Richard Bills’ will (proved 1849) shows him to have been a substantial business and property owner in Darlaston. In the Jackson’s Fold area were three houses with shops and outbuildings ‘now or late in the occupation of my brother Samuel Bills and Joseph Paulton and [blank] Page. Also the dwelling house, shop and appurtenances situate at Butt Cross, Darlaston, and now or late occupied by Thomas Cooper and land in Kingshill Field now in my own possession’. These were to be given, upon trust, to Samuel Messon[?] gent and John Foster Adams both of Darlaston, who were instructed ‘as soon as convenient after my death [to] sell and dispose of the same by public auction or private contract’.

Richard’s wife, Elizabeth, was given his ‘moiety and other share estate and interests of and in all those erections and buildings knowns as Darlaston Gun Ironworks and Steelworks’. This included messuages, mills, forges, shops, warehouses, counting houses and all steam engines, machinery, implements, utensils, chattels and moveable effects. Elizabeth was also to receive his stock-in-trade, debts and effects which ‘shall then belong and be due and owing to the co-partnership carried on between me and my son-in-law Samuel Mills [and] all the mines minerals and collieries with the engines, gins, machinery and apparatus belonging thereto …’ She was also bequeathed ‘all the residue and remainder of my messuages, buildings, lands and other Real Estate … To have and to hold, receive, take and enjoy … absolutely’.

Richard bequeathed all his ‘household goods and furniture, plate, bedding, linen, china, and other household effects and his money, securities for money, and other personal estate ‘unto my wife absolutely’.

From sum of £500 bequeathed to his trustees, one fourth was given to his sisters Ann Bill (wife of Samuel Bill); one other fourth to Sarah Bill (wife of William Bill) and one fourth to ‘such of my nephews and nieces the children of my late sister Elizabeth Cartwright as shall be living at the time of my death in equal shares’. The remaining fourth was to be placed in trust and invested in ‘freehold, leasehold, personal or any other security or securities as my said trustees or trustee shall think proper in their or his names or name and to pay the interests and dividends thereof unto my said brother Samuel Bills during his life’. But, Richard stipulated ‘if the same shall not amount to ten shillings per week then upon trust from time to time to make up and pay that sum out of the principal money’. If Samuel Bills’ wife outlived her husband she was to receive 5s a week. After their deaths the money was to be placed ‘in trust for my nephews and nieces the children of my said brother’.

At the end of his lengthy will Richard nominated and appointed his wife sole executrix. There then followed three pages of codicils.

‘I Richard Bills Ironmaster do declare this to be a codicil to be annexed and taken as part of my last will and testament bearing date11 September 1839. Whereas I did by my will give, devise and bequeath unto my wife Elizabeth all that my moiety and other share estate and interest of … the Darlaston Green Iron works and Steel works situate in the parish of Darlaston … Now, in case it shall happen that my said wife shall die in my lifetime I give devise and bequeath unto my said son-in-law Samuel Mills all my said moiety and other share estate and interest of and in the said iron works, steel works … and premises and also my said residuary messuages, buildings, lands and real estate’.

In the event of Elizabeth predeceasing Richard, Samuel Mills was also to receive all Richard’s household goods, personal estate, money and securities for money that he had bequeathed to Elizabeth.

Since making his will, Richard’s sister Sarah (the wife of William Bill) had died. Her share of the £500 was now to be divided equally amongst her children.

The codicil was dated13 January 1844

Sources

Staffordshire Record Office, BC/11, Will of Richard Bills, Ironmaster, Darlaston, 1849

This is a work in progress, subject to change as new research is conducted.