Kipps
Will of William Kipps (1617)
Reference: Bancks - Hartley Through the Ages
William Kipps owned the unidentified Birchet Field, but also Gossey Croft - still the name of a house on its site in Hartley Hill. The Kipps family can be presumed to be the source of the name of Skips Cottage in Hartley Bottom Road, by Goldsmith Cottage.
The reference to clay is interesting. Stephen Kipps sold clay to Philip Foote to make clay pipes. The National Archives has a case where Philip is suing Stephen's widow Joyce and others, regarding a contract for clay at Kemsing. It also reveals that Joyce Kipps had subsequently married John Overey, presumably the John Overey who lived in Hartley (TNA C2/Jas 1/F6/23).
His wife's name was Joyce. She was to have free egress and regress to his lands called Birchet Field and Gossie Croft "to dig clea and carry it away for 7 years". He had sons, Edward, Thomas, John, William and Stephen, and daughters Joyce and Dorita. To his brother Gilbert he gives "a tymber tree which he desired of me". Another bequest is a "twelmotings haver bullock".
Will of Stephen Kipps of Hartley, yeoman (1639)
Reference: TNA PROB 11/179
He leaves his soul to Almighty God and his body to a Christian burial.
To Dorothy his sister: £10
To his brothers: 2s each.
To the four children of his "brother" Thomas Middleton: 4s each.
To Elizabeth, his sister: 5s
To Alice, his sister: 5s
All to be paid 6 months after the decease of his mother.
To John Overy: the remainder of that sum
To Gabriel Ashpoole and John Overy: all the household stuff and moveables "that I have in Essex".
He appoints John Overy as executor
(X) Stephen Kipps
Dated 14 April 1638
Proved London 13 February 1639
(PCC Administration)
Stephen Kipps of Hartley to Thomas Middleton, father of Thomas, John, Joan and Susan Middleton, nephews and nieces ex sis. during their minority (2 October 1638)