Last Will and Testament of Ann Preston

1. The Will

This is the Last Will and Testament

of me Ann Preston widow of the late Henry Preston
of the parish of Kirk Santon Isle of Man,
and residing at 43 Peel Road
Twenty fourth day of October, in the year of our
Lord, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Eighty Eight.

I hereby revoke all Wills and codicils heretofore made by me. I appoint
my Son Daniel Callister, plasterer, of the town of
Douglas in the Isle of Man
— to be Executor to this my Will. I direct that
all my Debts, Funeral, and Testamentary Expenses, shall be paid as soon as conveniently
may be after my decease.

I give, devise, and bequeath unto
my eldest Son Edward Quayle of Laxey a Legacy
of Two pounds Sterling, he being previously provided
for and to my daughter Catherine Ann Quayle
at present an inmate of the Lunatic Asylum in
this Island the sum of Five Shillings. And
I hereby devise to my Son Daniel Callister aforesaid
whom I have appointed my Executor, and to my Son
Thomas Kneale their Heirs, Exors, Admors, and
Assigns the whole of my personal effects, Goods, Chattels
or money and property of every description belonging
to me at the time of my decease to be divided Share
and Share alike between my said Sons Daniel
Callister and Thomas Kneale their Heirs, Exors, Admors
and Assigns as Witness my Signature this the
(24th) Twenty fourth day of October, One Thousand
Eight Hundred and Eighty Eight.

Witnessed by Danl. Cregen; Jane Killey her mark +

Ann Preston her mark +

Notes

• Ann Preston and Jane Killey both signed with a mark (+); Daniel Cregen signed his name in full (see the Attestation, which explains why).
• This will directly documents three of Ann's children by earlier marriages — Edward Quayle of Laxey ("eldest Son", already "previously provided for"), Catherine Ann Quayle (unmarried, "at present an inmate of the Lunatic Asylum in this Island"), and Thomas Kneale — alongside Daniel Callister, the son named executor.
• Eldest son. Ann's actual first-born son was John James Quayle (baptised 4 October 1840), making William Edward Quayle (baptised 3 April 1842) her second son. Calling Edward her "eldest Son" here implies John James had died before 1888, or had become entirely estranged from the family — the will does not say which.

2. Attestation

Signed by Daniel Cregeen by the direction of the Testator who made her mark, the Testator, who declared the same to be her last Will and Testament, in the presence of the said Daniel Cregeen and Jane Killey her mark X so signing the Will, and the Testator and of us, who at the request of the Testator, in her presence, and in the presence of each of us, have hereunto signed our names as witnesses.

Danl. Cregen; Jane Killey her mark X

This explains why Daniel Cregen's signature on the will is a full signature rather than a mark: he was the person who physically wrote Ann Preston's will on her behalf and at her direction, since she herself could not write and signed only with a mark.

3. Petition for Probate

Daniel Callister of No 1 Albany Street, Douglas, petitions that Ann Preston departed this life on the 27th day of November 1888, having made her will of 24 October 1888 appointing him sole Executor, and prays that probate be granted to him. Ordered heard at Douglas on Monday 17 December 1888. Given at Douglas 13 December 1888, signed W L Drinkwater.

4. Court Order Granting Probate

At a Court holden at Douglas on 17 December 1888: the will of Ann Preston, formerly of the Parish of Santon and late of No 43 Peel Road, Douglas, Widow, deceased 27 November 1888, is proved; Daniel Callister of No 1 Albany Street, Douglas, Plasterer, a Son of the Testatrix, the Executor named, is sworn to fulfil and execute the same. Signed W L Drinkwater, a Judge of the said Court.

This confirms Ann Preston's residence progression: formerly of Santon (matching Henry Preston's will), later of 43 Peel Road, Douglas, where she died.

5. Probate Bond

Daniel Callister of Albany St, Plasterer; John Cowley of No 91 Circular Road, Mariner; and James Edward Wade of No 19 [Henley?] Terrace, Plasterer, are jointly and severally bound in the sum of Thirty seven pounds, conditioned on Daniel Callister making and exhibiting a true and perfect inventory of Ann Preston's estate and paying her debts according to law. Signed at Douglas, 17 December 1888, before W L Drinkwater: Daniel Callister; John Cowley; James Edward Wade.

Two sureties stood alongside Daniel Callister: John Cowley, a Mariner, and James Edward Wade, a Plasterer — the same trade as Daniel Callister.

6. Claim Entered Against the Estate

Claims entered
1889 May 16 — Jane Killey — £6. 0. 0

A claim of £6 by Jane Killey (probably the same Jane Killey who witnessed the will) against the estate, entered five months after probate. Under 19th-century probate law a witness could not receive a legacy under the same will she witnessed — but Jane's claim was for an outstanding debt (likely nursing or boarding during Ann's final illness) rather than a legacy.

Summary

Ann Preston, widow of Henry Preston of Knockfroy, Santon, and by 1888 living at 43 Peel Road, Douglas, made her will on 24 October 1888, appointing her son Daniel Callister (a plasterer of Douglas) as sole executor. She left £2 to her eldest surviving son Edward Quayle of Laxey ("previously provided for"), 5 shillings to her daughter Catherine Ann Quayle (then a patient in the Lunatic Asylum), and the residue of her estate jointly to her sons Daniel Callister and Thomas Kneale. She signed by mark, with Daniel Cregeen writing her signature at her direction and Jane Killey as a second witness. Ann Preston died on 27 November 1888; probate was granted at Douglas on 17 December 1888, with John Cowley and James Edward Wade standing surety. A claim of £6 by Jane Killey was entered against the estate on 16 May 1889.

This will is genealogically decisive for the whole collection: it independently names Edward Quayle, Catherine Ann Quayle, Daniel Callister and Thomas Kneale as Ann's children, corroborating the family already documented from the parish register entries transcribed throughout this project.