Eliza Brightwen

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 The last Will and Testament of the late Mrs. Eliza Brightwen.

I, Eliza Brightwen of The Grove Great Stanmore in the county of Middlesex widow hereby revoke all wills and testamentary dispositions heretofore made by me and declare this to be my last will I bequeath the following pecuniary and specific legacies free of duty that is to say;

To my nephew William Wilson Joseph Welsford three hundred pounds the oil painting called "Uncertain Weather" by Goupil the large Ornamental Tortoiseshell hanging in the Hall and the following silver plate namely Twelve large forks twelve small forks twelve table spoons twelve dessert spoons twelve tea spoons and six fish knives.

To my nephew George Frederick Welsford three hundred pounds and the following silver plate namely six large forks six small forks six table spoons six dessert spoons and six tea spoons.

To my nephew Arther Gerald Welsford three hundred pounds the oil painting "Fleur Preferre" by Jules Worms the small oil painting by B.C. Koekkoek the small oil painting by E. Verboeckhoven and the following silver plate namely six large forks six small forks six table spoons six dessert spoons six tea spoons and a small silver waiter.

To my niece Mrs Alice Martha Proctor three hundred pounds the old china jug and basin and pair of china vases usually kept in the library.

To my niece Mrs Annie Josephine Morse my six volumes of nature printed ferns and seaweeds and my crocidolite brooch with head of Medusa carved thereon.

To my late husbands nephew Edmund William Gosse five hundred pounds the oil painting of a staircase by Sir Alma Tadema the oil painting of an interior by Anton Seitz the oil painting of Coast Scenery by Eugene Feyen the oil painting of Sea and Boats by P J Clays the portrait in oils of Wilkie by himself the painting of Tor Cross by Mrs Gosse all my books by Ruskin Dibdens Tour Whites Selbourne and any other of my books which he may desire to have and not hereby otherwise disposed of by me also the two small white marble busts in the Hall with grey marble pillars and white marble bases.

To my goddaughter Mrs Elizabeth Barker a niece of my late husband the two oil paintings by Miss Tekusch of a Dog and Donkey copies from Landseer the two oil paintings of interiors in gilt frames the oil painting of a landscape by Stark the oil painting of Prague by Prout the oil portrait of my late husband taken as in life the oil painting by Ruysdael the portrait of John Brightwen in the south bedroom my silver hash dish and stand and also the following articles which belonged to M John Brightwen my late husbands uncle namely a Crackle china vase with lid and a pair of glass candlesticks usually kept in the North bedroom.

To Mrs Charles Brightwen widow of my late husbands cousin Charles Brightwen the large china plate with the coat of arms of the Brightwen family thereon and the framed portrait of my late husband taken as in death and also the sum of five hundred pounds if she shall not become entitled to my residuary estate as hereinafter provided.

To Miss Anna Maria Louisa Verini who now lives with me my American Organ with piano by Bechstein the water colour drawing of "The Grove" before and after alteration two volumes of arranged feathers my books of dried leaves of trees and dried economic plants my nine volumes of Matthew Henry's Commentry on the Bible Websters Dictionary in one Volume the Imperial Bible Dictionary the Miniature painting in Ivory of myself.

To Miss Mary Anne Jenkyns who also now lives with me my silver tea caddy my oval onyx cameo ring set with diamonds the wood carving of a nightingale in round glass frame the beetle wing banner screen and the Crucifixion Group in composition in oval black frame I also give to the said Mary Anne Jenkyns free of duty the income for her life of a sum of ten thousand pounds four per cent debenture stock of the Caledonian Railway Company or of any sum of stock into which the same may be converted before my death which sum of stock I hereby bequeath to my trustees hereinafter named upon trust to pay the dividends thereof to the said Mary Anne Jenkyns during her life and subject thereto upon trust to permit the same to fall into and become part of my residuary estate.

I give the following further pecuniary and specific legacies free of duty that is to say to my friend Miss Constance Barber my black enamel and pearl bracelet.

To my friend Miss Lizzie Keiley of Hampton one hundred pounds my musical box and a book of photographs of "The Grove" and my broad silver bracelet and my oval locket in gold with white Onyx head in the centre set with small rubies to her sisters Mrs Harriet Mayer and Mrs Clark one hundred pounds each.

