Children of James and Susanna Pollard

will proved at London.

This is the Last Will and Testament of me Richard Pollard of Horsham in the County of Sussex, Ironmonger.

I give devise and bequeath All my real and Personal Estate whatsoever and wheresoever unto my dear Wife Maria Louisa her heirs executors administrators and assigns according to the nature and quality thereof respectively for her own use and benefit, and I appoint my said Wife and Mr Joseph Clark of Southampton Share broker Executors of this my Will in witness whereof I have hereto set my hand this twenty second day of August One thousand eight hundred and fifty three ------- Richard Pollard ---- Signed by the said Testator in the presence of us who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other have hereto subscribed our names as witnesses ----- Benjamin Mandell, Horsham ---- Jesse Greenfield Parish Clerk Pulborough

Proved at London 14th August 1854 before the Judge by Maria Louisa Pollard Widow, the Relict and Joseph Clark the Executors to whom Admon was granted having first made a solemn and sincere declaration or affirmation according to Act of Parliament by Comon only to Administer.

"Educated at Croydon and Ackworth in the usual branches of learning and her affections and understanding are cultivated to the same extent as the rest of our family"

"was active in domestic occupations at Home untill rendered unabled to do so by frequency of her fits"

has been afflicted "with epileptic fits"

"No hereditary predisposition to the disease is known to exist but an Uncle (Frederick Pollard late in the Retreat) was afflicted in the same manner"

"We cannot assign any cause, but have forwarded you the letter which we received after the 1^st attack of Epileptic Fits which took place at Ackworth"

was first attacked with symptoms of insanity "Between 13 & 14 Years"

duration of the present attack "From within 2 or 3 years of the first attack"

"The attack has continued from the first"

"From within the 2 years of the first attack the Patient has not been of sound mind"

prior to any decided appearance of insanity "Nothing particular was observed"

"Since the first attack the mind of the Patient has been gradually weakened"

"The Patient at very various & uncertain times has been very violent and has made attempts to injure herself and is prone at time to throw her food away and to break any thing in her possession"

"She has attempted to injure herself by trying to get out of the window in her bedroom and at times threatened to destroy herself"

"constant attention is obliged to be paid to her in respect of cleanliness"

"Her health is impaired by the constant attacks of Epilepsy"

"We have had the advice of both Physicians and Surgeons but without any perceptible advantage"

"The fits are much more frequent than at first. She has no completely Lucid Intervals and the Disorder increases at very uncertain times"

that in a conversation I had with her this day—she manifested an almost total loss of the faculty of judgment and memory—in various instances, the following is one—on my asking her the distance from her present abode to Horsham which is in fact about 2 miles—she said it might be half a mile or five miles—at last concluding it was the latter—said she could walk it in half an hour—adding that if permitted to go she would be a good girl and "would not throw anything down this time" a plain allusion to certain acts of violence on former occasions

admitted to Ackworth at 10¼; spelling "middling", reading "very unconnectedly", arithmetic "simple division", "scarcely any" grammar

wrote to brother Robert, from Reigate:

My dearest Brother Robert,

Though thou are absent thou art not by any means forgotten in this time of trial, and I do sincerely hope thou has been supported from above. The arms of the Lord <have?> been around us in an eminent degree, and I believe fervent prayers have ascended for the support & protection of all and every one of us, thy self and dear Martha not in the least forgotten.

Yesterday we committed the remains of our precious Father to the silent grave and we had a solemn meeting after where much advice and consolation was extended and a very sweet and precious evidence that our dearest Father had been called to "one of the many mansions prepared for the" "humble followers of Christ", and each one of us dear Robert must so conform our lives to the will of our Heavenly Father, that when "time to us shall be no more" we may all form one happy family above where no sickness or sorrow can ever enter.

A great many kind friends came to pay the last tribute of respect to our dear parents remains – amongst whom was Daniel & Eliza Hack, J. Sharp, Peter Bedford, as ministers Uncles William and wife, Andrew Aunts Emma, & Fanny, Cousin<s> Alfred, Isaac, Catherine, and a great many friends that would take some time to mention, – after dinner Peter Bedford gave us his warmest wishes for our support and craved a blessing of him who is able to bless – Daniel Hack also spoke for some time in a remarkable manner encouraging each. I must not forget to say thou with us has been most kindly remembered by our dear Friends at Southampton. Joseph Clark came yesterday on seventh day on a return to day and his presence was truly comforting together with the Kind messages from all the family. Dear Mother is calm and sends her dearest love to thee and <from?> every one here with thy affectionate Sister Mar<y>

William Pollard: 'Some Descendants of James and Mary Pollard'; SRC 6189/58; The Friend; Annual Monitor

Application having been made by James Pollard, for the admission to membership in our Society of his son Robert aged about eight years: this meeting on considering the subject hereby admits him to a member of our Society. George Bax Holmes is appointed to inform his parents thereof. William Deane is requested to add his name to the lists of our members.