Nicholas ALSTON [3700]

  General Notes:

Nicholas of Newton bought various buildings and land (Deed in the possession of the late (1899) Rev E Constable Alston), his Will dated 20 Mar 1741 was proved Arch, Sud. 8 June 1742.

Bury St Edmunds Quarter Sessions.
Dated 21 July 1740
Babergh Chief Constable.
This Court doth elect and appoint Nicholas Alston of Newton Chief Constable of the 100 of Babergh in the room of Mr John Louisgal who at his request is discharged from the said office.
Copy on file 2003.

The Will of Nicholas Alston of Newton in Suffolk Gent.
Dated 20th March 1741
I give to Elizabeth Alston all my living and Dead Stock, Household Goods Bonds ready money and Book Debts during the term of her natural Life and after her Decease to be Equally divided between my son Edward Alston the elder and to my youngest son Thomas Alston and to Richard Steward my Grandson then I give the same unto Edward Alston my eldest son to be Kept in his hands until my Grandson Richard Steward shall live and attain to the age of 21 which is to be paid him by my said eldest son Edward Alston and without any interest for the same. If he shall not attain to the age of 21 to be Equally Divided between my Eldest son Edward Alston and my youngest son Thomas Alston.
If my wife Elizabeth Alston should ever marry to any other man Then I give immediately all my Household Goods and personal Estate Equally between my eldest son Edward and my youngest son Thomas Alston and my grandson Richard Steward.
Item I give to Edward Alston my eldest son my 2 Silver Salts and all my Silver Spoons I give to my grandson Richard Steward my Silver Watch I give my said Watch to my Eldest son Edward Alston until my Grandson attain to the age of 21 If he die then I give my Silver Watch to my eldest son Edward Alston
I give the rest and remainder of all my personal Estate and household goods to Elizabeth my wife
I do make and ordain my wife Elizabeth Alston and Edward Alston my eldest son to be my Executrix and Executor.
Dated this 20th March 1741.
(Signed) NICHOLAS ALSTON.
Witnesses: Ann Cottmon, Mary Marchall, Rose Marven.
Proved 8th June 1742 by the Executrix and Executor.
Alstoniana pg 161

  Other Records

1. Nicholas & Elizabeth Alston: Indenture, 10 Jul 1730, Suffolk.
Catalogue entry Bury St Edmunds Record Office Suffolk.
(Ac. 343) (10)57 serratedEXY4 / W5 / 74
10 July 1730
Deed of bargain and sale for one year by Nicholas Alston of Newton Gent and wife Elizabeth to Thomas Wadkinson of Glemsford yeoman and Thomas Warner of Sudbury butcher of
a messuage in Newton (by Sudbury) near a lane called Rotten Row from Newton to Cornard formerly occupied Robert Ware since Francis *Shelly and now empty in the purpose of a deed to uses upon following day between the said parties and Margaret Cook now wife of Robert Cook of Glemsford yeoman.
Signatures and seals of Nicholas and Elizabeth Alston.
Parchment IM.(of no. 70)