To my late husbands niece Henrietta Shelly the framed photograph of my late husband by W Fry of Brighton my pierced silver sugar basin with silver top and the water colour drawing in gilt frame of Beechwood by her brother Athur Shelly.

To my late husbands cousin Mrs Edith Bigland my bust of Evangeline my engraved Ostrich Egg and stand and my lave brooch carved with a female head.

To Miss Catherine Green one hundred pounds.

To Mrs Alicia Knight Widow my antique silver gilt sugar basin cover and stand and to her daughter Mrs Frank Orton my silver biscuit box and black marble dining room clock.

To my friend the Reverend John Floyd Andrews of Roxeth Harrow in the said county of Middlesex my copy of the Hexapla Greek text of the New Testament in one volume and the two wood carvings in frames by Ardisson to his wife Mrs Louisa Andrews my black Wedgwood jug with silver top and my gold Mispah ring and to their daughter my godchild Hilda Rose Andrews my gold Geneava watch with enamel back and the gold onyx bead chain belonging to it.

To my godson Noel Grey St.John Buxton the bible (revised version) given me by the Reverend R J Knight.

To Mrs Charlotte Shelly wife of Percy Shelly a nephew of my late husband my two blue Cloisonne vases and my small brooch of two round clusters of diamonds.

To my niece Mrs Eliza Elder or Bullen of Brighton daughter of my late brother Captain Alexander Elder fifty pounds.

To my niece Miss Alice Elder of Hurstpierpoint two hundred pounds.

To my sister in law Mrs Lily Elder two hundred pounds.

To Miss Sarah Barns of Bushey Heath in the county of Hertfordshire dressmaker two hundred pounds.

To Frank Boxall fruiterer twenty pounds and to Mrs Sarah Johnson Winsall of Manchester two hundred pounds.

To the county museum at St.Albans such objects not hereby otherwise disposed of as the Curator may select from those in my museum and I direct that the remainder of specimens in my museum (which are usually kept in the Billiard Room) shall be offered to the boys homes at Farningham in the county of Kent.

I give the following further pecuniary and specific legacies free of duty that is to say to my land steward John William Odell three hundred pounds and my microscope and case of mounted objects for same. 

To my coachman James Leversuch and his wife formerly Ellen Spring one hundred and fifty pounds each also my sterioscope and case of slides for the same to my butler Edward James Fletcher one hundred pounds to my cook Mrs Sharpe Widow one hundred pounds to my housemaid Ada Hick one hundred pounds and to the under housemaid and kitchen maid and pantry boy in my service at the time of my decease six months wages each all legacies to servants to be in addition to what may be due from me to them for wages or otherwise at the time of my decease to my former butler Benjamin Cox one hundred pounds and as to my real estate if any and the residue of my personal estate after sale thereout to raise the amount of my debts and funeral and testamentary expenses and the legacies given by this my will and the duties thereon I give devise and bequeath the same to the said Mrs Annie Josephine Morse who is now in China but if she shall die in my lifetime then I give devise and bequeath the same to the said Mrs Charles Brightwen.

I hereby appoint John Shelly of Plymouth a nephew of my late husband and the said William Wilson Joseph Welsford and Edmund William Gosse to be EXECUTORS and TRUSTEES of this my will and I declare that the said John Shelly and any executor or trustee under this my will who may be a solicitor shall be entitled to act in his professional capacity in any matters arising in the administration of my estate or in the execution of the trusts of this my will and shall be entitled to be paid not only his professional charges for work so done in the same manner as if he were not an executor or trustee but also to be paid his reasonable charges for other work done and time spent by him in the premises including matters which an executor or trustee who was not a solicitor might ordinarily be expected to attend to personally IN WITNESS whereof I the said Eliza Brightwen the testatrix have to this my last will and testament contained in four sheets of paper set my hand this twenty sixth day of March one thousand nine hundred and four - ELIZA BRIGHTWEN - SIGNED by the said Eliza Brightwen the testatrix as and for her last will and testament in the presence of us both being present at the same time and we at her request and in her presence and that of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses - GEORGE PRESTON The Grove Great Stanmore Gardener - WILLIAM BRYDEN The Grove Great Stanmore Gardener- On the 26th day of June 1906 Probate of this will was granted to John Shelly William Wilson Joseph Welsford and Edmund William Gosse the executors.

Gross value of Estate £9027:6:5

Net value of Personal Estate £8517:14:8.