Shipston-on-Stour papers

Description

Papers, 1839-1856, in Chancery Case relating to the will, 28 August 1835, of Joseph Sturch, Shipston-on-Stour, grocer. Outline Plaintiffs are William Eden Sturch, Shipston-on-Stour, grocer, Francis Badger, Shipston-on-Stour, grocer and Ann his wife (née Sturch), Thomas Matthews, Chedworth, yeoman and Martha his wife (née Sturch), James Overbury, Henley-in-Arden, draper, and Eliza his wife (née Sturch), Edward Sturch, Shipston-on-Stour, grocer and Ellen Sturch, Shipston-on-Stour, spinster. The defendants are Henry Sturch, Chipping Norton, Oxon., grocer and William Bolton, jr., Stratford-upon-Avon, stamp distributor. By his will, 28 August 1835, Joseph Sturch, Shipston-on-Stour, grocer, devised the goodwill of his business to his son William Eden Sturch, together with a legacy of £100. If William Eden dead, the business was to go to Edward. The residue of his real and personal estate he devised to trustees (Sturch his brother, Bolton and Thomas Wells, Shipston-on-Stour, bankers clerk) to offer his house at valuation to William Eden Sturch or, if dead, to Edward. The residue to be sold and divided equally among surviving children (the plaintiffs). Joseph Sturch died 3 June 1838 and the will was proved 17 September by Sturch and Bolton, Wells having renounced. Bolton and Sturch have sold most of real and personal estate, paid debts and testamentary expenses and £100 to William Eden Sturch who bought the house for £650 and rest of real estate for £725. Bolton and Sturch have failed to render accounts and divide the trust monies claiming that the estate was only sufficient to pay debts, leaving no surplus for division.