The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1876-08-12 00:00:00

AN ECCENTRIC WILL.

In the Probate, Divorce, and Admiralty Division, before
the Right Hon. the Preeldent and special j tries, the cause
" Harris v. Wiggins" has been heard. Mr. Indercytck QC,
and Mr. C. A. Middleton appeared for the plaintiff; Dr.
Q C., and Mr. Bayford for the defendant; Mr. Searle
for the heir-at-law.

The deceased in the cause, Lionel Scott Pilkington,
late of Ash Hill, Hatfield, in he county of York,
yeoman. died on the 25th of December. 1875, at the
age of 47. He was eccentric in his habits, and was
generally known as " Jo .1c Hawley," a nan,e which he
had assumed to indicate his character as a sportsman.
Some time lefore hid death he had a vault c,mstructed
in his orcharl, and there, according to his biographer,
"he was bucied among his rinderpest cattle." It
appeared that some twenty of the stock at Ash Hill
had to be destroyed in 1870 because of rinderpest, and
that their remains were placed in a small field, which,
in memory of them, the deceased converted into an
orchard. On the 3rd of December, 1875, he executsd
a will, by which he gave the bulk of his property, the
value of which did not appear, to the plaintiff, one of
his servants, whom he al-o appointed sole executor.
The plaintiff propounded the instrument, and probate
of it was resisted by the defendant, also a servant of
the deceased, in whcre favour he hal made an earlier
will. Before the case was orened, the plaintiff and
dorendant came to terms, and the will of aicenaber,
1875, having been proved in solemn form,
The Court pronounced for it.

The following refers to the testamentary dispositions of
the late Mr. Pilkington : .

This is the last will and testament of me, Lionel
Scott Pilkington, otherwise called John Hawley, of
Ash Hill, in the parish of Hatfield, in the county of
York, yeoman, made by me this third day of Decem-
ber, one thousand eight hundred and seventy five, in
manner following, that is to say: I appoint Zeehariale
John Harris, residing 'filth me, sole executor of this
my will, and I request him to particularly observe the
directions hereinafter contained with resp-ct to the
disposal of my body after my decease, that is to say:
In the first place, I wish my body to be laid out in a
decent suit of clothes, such as I usually wear, includ-
ing nay cap, booth, and spurs, and a decent saddle
plecessi under my head for a pillow, and old Nancy's
bridle near my head, having my hands crossed
upon my chest, holding the cross I wear, and
which cross I expieesly declare shall not on any
account be removed from my neck. And
thus attired, I direct that my body shall be
buried (without any coffin) in a vault to be built
for the purpose, in my orchard, at Hatfield aforesaid,
in a place selected by myself, and welt known
to all my friends, such vault being constructed of large
stones or slabs; and I direct that such vault shall be
covered over by a substantial stone, whereon shall be
engraven or carved my name, "John Hawley," with
age and date of death, and a plain cross, but without
any further description whatever. And I particularly
request that no mortar shall be used in the building of
my vault, but that the stones shall be laid with the
best cement, and that the whole vaultshall be cemented
inside for the purpme of keepirg it dry mei free from
water. I bequeath to the Holy Catholic Church of
Saint Peter at Doncaster the legacy of twenteefive
pounds free from legacy duty, and which I direct shall
be paid by my executor on the day of my burial out of
my pure personal estate, and that the same shall have
priority over any other legacy bequeathed by this my
will. I bequeath to the mini-ter for the time being of
the said Holy Catholic Church of Saint Peter, Don-
caster, aforesaid, the annual sum of five pounds for a
mass for my soul. I also bequeath to the said Holy
Catholic Cnurch of Saint Peter the picture of the Virgin
danirdeetChthiladt ntohew
being of the said chinch shall be a good discharge to
receipthangin go
f in
the mmy minister for m
thaen tdi mle
my executor for the said legacy and annuity. I
bequeath the four pictures painted by Johnny Wiggins
to his father John Wiggins, and I bequeath the legacy
of-i 25 to my servant George Nettleship if he should
be in my service at my decease, and I give and bequeath
all the residue of my personal estate of every natnre
and description (except the leasehold estates herein-
after devised) unto the said Zechariah John Harris,
his executors, administrators, and assigns for his own
absolute use and benefit. And I give, devise, and
bequeath all the real estate of which I am now or at
the time of my death shall or may be seised, possessed,
or entitled, eitherlt law or in equity, or which I have
power, to dispose of by this my will, to the uses, upon,
and for the trusts, intents, and purposes, and with,
under, and subject to the powers provisoei and decla-
rations hereinafter limited express and declared of and
concerning the same; that is to say to the use of the
said Zechariah John Harris, and his assigns during his
life, without impeachment of waste, and from and
after his decease; to the use of the fi-st and every
other son of the said Z ichariah John Harris succes-
sively, according to their respective seniorities in tail
with remainder; to the use of the first and every other
daughter of the said Zacharieh John Harris eueces-
sively. according to their respective seniorities in tail
with remainder; to the me of the right heirs of the
said Zechariah John Harris for ever: and I p srticu-
larly desire the said Zechariah John Harris and every
pereon who under my will may be entitled to the pos-
session of my said real estate to see that my grave is
kept in a decent condition. I devise all the leasehold
efeates of which I may be possessed at my decease, for
all my term and interest therein, unto William Wig-
gins) the son of the said William Wiggins), his execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, for his and their
own absolute use and benefit, subject to his
pay thereout the annuity of fifty pounds a year
to his father, the said John Wiggles, during his
life, the first payment to be made twelve months next
after my decease; and I devises all estates vested in me
as rnoitgagee or trustee to the said Z eckatiab. John
Harris, his heirs and assigns, upon the trnsta and
equities affecting the same; and I revoke all former
wills, and declare this to be my last will and testa-
ment. In witness whereof I, the said Lionel Scott
Pdkington, called John Hawley, the testator, have to
this my last will and testam-nt set smi subscribed my
hand the day and year that before written. -Signed
and declared by the said Lionel Scott Pilkington,
otherwise called John Hawley, the testator, as and
for his last will and testament, in the presence of u 4,
who, present at the same time, in his presence, at
his request, and in the presence of each other, have
hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses.