This indenture made the tenth day of July in the fourth year of the reign of our sovereign lord George the Second by the grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland king defender of the faith etc Ann[o] Dm[omini] one thousand seven hundred and thirty between Nicholas Alston of Newton in the county of Suffolk Gent and Elizabeth his wife of the one part and Thomas Wadkinson of Glemsford in the said county yeoman and Thomas Warner of Sudbury in the said county. Further of the other part witnesseth that the said Nicholas Alston and Elizabeth his wife for and in consideration of five shillings of lawful money of Great Britain to this in or to one of them in hand paid by the said Thomas Wadkinson and Thomas Warner or one of them at or before the ensealing and delivery of these presents the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged have bargained, sold, and delivered and by these presents do bargain, sell, and devise unto the said Thomas Wadkinson and Thomas Warner all that messuage or tenement with the yard, orchard, and curtilage to the same belonging, situate, lying, and being in Newton aforesaid by or near unto a lane or place called Rotten Row leading from Newton aforesaid to Cornard in the said county of Suffolk formerly in the tenure or occupation of Robert Ware since that of Francis Sholly his assignee or assigns and now standing empty together also with all ways, waters, watercourses, rights, members, privileges, and appurtenances to the same belonging or in any wise appertaining and the reversion and reversions, remainder and remainders thereof yearly and other rents, issues, and profits thereof to have and to hold the said messuage or tenement and premises hereby devised with their appurtenances unto the said Thomas Wadkinson and Thomas Warner and their administrators, executors, and assigns from the day next before the date hereof for and during the term of one whole year from thence next ensuing and fully to be complete and ended yielding and paying therefore upon the feast day of Saint Michael the Archangel next ensuing the date hereof unto the said Nicholas Alston and Elizabeth his wife their heirs or assigns the rent of one peppercorn if lawfully demanded to the intent that by virtue hereof and by force of the statute made for transferring of uses into possession the said Thomas Wadkinson and Thomas Warner may be in the actual possession of the premises to accept a grant of the inheritance thereof to them and their heirs forever to and for such use and uses as are or shall be mentioned and declared by one indenture tripartite intended to bear date the day next after the day of the date hereof and made or mentioned to be made between the said Nicholas Alston and Elizabeth his wife of the first part the said Thomas Wadkinson and Thomas Warner of the second part and Margaret Cook the now wife of Robert Cook of Glemsford yeoman of the third part. In witness whereof the parties first above named to these present indentures interchangeably have set their hands and seals the day and year first above written.

Nich AlstonElizabeth Alston
seal seal

This is an interesting example of property transfer by Bargain and Sale, a form of conveyance that existed from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century in England. Their purpose to record a sale of real property (land or buildings) from one party to another, for a monetary consideration.
Written on parchment it is clearly signed and sealed.

2. Inventory: Nicholas Alston, 1742, of Newton Suffolk.
Transcribed July 2022 by C. L. O'Sullivan, of Christchurch NZ.

An inventory of all the goods and chattels of Nicholas Alston
of Newton deceased taken this nineteenth day of November 1742 by Mr.
William Firman of Assington and Mr. Jacob Shave of Waldingfield Great
as follows:

First of all
Wearing clothes and pocket money £10.00.00
Cash in the house £10.00.00

Without doors
The best wagon £13.00.00
The old wagon £03.00.00
Two tumbrels £10.05.00
Two ploughs £02.10.00
2 wooden breast ploughs and one old iron breast plough with carriages £01.10.00
3 old wagon wheels £01.00.00
2 pair of harrows £01.00.00
The old harrow and other things £00.07.06
The horses in the stable £33.10.00
A two year old colt and suckrell £04.04.00
5 pair of chrene* and traise* with collars and 2 fill y saddles and 6 halters belonging £03.00.00
7 plough collars and six plough traise*, six plough halters, three plough lines and a [space] line* £01.10.00
A young heifer sold at £04.00.00
4 young cows in the yard £15.10.00
2 old cows £05.00.00
2 homebreds at £06.05.00
3 ladders, 4 cow cribs at £00.08.00
A [stetch wul]* the irons belonging a grind stone £00.05.00
A wheelbarrow £00.03.06

In the oft corn chamber
The screen cyder press [Dew] rake and some other old things £01.05.00
4 iron wedges, 2 living [beetles], an axe and pitchforks, one iron pitch, one iron crow, one bushel measure, one half of the same, one peck measure, some rakes and other things, an iron shovel £01.12.06

[subtotal] £129.05.06

From the other side: £129.05.06

Corn and hay £16.00.00
3 skoles* £02.05.00
12 sheep sold £07.04.00
Wood £07.18.00
Sheep more £01.02.06
Wool sold £01.05.00
14 old sheep in hand £05.12.00

In the accounting room
One seedlip*, 2 joint stools, one water polt , 2 pillions* and some other implements £01.01.06

In the cellar
a powdering tub*, 3 vessels, one barrel, 2 little crags* , 4 small ale stalls, one bottle rack, 20 dozen of bottles £02.16.00

