Sunday, February 24, 2013

Will of Walter Buller, Citizen and Salter, Parish of St Mildrede in Bread Street, London - The National Archives PROB 11/146/169, probated 13 Jun 1625

There are five City of London wills and these have a strong probability to be my Buller line (along with the Buller family of Warwickshire since my Henry Christopher Buller went back and forth between his butcher shop in London and his butcher shop in Birmingham - my 2x great grandfather).

Mary Buller, Spinster of Saint Benet Fink London, PROB 11/982/169, probated 16 Nov 1772
Walter Buller (present will)
Stephen Buller, Coal Merchant of Saint Giles without Cripplegate, City of London, PROB 11/767/394, probated 23 Feb 1749
Richard Buller, Merchant of Bearbinder Lane, City of London, PROB 11/769/443, probated 9 May 1749
Julius Buller, Merchant now going on a Voyage to the Spanish West Indes of City of London, PROB 11/589/230, probated 11 Feb 1723

Walter Buller's will is the oldest one in London dating back to 1625 so he was likely born in the mid to late 1500s. He has a brother Thomas Buller whom he names executor. It is a noncupative will.

The Church of St Mildred in Bread Street is an ancient one having been dedicated in the 7th century to Saint Mildred the daughter of Merewald, sub-king of West Mercians. It was rebuilt following the Great Fire of London and then succumbed to bombing in 1941. Amazing to think this will dates back to before the Great Fire of London and that Walter Buller was buried in that Church.

There is a list of the Residents of Bread Street in 1638 on the British History Online website:
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=32054

No Buller members are listed. It is a valuation of the houses in the Parish of St Mildred for Tythe purposes. There is a Mr. Butler.

Although the original Parish Registers were destroyed in 1941, the Harleian Society had fortunately made a transcription of these registers in 1912. (http://ia700408.us.archive.org/25/items/registersofstmil42stmi/registersofstmil42stmi.pdf )  The baptisms begin in 1658, the Marriages begin in 1670, and the Burials begin in 1670. There were no entries for Buller in the Register.

He is listed on Find My Past under Boyd's Inhabitants of London as being a Salter on Bread Street in St Mildred. He is also listed as being a Citizen. It would be so exciting if someone would take on the Buller one name study. Again this is one of the well known surnames of the British Isles. There isn't a Thomas Buller listed under Boyd's Inhabitants of London.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 11 Feb 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/146/169
Testator: Walter Buller, Salter of Saint Mildred Bread Street
Place: City of London, England
Date of document: 11 Jun 1625, probated 13 Jun 1625
Read: Electronic copy images
Document quality: 17th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: T. incupative
[Margin]: Walteri
[Margin]: Buller
[Margin]: desc.

1    Memorand That Walter Buller late of the p[ar]ish of St Mildrede in Bred Streete London
2    Cittizen and Salter deceased on the Eleaventh daie of June Anno d[omi]ni 1625 beinge of p[er]fect
3    mind and memory and havinge an intent to settle and dispose of his estate made and declared
4    the last will and testament nuncupative as followeth viz[a vi]t Imprimis his bodie to buried
5    in the upper end of St Mildreds Church aforesaid Alsoe he gave and bequeathed unto
6    his fower sisters viz[a vi]t Marye Underhill Alice Mayall Elizabeth Aynge and Katherine
7    Newberry Twentie pounds a peece of lawfull English money Alsoe he gave and
8    bequeathed unto [blank] his Goddaughter Fifteene pounds of lawfull
9    money Alsoe he gave and bequeathed unto the poore of the parishe of Halford where
10    he was borne Fower poundes of lawfull money Alsoe he gave and bequeathed
11    unto Elizabeth Clarke his Landlady the some of Fower pounds of lawfull money
12    Alsoe he gave and bequeathed unto [blank] his godsonne Thirtie
13    nobles of lawfull money Alsoe he gave and bequeathed unto the poore of the p[ar]ishe
14    of St Mildred in Bredstreete London the some of Fower pounds of lawfull money
15    All the rest of his goods chattells and debts (whatsoever his mind debts being afix I
16    paid and this his will beinge p[er]formed he gave left and bequeathed to his brother
17    Thomas Buller whom he nominated Executor of this his last will and testament
18    or he uttered and used words to the like effect In the p[re]sence of us Raphe Clarke
19    William Turner

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