THIS IS THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT of me ELIZABETH TAYLOR of "Chelston" Brompton Avenue Rhos-on-Sea in the County of Denbigh.
1. I REVOKE all Wills and Testamentary dispositions heretofore made by me.
2. I DESIRE that my body be buried at Brooklands Cemetery - Cheshire in the grave of my first husband John Herbert Stones.
3. I APPOINT my Nephew Norman Giddings of "Woodstock" Hollins Lane Styal in the said County of Chester Lead Merchant and my friend Frederick Charles James of 117 Colmore Row in the City of Birmingham Solicitor (who are hereinafter called "my Trustees") to be the EXECUTORS AND TRUSTEES of this my Will and I DECLARE that the expression "my Trustees" whenever hereinafter used means the Trustees or Trustee hereof for the time being whether original or substituted.
4. I BEQUEATH the following specific legacies namely:-
(a) I GIVE to my stepson George Frederick Taylor One hundred of my fully paid Ten pounds Cumulative Five per centum - Preference Shares in Giddings & Dacre Limited and the Diamond Ring given by me to his late father.
(b) I GIVE to my stepdaughter Ada Elizabeth Parsons One - hundred of the like Preference shares.
(c) I GIVE to each of them my nephews the said Norman Giddings John Neville Giddings and Alfred Giddings the Younger and to my niece Marguerite Bayne Twenty of the like Preference Shares.
(d) I GIVE to the said Alfred Giddings the Younger my Five Bronze Figures.
(e) I GIVE to my niece May Higginbotham my Pearl and Diamond Ring.
(f) I GIVE to Elsie Lilian Whitehill (Spinster) in case she shall be permanently residing with me at the time of my decease my Pianoforte and the Furniture and other household effects in the Bedroom then occupied by her.
(g) I GIVE to my friend Helen Ward of Solihull in the County of Warwick (Spinster) my Catseye and Diamond Ring as a slight acknowledgment of her never failing kindness.
(h) I GIVE to my Godchild Elsie Beatrice Parsons daughter of the said Ada Elizabeth Parsons my Emerald and Diamond Ring.
(i) I GIVE to my niece Gladys Macbeth my large Five stone Diamond Ring.
(j) I GIVE to my niece Doris Macbeth my small Five stone Diamond Ring.
(k) I GIVE to my niece Jessie Sadler my small single stone Diamond Ring.
(l) I GIVE to Alice Ward of Solihull aforesaid (Spinster) my Spray Pearl Brooch or any other single article of my jewellery other than that hereinbefore specifically bequeathed which she may select and
(m) I GIVE to my sister Annie Macbeth the remainder of my jewellery trinkets and personal ornaments furs and clothing absolutely.
5. I BEQUEATH the following pecuniary legacies:-
(a) I GIVE to each of my Trustees who shall prove my Will and act in the trusts thereof the sum of One hundred pounds.
(b) I GIVE to my sister the said Annie Macbeth the sum of Five hundred pounds.
(c) I GIVE to the said Elsie Lilian Whitehill the sum of One thousand pounds.
(d) I GIVE to my said Godchild Elsie Beatrice Parsons the sum of Five hundred pounds.
(e) I GIVE to my Godchild Joan Edna Taylor daughter of the said George Frederick Taylor the sum of Five hundred pounds if she shall attain the age of twenty one years.
(f) I GIVE to Jeffrey Higginbotham of Buxton in the County of Derby Herbert Higginbotham and the said May Higginbotham both of No 6 The Meade Chorltonville Chorlton-cum-Hardy in the County of Lancaster (nephews and niece of my first husband John Herbert Stones) the sum of One hundred pounds each.
(g) I GIVE to William Lawrence Spinks of Solihull aforesaid the sum of Fifty pounds.
(h) I GIVE to my Gardener Harold Aldridge if he shall be in my employ at the time of my decease the sum of Twenty pounds.
