Catalogue reference: Prob 11/1118
Dept.: Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury
Series: Prerogative Court of Canterbury and related Probate Jurisdictions: will registers
Name of Register: Rockingham Quire numbers: 315-365
The original document is (c) Crown Copyright. Thus it is legal to publish a transcript here.
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In the name of God, Amen. I Henry Claxton, mariner belonging to His Majesty’s Ship Robuste,
Captain Alexander Hood Commander in Portsmouth Harbour being in bodily health and of sound and disposing mind and memory
and considering the perils and dangers of the seas and other uncertainties of this transitory life do
for avoiding controversies after my decease make publish and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner following
that is to say first recommend my soul to God that gave it and my Body I commit to the Earth or Sea as it shall please God to order
and as for and concerning all my worldly Estate I give bequeath and dispose thereof as follows
that is to say Wages Sum and Sums of Money Lands Tenements Goods Chattels and Estate whatsoever
as shall be any ways due owing or belonging unto me at the time of my decease
I do give devise and bequeath the same unto my wife Letitia Claxton now living at Kilcullan[sic!] Bridge in the County Kildare Ireland
and I do hereby nominate and appoint the said Letitia Sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament
hereby revoking all former and other Wills, Testaments, and deeds of gifts by me at any time heretofore made
and I do ordain and ratify these presents to stand and be for and as my only last will and testament
In witness whereof to this my said Will I have set my hand and Seal the tenth day of February
in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven hundred and seventy nine and in the nineteenth year
of the reign of his Majesty King George the third over Great Britain.
Henry Claxton ( ) Signed Sealed published and declared in the presence of
Daniel Jones Clerk
Richard White
This Will was proved at London the twenty second day of June in the year of our Lord
One thousand seven hundred and eighty four before the Right Worshipful Peter Calvert Doctor of Laws
Master Keeper or Commisssary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the
Oath of Letitia Claxton widow the Relict of the deceased and Sole Executrix named in the said will
to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the Goods, Chattels and Credits
of the said [will] she having been first sworn by Commission duly to Adm[iniste]r.
Additional background information
The Robuste was seriously undermanned in early 1779. A list was kept of the impressed men who ran from the ship. For example, on Christmas day 1778 nineteen men absconded. The ship was already short a couple of hundred men. Henry joined the ship in February of 1779 in Portsmouth, England. In April Capt. Hood was replaced by Capt. Cosby. The new captain was very strict. The ship was made ready and the Robust(e) soon sailed west to confront the French and Americans.
Clugston Family History 