In the name of God, Amen, I Owen Gwinet of St Dunstan’s in the East, being in health of body and of sound and perfect mind and memory praised be Almighty God for the same but calling to mind the uncertainty of this life do make my last will and testament in manner following, that is to say:

First I resign my soul into the hands of Almighty God and my body I commit to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my executrix herein after named and as for the worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased the Almighty God to bless me, I dispose thereof as followeth:

First I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Mary Gwinnet the sum of two hundred pounds either to be disposed of in her life time or to be given by her last will and testament as she shall think fit and whereas I have, in old South Sea Annuities, in the names of George Green of Stoke Newington Esquire and William Ward of Staples Inn Gentleman, the sum of three hundred pounds, now I do hereby give and bequeath to the said George Green and William Ward the said sum of three hundred pounds in trust nevertheless and to and for the uses, trusts intents and purposes hereinafter mentioned and to and for no other use, trust, intent or purpose whatsoever (that is to say in trust that they the said George Green and William Ward or the survivor of them or the executors or administrators of the survivor of them shall after my decease receive the interest and dividends of the said three hundred pounds and shall pay the same to my beloved wife for and during the term of her natural life and from and after her decease in trust to transfer the said three hundred pounds South Sea Annuities to my daughter Mary Gwinnet her executors and administrators to her and their own use and uses.

I likewise give and bequeath to my said beloved wife Mary Gwinnet my messuage or tenement situate in Paradise Row, Stoke Newington for the remainder of the term of years which shall be to come and unexpired at the time of my decease in case she shall so long live but in case of her death before the expiration of the said term then I give and bequeath the same to my daughter Mary Gwinnet her executors and administrators for and during the remainder of the term which shall be then to come and unexpired.

I also give and bequeath to Elizabeth Lewis, wife of Jacob Lewis the sum of five pounds a year for her succeeding years next after my decease to be paid by my executrix or by my daughter after the decease of my executrix in case she survives my executrix on the twenty-fifth day of December next ensuing my decease and so on every twenty-fifth day of December afterwards for nine successive years but in case of the death of the said Elizabeth Lewis within the said ten years then I give the sum of five pounds a year for so many years as shall be unexpired of the said ten years to the child or children of the said Elizabeth Lewis to be equally divided between or amongst them but in case of the death of the said Elizabeth Lewis without issue or in case of the death of such issue before the expiration of the said ten years then the same shall cease and not be paid but shall sink in the residue of my estate.

I do order that the said Jacob Lewis shall have no control or intermeddling with the same but the receipt of the said Elizabeth Lewis shall be a sufficient discharge for the same and all the rest and residue of my estate whatsoever and wheresoever I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Mary Gwinnet for and during the term of her natural life and after her decease I give and bequeath the same to my said daughter Mary Gwinnet her executors and administrators and I do hereby make, constitute and appoint my said beloved wife Mary Gwinnet sole executrix of my last will and testament, hereby revoking all other wills by me formerly made.

In witness whereof I the said Owen Gwinnet have here unto set my hand and seal this twenty-eighth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty six.

Owen Gwinnett

Signed, sealed, published and declared by the testator as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who have subscribed our names as witnesses hereto in his presence and at his request and in the presence of each other: Dennis Delane, John Savile.

This will was proved at London the thirtieth day of December in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and sixty nine before the Worshipfull William Macham, Doctor of Laws and surrogate of the Right Worshipfull George Hay also Doctor of Laws, Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oath of Mary Gwinnett, widow, the relict of the deceased and sole executrix named in the said will to whom administration was granted of all and singular the goods, chattels and credits of the said deceased she having been first sworn duly to administer.