(i) I GIVE to each and every domestic servant or servants in my employ at the time of my decease (other than the said Harold Aldridge) and who has or have been continuously so employed for three years or more prior thereto a sum equal to one years wages such legacies to be in addition to any sums then owing to them respectively for wages or otherwise.
(j) I GIVE to St Dunstans an organisation registered under the Blind Persons Act 1920 for Blinded Soldiers Sailors and Airman the sum of one hundred pounds to be applied for the general purposes of the Organisation the receipt of the Treasurer for the time being to be a good discharge for such legacy and
(k) I GIVE to Lord Roberts Memorial Workshops Fund 122 Brompton Road London S.W.3 the sum of One hundred pounds to be applicable for the general purposes of the said Fund and I DECLARE that the receipt of the Treasurer or other proper officer for the time being of the said Lord Roberts Memorial Workshops Fund shall be sufficient discharge for the same.
6. I DECLARE that all legacies bequeathed by this my Will or any Codicil hereto shall be paid free of legacy duty immediately payable upon or by reason of my own death and that all duty on the Annuity hereinafter bequeathed to the said Elsie Lilian Whitehill shall be paid by my Executors out of my General Estate.
7. I DEVISE AND BEQUEATH all my real and personal estate whatsoever and wheresoever not hereby or by any Codicil hereto otherwise specifically disposed of unto my Trustees UPON TRUST that my Trustees shall sell and convert into money the same or such parts thereof as shall not consist of money and shall get in the other parts thereof and with and out of the proceeds of such sale conversion and getting in and out of my ready money shall pay my just debts funeral and testamentary expenses the pecuniary legacies hereinbefore bequeathed or by any Codicil hereto and the legacy duties thereon and on the specific legacies and Annuity aforesaid and as to the residue thereof (hereinafter called "my residuary estate") shall stand possessed thereof.
8. UPON TRUST (a) Firstly to set aside and invest free of all deductions such a sum of money as will when invested produce by the income thereof a sum of One hundred and fifty six pounds per annum with power to vary the investments thereof and to apply the income or if necessary the corpus of the fund so set apart in payment to the said Elsie Lilian Whitehill during her life provided she shall remain unmarried of a yearly sum of One hundred and fifty six pounds by equal quarterly payments the first payment to be made at the expiration of three calendar months after my decease But in case the said Elsie Lilian Whitehill shall be married at the time of my decease or shall be married at any time thereafter during the subsistence of the foregoing trust then I DIRECT that my said Trustees shall stand possessed of the said fund or so much thereof as shall then remain unapplied under the trust aforesaid and the investments for the time being representing the same upon the like trusts as are hereinafter declared concerning my residuary estate and (b) Secondly to set aside thereout the sum of Three thousand pounds and to invest the same in their names with power from time to time to vary the investments thereof and to stand possessed of the said sum of Three thousand pounds and the investments thereof In trust to pay the income thereof to my brother Charles Henry Holmes during his life and after his death In trust as to the said sum of Three thousand pounds and the investments representing the same to pay and divide the same equally amongst and between my nieces and nephews Gladys Macbeth Doris Peet Adeline Holmes Walter Holmes Arthur Holmes Edith Tattersall Jessie Sadler and Stanley Sadler hereinafter mentioned or such of them as shall be living at the death of my said brother.
9. SUBJECT as above mentioned as to all my residuary estate - (including the sum of money to be set aside by my Trustees to produce the said Annuity of One hundred and fifty six pounds hereinbefore given to the said Elsie Lilian Whitehill or the remainder thereof upon the determination of the said annuity) my Trustees shall stand possessed thereof UPON TRUST to invest the same with power to vary the investments thereof and to stand possessed of the same and the investments for the time being representing the same UPON TRUST to pay the income thereof to my said sister Annie Macbeth during her life And from and after her decease as to as well the capital as the income of my said residuary estate UPON TRUST to pay and divide the same to and between my nieces and nephews Gladys Macbeth and Doris Peet (daughters of my sister the said Annie Macbeth) Adeline Holmes and Walter Holmes (children of my late brother Herbert Holmes of No 7 Cambridge Road Sale in the said County of Chester) Arthur Holmes (a son of my brother Charles Henry Holmes) (in recognition of his serving his Country) Edith Tattersall wife of Frederick William Tattersall of 34 Aughton Road Birkdale Southport in the County of Lancaster Jessie Sadler and Stanley Salder (children of my late sister Jane Sadler) or such of them as shall be living at the death of my said sister Annie Macbeth and if more than one in equal shares And I sincerely hope that none of my said nephews and nieces will marry anyone other than a British subject.
