Susanna Dexter's will is contradictory.
"What little furniture I may have to be disposed
of and the produce with two pairs of sheets & some
few of my Linen and wearing apparel to be sent
to Whitby in Yorkshire for the use & Comfort
of my nephew Charles Lambs Widow, she being
left with eight children quite unprovided for -"
However, further down it clearly says:
"Signed this August 21st 1831".
This HAS to be incorrect.
Charles Lamb died on 3rd June 1832 at Abchurch-lane Hospital in London.
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...amb%22&f=false
For years we thought he had died by 1831 because of this will, until the article was found.
Susanna's will starts off OK, initially written in a clear yet messy hand. Then she appears to have made additions in her own untidy handwriting. One of those is as follows:
"July 15 86
I beg what Mr Partridge has in his
hands may be appropriated to returning
Miss Barnes & Mr Robt Hutchinson
& Mr Ashton what I have had of them since
I have been Mrs Beecheno
signed this August 21st 1831
S Dexter"
I'm not sure what the 86 (or 80) denotes. The layout is untidy.
I can only suppose she got the year wrong and it was 1832 or later. The wrapper of the will has other hand-written additions, one in her hand dated August 15th 1836.
Susanna Dexter was buried on 3rd February 1837 at St Ives, Huntingdonshire, and probate was granted on 11th February 1837.