1887 Edward Bennett Crocker Vellum Will, Calstock, Cornwall, England

#090:

This is an original and beautiful 1882-1887 British last will. It is a handwritten document on vellum (sheepskin) for Cornish tin miner, Edward Crocker and his wife Mary Cocking Crocker.

Text Reads:
Front folded: Probate of the Will of Mr. Edward Crocker late of Harrowbarrow, Calstock, Cornwall, Deceased.
Page inside: District Registry of Bodmin, In Her Majesty's High Court Of Justice (Referring to Queen Victoria 1819-1901)
Last Will of Edward B. Crocker, late of Harrowbarrow, in the parish of Calsock, County of Cornwall, Miner, deceased, who died 23rd day of March, 1887. Mary Crocker, widow reclict, is the sole Executrix. Executed by Nicolls & Blight, Solicitors, Callington. dated 11th day of June 1887, signed by Mr. Bassett Collins, District Registrar (believed to be John Basset Collins, a Solicitor & Landowner in Bodmin, Cornwall, and District & County Court and Probate Court Registrar)
The original 1882 Will is signed by
James Venning, Callstock Accountant (and Solicitor)
James Henry Philp (not a misspelling, Cornish name PHILP)
Executed by Nicolls & Blight, Solicitors (Lawyers), Callington
(This is 17 miles from Calstock)

Found in Public Genealogy Records:
Edward Bennett Crocker 1826–1887, born and in Calstock, Cornwall to William Crocker 1787–1856 and Mary Bennett Crocker 1789–1860. His siblings were William Crocker born 1811, Thomas Crocker born 1814, Nicholas Bennett Crocker 1816–1885, John Mark Crocker 1819–1895, Jane Crocker born 1822, Joseph Stevens Crocker 1824–1861, Mary Dionisa Crocker born 1828, Michael Crocker 1829–1906, Elizabeth Crocker born 1832 and James Crocker 1835–1865. His occupation was a tin miner, and he died in Calstock in 1887.

His wife: Mary Cocking Crocker 1826–1898 born & died in Calstock, Cornwall, England. They married in 1849. She was the daughter of William Cocking 1802–1873 and Joanna Rich Cocking 1798–1884. Her siblings were: William Cocking 1828–1876, Anne Cocking born 1830, George Cocking 1832–1842, Joanna Rich Cocking 1836–1902, Richard Cocking 1836–1902, James Cocking 1839–1893, Thomasine Cocking 1841–1909 and George Rich Cocking 1845–1876.

Edward Crocker in the 1881 England Census
Age: 55
Estimated birth year: abt 1826
Spouse: Mary Crocker
Where born: Calstock, Cornwall, England
Street address: Harrowbarrow
Occupation: Tin Miner
Household, Age:
Edward Crocker, 55, occupation tin miner
Mary Crocker, 56, wife
Joanna Cocking, 83, widow
(mother to Mary Crocker, Joanna Rich Conking 1798–1884)
William Bennett 58, occupation Ag lab (Agricultural Labourer)
Genevah Sandercock 12, scholar (Mary Cocking Crocker is her aunt)

Note: Geneva Sandercock was born on September 13, 1870, in Calstock, Cornwall, England to Henry Sandercock 1837–1899 of Ashwater, Devon, and Thomasine Cocking 1841–1909 of Calstock. She married William Alfred Rich on February 5, 1890 in her hometown. They had six children in 13 years. She died in September 1951 in St. Germans, Cornwall, England, at the age of 81. We believe she may have been raised or lived with her Uncle Edward & Aunt Mary Crocker. She named one of her sons Edward Crocker Rich, 1892–1965, who was also born in Calstock and died in nearly Plymouth, Devon, England.

Note: Calstock is a civil parish and a village in south east Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, on the border with Devon, Devonshire. It is on the River Tamar, 6 miles southwest of Tavistock, Devon and 10 miles north of Plymouth, Devon, England. Harrowbarrow is a village in the parish of Calstock, east Cornwall, and Bodmin is a civil parish and historic town in Cornwall, southwest of Bodmin Moor.

Note: Vellum is a parchment used in antique legal documents. The French word means "made from calf" but the current use of the word also refers to any skin document such as goat or sheepskin. Vellum was used in the same manner as parchment or paper, and was handwritten and/or printed on for documents and early book pages. King John of England's 1215 Magna Carta is handwritten in Latin on vellum, and can be found at the British Library.

We were happy to see that Edward refers to Mary Crocker as his "dear wife" in his 1882 last will, 5 years before his death. We hope they had many happy years together. A beautiful original piece, found in Exeter, Devon, UK, about 50 miles from Calstock. This area is on the edge of the very beautiful and prehistoric Dartmoor National Park in the county of Devon. 

Edward wrote the will in 1882, and the 1887 vellum document and beautiful royal sealing wax stamp attached finalizes his last wishes. A beautiful and original Crocker family piece in stunning condition, folded and exceptionally bright and clean. A rare find.

Size: folded size: 7 x 5 inches
Unfolded: 13 x 19 inches approx
Large embossed sealing wax official stamp: 4 x 4 inches attached
       Note: Hello from ~debra. I have spent years collecting over 10,000 ID’d lost family photos & paper from US & UK flea markets & antique shops. I do the best gen research I can, but am always open to corrections. This is an original antique item, not a reprint. You may buy a piece alone, or large intimate 300 dpi scans of the front and back sent immediately via email, or both. Please search carefully, as they are often found together and many may be related. I also invite you to join me at Ancestorville Genealogy on facebook. Thank you, enjoy! ~Debra Clifford (contact info on top bar)