ALFRED PARKIN. solicitor, Donca,ter.
ILERBERT H. MAW, his clerk.
LIONEL SCOTT PILKINGTON,
otherwise called JOHN HAWLEY,

The most startling combinAtions of shape and
colour are visible In the Paris streets. For instance, a lady
was seen driving to the Bois de Bmloette, a few days ago,
wearing a turquoise-blue Cana crape costume, embroidered
by hand with a large flawing design of vine leaves in sap
green silk, and fastened with turcrieise buttons. This dress
was shaded by a light-blue parasol, also worked with sap-
green vine leaves, and the handle of which was studded with
turquoises. Another lady wore, on the same day, a white
satin waistcoat, richly embroidered in gold, with a cream-
coloured damask polonahe and tkirt, and a third wore All
ingenious mixture of coffee-colour and cream-colour, the
whole elaborately and thickly embroidered with silk mots-
rose buds. —Court Journal,

A magnificent display of opalB has been sent by
Austria to the Philadelphia Exhibition. 'I he opals come
from the Government mioes in the Carpathian mountains,
which extend from six to eight miles, and are 1,000 feet at
their greatest depth : 400 men are employed in these mines,
which have been wo:ktd for five centuries. The rough opals
are shown from their growth in crystal form till their decay,
brit the gems of tho coiJection ere he " K.thinoor of 011."
—the largest 'mown? ard wkighiug C 0 carat,—and two
exquisite stones, eirgraved'as cameo likeness of the Emperor
and Empress. These portraits were done by an Austrian`
artist in two years, and are estimated the finest specimens of
their kind in the world. It had been conai4ered impossible
to engrave upon so soft a stone as the opal, but in both there
bud; the um are al clearly out &I In the 1111011 OVUM,