John Ingham was a linen draper trading from a shop in Water Street, Bollington. He retired in 1886 and died on 11 March 1891. We have, in the Civic Society collection, John Ingham’s Will and a number of legal papers relating to the execution of the Will and its financial aftermath. The documents are as follows:

1. The Last Will & Testament of John Ingham, dated 6 July 1886.
2. Document In the matter of the estate of John Ingham deceased, Mutual Covenants, dated 16 March 1891.
3. On the back of the above document is written the Probate of the Will of Mr John Ingham deceased, dated 8 April 1891.
4. Inland Revenue Form No. 1, backed by Receipt for Legacy. This conveys £100 to the widow, Mrs Mary Ann Ingham. The form was made on 8 April 1891 and the receipt signed on 23 December 1892.
5. Disclaimer by Mr Samuel Unwin one of the Executors and Trustees (of John Ingham’s Will), dated 30 June 1891.
6. A document Renunciation by Mr Samuel Unwin one of the Executors and Trustees (of John Ingham’s Will), dated 30 June 1891.
7. An Account of the Estate with Receipts by the Beneficiaries, dated 7 July 1891.
8. A statement of activities undertaken by Mr Henry Hand, solicitor, on behalf of the Executors of the Will of John Ingham, to the value of £13-2-6 of which £3-5-0 was for official stamps, dated 7 July 1891.
9. A receipt from the solicitor, Mr Henry Hand of Macclesfield, for the sum of nineteen pounds mentioned in a certain Agreement [item 2 above] dated the Sixteenth day of March 1891, dated 8 July 1891. This document is incorrectly headed ‘Re Estate of Mrs Mary Ingham deceased’!
10. Inland Revenue Form No.8, backed by Receipt for Duty, dated 10 June 1893. This lists His dwellinghouses and premises situate and numbered 35, 37, 39, 41, 43 and 45 King William Street Salford* with the coal yard adjoining occupied by Messrs Ray Heapwood Tomlinson and others Together with the several yearly ground rents of £12 : 10/- each payable from adjoining premises The property is subject to the payment of a perpetual yearly chief rent of £40 Sold by auction for £700
11. Document In the Matter of the Estate of the late Mr John Ingham deceased. Release to the Executrix and Trustee with Covenant, dated 29 March 1894. This is the most elaborate of the documents and perhaps the most interesting. Understanding it is the key to understanding several of the other documents. In essence it provides a re-writing of John Ingham’s Will to take account of various moneys in order to balance out what each beneficiary is to receive from the estate. No doubt financial arrangements changed in the period between the writing of the Will in 1886 and the death of John Ingham in 1891. One of the key points made in this document is that on his retirement in 1886 John Ingham sold the drapery business to his daughter Elizabeth, wife of Samuel Unwin. In the settlement of the Will it is deemed that Elizabeth had already received benefit to the value of £800. This document also establishes two annuities for the benefit of Mrs Mary Ann Ingham, widow, in the sums of £20 and £40.
12. Account of Proceeds of Sale of Furniture &c with Receipts by Beneficiaries, amounting to £95-14-0, the beneficiaries being the three daughters of John Ingham, dated 18 March 1897.
13. A receipt regarding two sums received from Mr Fred H Pool for the purchase of a gold watch and a gold scarf pin with gem, presumably from the estate of John Ingham, dated 20 March 1897.

* King William Street in Salford still exists on the northeastern edge of the Salford Quays re-developments but none of the original buildings remain.

Unfortunately there is no indication as to why Samuel Unwin, son in law of the deceased, disclaimed his responsibilities in respect of the execution of John Ingham’s Will. However, those who are to receive a legacy, or whose spouse is to receive a legacy under a Will, as in this case, sometimes renounce their authority in order to avoid any questioning of their integrity. This is especially so where there is a possibility of a family dispute over the terms of the Will! This estate took a very long time to settle, John Ingham dying in March 1891 and the last actions, the sale of chattels being completed in March 1897. One has to wonder why that was so.

Samuel Unwin, son in law, 1845-1904

Samuel Unwin was born in Bollington, Cheshire, in 1845 to parents Samuel and Mary Unwin.

Samuel worked with his father at ‘Samuel Unwin & Son’, Grocers and Drapers in Water Street, Bollington. In the neighbouring High Street, John and Mary Ingham, lived with their daughter, Elizabeth. John Ingham was a linen and woollen draper. It is understood that Samuel’s father was more interested in the grocery side of his business and it is probable that Samuel was trained by John Ingham as a draper. Samuel subsequently married Elizabeth who inherited her father’s business (see above).

Much more is written about the Unwin family on another page.

Acknowledgement

Much of the information on the Unwin family was researched and very kindly provided by Alan Gavin, whose wife is a descendant of Samuel Unwin.

Further information was obtained from the Will and associated legal papers of John Ingham, said papers being in the Civic Society collection.