Elsie's Last Will.
The original will.
This is the text of Elsie's will, signed 29th September 1959. Elsie died on 16th December 1962 and probate was granted on 9th May 1963. The gross value of her estate was given as £32,545 19s 0d
Although this is essentially a public document, being available to anyone making application at the Probate Registry, I have removed the surnames of most persons mentioned in the will. I may revise this if I later find that they themselves are now deceased.
I Elsie Bullough of Eades Place Palehouse Common near Uckfield in the County of Sussex HEREBY REVOKE all Wills and testamentary dispositions heretofore made by me AND DECLARE this to be my last Will I DESIRE that my body be cremated and the ashes scattered in a Garden of Remembrance
1. I APPOINT GERALD RXXXXXX and JOHN BRETT FXXXXXXX both of 37 Norfolk Street Strand in the County of London Solicitors and the PUBLIC TRUSTEE (hereinafter called "my Trustees") to be EXECUTORS AND TRUSTEES of this my Will AND I DECLARE that the expression "my Trustees" shall where the context so admits include said Gerald RXXXXXX John Brett FXXXXXXX and the Public Trustee and other the trustees or trustee for the time being of this my Will
2. I BEQUEATH the following specific legacies namely:-
(i) I GIVE to each of the following persons a memento of me to be jointly selected by the said Gerald RXXXXXX and John Brett FXXXXXXX (or if either should die in my lifetime then the memento shall be selected by the survivor) namely:
(a) Gertrude BXXXXXX Widow of The Cottage XXXXX XXXXXXX in the County of Berks
and (b) Pat and Anne LXXXXX of XXXXXX XXXXXXX Bideford in the County of Devon
AND for the help and guidance of the said Gerald RXXXXXX and John Brett FXXXXXXX in making a suitable selection but without imposing any trust I suggest my diamond bow brooch for the said Gertrude BXXXXXX and the two valuable oil paintings of flowers (which are at present in store) for Pat and Anne LXXXXX
(ii) I GIVE to Winifred Graham HXXXXXX of 2 XXXX Street XXXXXXXX XXXXXX S.W.1. my pastel picture of two children by Russell believed to be of the Seventeenth Century my Cartier enamel clock with diamond hands and my clock by Dreyfus with marquisite surround and rubies on a green stone base PROVIDED that if she shall die in my lifetime then I BEQUEATH the said pictures and two clocks to her daughter Sonia BXXXX
(iii) I GIVE to the Trustees of the National Portrait Gallery the portrait of myself by Shannon to be retained or disposed of by them as they shall think fit [It is still in the collection]
(iv) I GIVE to the Cancer Hospital Fulham Road London my pearl and diamond pendant with pink and black and white pearls to be sold and the proceeds devoted to research work
AND I DECLARE that the receipt of the Treasurer or other proper officer for the time being of the said Hospital shall be a sufficient discharge to my Trustees for the legacy hereinbefore given to such Hospital and that my trustees shall not be responsible for seeing to the application thereof
I GIVE to the said Winifred Graham HXXXXXX or if she should predecease me then to her daughter the said Sonia BXXXX such of my personal chattels (as defined by section 55 (1) (x) of the Administration of estates Act 1925) including objects d'art, Chelsea and Dresden china and hand painted plates and dishes as are not selected under clause 2 (1) hereof or otherwise specifically disposed of by this my Will or by any codicil thereto as may be selected by the said Winifred Graham HXXXXXX or the said Sonia BXXXX as the case may be within six months of my death
3) I GIVE the following pecuniary legacies namely:-
(a) To Sybil and Ian the children of my late Uncle Hedley HXXXXX of 3 XXXXXXX Road XXXXXXXXXXX Manchester the sum of One thousand pounds (£1000) each
(b) To the said Gertrude BXXXXXX the sum of Five hundred pounds (£500)
(c) To Anne Asquith [Anne Stephanie Pollock b 27 Apr 1896] (known as Lady Cyril Asquith) the Widow of the late Right Honourable Justice Asquith the sum of Two hundred and fifty pounds (£250) in gratitude for all her husbands work as one of my Trustees
(d) To Vera VXXX formerly of 87 XXXXX Street XXXXX XXXXX Melbourne Australia the sum of One hundred pounds (£100)
