The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-03-23 00:00:00

THE WILL OF AN ECCENTRIC LADY.

At length it has become known what are the pro-
visions of the will of the "Old Lady of Stamford-
street," London, whose death in a dilapidated house in
the street created some attention when it was ascer-
tained that she had been possessed of consideral,le
wealth. She was the owner of other property in London
besides that in Stamford-street, but it now appears that
certain other property which for many rare was allowed
to run to waste in Snow-bill, Stoke Newington, and other
places, and which was also supposed to belong to her,
did not do so. She died worth about £lOO,OOO in the
funds, had many freehold and leasehold houses and
there was quite an silo podrida of curiosities found in
her house when search was made for some other will.
Amongst other things there was a room full of caps
and bonnets, some of the latter nearly half a yard
long (pokes of a former generation) and in a canvas-
bag was found £lOO in sixpenny, fourpenny, and
threepenny pieces. She had quarrelled many years
ago with all her relations, and her will was as
follows: • • • ••

"1 Cordelia Angelina Read, of Stamford-street, in the
county of Surrey, spinster, do hereby give and bequeath to
the treasurer for the time being of the ilospltal for the Cure
of Consumption at Brompton, in the county of Middlesex,
for the use of the sant institution, all my household furni-
ture, pictures, goods, chattels. trinkets, jewellery, and effects,
which may be in my divelllng-tion,e in which I may reside at
the time of my deceluse, and also all my ready money at the
hankers', and money in the public securities or funds in
Great Britain, and also all other of my personal estate and
effects which I can leave or bequeath to such an institu-
tion."
The will was executed on the 10th of December,
15:33. By this will the sum of £lOO,OOO, or thereabouts,
goes to the Brompton Hospital, and the rest of the pro-
perty is now in course of litigation, there being some
difficulty in ascertaining who are entitled to it. The
nearest known relatives are Mr. William Iteethain,
a barrister and the recorder of Dartmouth, and his two
sisters.

On Tuesday afternoon in the Probate Court, in the
case of Shepherd r. Beetham, Mr. Searle said he had
reason to believe that one of the next of kin was pos-
sessed of information which he refilsed to di-elose, and
he applied for an order for him to appear before the
Registrar for examination.
Mr. Beetham said it would be very hard if this
motion were agreed to. The bulk of the property,
about £llO,OOO, was all going away to the Brompton
Hospital trustees, for whom Mr. Searle appeared, and
the residue was only a few hundreds, which e Arne to
the next of kin only because the money was derived
1 from leasehold, which the hospital (being a charity)
could not leg ally take.
Lord Penzance said there might be very good reasons
for the inquiry being made, and he should order it,
but in such a case be should certainly say that it ought
to be on payment of the costs of the parties to be ex-
amined and the tender of their expenses beforehand.
Mr. Searle said there would be no difficulty about
that.