Benjamin Pitcher of Hodgecombe Farm, Uley, Gloucestershire - (abt 1774-1857))

Benjamin PITCHER, the younger, was born in Rockhampton, Gloucestershire, in about 1774, the eldest son of Benjamin PITCHER, the elder, and his wife, Margaret (nee WORGAN). He was baptized on 12th March 1775 in St Oswald's Church in Rockhampton, Gloucestershire.

On 22nd December 1802, Benjamin married Sarah RICE in St Bartholomew's Church in Coaley, also in Gloucestershire. The couple settled in nearby Uley and together they had nine known children between about 1803 and 1824, five boys and four girls.

Benjamin was remembered in the will of his uncle, Daniel BAILEY (Benjamin's mother's sister's husband). Benjamin and Sarah named two of their children, Ann Bailey PITCHER and Daniel Bailey PITCHER (Daniel BAILEY'S wife was called Ann.) These two children were born shortly after Daniel BAILEY died. Perhaps the fact that Benjamin was named as a beneficiary in Daniel's will prompted the choice of names or maybe Benjamin had already developed close bonds with his uncle and aunt and wanted to name his children in honour of them. Ann BAILEY appears to have been buried in Coaley in 1823 - this was Benjamin's local church. Part of Daniel BAILEY'S will states...

...I Give unto my said Wife Ann All That Leasehold Cottage or Tenement with the Garden and Appurtenances thereto belonging situate at near a Place called Cowley Pike in the Parish of Cowley aforesaid together with the Close of Meadow or Pasture Ground thereto adjoining containing together by Admeasurement Two Acres and Twenty Eight Perches (be the same more or less) now in the Occupation of Thomas Cam and Thomas Savage To hold the same unto my said Wife and her Assigns for and during the Term of her Natural Life And from and after her Decease I Give the same Leasehold Premises unto Benjamin Pitcher of Uley in the County aforesaid Yeoman his Executors Administrators and Assigns for and during all the Residue of the Term which may be to come therein at my said Wife’s Decease Also I Give unto my said Wife Ann All Those Two Leasehold Closes of Pasture Ground situate lying and being at Cowley aforesaid now in my Occupation called by the several Names of Bethworthy Piece and Peters Close containing together five Acres Three Roods and Nine Perches (be the same more or less) To Hold the same to my said Wife and her Assigns for and during the Term of her Natural Life in Case the Estate Term and Interest I have therein shall so long endure And from and after her Decease I Give the said Two last mentioned Cloves of Pasture Ground unto the said Benjamin Pitcher his Executors Administrators and Assigns for and during all the Residue of the Estate Term and Interest which may be to come therein at my said Wife’s Decease Also I Give unto the said Benjamin Pitcher All those Parcels of Leasehold Wood and Wood Ground called Cowley’s Wood situate and lying within the Parish of Cowley aforesaid containing by Estimation Forty Four Acres (be the same more or less) To hold the same unto the said Benjamin Pitcher his Executors Administrators and Assigns for and during all the Estate Term and Interest I have therein.....Also I Give unto the said Benjamin Pitcher the Sum of Twenty Pounds...

At some stage, Benjamin became a yeoman/farmer, owning Hodgecombe Farm in Uley. Whilst it is not known exactly when he moved there, his name appears on the Deeds pertaining to the property between 1834 and 1854, which was 3 years after his death...

...All hdts and prems comprised in or affected by all or any of followg Deeds and Documents that was to say:- Deeds relatg to Land and bldgs known as "Hodgecombe Farm" and site in Pshes of Cam Coaley and Uley, Glos. comprisg 43a. 0r. 26p. or thrabts Freehold.

1781/1834.
July 25/1834.
Jany 24/1846.
July 25/1850.
Jany 3/1854.
Jany 3/1854

Bundle of Old Deeds
Mortgage
Tsfer of Mtge
Do.
Assignment
Convce

B.Pitcher to Croome & Ponting.
B.Pitcher & Mtgees to T.Merrett.
B.Pitcher & Anor. to J.Jones.
B.Pitcher to J.Aylward & Ors.
Jones & Pitcher to J.Aylward & Ors...

Name: Benjamin Pitcher
Age: 66
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1775
Gender: Male
Where born: Gloucestershire, England
Civil Parish: Uley
Hundred: Berkeley (Upper Division)
County/Island: Gloucestershire
Country: England
Street address: Hodgecombe Farm
Occupation: Yeoman
Registration district: Dursley
Sub-registration district: Uley

Benjamin Pitcher 66
Sarah Pitcher 59
James P Pitcher 36
Betsy Pitcher 29
Sarah Pitcher 22
Mary Pitcher 20
Timothy Pitcher 17
John Pitcher 11
Nigel Pitcher 7
Emma Pitcher 5
Christopher Pitcher 2
Caroline Pitcher 1

John, Nigel, Emma (possibly Susan Emma), Christopher and Caroline were Benjamin's grandchildren.

Benjamin PITCHER lost his wife in 1850. By 1851, he was farming 70 acres. The census of that year shows the household as follows...