4. I DEVISE AND BEQUEATH all the real and personal property whatsoever and wheresoever of or to which I shall be possessed or entitled at the time of my death or over which I shall then have a general power of appointment or disposition by Will or of which I shall then be tenant in tail in possession (except property otherwise disposed of by this my Will or Codicil hereto) unto my Trustees UPON TRUST that my Trustees shall sell call in collect and convert into money such parts thereof as may not consist of money at such time or times and in such manner as they shall think fit (bat as to reversionary property not until it falls into possession unless my Trustees see special reason for sale) with full power to postpone the said sale calling in or conversion of the whole or any part or parts of the said property (including leaseholds or other property of a terminable hazardous or wasting nature) during such period as they shall think proper and to retain the same or any part thereof in its actual form of investment without being responsible for loss AND I DECLARE that as from the date of my death no part of any dividends rents interest or moneys of the nature of income which shall be actually paid after the date of my death shall be apportioned to or treated as capital of my estate but that all such income shall be treated and applied as income from whatever source or class of investment or property the same shall arise and even if the property in respect of which the income arises is sold for the payment of my debts or for other purposes and whatever the period my be in respect of which the income shall have accrued and that no property not actually producing income shall be treated as producing income
6. MY TRUSTEES shall out of the moneys to arise from the sale calling in and conversion of or forming part of my said real and personal property may my funeral and testamentary expenses (including all estate duty leviable at my death in respect of my estate) and debts and the legacies given by this my Will and any Codicil hereto and make provision for the payment of any annuities by any Codicil hereto bequeathed by me but so that all legacies and annuities shall be paid primarily out of my personal estate
6. MY TRUSTEES shall at their discretion invest the residue of the said moneys in their names in or upon any of the investments hereby authorised with power to vary or transpose such investments for or into others of any nature hereby authorised AND shall stand possessed of the residue of the said moneys and the investments for the time being representing the same and of such part of my estate as shall for the time being remain unsold and unconverted and the income thereof UPON TRUST to hold the same in trust in equal shares for the under-mentioned Charities namely:-
(a) Doctor Barnardo's Homes
(b) The Church of England Children's Society
(c) The Hospital of Saint John and Saint Elizabeth
(d) The Distressed Gentlefolk's Aid Association
(e) The Actors' Orphanage Fund
(f) The Royal London Society for the Blind
AND I DECLARE that the receipt of the Treasurer or other proper officer for the time being of the said Charities shall be a sufficient discharge to my Trustees in respect thereof
7. MONEYS available for investment in the execution of the trusts of this my Will or any Codicil hereto on in the course of the administration of my estate may be placed at interest on deposit with a Building or Friendly Society or may be invested by my Trustees in their names or under their control in the purchase or upon mortgage of freehold or leasehold land or in or upon such shares stock funds securities or other investments whatsoever and wheresoever and whether involving liability or not upon such personal credits as my trustees shall in their absolute discretion think fit to the intent that my Trustees shall have the same full and unrestricted powers of investing and transposing investments in all respects as if they were absolutely entitled thereto beneficially and shall not be responsible or accountable for any loss occasioned by reason of the exercise of such powers
8. ANY Executor or Trustee hereof who shall be engaged in any profession or business shall be entitled to charge and be paid all usual professional or other charges for work or business done or transacted by him or his form in relation to the trusts hereof including therein any work or business which he might as an executor or trustee have been required to do or transact in person
IN WITNESS whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of September One Thousand nine hundred and fifty nine
P.J. BXXXX CXXXXX
Medical Practitioner
XXX XXXXX, Uckfield, Sussex
XXXX XXXX
37 Norfolk Street
Strand WC2
Solicitor
