LAST WILL & TESTAMENT

Joseph Ridout, Planter of Rogues Harbour (in the North District) of Newfoundland

In the Name of God Amen. I Joseph Ridout of Rogues Harbour being very sick and weak in body of perfect mind and memory thanks be to God calling into mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my Soul into the hand of Almighty God that gave it and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in decent Christian burial nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God and as touching such worldly estate wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me in this life I give devise and dispose in the following manner and form

First I give and bequeath to Joseph and Jillbart my dearly beloved sons my room and all the fishing craft and all my moveable effects and all that ever was by me enjoyed that is to say belonging to my room as for my money that shall be in my possession at the time of my decease it shall be equally divided to all my beloved daughters and sons as for Jiles my beloved son I give ten pounds sterling more than all the rest of the Girls

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 2^nd day of April in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty.

Joseph Ridout

Signed sealed published pronounced and declared by the said Joseph Ridout as his last Will and Testament I the presence of us who in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names

James White
John Nobel

This Will is accompanied by a lot of documentation from various courts as, lacking an executor and residuary legatee, it could not be proved, and went through three different Administrations.

Names mentioned in the documentation include:

Edward Mortimer Archibald, chief clerk & registrar of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland, who granted the first Admon on 25 August 1840 to Thomas Knight of St John's, Newfoundland, planter, who administered the estate with the consent of the deceased's children.

Then in 1844, as some of their father's estate lay in England, three of the deceased's sons, Giles, Joseph and Gilbert Ridout, appointed William Tarbet of Liverpool, Lancaster, as their attorney.

There is an affidavit from Andrew Armstrong, Accountant of Saint John's, to confirm that the power of attorney signed by Giles, Joseph and Gilbert Ridout in his presence is genuine, sworn before John Jervas Hutchinson Bourne.

There is a highly detailed letter from Rev. Peter William Jolliffe, Rector of Poole & Canford Magna, and Registrar William Aldridge to Augustus Campbell, Rector of Liverpool, as to how to administer the oath of administration and the exact wording of the oath. (This is the document that contains the deceased's date of death - 29 April, 1840 - and that his estate is valued at not more than £450.)

The details of the final Admon bond are as follows:

William Tarbet of Liverpool, Lancaster, merchant and lawful attorney of Giles, Joseph & Gilbert Ridout, natural and lawful children of the deceased
James Harley of Liverpool, merchant
James Inglis of Liverpool, book keeper
Bound in the sume of £900, February 8^th, 1845
William Tarbet to be administrator
All sign in the presence of Augustus Campbell

No Joseph Ridout is christened at Poole in the relevant time frame. He must have been born elsewhere and moved to Poole to complete an apprenticeship, or moved there later in life due to commercial interests. He may have been born on Newfoundland.

Dorset History Centre Ref.: CP\W\R 33
Transcribed by Kim Parker from images of the original will and accompanying court papers and correspondence. All notes also taken from images of the original documents.