In a message dated 15/01/2008 21:36:51 GMT Standard Time, [email protected] writes: . (will) 28 April 1835 - this date was the last entry on the previous will. The paragraph preceding the beginning of Charlotte McKenzie Donald's will. Also possible the same as 4a-b below. I have limited experience of reading old wills but from what I have seen it was normal practice to continue to fill pages and one can find the start, even just the date, of a new entry at the bottom of a page. I believe this is the start of the record of Charlottes will being registered. 2. (will) 17 May 1834 - date the will was written Yes 3. (will) 9 May 1835 - ????????? Start of another record 4a-b. (test) 28 Apr 1835 - this begins the testament for Charlotte McKenzie and is the date the writer, Alexander Brown provided the entry to the Court Yes 5 (test) 23 May 1834 - date of death Rev James Donald or....is this the date Charlotte died? Charlotte's date of death. The reference to Rev James Donald indicates she was his widow. Relict of is used to indicate their spouse had died previously 6 (test) 27 Apr 1835 - date the inventory was totaled ie. as of date Yes 7 (test) 20 May 1834 (assume "last" means previous year?) date the will was executed Date will was written and signed. 8 (test) 23 May 1834 - date of death of Charlotte McKenzie Donald (same date as James Donald - no. 5 above) Date of death for Charlotte. Not to do with death of James Donald 9 (test) 27 Apr 1835 - date Alexander Brown depones the death date of Charlotte McKenzie ie date sworn under oath No, this is identifying her will which was signed on 20 May 1834 10 (test) 4 May 1835 - date inventories received and stamped This is an acknowledgement of payment of Stamp Duties for several estates and is not particular to Charlotte's estate although hers is mentioned. 11 (test) 4 May 183? (probably 1835) date the 4 inventories were received - one of which was Charlotte McKenzie This is probably the start of another record. I also have another question... Why is the numbering different on the testament? For example, the first page shows 450 at the top left but 453 on the bottom left. Why wouldn't page 450 always be 450? Or...were three pages inserted in the whole document at some point and all the subsequent pages had to be renumbered? Seems strange but it may just have been an error in the original numbering. These would be bound books and not readily able to have pges inserted unless the were left loose. Ian A C Scott

Hello Ian, I certainly appreciate you taking your time to read and comment on each date in the will. Much appreciated! I shall go back and review each one of your comments and update my notations. Thank you ever so much. Barbara [email protected] wrote: > In a message dated 15/01/2008 21:36:51 GMT Standard Time, > [email protected] writes: > > . (will) 28 April 1835 - this date was the last entry on the previous > will. The paragraph preceding the beginning of Charlotte McKenzie > Donald's will. Also possible the same as 4a-b below. > I have limited experience of reading old wills but from what I have seen it > was normal practice to continue to fill pages and one can find the start, even > just the date, of a new entry at the bottom of a page. I believe this is the > start of the record of Charlottes will being registered. > > > >