In the name of God Amen I Thomas Ballard of High Halden in the county of Kent Gentleman being of sound and disposing mind memory and understanding praised be God for the same do make this my last will and testament in writing in manner and form following that is to say ffirst I give and bequeath unto my loving wife Sarah and during the term of her natural life if she so long lives my widow and unmarried an annuity or yearly rent charge of thirty pounds of lawful money of Great Britain free from all taxes and deductions whatsoever to be owing and payable out of all my mortgages stocks bonds tenements hereditaments and premises situate lying and being in High Halden aforesaid and now in the occupation of my tenants or undertenants at the four most usual ffeasts or days of payment in the year that is to say the ffeast of the Annunciation of the blessed Virgin Mary Saint John the Baptist Saint Michael the Archangel and the birth of Our Lord Christ and equal portions to be paid quarterly to be paid the first payment thereof to begin and be made on the first of the ffeasts aforesaid that shall first and next happen after my decease which said annuity is in full compensation and satisfaction of all doure right and title of doure by the cwtdour of Kent which she can or may or might otherwise have them challenge or demand of into or out of all and every or any the Messuages Lands Tenements and hereditaments which I at any time have been or shall be seized of any estate of fulieritsure during the covernent between us and also in full --- and satisfaction of any settlement duties convenient or associated bond or obligation hereforeto made etc. etc. I give and devise to my said wife Sarah for and during the term of her naturall life if she do long live my widow and unmarried all that my messuage or tenement and garden thereto belonging situate lying and being in High Halden aforesaid and was in my own possession and subject to the said annuity and the charges for the running thereof and to my said wife having the said Messuages ffarms Lands and Tenements hereditaments and premises with their and every of their appurtenances situate lying and being in High Halden aforesaid unto my nephew John Ballard son of my late brother William Ballard to and during the term of his natural and immediately from and after his decease I give and devise the said premises with the appurtenances unto Thomas Ballard son of my nephew John Ballard his heirs and assigns for ever also I give and devise all that my messuage tenement ffarm lands tenements hereditaments and premises called The Bole with their and every of their appurtenances situate lying and being in ffrittenden in the said county in the occupation of Richard Baker his assigns or undertenants and all that my undivided moiety or half part of all that messuage or tenement ffarm lands tenements hereditaments and premises called Waders Bridge with their and every of their appurtenances situate lying and being in Tenterden in the said county in the occupation of Edward Ballard ------ undertenants unto my said nephew the said John Ballard for and during the term of his natural life and immediately after his decease I give and devise the said premises with their appurtenances unto John Ballard son of my said nephew John Ballard his heirs and assigns for ever also I give and bequeath unto my said wife Sarah the sum of ten pounds of like money to be paid to her in one month next after my decease by my executors hereafter named also I give and bequeath unto my said wife Sarah for and during the term of her natural life if she so long lives my widow and unmarried the full use of all my household goods implements of household and ffurniture plate china and linen and immediately after her decease or new marriage which shall first happen I give and bequeath the said household goods implements of house and ffurniture plate china and linen unto my said nephew John Ballard also I order and direct my executors hereafter named to deliver to my said wife yearly and every year during her life three loads of wood without being paid or allowed anything for the same also I give and bequeath unto my nieces Mary Stevens and Elizabeth Balls the two daughters of my late sister Mary Stevens deceased the sum of fifty pounds apiece of like money to be paid to them in twelve months next after my decease by my executors hereafter named also I give and forgive unto George Ballard Thomas Ballard William Ballard John Ballard Samuel Ballard Mary Ballard and Ann Ballard the seven children of my late nephew George Ballard deceased son of my said late brother William Ballard all such sum and sums of money as they or either of them shall be indebted unto me on any account whatsoever at the time of my decease Also I give and bequeath unto my niece Elizabeth the wife of Richard Boorman and daughter of my late brother George Ballard deceased the sum of twenty pounds of like money to be paid to her in twelve months next after my decease by my executor hereinafter named and that the receipt of my said niece Elizabeth shall be a good discharge for the same notwithstanding her courture Also I give and bequeath unto Elizabeth Boorman daughter of my said niece Elizabeth Boorman the sum of ffive pounds at her age of twenty one years by my executor hereafter named Also I give and forgive unto my nephew John Grove and my niece Elizabeth his sister the two children of my late sister Jane Grove deceased all such sum and sums of money as they or either of them shall be indebted unto me at the time of my decease on any account whatsoever Also I give and bequeath unto my nephew William Ballard son of my said late brother William Ballard for and during the term of his natural life an annuity or yearly sum of twenty shillings of like money to be paid to him by executor hereafter named on the days or feasts following that is to say Lady day Midsummer day Michaelmas day and Christmas day by equal portions quarterly the first payment to be made on the first of the days or feasts aforesaid that shall first and next happen after my decease Also I give and bequeath unto my niece Mary Ballard the daughter of my said late brother William Ballard for and during the term of her natural life an annuity or yearly sum of twenty shillings of like money to be paid to her by my executor hereafter named on the days of the feasts following Lady day Midsummer day Michaelmas day and Christmas day by either and equal portions quarterly to be paid the first payment to begin and be made on the first of the days of feasts aforesaid that shall first next happen after my decease Also I give and bequeath unto ffrancis Godfrey son of my late sister Elizabeth Ballard deceased for and during the term of his natural life an annuity or yearly sum of twenty shillings of like money to be paid to him by my executor hereafter named on the days of the feasts following that is to say Lady day Midsummer day Michaelmas day and Christmas day by own and equal portions quarterly to be paid the first payment thereof to begin and be made on the first of the days or feasts aforesaid that shall first and next happen after my deceased Also I give and bequeath unto the poor of the parish of High Halden aforesaid the sum of five pounds of like money to be distributed on Saint Thomas’s day next after my decease in the manner as my said wife shall think proper Also I give and bequeath unto the poor of the parish of Tenterden aforesaid the sum of five pounds of like money to be distributed on Saint Thomass day next after my decease in such manner as my executor hereafter

