Histories

PROB 36/7
Scope and content Name of deceased: Hancocke [John] Melksham, Wilts Case title and other data: Knight and Hancocke con Sherrington
Covering dates 1697
================================================
Wiltshire CRO ref. 917/1 - date: 1695-1906

Contents
Twenty-two deeds and fourteen other papers relating to three houses in Old Broughton Road, Melksham, and four houses on the north side of the road. Includes probate (1715) of will (1715) of James Webb of Melksham, clothier (PCC), copy wills of Arthur Gray of Melksham, blacksmith(1771), and his son John (1793), and copy will (1847) of John Shaul of Melksham, gent., and two schedules.
In the earlier deeds the property (or perhaps only part of it) is described as (i) a cottage, orchard, garden and backside and the new barn adjoining (24 luggs) in the tithing of Whitley and Shaw, with (ii) a tiled barn shooting out against the highway leading from Melksham to Broughton, with a stable and the west part of a backside. The former division of the deeds into two bundles seems to have been erroneous, perhaps arising from a 19th century division of the property.
Parties: Collibee, Beaven, Goore, Kendall, Hutton, Webb, Kelson, Gray, Holmes, Randall, Sloper, Shaul, Simpson, Cook, Hughes, Chard, Carr, Scudamore, Locke, Lansdown, Collins, HANCOCK, Phillips, Willis, Guy, Stevens, Coleman.
================================================
Description Will of Samuel Hancock of Melksham , Wiltshire
Date 24 July 1837
Catalogue reference PROB 11/1881
================================================
This seems to show that the Corsham HANCOCKs were not incapable of fathering bastards:

Warrants of Bastardy
Church of England, St James the Great's Parish, Westerleigh, Gloucestershire
FILE - John Hancock yeomen of Corsham (Mary Taylor,son.) - ref. P/W/OP/13/3 - date: 1759 May 4

---------------------------------------------

Scope and content [W1806 H25].
Hancock v Stump. Two bills, answer.
Plaintiffs: John Hancock.
Defendants: John Merriman Stump. [cf Richard STUMP of Westwells 1730]
SMP
Covering dates 1808
----------------------------------
Scope and content [W1806 S45].
Stump v Hancock. Bill and answer.
Plaintiffs: John Merryman Stump.
Defendants: John Hancock.
SMP
Covering dates 1807
----------------------------------
Scope and content [W1806 H25].
Hancock v Stump. Answer.
Plaintiffs: John Hancock.
Defendants: John Merriman Stump
Covering dates 1808
----------------------------------
Scope and content Hancock v. Bird
b.r.
Covering dates 1762
----------------------------------
Scope and content Sarum Dean of v. Hancock
b.r.r.
Covering dates 1786 Amd. 1787
----------------------------------
Scope and content Stump v Hancock. Answer (not filed)
Covering dates 1811
----------------------------------
Scope and content Hancock v. Hancock
Covering dates Geo. I & II.
----------------------------------