Will of Margaret McEwan Porter, spinster, 1948 (proved 1951)

Principal Probate Registry

In the His Majesty’s Court of Justice
The Principal Probate Registry
BE IT KNOWN THAT MARGARET MCEWAN PORTER of 2 Parsons Close Winslow Buckinghamshire Spinster died there on the 27th day of December 1950
AND BE IT FURTHER KNOWN that at the date hereunder written the last Will and Testament with a codicil thereto (a copy whereof is hereto annexed) of the said deceased was proved and registered in the Principal Probate Registry of His Majesty’s High Court of Justice and that Administration of all the estate which by law devolves to and vests in the personal representative of the said deceased was granted by the aforesaid Court to BEATRICE THOMAS of Forton The Heath Weybridge Surrey (wife of Aubrey Ralph Thomas) sister of the deceased and JACK LESLIE KILLICK (in the will called Jack Killick) of 26 Cope Place London W8 interior decorator the executors named in the said Will
And it is hereby certified that an Inland Revenue affidavit has been delivered wherein it is shewn that the gross value of the said estate in Great Britain (exclusive of what the said deceased may have been possessed of or entitled to as a trustee and not beneficially, amounts to £13264-1-4 and that the net value of the estate amounts to £13158 – 8 - 10
And it is further certified that it appears by a receipt signed by an Inland Revenue officer on the said affidavit that £1578 – 6 - 3 on account of estate duty and interest on such duty has been paid.
Dated the 24th day of April 1951

Extracted by Bristows Cooke & Corpmael
1 Copthall Buildings
London E.C.2

I Margaret Mcewan Porter of 2 Parsons Close Winslow Bucks Spinster hereby revoke all former Wills & testamentary dispositions made by me & declare this to be my last Will

1. I desire for my body to be cremated

2. I appoint my sister to Beatrice Thomas of Forton The Heath Weybridge & Jack Killick of 1 Parsons Close aforesaid to be the executors of this my Will

3. I give the following specific legacies free of duty
a. To my sister Beatrice Thomas & the said Jack Killick all my furniture & books in equal shares
b. To my cousin Frieda Harris of the Mall Chiswick all my jewelry [sic]

4. I give the following pecuniary legacies free of duty
a. To my Godchild Doria Coventry c/o John Coventry The Mill House Hungerford the sum of £200
b. To my cousin Bertha Sanders of 8 Gardnor Mansions Church Row N.W.3 the sum of £400
c. To my brother-in-law Judge Aubrey Ralph Thomas of Forton The Heath Weybridge Surrey the sum of £500
d. To the said Jack Killick the sum of £300
e. To Miss Beatrix McCartney of 10 Oakley Street Chelsea the sum of £250
f. To my maid Edith Stagoll if she shall still be in my service \or retired/ & not under notice either given or received the sum of £400

5. I give devise & bequeath all the rest, residue & remainder of my Estate of whatsoever kind & wheresoever situate to my said sister Beatrice Thomas, the said Bertha Mary Sanders daughter of the said Bertha Sanders Moira Tewsley nee Hardy of 41 Florence Avenue Morden Surrey or such of them as shall still be living at the date of my death & if more than one in equal shares absolutely

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this twelfth day of May one thousand nine hundred & forty eight

Signed by the said Margaret McEwan Porter in the presence of us who at her request in her presence & in the presence of each other all being present at the same time have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses

Margaret McEwan Porter [signature]
                                                                                               
M.E. Debenham [signature]
Inwoods Northfield Place Weybridge Surrey
Married woman

C.A.E. Philpott [signature]
Forton The Heath Weybridge
Housekeeper

This is a codicil to the will executed by me last Will & Testament of me Margaret McEwan Porter  which was executed by me on the 12th  May 1948.
In addition to the specific legacies by the said Will bequeathed by me I give & bequeath to Miss Margaret Pole of 35A Castle Street Cirencester in the County of Gloucester £500 free of duty The 25th day September 1949

Margaret McEwan Porter [signature]

Signed by the testator in our presence & in the presence of each other all being present at the same time

A Ralph Thomas [signature]
Forton The Heath Weybridge Surrey
A judge of the Mayors & City of London Court

Edith Kate Stagoll
2 Parsons Close Winslow Bucks
Housekeeper

[Both pages of the Will are countersigned by the two executors named in the Will and 2 Commissioners for Oaths]