Letter to Revd John Walter about his sister's death (1796-1797)

As I have referred to this in several pieces I am giving the full text of it. 

It is Box 18/03/09 now. When the papers in question were at Nottinghamshire Archives it was DD/2184/3/9 and I think is still in their catalogue as such.

The sender is Thomas Beaumont Burnaby, brother of Anna Maria who has died. She being the widow of Richard Walter, late brother of the addressee Rev. John Walter.

I suppose the letter will have been found when John Walter died, and retained by his executor Thomas Beaumont.

************

Reverend Mr. Walter, Bingham, Nottinghamshire

Asfordby January 2^nd 1797

Dear Sir,

The last melancholy scene at Handsworth closed on Monday last about 3 o’clock in the afternoon.

Mr. Winfield and Mr. Richard Beaumont, according to the request of Sister Walter, attended; and after the funeral, her Will was opened and read by Mr. Richard Beaumont. Thinking it may be some satisfaction to you and Mrs Walter to know how she has disposed of her property, I have extracted [?] the principal parts of it ; which are as follows :

She has left to the poor of Handsworth to be distributed

as her executors think proper £ 100-0-0

To the general hospital at Birmingham £ 100-0-0

To the Blue Coat Charity £ 50-0-0

To William Dickinson in trust for Sister Gallaway £1,500-0-0

To her niece Maria Gallaway £ 500-0-0

To Nancy Gallaway £ 500-0-0

To her nephew Thomas Gallaway £ 105-0-0

To her niece Harriett Burnaby £ 500-0-0

To nephew Thomas Burnaby of Leicester £ 300-0-0

To Beaumont Burnaby of ditto £ 105-0-0

Carried forward £3,760-0-0

New page on original …/…

Brought forward £3,760-0-0

To my brother Andrew Burnaby £ 105-0-0

To you and Mrs Walter £ 105-0-0

And she directed a 5 guinea piece which your father

gave her on his deathbed to be given to you £ 5-5-0

Amongst the five daughters of late Sister Clayton

and her wearing apparel £2,500-0-0

But as Mrs Vann is amply provided for, she has left her only 100 guineas of the above and no part of her apparel

To Mr. John Winfield the price of some houses lately disposed of £ 472-10-0

To her five servants £10 each £ 50-0-0

And over and above to her maid who chiefly attended upon her £ 20-0-0

To Wm or Mr. [illegible due to page damage] Dickinson

for the trouble he may have in executing trust £ 52-10-0

Total £7,070-5-0

Annuities

To Sister Hannah £100-0-0

To Mrs Taylor £ 10-0-0

To Sarah Piddoch £ 5-0-0

New page on original …/…

Sister Walter has left her estates real and personal to my brother Robert and to me subject to ye legacies and annuities as tenants in common and not as joint tenants, and has appointed us her executors.

It appears by Sister’s books that she has received your rents and that there is a long account to be settled. As I have her books at this time at Asfordby, I wish it may be convenient to you to take a ride and meet my brother Robert here next week and spend a few days with us, and we will examine into the account, and what is to be done in future – We shall [illeg due to loss of part word] ha… [the] necessity of returning to Handsworth the week after next. Mrs Burnaby desires to [illeg due to under seal] [u]nite with me in respectful compliments to Mrs Walter (tho’ at present she has not the happiness of knowing her) and yourself wishing you both many happy returns of this season and I remain etc etc Your very affectionate etc Thomas Beaumont Burnaby.

*******

Notes

(1) The Nottingham archive listing on this (not online) reads: Letter from Thomas Beaumont Burnaby of Asfordby, Leics., to Revd Walter of Bingham concerning the contents of his sister's
 will. But the deceased lady is the sister of the author of the letter and sister-in-law of the addressee. 

(2) John Walter's wife Susannah (nee Beaumont) is the aunt of Richard Beaumont of Birmingham. Anna Maria Burnaby witnessed the marriage of John and Susannah in 1767.

(3) Hannah (nee Beaumont) the wife of Andrew Burnaby and mother of both Anna Maria and Thomas Beaumont Burnaby was the aunt of Susannah and great aunt of Richard.

(4) Anna Maria Burnaby married Richard Walter in April 1773 at Asfordby (IGI).

(5) Monument then at Handsworth, Staffordshire.... against the south wall of the chancel, a white table for Richard Walter, gent., who died August 3rd, 1788 aged 50 (Gents Magazine 1794 p.712)..

(6) This letter could be compared with - Will of Anna Maria Walter, widow, of Handsworth [proved in] 1797 (PRO).

(7) Incidentally John Walter's own will, which he made in 1807 (Box 18/201) shows that he had a godson called John Walter Winfield, then still under 21.

8 February 2019. EMB