In an old room
Trifles valued at £00.06.00

In the bakehouse
One large copper, one small one £05.00.00
An iron oven lid, irons to the copper, one hake* £01.07.06
A mishing tub*, 7 small tubs and keelers £00.17.06
Some other trifles £00.02.00
3 pails £00.04.06
One hog foarm £00.01.00
One cheese press, 2 spits £00.08.06
3 boilers, 5 skillets large and small, 4 kettles, 3 saucepans, 2 frying pans £03.15.00
Leaden weights £00.10.06
Brass weights £00.02.06
A kneading trough and other things £00.13.06
Sieves £00.02.00

In the dairy
One churn, 9 cheese malts* , 5 milk bowls, 4 cheese lids, one milk stand, 5 milk trays £01.09.06
Shelves £00.07.00
Other trifles £00.02.00

[subtotal] £189.18.06

From the other side: £189.18.06

In the kitchen
One clock, one jack, 4 tables great and small £05.08.00
10 chairs small and great, one gun £00.15.00
2 cobirons*, trammels*, 2 gord irons £00.11.00
Two pot irons, one hanger £00.01.00
A chafing dish, bellows * and other things £00.01.06
A flesh fork, 5 candlesticks, some iron skewers, one spit and other things £00.03.00
2 pair of old brass candlesticks and chafing dish £00.02.00
Box irons and healers £00.02.00
One pair of stilliards* £00.03.00
Knives and forks one dozen £00.02.00
And other small things £00.03.06

In the small beer buttery*
3 vessels, 2 lanthorns* and other things £00.16.06

In the best beer buttery
Earthenware £00.02.00
2 large vessels and one small one £00.10.00
One table, some bottles and other small things £00.02.06

In the parlour pantry
One flour kid , one pestle and mortar £00.03.06
Earthenware and an iron hammer, one tea kettle £00.04.06
Shelves, one table, one shave £00.03.00
2 linen horses £00.05.00

In the hall
One squab*, one pair of tongs, a purr and fender £00.17.00
3 tables, window curtains and rods £00.11.00
6 chairs, maps and weather glass and some pictures £00.13.06

In the great parlour
One large table, 2 tables, 6 cane chairs £02.05.00
Three other chairs £00.04.06
One large looking glass £00.18.00
One pair of bellows , cobirons*, fire pans £00.06.00
A mahogany board £00.02.06
6 China cups and saucers and some Delph* £00.07.00
The window curtains £00.05.00

[subtotal] £206.07.00

From the other side: £206.07.00

In the closet
Earthenware and glasses with bowls and one box and some small things £01.00.00
One bed pan £00.05.00

In another closet
with a desk and other things £00.03.06

In the hall chamber
One bed as it stands £07.00.00
One pair of chest of drawers, a small trunk £01.08.00
One large hutch, 8 chairs £00.19.00
2 pair of cobirons*, fender, firepan, tongs, and 13 skews* £00.12.00
Curtains and rod, one small glass, one table £00.08.06
8 pair of sheets, 8 pair of pillowbeers*, a dozen half of napkins and board cloths, 6 towels £03.16.06

In the middle chamber
2 feather beds with one pair of hangings, 2 blankets and belonging £04.00.00
2 hutches, 2 hanging presses £01.08.00
1 pair of chest of drawers, 6 chairs, one close stool and pan £00.14.00
A paper for hanging £01.00.00
A pair of hemping sheets at £01.16.00
4 pair of pillowbeers £00.06.00
5 course sheets and two pair of old ones £00.16.06
12 napkins 4 board cloths £00.14.00
A dozen of towels, 2 board cloths, and small linen £00.09.00
3 board cloths and towel £00.05.00

In the kitchen chamber
One feather bed with 2 blankets and hangings with window curtains £05.00.00
One pair of chest of drawers, one table at £00.14.06
6 chairs, one looking glass £00.09.00
One pair of cobirons* £00.01.06

In the chamber adjoining
One featherbed as it stands and other things £02.04.00

In the garret
2 flock beds as they stand and one hutch £01.06.00

On the other side £243.03.00

From the other side £243.03.00

In another garret
One casting net, 2 trays, one foarm and other things £00.15.00
A horse leather hide, one bed and stead, coal grate and other things £01.05.06

