Paul Bridson, 1876

I Paul Bridson of 49 Atholl Street in
the Town of Douglas Esquire hereby
revoke all Wills and Testamentary
dispositions heretofore made by me
and declare this to be my last Will
I devise the whole of my right title
and interest in and to certain lands
and premises situate in the Parish
of Braddan and commonly called
and known by the name of Virginia
to my brother Hugh Bridson of 
Sofala near Bathurst Sydney New
South Wales for and during the
term of his natural life
and upon the decease of the
survivor of them the said Hugh
Bridson and Ellen Bridson unto
their children then living share
and share alike To hold to them
their heirs and assigns as tenants
in Common and as regards such
of their children of the said Hugh
Bridson and Ellen his wife as
may be daughters To hold to
them free from the debts liabilities
and control of any husbands they
may at anytime have [space] I give
and bequeath the whole of my plate
and silver (save the salt cellars
hereinafter mentioned) and also the 
paintings of his two eldest children
and also such jewelry as I may
possess at the time of my death (save
the gold and lava ring) hereinafter
named And in case the said Hugh
Bridson predeceases me I give and
bequeath all the said article unto
his wife Ellen Bridson aforesaid
I give and bequeath unto my sister
Alice Armstrong of Spring Gardens in the
Town of Douglas Widow the mahogany
chest of drawer formerly belonging to
my mother my nest of three tables
and the old clock all of which I do
not wish to go out of the family I
give and bequeath to my said sister
Alice Armstrong all my pictures save 
such as are herein otherwise specifically
mentioned and bequeathed and in case
of the said Alice Armstrong dying
before me I leave and bequeath all
the said articles unto her daughter
Sarah Ann Armstrong Spinster
I give and bequeath unto my
nephew Thomas Ridgway Bridson of
Torquay my four embossed silver
saltcellars and salt spoons also the
pictures of my father (oil painting)
grandmother great grand mother and
the one in my sitting room generally 
known as that of ‘Aunt Jenny’ I
leave and bequeath unto my said 
nephew Thomas Ridgway Bridson all
my diaries and such books and
papers as I may leave connected
with the Isle of Man with liberty 
to destroy such as he may think 
proper and should he decline having
the whole or any part of such 
diaries books and papers then I 
leave and bequeath the portion
declined by him to my nephews
Harry Bridson of Dartmouth in the
County of Devon and Joseph Ridgway 
Bridson of Belle Isle Windermere to
make a selection therefrom of such
as they may wish for the remainder 
to be considered part of my
personal property to be dealt with 
as hereinafter mentioned  I leave
and bequeath unto my nephew and 
Godson the said Joseph Ridgway
Bridson the ring made of lava set
in gold given to me by Mrs Garbett
in memory of her brother Henry
Garston I leave and bequeath 
unto my Godson George Ridgway 
Cookson of Woodside Terrace in the 
Town of |Douglas my writing desk
 I leave and bequeath unto Catherine
Corlett wife of Thomas Corlett of 49
Atholl Stree aforesaid any three
pieces of furnature (sic) she may select
not already disposed of by this my
will also the whole of my linen
and glass and also the small picture 
of my brother Ridgway now in my
bedroom I devise all my real 
Estate (except such as is otherwise
devised by this my Will or any
Codicil thereto) unto Ridgway Harrison
of the Town of Douglas Esquire
Advocate and Frederick Browne of
the said town Esquire Advocate upon
Trust that the said Ridgway Harrison
and Frederick Browne or the survivor
of them, or the heir executors and
administrators of such survivor shall
sell the same either by Public
Auction or by Private treaty and
execute and do all such acts and
deeds for effectuating such sales
as they or he shall think fit
I bequeath unto the said Ridgway 
Harrison and Fredrick Browne
their executors and admistrators
all my personal Estate (except 
what I bequeath by this my will
or any codicil thereto)  Upon trust
to call in sell and convert into
money such part of my said personal
Estate as shall not consist of money
And I declare that the said Ridgway
Harrison and Frederick Browne and
the survivor of them and the heirs 
executors and administrators of such
survivor shall out of the monies
to arise from the sale of my said 
real estate and from the calling in
sale and conversion into money of 
such part of my personal estate
as shall not consist of money and
the money of which I shall be
possessed at the time of my death
pay all my just debts funeral and
testamentary expenses and the legacies
hereinafter bequeathed namely I leave
and bequeath unto my said sister
Alice Armstrong the sum of two
hundred pounds to be paid to her
free from the debts engagements and
