Will June 1753, Topcliffe, West Ardsley, T Vol 097 Folio 112 The registers of Morley Old Chapel on record that he died March 26 1753 at Morley Chappel and buried at Woodchurch aged 77 Extract from the Will of Abraham Whitaker of Topcliffe - I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth the wife of John Fearley of Churhill in the parish of Batley the sum of fourty pounds..I give .... unto Martha my daughter wife of John Raynor of Moorely in the parish of Batley the sum of fourty pounds...my daughter Mary the sum of one hundred pounds..to be paid twelve months after my decease ... wife Martha the house I live in and inhabit..with all the lands inTopcliffe held by leasehold from the Earl of Cardigan for a term of years yet to come...also the freehold lands in the township of Gildersome (?) known by the name of Street lands...also the lands of Bar___ Croft in West Ardsley lately in the occupation of William Westerman.... Rent book of Earl of Cardigan includes Abraham Whitaker Messe with 55a 1r 0p rent 'a341 5 0. Lease commenced 24 June 1735. Extract from Deed 163 Page 110 at Wakefield Registry og Deeds An Indenture of Assignment tripartite ........ fourteenth day of September 1741 ... between Elizabeth Watson of Wakefield .... widow of the 1st part, Daniel Glover of Middleton in the said said County ... yeoman of the 2nd part and Abraham Whittaker of Topcliff in the parish of West Ardsley ..... husbandman of the 3rd part ... all that cottage house etc .... and one garden three crofts or Garths .... bounded on the East .... Timothey Kitching and South ... the lands which were Mr Sifter's ... being in West Ardsley otherwise Woodkirk .. in the tenure of Joshua Harrison etc witnessed by William Ingram gent of Wakefield and Michael Wilson his clerk.

Will of Martha Whitaker In the name of God, AMEN. I Martha Whitaker of Topcliffe of the Parish of Woodkirk otherwise called West Ardsley in the County of York Widow, being sick and weak in body but of sound mind memory and understanding do make constitute publish and declare this to be my last will and testament in Manner and Form following that is to say First of all my Will and Mind is that all my just and lawful Debts Funeral Expenses and the Probate of this my last Will and Testament be fully paid and discharged by my Executrixes herein after named Also I do allow and confirm my Husband's last Will and Testament which before time is made to the Uses Intents and purposes which are therein mentioned and contained. Also I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Hemmingway the Interest of Twenty pounds which is Twenty Shillings a year for and during the Term of her Natural Life which said sum of Twenty Pounds is in the hands of my Grandson William Leathley of London and is to be paid yearly by the said William Leathley to my said Daughter Elizabeth (and not to be paid by my Executrixes here after named) And from and after my daughter Elizabeth's decease then I give and bequeath the said Twenty Pounds unto the said William Leathley and his heirs for ever Also I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth the sum of Ten Pounds more of lawful money of Great Britain to be paid by my Executrixes hereinafter named at the expiration of Twelve Calendar months next after my Decease Also I give and bequeath unto my grandson Abraham Dawson the sum of Ten Pounds of Lawful British Money Also I give and bequeath unto my grandson John Dawson the sum of Ten Pounds of Lawful British Money which two last Legacies are not to be paid until the Decease of my Daughter Mary Dawson And my Will and Mind further is that the said Two last legacies be paid out of a bond which I have from Samuel Dawson my Son in Law And my Will and Mind further is that my Daughter Mary Dawson shall have the interest of the said Two last legacies for and during the term of her natural Life Also I give and bequeath unto my Daughter Mary Dawson the sum of Forty Pounds to be paid to her immediately after my Decease being the remainder or residue of the same bond Also I give and bequeath to my Daughter Martha Reyner the Wife of John Reyner the Interest of Eighty Pounds which I have on a Mortgage Deed from Jeremiah Scott of Guildersome for and during the Term of her Natural Life to be paid to her yearly by my Executrixes And from and after her Decease Then I give and bequeath the said sum of Eighty Pounds to be equally divided amongst my Daughter Martha Reyner's children Male and Female share and share alike to be paid by my executrixes hereafter named But my Will and Mind further is that if any of my said Daughter Martha Reyner's children shall happen to dye before my Daughter Martha Then I give such child or children's share so Dying to my Daughter Martha reyner for ever And all the rest residue and remainder of my Worldly Goods Chattels and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever found I give and bequeath unto my said daughters Martha Reyner and Mary Dawson and their Heirs for ever And I do hereby nominate and appoint my Daughters Martha Reyner and Mary Dawson and their heirs for ever And I do hereby nominate and appoint my Daughters Martha Reyner and Mary Dawson joint Executrixes of this my last will and Testament hereby revoking all former Will and Wills by me heretofore made In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this Twenty second day of July in the Year One Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty seven. Signed and sealed published and declared by the above named Martha Whitaker as and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereto in the presence of the said Testatrix and in the presence of each other Thos Horgan (?) John Balmforth John Speight Martha made her mark Probate was granted to both daughters 6 July 1768 John Reyner of West Ardsley in the County of York, Clothier and Samuel Dawson of the same Yeoman and John Speight of the same Yeoman signed a bond to guarantee that that the women would carry out their task as Executrixes.