, it was made of lead, so it would no doubt require eight strong men to carry it.

Further aspects of the will:

- a legacy of £100 to his housekeeper Susannah Smith

- a gift "to such poor people of the tithing of Winkton as do not receive alms the sum of twenty pounds to be distributed amongst them as my [elder] son Edward Perkins shall think proper". Such a provision was not uncommon in the wills of the wealthier.

- JFP senior had owned inter alia a saltern and a fishery in Milford-on-Sea, to the east of Christchurch


This is all a little complicated, but I hope that at least some of it will make sense.