control of any husband she may
have and her own receipt alone to
be a sufficient discharge therefor
I leave and bequeath unto my
niece Sarah Ann Armstrong daughter
of the said Alice Armstrong the 
sum of One hundred pounds to
be paid to her free from debts
engagements and control of any
husband she may have and her
own receipt alone to be a
sufficient discharge therefor  I
leave unto John James Armstrong
son of the said Alice Armstrong
the sum of Fifty pounds  I
leave and bequeath unto Elizabeth
Bamber wife of Septimus Bamber of
Oxford Street in the said town of
Douglas Professor of Music the sum
of Twenty five pounds to be paid
to her free from the debts liabilities
and control of her present or any
future husband and her receipt 
alone to be suffiecient discharge 
therefor  I leave an bequeath unto
Margaret F Armstrong Spinster (sister
of the said Elizabeth Bamber) the 
sum of twenty pounds to be 
paid to her free from the debts
engagements and control of any
husband she may have and her 
own receipt only to be a sufficient
discharge therefor.  I leave and
bequeath unto Catherine Corlett wife
of Thomas Corlett aforesaid the sum
of Twenty pounds to be paid to her
free from debts liabilities and 
engagements and control of her
present and any future husband and
her own receipt alone to be a
sufficient discharge therefor I leave
bequeath unto Elizabeth Cannell
Spinster niece of the said Catherine
Corlett the sum of five pounds to
be paid to her free from the debts
liabilities engagements and control 
of any husband she may have
and her own receipt only to be 
a sufficient discharge therefor 
 I leave and bequeath to my nephew
William Arthur Bridson (son of my
brother John Bridson) the sum of
Ten pounds to be paid to him
upon his attaining the age of Twenty
one years and not before
 I leave and bequeath unto the
Trustees of the House of Industry
in the Town of Douglas the sum
of Twenty pounds to be by
them laid out upon security and
the interest therefrom to
be paid over to the Committee
of management of the said Institution
to be expended for the benefit 
of the poor therein  I leave and
bequeath unto the High Bailiff of
Douglas for the time being as trustee
of the Isle of Man General Hospital
and Dispensary the sum of twenty 
pounds to be by him laid out
upon real security and the interest
accruing there from to be paid over
to the Treasurer of the said
Institution for the benefit thereof
I leave and bequeath unto the
Trustees of the Industrial Home for
Destitute Children, near the said
town of Douglas the sum of Fifteen
pounds to be by them laid out
upon real security and the interest 
arising therefrom to be paid over
to the committee of Management of
the said Institution to be expended
for the benefit of the same 
I leave and bequeath the balance 
(if any) of the proceeds and monies
aforesaid unto my sister Alice
Armnstrong to be paid to her free
from the control debts liabilities
and engagements of any husband
she may have and her own receipt
alone to be a sufficent discharge
therefor and I hereby nominate
constitute and appoint her the said
Alice Armstrong whole and sole
residuary legatee of my Estate and
Effects I hereby nominate constitute 
and appoint the said Ridgway
Harrison and Frederick Browne Executors
of this my last Will and it is
hereby expressly provided that the
said Ridgway Harrison and Frederick
Browne may charge my estate 
with and receive therefrom fair remuneration
for professional business done by them
in and about the carrying out of the terms of this my Will
 As Witness my name this Seventeenth
day of January One thousand eight
hundred and seventy six (1876)

Signed published and declared by the         |
Testator the said Paul Bridson as and        |
for his last Will and Testament in our       |   Paul Bridson
presence who at his request in his presence  |
and in the presence of each other have       |    
hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses   |
this 17th. day of January 1876
                 Fred Browne
                 Cha T C Callow 

This is a Codicil to my last Will
and Testament bearing equal date
herewith I leave and bequeath unto
my nephew William Paul Bridson of
Bolton le Moors my two silver 
cups  I confirm my said will in
all other respects and particulars
as witness my name this seventeenth 
day of January one thousand eight
hundred and seventy six



Signed published and declared by	
the said Paul Bridson as and
for a Codicil to his last Will
  Testament in our presence				Paul Bridson
who in his presence at his request
   in presence of each other have
hereunto subsribed our names as
witnesses
               Fred Browne
                Cha. JC Callow


At an Ecclesiatical Court held at Douglas
on the 30th. day of March 1876

[There follow details of the administration of the will].