Letter – John Bell to John Scott – 21 Aug 1832

Sir,

      By the Will of the late Mr Hunter of Dukesfield he left his real & personal Estates to Rob. Surtees of Milkwell Burn, save Furniture &c to Wife for life & then to Daur Catherine in trust to sell & pay his Debts; the Int: of one half of the Residue to be paid to his Wife for life; that half after her death & the other half after his own death to be divided among his three children, & appointed sd. Rob Surtees Exor. of his Will which bears date 26 July 1794 – executed in presence of three witnesses – By a Codicil thereto dated 23rd Apl. 1796, he confirmed his Will except the Household goods &c that his wife brot. with her & had added since, he bequeathed to his sd. Wife for ever; and also bequeathed to her 50l. pr. an: for life out of his share of Alston Brewery dividinds [struck out: each year]   How it had been concealed from Mrs Hunter that all she took under the Will & Codicil was but 50l. a year & the use of a small portion of the Furniture &c which was all she enjoyed for her life, I am at a loss to find out; but I must say I was astonished beyond measure to find after her death on meeting with a copy of the Will & Codicil thereto that she was also intitled to the Int: of half of the residue of the produce of the real & personal Estate except as afsd. after Paymt. of the testators Debts, during her life.  There must have been sevl. thousand pounds residue, though I have not the means of asertaining how many, and the Int: of one half of such residue she shod. have had, besides the further provision by the Codicil; which latter seems to be all she has got, and her representatives ought to have the part she was intitled to but did not get.  [struck out: It is perhaps best not to trust oneself to write what one thinks of such a transaction.] 

      The Will & Codicil will be found proved at York 13th Septr. 1796.  Mr Hunter died 5th Augt. 1796, his son Isaac is his only surviving child & in a state of Poverty.  What was paid by the Trustee to him I do not know.  The Trustees ought not to have misapplied the effects.  Mr & Mrs Beaumont purchased the real Estates but I do not know the amount of Purchase Money, that may be ascertained, but I have not the means.  I do not know the time of the Sales either of the Share in Alston Brewry or of the real Estates – The Testators other children, Robt. & Cath: both died I believe intestate & I think Robt. died in his Fathers life time.

      I ought to have written to you long before now, but expected to obtain some more particular Information, which I have not been able to come at besides we have been very much engaged in preparing for a contested election for the southern division of this County of Northld.    	

      I am, Sir  your obed. Servt.  Jno. Bell



Manor Office Hexham 21st  August 1832 

		

p.s. You will take this without further loss of time to Mr. Fonblanque as the only Information I can give him.				J.B.