Margaret Sarah Menzies b 1835-d1922 Salop and George William Rowland Foster b 1869

[Sue1]

I don't know what the connection is between these two people - none that I know of but obviously there must be some. Margaret left George W.R. Foster over £8,000 when she died - probate was on 19.2.1923, she having died in March 1922. It had been thought possible that her family had contested the Will but it appears to have stood as written.
I have a photo of Margaret Sarah Menzies but can find out nothing definite about her. She was possibly born in Scotland (she has a Scottish name) but there is absolutely no proof of this. She died in Forden, Shropshire in 1922.
George William Rowland Foster was the Headmaster of the local school but retired by then - I had thought the school could be the reason for the money.
His wife was a nurse and it crossed my mind that she had looked after this lady before she died and perhaps that was a reason.

I have not found a marriage for Margaret BUT she has a daughter.

Her actual death is registered as Forden/Montgomeryshire/March1922/Vol llb/page 258
George William Rowland Foster b 1869 died in 130.

Is it possible to find an actual Will on ancestry.co under "WILLS" because I cannot find one?
Grateful for any crumbs of help. Have tried the London Gazette but I have never managed to get that website to work for me.

Sue

[vera2013]

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1904/31874_222974-00241/5831270?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26db%3dukprobatecal%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-d%26gsfn%3dmargaret%2bsarah%26gsln%3dmenzies%26msddy%3d1922%26uidh%3d326%26_83004003-n_xcl%3dm%26pcat%3dBMD_DEATH%26fh%3d0%26h%3d5831270%26recoff%3d%26ml_rpos%3d1&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord

No will only that Probate was granted to George William Rowland Foster, School Master and Arthur Benjamin Aris, Solicitor. Effects were £819 3s 8d

Vera

[JudithM]

If you haven't seen the actual will then there is no evidence that Margaret left any money at all to George W R Foster, only that he was an executor of her will.

[vera2013]

http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/Viewers/JavaApplet/index.aspx

This is Margaret Sarah born 4th February 1865 Dalkeith.

Father Thomas Menzies (cant read his occupation) but something in Dalkeith Park

Mother's maiden name Sheratt

Married 31st January 1860 Dalkeith

Informant of the birth Thomas Menzies.

Vera

[vera2013]

Not sure about that birth now. Seeing a Margaret Sarah with another daughter Charlotte. So perhaps not your Margaret Sarah born 1835

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=uki1881&h=13581053&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=6598

Vera

[Sue1]

I presume an Executor could not be included in a Will although that may not actually be the case - if that is the case then I need look no further BUT there was a story about Great Western Railway Shares (strange they are his initials!) being left to him by her.
Is an "outsider" allowed to apply for a Will and how does one do it if allowed?

I am particularly interested in the Shropshire/Montgomeryshire area as that is where my elusive Rowlands come from (George William Rowland Foster has the name included in his Christian names as the oldest - his mother was a Rowland) and I was hoping that I may have stumbled over one of them accidentally - ever optimistic!

Vera: I think that is definitely her on the census and born in Shropshire - 5 Cowley Road is correct for 1881 - I looked up all the census today for her and that was one of the few which I felt was correct. She was born in 1835 not 1865 but 1865 was showing because it was the 10 year old daughter you must have been looking at just before you posted.

Sue

[Olde Crone Holden]

Yes, executors can be beneficiaries in a Will - it is WITNESSES who cannot be beneficiaries.

Once probate has been granted, a Will becomes public property and anyone can apply for it.I don't have the website to hand, I'll look for it later if no one else comes up with it - my dinner beckons. However, as she "only" left £800, your man won't have got £8000 even if he got the lot.

OC

[Elaine ..Spain]

Sue - you can download the form from this website - cost of will £10

https://www.gov.uk/wills-probate-inheritance/searching-for-probate-records

[clematised]

http://search.findmypast.co.uk/searc...r-shareholders GWR Shareholders can be found on FMP

Edna

[Olde Crone Holden]

I wouldn't be very surprised to find there is no relationship at all between them.

This is what might have happened:

Mrs Foster may have been the old lady's nurse and when death was approaching, the old lady made a will. The solicitor may have suggested Mr Foster as an executor because he was respected local citizen AND he was retired. It is usual to leave a token amount to an executor for the time and trouble they will be put to because only a professional executor can charge for their time.

However, a look at the Will may tell a different story!

OC

[Sue1]

OC - that certainly sounds a logical reason and I suspect that is exactly what it was - wonder why the family didn't like it? From my largely unsuccessful researches for her I suspect she separated from her family except for one daughter who is in the picture I have of her. She presumably WAS married at some time (although not necessarily) but ?????

Sue