named shall think proper Also I give and bequeath unto the poor people of Goudhurst in the said county the sum of five pounds of like money to be distributed on Saint Thomass day next after my decease in such manner as my executor shall think proper Also I give and bequeath unto Benjamin Ballard Thomas Ballard and Samuel Ballard sons of my late brother William Ballard deceased by his second wife the sum of twenty pounds of like money apiece to be paid to them in twelve months next after my decease by my executor hereafter named Also I give and bequeath unto Robert Pullen son of Richard Pullen of Biddenden Grocer the sum of like money to be paid to him in twelve months next after my decease by my executor hereafter named also all the rest and residue of my estate as well real as personage whatsoever and wheresoever that I shall die seized possessed of interested in or intitled unto and not hereinbefore given or disposed of I give devise and bequeath unto my said nephew the said John Ballard his heirs executors and assigns for ever he paying my just debts legacies aforesaid annuities aforesaid funeral expenses probate of this my said will and all other charges incident thereto and I do hereby make my substitute and appoint my said nephew the said John Ballard to be executor of this my last will and testament and I desire to be buried in Tenterden church yard near the remains of my late wife Alice as conveniently may be and in such manner as my said wife Sarah and my said executor shall think proper and I do hereby revoke all former and other wills by me at any time heretofore made and declare this only to be my last will and testament In witness whereof I the said Thomas Ballard the testator have to this my last will and testament contained in six sheets of paper this first day of September in the twenty ninth year of the reign of our sovereign Lord George the third by the grace of God of Great Britain ffrance and Ireland being defender of the ffaith and so forth and in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and eighty nine - Thomas Ballard signed sealed published and declared by the said Thomas Ballard the testator as and for his last will and testament in the presence of us who hereto subscribe our names as witnesses in his presence and in the presence of each other the words "also I order and direct my executor hereafter named to deliver to my said wife yearly and every year during her life three loads of wood without being paid or allowed any thing for the same being first wrote in the margin of the third sheet and also the word "Twenty" being first interlined in the fifth sheet of paper - Edward Ballard. John Hebb. W Finch. 1st. September 1789

 I likewise give to my niece Elizabeth the wife of William Thorpe the sum of twenty pounds to be paid by my executor in 12 months after my decease witness my hand Thomas Ballard .

 This will was proved at London with the codicil the nineteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety before the worshipful William Battine Doctor of Laws and Surrogate of the Right Honourable Sir William Wynn knight also doctor of laws etc......by the oath of John Ballard the nephew of the deceased and the sole executor etc..