This is the last will and testament of me James Holderness Featherstone of Lancaster Villa Baker Street Reading in the county of Berks gentleman
I bequeath the following legacies free of legacy duty namely to each of my daughters Annie Juliana Hall the wife of William Edgar Hall of Shepherds Bush in the county of Middlesex clerk and Alice Howlett the wife of Richard Howlett of Bromley in the county of Kent Esquire twenty five pounds and I declare the said legacies shall be for the separate use of my said daughters and that their receipts alone shall be a good discharge for the same respectively I devise all my real estate and bequeath all my money in the £3 per cent Consolidated Bank annuities War Office pension Life Insurance monies furniture and all other my residuary personal estate whatsoever and wheresoever to my daughter Sarah Elizabeth Featherstone and the said Richard Howlett Upon trust to sell and convert into money the said real and residuary personal estates or such parts thereof as shall be of a saleable or convertible nature and to get in the other parts thereof with full discretionary power to sell by auction or private contract together or in lots subject to such terms and conditions as to like [?] or as to any other matter relating to the sale conversion and getting in my said real and personal estates Upon trust thereout to pay the expenses incident to the preceding trusts and also my debts and funeral and testamentary expenses and the legacies herein before bequeathed and to divide the surplus of the monies to arise as aforesaid equally between my daughters the said Sarah Elizabeth Featherstone and Blanche Featherstone and I appoint the said Sarah Elizabeth Featherstone and Richard Howlett Executrix and Executor of this my will In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this thirty first day of October 1878 JH Featherstone
Signed by the said James Holderness Featherstone as and for his last will and Testament in the presence of us being present at the same time who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses
Frederick Elkins solicitor Reading
George Thomas Oxley clerk to Mr Elkins 11 Vachel Road Reading
On the 22nd day of September 1883 Probate of this will was granted to Richard Howlett one of the executors