Many people disposed of their assets prior to their deaths or had their wealth bound up in property and possessions so the monetary amount bequeathed isn't always an accurate measure of how wealthy they were. Nevertheless, here, primarily for amusement purposes, is the league table of most wealthy testators from our probate index:

 testatoroccupationabodediedeffects
1 Henry WALKER esquireClifton House, Rotherham19 Jan 1860£80,000 
2 Thomas FIRTH merchantSheffield10 Mar 1860£60,000 
3 Samuel GARDNER merchantSheffield24 Dec 1857£40,000 
4 John MARSH merchantLydgate Hall, Sheffield22 Apr 1858£35,000 
5 Ann HARRISON  Weston, Sheffield14 May 1858£30,000 
6 John RODGERS esquireAbbeydale, Sheffield14 Oct 1859£30,000 
7 Henry Marwood GREAVES esquireBanner Cross, Sheffield10 Mar 1859£20,000 
8 Robert WATERHOUSE gentlemanPitsmoor, Brightside B...20 Jun 1858£20,000 
9 William MARSH merchant & manufac...Sheffield24 Jan 1860£20,000 
10 Thomas BIRKS common brewerSheffield and Bolsover...26 Mar 1861£20,000 
11 George ROEBUCK gentlemanSheffield05 Nov 1858£18,000 
12 Charles NIGHTINGALE gentlemanFair Field House, Roth...29 Mar 1859£18,000 
13 Thomas HOUNSFIELD gentlemanSpring Wood House, She...22 Apr 1859£16,000 
14 Isaac GREAVES manufacturerSheffield15 Feb 1859£14,000 
15 Samuel GREGORY surgeonSheffield29 Oct 1858£12,000 
16 Thomas Dunn JEFFCOCK valuerWoodside, Sheffield14 Sep 1859£12,000 
17 Gabriel REEDAL gentlemanWood Bank, Sheffield04 Mar 1860£12,000 
18 William BINGLEY gentlemanRotherham03 Oct 1861£12,000 
19 George DIXON gentlemanSheffield26 Dec 1857£10,000 
20 John Priston CUTTS optical instrument...Sheffield08 Sep 1858£10,000