Fred Pickstone (February 2005)
In Edition 13 but of the Newsletter I wrote about Robert Moncaster, who died in January 1854. He lived in Laburnum Cottage, now part of the Hobbits. This property he inherited from his father, another Robert, a carpenter, who died in 1823, and his mother Mary, who out-lived her husband.
Here is the younger Robert's will:
Last will and testament of Robert Moncaster of Husthwaite in the County of York schoolmaster and I first give devise and bequeath to my dear wife Ann and my trusty friend Thomas Merrill both of Husthwaite my goods and tenements whether freehold copyhold or whatsoever tenure the land and tenements wheresoever situate together with all money whether bills bonds in fact all my real estates and personal effects for the use of getting education for the use of my children and getting each of them some trade they paying all my debts funeral and testamentary expenses and I hereby nominate and appoint my dear wife Ann and my trusty friend Thomas Merrill joint executrix and executor of this my last will and testament.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this third day of December in the Year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty one. Robert Moncaster Signed by the testator his last will and testament in the presence at his request who in the presence of each other have hereunto set our names as witnesses. John Ash, Peter Wimp. Passed 26th July 1854.
* Thomas Merrill was born at Bagby in 1806. He had farmed 80 acres at the Flower 0' May since at least 1841. His wife was Ann (nee Ridsdale), a native of Colton and 5 or 6 years older than her husband.
* John Ash does not appear to have been a resident of Husthwaite.
* Peter Wimp's ancestors had lived in Husthwaite since the 1700s. He was born in the village in 1800 and was probably the son of William, a farmer and his wife Margaret. A lifelong bachelor, he appears to have lived opposite Robert Moncaster - the cottages there, until they were demolished in the 1960's, were known as Wimp Villas. Between the 1841 and the 1881 Censuses, his occupations varied from farmer, proprietor of house and land, gardener, master gardener and gardener again. He was buried in St. Nicholas' Churchyard at the age of 85.