10. I DECLARE that my Trustees may postpone the sale and conversion of my residuary estate or any part thereof for such period as in their absolute discretion they shall think proper and that notwithstanding the hazardous or wasting nature of any of the investments upon which the same may be invested at the time of my decease and without liability to account and that the rents profits and income to accrue after my decease from such part of my Estate as shall for the time being remain unsold or unconverted shall after payment thereout of all incidental expenses and outgoings and howsoever invested be paid and applied to the person or persons and in the manner to whom and in which the income of the proceeds of such sale and conversion would for the time being be payable or applicable under this my Will if such sale and conversion had been actually made and so that the income of my personal estate howsoever invested shall from my death be treated and applied as income and no part thereof shall be added to capital except accumulations of surplus income (if any) during a minority And as to any real estate (including chattels real) for the time being subject to the trusts of this my Will my Trustees shall have and may exercise or concur in exercising all the powers of management by Section 42 of the Conveyancing and Law of Property Act 1881 and all the powers by the Settled Land Acts 1882 to 1890 or any Act or Acts amending or re-enacting the same respectively conferred on a Tenant for life in possession.
11. I DIRECT that the net rents and profits of my said real estate or so much thereof as for the time being remains unsold shall after payment thereout of all rents rates taxes and outgoings and all expenses incurred in the exercise of the powers hereby conferred and in the opinion of my Trustees properly payable out of income be paid and applied in like manner as the income of investments representing proceeds of sale of the said real estate is hereby directed to be paid and applied.
12. I DECLARE that my Trustees shall have power to determine what articles pass under any specific bequest contained in this my Will or any Codicil thereto.
13. I ALSO DECLARE that my Trustees may if they think fit instead of acting personally employ and pay a Solicitor or any other person to transact any business or do any act required to be done in connection with the trusts of this my Will including the receipt and payment of money and that any Trustee of this my Will being a Solicitor or other person engaged in any profession or business may be so employed and shall be entitled to charge and be paid all professional and other charges for any business or act done by him in connection with the trust including any act which a Trustee not being a Solicitor or other person engaged as aforesaid could have done personally
14. LASTLY I DESIRE to place on record my regret that owing to the serious inroads made into my income by excessive taxation during past years and the recent heavy capital depreciation in my investments I am unable to include as Beneficiaries in this my Will several of my friends and relations included by me in former Wills and have also been compelled to reduce in some instances compared with former Wills certain legacies and benefits given by this my Will to a smaller amount than I had hoped to be able to give but in doing this I have had in mind firstly that such persons aforesaid are better provided for than the Beneficiaries under this my last Will and secondly my desire to simplify for my Executors the administration of my Estate and the carrying out of the trusts hereof IN WITNESS whereof I have hereunto set my hand to this my Will contained in his and the four preceding sheets of paper this seventeenth day of October One thousand nine hundred and thirty.
ELIZABETH TAYLOR.
SIGNED by the said Testatrix Elizabeth Taylor as and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us both present at the same time who at her request in her presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.
REGINALD R.HALSALL Rathlin Kings Road Colwyn Bay Physician.
EMILY J.FRYER "Widow" Beaufort Lodge Lichfield Rd Four Oaks.
[signature]
On the 19 MAR 1931 Probate of this Will was granted at BIRMINGHAM
