Thomas Rowland ALSTON [3787]

  General Notes:

Thomas Rowland Alston
Burial
Age:56
Burial Date:5 Aug 1844
Burial Place:St Helen Bishopgate, City of London
Register Type:Parish Register

Memorial on the Wall of St Helens Bishopgate reads

Near This Site
Are Deposited The remains Of
THOMAS ROWLAND ALSTON
For Many Years An Inhabitant
Of This Parish
Who Died The 30th July 1844
In The 57th Year Of His Age

Cresswell mentions a note amoungst his papers saying the two sisters of Thomas living in 1852 were Mrs Horrex and Mrs Ward of Bury.
Alstoniana shows his bap date incorrectly in the Gt Waldingfield Register.

Thomas is remembered in 1879 with a memorial window in All Saints Little Bradley Suffolk given by his son Herbert
Ref: Image courtesy of Emily Self.

  Other Records

1. Thomas Rowland Alston & Family: Boyd's Inhabitants of London: St Helen Bishops Gate LND.

2. Thomas Rowland Alston: Will, 14 Nov 1840, London.
Thomas Alston of Bishopgate St, City of London Jeweller left a long Will dated 2 Oct 1834 with Codicil dated 14 Nov 1840, proved 21 Aug 1844. He left his household goods and £250 to his wife Eliza, then in a 9 page Will his other assets including his co-partnership in a jewellery business passed into trust for the benefit of his wife and family with instructions thereto.

Executors to pay for mourning rings to be given by Thomas Alston's wife to their mutual friends. Wife Eliza to be executrix. Samuel Houston of Great Saint Helen's and Edward Greenaway of Bishop's Gate Street to be executors. 19 guineas to be given to each.

Thomas Alston in trade partnership with Samuel Hallam of Bishopgate Street. A deed written 20th Dec 1827 stipulating that the executors of the partner first dying shall in the event of his leaving a widow or child him surviving have the option of carrying out the said partnership business in cooperation with the surviving partner for the remainder of the copartnership term upon the terms and conditions and in the proportions in the said deed.

Wife and executors to have all his share and interest of and in the capital stock monies and effects employed in the said partnership business at the time of his death and all monies and debts which shall be due.

Rest and residue of money, securities for money, personal estate and effects to his wife and executors upon and for the trusts, intents, and purposes hereinafter declared, if they think proper to carry on his trade as a jeweler in copartnership during the residue of the said copartnership term.

If his wife to remarry, then no longer to be executrix.

If any of his sons by age 21 be willing to assist in the business and be qualified to do so in the opinion of the trustees to be employed in that capacity until the age of 24 and not to earn more annually than one eighth of the total net profits of the share and interest of the trustees.

Any of his sons employed in the business by age 24 wishing to become a partner and qualified to in the opinion of the trustees may do so, and will be entitled to half of the share or interest of the trustees, and as a price for his admission into the trade a sum of money equal to half the share or interest in the stock in trade capital and effects to be paid to the trustees, exclusive of stock debts with interest of 4% per annum. This sum of money to become part of the residuary personal estate.

Trustees to determine the copartnership.

Salary payable to any son employed to assist in the business upon the trust.

Wife to be paid the same upon trust during her natural life or while remaining widowed to provide for herself and any of their children still living with her and for their education. Wife to be in charge of children's education.

Share of business profits to be paid to his wife while she is alive and widowed.

After his wife's decease or second marriage for the share of business profits to be paid upon trust to the trustees equally between his natural children.

In the case of no living children for the shares to be paid to his own or his wife's sisters equally.

For the trustees to sell and convert the residuary personal estate not including stock and effects in the copartnership trade and capital employed therein.

To convert the stock and effects and capital used and employed in the trade into money and to do so after payment of his just debts and expenses and to invest the money to be produced by such sale or conversion in their or his or her names in one or some of the public stocks or funds of Great Britain or upon government or real securities in England or Wales.

For the trustees to pay the interest, dividends, and annual produce to his wife for herself, their children, and their education, or after her death to the children divided equally at age 21, or in the case of no living children for the shares to be paid to his own or his wife's sisters equally.

Trustees to, after the decease or remarriage of his wife, to pay the income, dividends, interest, and annual produce towards the children's maintenance and education until their shares become vested, and to invest any surplus into public stocks or funds. Any unpaid accumulations due to the death of any child to be put into the residuary personal estate.

Trustees, with consent of wife while living and not remarried, to pay any part of the children's shares for putting them or any one of them into any trade business or employment or for a the advancement of a daughter in marriage or any other benefit or advancement, not exceeding £1,500 for a son, or £1,000 for a daughter. Written receipts to be provided by trustees.

Trustees holding receipts not to be held accountable to the application of the money paid.

If any trustee may die, wish to be discharged, or become incapable to act, the other trustees to nominate a new trustee as they think fit, and for any new trustee to act within the same capacity as the current or any former trustees.

Current and any future trustees to be charged and chargeable for the money that they receive by the Will or trusts aforesaid, and for any one of them not to be answerable to any one of the others.

Wife to be guardian of his children under the age of 21.

Samuel Houston and Edward Greenaway to have his estates, rights, and interest as trustee or mortgagee and to hold the same into and to their own use, their heirs, etc., subject to its trusts and equities of redemption.

Lastly, all former Wills to be revoked.

Signed, 2nd October, 1834
T. R. Alston

Signed,
William Jones solicitor, Crosby Square,
William Wright, & S. W. Williams his clerks.

Codicil

2nd October, 1834

Since the Will, certain freehold and copyhold was purchased in Brighton, Sussex which is to be given to his wife Eliza Alston and friends and trustees Samuel Houston and Edward Greenaway, their heirs, etc., and for them to, when they shall think it expedient to, and to the advantage of his wife and children, to sell and dispose the said hereditaments and premises by public auction or private contract, altogether or by such lots or parcels as he, she, or they should think fit for the best possible price.

Any money arising from such sale or the rents and profits in the meantime thereof to be held in such trusts and purposes as in the said Will.

Any receipts written by his wife, named executors, or others acting within their capacity shall be sufficient evidence of any transactions made.

Any purchasers or receivers of such receipts not to be held accountable to the application of such payments.

Signed 14th Nov. 1840
T. R. Alston S.S.

Signed
W. Jones, G. Blaxland Solicitors, Crosby Square
Wm Wright their clerk.

Proved at London with a codicil 21st Aug. 1844 before the worshipful Frederic Thomas Pratt, doctor of laws and surrogate by the oaths of Eliza Alston widow during widowhood and Edward Greenaway two of the executors to whom admon was granted having been first sworn duly to administer Samuel Houston the other executor and one of the residuary legatees in trust having renounced the probate and execution of the said Will and codicil and also the letters of administration with the same annexed of the goods of the said deceased as by acts of court appeals.
Ref: PROB 11/2003 Q602

Transcribed and summarised by C. L. O'Sullivan 20.12.2022

Thomas married Eliza SAGGERS [3788] [MRIN: 1307], daughter of John G SAGGERS [3789] and Unknown, on 7 Jul 1818 in Camberwell Church London. (Eliza SAGGERS [3788] died on 27 Nov 1864 and was buried in Highgate Cemetery London.)