Name: Benjamin Pitcher
Age: 76
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1775
Relation: Head
Gender: Male
Where born: Rockhampton, Gloucestershire, England
Civil Parish: Uley
County/Island: Gloucestershire
Country: England
Street address: Hodgecombe Farm
Occupation: Farmer of 70 Acres
Condition as to marriage: Widower
Registration district: Dursley
Sub-registration district: Wotton
ED, institution, or vessel: 4a
Household schedule number: 3

Household Members: Name Age
Benjamin Pitcher 76
James Pitcher 49
Elizabeth Pitcher 39
Emma Pitcher 14
Christopher Pitcher 12
Mary Baglin 20 (Servant)

This is the last Will and Testament of me Benjamin Pitcher of the Parish of Uley in the County of Gloucester Farmer I give and devise unto Oswald Exell the surviving Trustee named in the Settlement made on marriage of my Daughter Sarah with George Powell All those my three Cottages or Tenements and Gardens and small piece of Pasture Land lying near thereto in the Parish of Uley aforesaid and adjoining a certain Cottage Garden and Land comprised in the said Settlement To hold the same unto the said Oswald Exell his heirs and assigns Upon and for such and the like trusts intents and purposes as are expressed and declared in and by the said Settlement of and concerning the said Cottage Garden and Land thereby Settled And as to and concerning all the rest residue and remainder of my messuages Cottages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments whatsoever situate in the several Parishes of Uley, Coaley, Cam and North Nibley in the said County of Gloucester or elsewhere and not hereinbefore specifically devised with their rights members and appurtenances I give devise and bequeath the same unto my Son Timothy Pitcher and my friends Thomas Weight of Alkington Farm in the Parish of Berkeley in the said County, Farmer and William Champion of Dursley in the said County Saddler To hold the same to them their heirs Executors Administrators and assigns according to the respective tenures thereof Upon trust as soon as conveniently may be after my decease absolutely to sell and dispose of the same either together or in parcels by Public Auction or Private Contract and make and execute all such Deeds Conveyances assignments and other Assurances as shall be necessary for vesting the same in any purchaser or Purchasers thereof or as he she or they shall direct and I declare that the receipts of my said Trustees or of the survivor of them his heirs Executors or Administrators shall be good and sufficient discharges to any purchaser or purchasers for all money expressed in such receipts to be received And that such purchaser or purchasers shall not afterwards be obliged to see to the application of the purchase money or be accountable for the loss misapplication or nonapplication thereof And upon further trust that they my said Trustees or the survivors or survivor of them or the heirs or assigns of such survivor do and shall stand and be possessed of the moneys to arise and be produced by such sale or sales as aforesaid (after payment of all costs and expences attending the same) In trust that the same shall sink into and become part of my general Residuary Personal Estate hereinafter bequeathed and go [Benjamin Pitcher] and be applied and disposed of accordingly as hereinafter directed And I give and bequeath to my Son William Pitcher the sum of One hundred and sixty pounds and to my Son John Pitcher the sum of twenty pounds and to his Son John Pitcher the sum of Ten pounds And I give and bequeath unto the said Timothy Pitcher Thomas Weight and William Champion all and singular my Household Goods and Furniture Live and Dead Farming Stock Implements of Husbandry and the residue of my moneys securities for money and other Personal Estate and Effects whatsoever Upon trust as soon as conveniently may be after my decease to sell and dispose of collect get in and convert into money all such parts of the same as shall not consist of money and to stand possessed of the net moneys to arise from or of which my said Residuary Personal Estate shall be composed And also of the net residue of the moneys to arise from the sales of said messuages Cottages Lands Herditaments and premises hereinbefore devised In trust for sale as aforesaid Upon trust thereout in the first place to pay and satisfy all my just Debts and funeral Testamentary and other incidental expences and then to divide the residue thereof into eight equal parts or shares and to pay one of such eighth parts or shares to each of my seven Children (namely) James Pitcher, Daniel Pitcher, Elizabeth Pitcher, William Pitcher, Sarah Powell, Mary Richmond and Timothy Pitcher and to stand possessed of the other or remaining eighth part or share In trust for all and every the Children and Child of my late Daughter Ann Fryers lawfully begotten who being a Son or Sons shall live to attain the age of twenty one years or being a Daughter or Daughters shall live to attain that age or be married which shall first happen and if more than one equally to be divided between or among them share and share alike as tenants in Common and not as joint tenants and their respective Executors Administrators and assigns And in case only one such Child being a Son shall live to attain the age of twenty one years or being a Daughter shall live to attain that age or be married Then in trust for such one Child, his or her Executors Administrators and assigns And in case any of the Children of my said Daughter Ann Fryer shall not at the times they shall respectively become presumptively entitled to the said trust moneys have attained a vested Interest in his her or their share or respective shares thereof Then I direct that the Trustees or Trustee for the time being of this my Will shall and do pay and apply the Interest Dividends annual or other proceeds of the presumptive share of every such Child or so much thereof as the said Trustees or Trustee shall in their or his discretion think [Benjamin Pitcher] fit for or towards his or her maintenance support and education until such his or her share shall become vested or he or she shall previously die or for placing him or her out apprentice or otherwise for his or her benefit And as to the share of my said Daughter Sarah Powell I will and direct that thereout the sum of eighty pounds shall be deducted in aid of my General Residuary Personal Estate And as to the shares hereinbefore bequeathed and directed to be paid to my said Daughters Elizabeth Pitcher, Sarah Powell and Mary Richmond I direct that the same shall be paid into their own respective hands for their sole and seperate use and benefit respectively free from the debts control or interference of their present or any future Husbands And I declare that the receipts of them my said three Daughters respectively alone for such Legacies and shares shall be good and sufficient discharges to the Trustees and Executors of this my Will Provided always and my Will is that in the event of my said Son William Pitcher not returning from abroad and claiming the said Legacy and share of residue hereinbefore bequeathed and directed to be paid to him before his Son (my Grandson) William Worgan Pitcher shall attain his age of twenty one years or in case of his death under that age then before the time shall have arrived when he would (if living) have attained that age Then I revoke the said Legacies so hereinbefore given to him my said Son William Pitcher and do hereby direct that the same shall become payable and divisible to and amongst all my said other Children equally and their respective Executors Administrators and assigns And in case my said Son William shall not so return and claim the said Legacy and share and my said Grandson William Worgan Pitcher shall live to attain his said age of twenty one years then I give and bequeath to him the sum of One hundred pounds to be paid to him immediately on his attaining such age And I direct that the said Legacy and share of my said Son William Pitcher shall be placed out at Interest on proper Security by my said Trustees with power to alter and vary the Securities for the same as they shall think proper until my said Grandson William Worgan Pitcher shall attain the said age or in case of his death until the time when he would if living have attained that age And that my said Trustees shall apply such part of the Interest of the moneys so to be Invested as they may in their discretion think proper for the purpose of apprenticing the said William Worgan Pitcher to any trade or business and for his Clothing education and support during his minority And that the residue of such Interest shall accumulate and be added to my said Son Williams Legacy and share of residue and be paid and applied accordingly Provided also and my Will is and I do hereby give full power and authority to the present and future Trustees and Trustee for the time being of this my Will or the heirs Executors or Administrators of the last surviving Trustee to nominate and appoint any other persons or person as Trustees or Trustee in their his or her stead and place and to do all necessary Acts for enabling [Benjamin Pitcher] the new Trustees or Trustee to Act effectually therein And I hereby give full Indemnities to my Trustees or Trustee for the time being for all acts detrimental to my Estate which shall happen without their his or her negliglence or wilful default And I declare that they lawfully may reimburse themselves out of the trust moneys and premises comprised in this my Will all Costs and expences to be incurred in the execution of the aforesaid trusts or in any way relating thereto And I devise all the real Estates vested in me as Mortgagee or Trustee to my said Trustees their heirs and assigns subject to and upon the Trusts and Equities affecting the same respectively And lastly I hereby nominate and appoint my said Son Timothy Pitcher and the said Thomas Weight and William Champion joint Executors of this my Will and hereby revoking all former Wills do declare this only to be my last Will and Testament In witness whereof I the said Benjamin Pitcher have at the foot or end of this my Will (contained on four sheets of paper) subscribed my name the thirtieth day of October in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty six
Benjamin Pitcher
Signed and published by the said Testator Benjamin Pitcher as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us both present at the same time who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses
Oswald Exell - T. G. A. J. Dauncey } Dursley

