This is the last Will of me, Joseph Andrew Thompson of Sunderland, in the County of Durham, Shipbuilder, made this twentieth day of March one thousand nine hundred and seven.

I appoint my wife Laurel Drummond Douglas Thompson, my brother John Wylie Thompson, and my friend Herbert Watson, to be Executors and Trustees of this my will, and they and the survivors and survivor of them and other the trustees or trustee for the time being thereof, are hereinafter called my trustees.

I give devise and bequeath all my real and personal property to my trustees upon trust (subject to the power of postponement hereinafter contained) to sell and convert the same into money, and invest the proceeds in manner hereinafter or by law authorised and to pay the income thereof to my said Wife during her widowhood,

and after her death or remarriage, whichever shall first happen the capitol moneys shall be in trust for all my children who shall survive me, and being Sons shall attain the age of twenty one years, or being Daughters shall attain that age or marry under that age with lawful consent, whichever shall first happen,

but in such manner, and so that the share of each Son shall be double the amount of the share of each Daughter, but if there shall be only one such child, then the whole shall be in trust for that one child,

and if there shall be no such child , then the capitol moneys, subject to the interest therein given as aforesaid to my said wife shall be in trust for all my brothers and sisters living at my death in equal shares.

I declare that all moneys coming to the hands of my trustees for investment maybe invested in or upon any of the investments authorised by law for trustees, or upon any of the securities of the Corporation of Sunderland, the River Wear Commissioners, the River Tyne Commissioners, The County Councils of Durham and Northumberland, with full power from time to time to vary and transpose the same into others of a like nature.

I declare that my trustees may at their absolute discretion, postpone the sale and conversion of all or any part of my estate, and particularly my shares in Joseph L. Thompson & Sons Limited, and any other Limited Liability Company in which I may hold shares, at the time of my death, for so long as they shall in their absolute discretion think fit, without being responsible for any loss which may be occasioned, thereby paying the income arising therefrom to the person or persons who would have been entitled to the income arising from the investments of the proceeds of sale if such sale or conversion had actually been made.

I empower my trustees, at their absolute discretion, to consent to any alteration of the constitution of or re-arrangement of, the capitol of or the reconstruction of any such limited Company as aforesaid in as full and ample a manner as if they were the absolute owners of my shares therein and without incurring any responsibility for any loss which may be occasioned thereby.

I appoint my Wife sole guardian of my infant children during her widowhood, and after her death or remarriage, I appoint my trustees to be their guardians.

In witness thereof I have hereunto set my hand the day and year first before written - Joseph A. Thompson

Signed by the said testator Joseph Andrew Thompson, and by him published and declared as and to be his last will, in the presence of us both being present at the same time who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other, have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses:

L. S. Iliff, Solicitor, Sunderland Andrew F. Watson, clerk to Messers Simey & Iliff, Solicitors, Sunderland

I appoint Leonard Scott Iliff of Sunderland, Solicitor, Doctor of Laws, to be an additional Executor and Trustee of my will, and I declare that he shall be entitled to make all such professional charges against my estate as he would have been entitled to make if he had been employed by my executors and trustees and were not himself an Executor or trustee.

In all other respects I confirm my will as witness my hand this sixteenth day of January, one thousand nine hundred and thirteen - Joseph A. Thompson

Signed by the said testator Joseph Andrew Thompson, and by him published and declared as and to be a Codicil to his last will in the presence of us both being present at the same time who in his presence at his request and in the presence of each other, have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses:

Andrew F. Watson Norman F. Barrow

Clerks to Messers Simey & Iliff, Solicitors, Sunderland

On the 10th day of March 1919 Probate of this will, with one codicil was granted at Durham to Laurel Drummond Douglas Thompson, John Wylie Thompson, and Leonard Scott Iliff, the surviving executors.

Joseph Andrew Thompson, of East Bolden House, County Durham Died 4 February 1918.

£37,407 1s 3d