In the entry below
One warming pan, a striking board and other things £00.08.00
Fivescore of pewter at £03.15.00
Wheat in the chamber riostt £11.05.00
White wheat sold at £31.07.06
Old wheat in the chamber £18.00.00
6 bushels of old grey pease* £00.16.00
Rent of land for 25 acres £12.10.00
Ploughing the 25 acres to cleans with strong hearths harrowing the same and likewise watering furrow £25.00.00
The seed wheat, 6 combs , 2 bushels at £05.04.00
Seed barley £12.16.06
Ploughing the after tilths* for the barley £08.16.00
Harrowing the same and sowing £01.02.00
Clover seed sown £00.18.00
Eight acres of oat land ploughed £01.12.00
The seed oats for the said land £02.08.00
Harrowing the oats and sowing the same £00.09.06
Ploughing 9 acres for pease £02.18.06
4 combs , 2 bushels of pease to sow the same £02.09.06
For growth of woods £20.00.00
At the pot ash office under backs and all other things belonging £03.05.00
One silver watch and plate £09.10.00
45 sacks £03.07.06

[total] £423.01.06

Elizabeth Alston
Edward Alston

11^th day of December 1742
Elizabeth Alston widow and Edward Alston
executors of the last Will and testament
of Nicholas Alston late of Newton
by Sudbury deceased were sworn to the
truth of this inventory.

Before me B. Garden Official


Notes
*chain
*trace
*stretch wool ?
*skoles - means scales (<https://suffolkrecordssociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/The->Ipswich-Probate-Inventories-1583-1631.pdf)
*lines - alternative word for reins (<https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/lines>)
*beer buttery - a storeroom for beer (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/buttery)
*bellows - an instrument that draws in and expels air (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bellows)
*cobiron - an iron for supporting a spit (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cobiron)
*Delph - alternative spelling for Delft - a style of blue and white earthenware produced in Delft, Netherlands (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/delph)
*hake - possibly a hook or pot-hook (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hake)
*mishing tub - a tub used for mashing the mixing of malt with hot water to form wort for brewing
(<https://suffolkrecordssociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/The-Ipswich-Probate-Inventories->1583-1631.pdf)
*cheese malt - possibly meaning a cheese mold?
*joint stool - a stool made by a joiner (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/joint%20stool)
*lanthorn - a lantern (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/lanthorn)
*pair of stilliards - portable scales (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/stilliard#English)
*pease - archaic word for pea (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pease)
*pillion - the cushion of a saddle (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pillion)
*crag - a small beer vessel (<https://suffolkrecordssociety.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/The->Ipswich-Probate-Inventories-1583-1631.pdf)
*pillowbeer - a pillowcase (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pillowbeer)
*powdering tub - a tub for salting meat (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/powdering%20tub)
*seedlip - a basket or other container carrying seed to be sown (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seedlip)
*skew - I assume this means skewer?
*squab - a couch (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/squab)
*tilth - rich cultivated soil (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tilth#English)
*trammel - probably a device used over a fire for hanging pots, etc. (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/trammel)

Translations by C. L. O'Sullivan BAHONS, GDARTS. April 2022
<cathrinny@gmail.com>

This is a very interesting glimpse at the assets of the late Nicholas Alston Gent, and Yeoman farmer of Newton Suffolk. His main farming activities seem to have been cropping the land for grains, including wheat, barley, oats, clover seed. This would have involved the employment of farmer labor, how many and how big the farm was we do not know. All the items inside and out are itemised and valued totalling £428 1s 6d.
This contrasts with the wealth, 50 yrs previously of his distant cousin Sarah Alston [3210] whose estate was valued at more than £50,000. Let it be said Sarah was an exception.

Nicholas married Elizabeth FAIRBROTHER of East Bergholt [3702] [MRIN: 1278] on 22 Sep 1711 in Ipswich, SFK. (Elizabeth FAIRBROTHER of East Bergholt [3702] was baptised in Oct 1682 and died on 2 Jun 1752 in Newton Nr Sudbury SFK.)