Benjamin, died in Uley on 16th October 1857, aged 83. Although no longer owned by the family, Hodgecombe Farm continued to expand and was farmed by his son, James, and after his death, by James' wife, Ann (nee POWELL), until some time during the 1880's when Ann followed her son to New Zealand with the rest of her family.

On 11 March 1858, probate was granted to Benjamin's son, Timothy, and his friend, Thomas Weight, and power was reserved for his friend, William Champion. The England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) published...

1858. PITCHER Benjamin. 11 March. The Will of Benjamin Pitcher late of the Parish of Uley in the County of Gloucester Farmer deceased who died 16 October 1857 at Uley aforesaid was proved at Gloucester by the oaths of Timothy Pitcher of the Parish of Coaley in the said County Farmer the Son and Thomas Weight of Alkington Farm in the Parish of Berkeley in the said County Farmer two of the Executors.

ON the 11th day of March 1858 the Will of Benjamin Pitcher late of the parish of Uley in the County of Gloucester Farmer deceased, who died on the sixteenth day of October 1857 at Uley aforesaid was proved in the District Registry attached to Her Majesty’s Court of Probate at GLOUCESTER, by the Oaths of Timothy Pitcher his son of the parish of Coaley in the said County and Thomas Weight of Alkington Farm in the parish of Berkeley in the said County Farmers two of the Executors therein named they having been first sworn duly to administer, power being reserved of making the like Grant to William Champion of Dursley in the said County of Gloucester Saddler the other Executor therein named

Effects under £3000
Extracted by The Executors

Benjamin PITCHER - (Abt. 1774 - 1857)