This is the last Will of me, Richard Charles Thompson of Morton House, in the County of Durham, Shipbuilder, a Justice of the Peace for the County of Durham, made this seventeenth day of July one thousand nine hundred and sixteen.

1. I revoke all former wills.
   
   
2. I appoint my wife Millicent Frances Thompson, my son in law Thomas Elliot Parrington, and my sons Stewart Wyvol Thompson, and Charles Ralfe Thompson, to be EXECUTORS and TRUSTEES of this my will, and they and the survivors and survivor of them and other the executors and trustees for the time being hereof are hereinafter referred to as my trustees.
   
   
3. I appoint my wife Millicent Frances Thompson to be Guardian of my infant children.
   
   
4. I bequeath to my children Dora Clark Parrington, Mildred Clark Thompson, Sybil Clark Haggie, Stewart Wyvol Thompson, and Charles Ralfe Thompson, my silver, marked R C and D T in monogram, my old sugar basin and tongs, coffee pot with crest, four Dolphin salt cellars, and pair of grape scissors, to be divided equally between and amongst them and in case of difference between them by my trustees whose decision shall be final.
   
   
5. I bequeath my large silver tray marked with crest and arms to my son Stewart Wyvol Thompson, and my gold watch presented to my father by Henry Graham to my son Charles Ralfe Thompson.
   
   
6. I declare that the gifts made by clauses 4 and 5 hereof except that of my gold watch are subject to a life interest therein determinable on remarriage which I hereby bequeath to my wife.
   
   
7. I bequeath all the rest of my household furniture and household effects, silver, jewelry, linen, china, books, pictures, carriages, carriage harness, horses, motors, provisions, and consumable stores, as shall be in or about, or used in connection with my residence at the time of my decease, unto my wife absolutely.
   
   
8. I bequeath to my wife, a legacy of three hundred and fifty pounds, free of death duties, for her immediate occasions, to be paid as soon as may be after my death.
   
   
9. I give devise and bequeath all my real, and the rest of my personal estate, to my trustees, Upon trust, subject nevertheless as hereinafter mentioned, to sell and convert the same into money, and after payment of my just debts and funeral and testamentary expenses, and the aforesaid legacy, to invest the surplus in manner hereinafter mentioned, and to stand possessed of the same and the investments thereof, and the income arising therefrom, Upon the trusts, following that is to say -
   
   
10. Upon trust, to pay thereout the yearly sum of one thousand five hundred pounds, free and clear of Income Tax Death duties, and all other deductions, to my wife during her widowhood, and in case my wife shall remarry, then from and immediately after her remarriage, Upon trust, to pay to her (in lieu of the said yearly sum of one thousand five hundred pounds) the yearly sum of two hundred and fifty pounds, free and clear of Income Tax death duties and all other deductions, the sum, for the time being payable, to be paid by equal quarterly payments, the first to be paid three calendar months from my decease, so long as my wife is in receipt of the said yearly sum of one thousand five hundred pounds, I direct that she shall thereout provide a home and maintain, educate, and support, my infant unmarried children.
    
    
11. Subject to the provisions hereinbefore made in favor of my said wife, I bequeath to the following legacies to my daughters, namely;
    To my daughter Dora Clark Parrington two thousand five hundred pounds.
    To my daughter Mildred Clark Thompson two thousand five hundred pounds.
    To my daughter Sybil Clark Haggie two thousand five hundred pounds.
    To my daughter Joan Mary Thompson five thousand pounds.
    To my daughter Rachel Kathleen Thompson five thousand pounds.
    
    
    I declare and direct that my trustees shall be under no obligation to pay the said three legacies of two thousand five hundred pounds each for the period of five years from my death, and that until such payment they shall pay to the respective legatees or legatee to whom payment shall not have been made, interest on the amount of their or her legacy, or on so much as for the time being remains unpaid, at the rate of four pounds per centum per annum.
    
    The said two legacies of five thousand pounds shall vest as and when each of the beneficiaries attain the age of twenty one years, or marries under that age with lawful consent, but the same shall not be due or payable until six months after the death or remarriage of my said wife, whichever shall first happen.
    
    But I direct my trustees on the occasion of the marriage of each of my two daughters, Joan and Rachel, to pay to her on account of her said legacy, the sum of five hundred pounds.
    
    
12. And subject as aforesaid, I give, devise, and bequeath, the rest and residue of my real and personal estate, unto and equally, between my said sons, Stewart Wyvol Thompson, and Charles Ralfe Thompson. If either of my said sons shall die in my lifetime, without leaving a wife or children, then the share hereby bequeathed to him shall go to the other of my said sons, who shall survive me.
    
    
13. I declare and direct that my trustees shall at the request of my two sons, or either of them, transfer without requiring any payment therefore a sufficient number of my shares in Robert Thompson & Sons Limited, and in Webster & Company Limited, to qualify them or him for election as a Director of each of such Companys and that my trustees shall have full power to hold, and I desire them to hold and retain, all my shares in the said two Companys in order that my two sons or either of them may ultimately have the option of taking them in specie in respect or on account of their or his share in my residuary estate. I also declare that my trustees may sell all or any of the said shares to my said sons or either of them, at such price as they may think fair and may allow the purchase money to remain outstanding as a debit to my trust estate. I declare that my trustees shall have an unfettered discretion as to the manner in which they carry out the whole of the provisions of this clause and shall not be liable at the suit of my sons or either of them or any other of my beneficiaries for any error or mistake in the exercise thereof, and I declare that my two sons shall not be disqualified by reason of their trusteeship or executorship of this my will from becoming purchasers of this or any other part of my trust estate, but that the other or others of my trustees or trustee shall act in the matter as if they were the sole trustees or trustee. I further declare that my trustees may give time to my sons for payment of the purchase price of the said shares or other part of my trust estate so purchased, and may take such security or no security at all for the purchase price as they think fit.
    
    
14. I declare that my trustees may postpone the sale of all or any part of my estate, for so long as they in their discretion shall think fit, with respect however to my shares in ships and interest in shipping and shipping companies and other companies other than the said Robert Thompson & Sons Limited and Webster & Company Limited, it is my wish that my trustees shall not retain the same longer than they consider necessary for the advantageous realization thereof, and that they shall not be responsible for any error of judgment in dealing therewith.
    
    
15. And I declare that the rents, profits, and income, to accrue from, and after my decease, from such part of my estate as shall for the time being remain unsold and unconverted, shall after payment thereout of all incidental expenses and outgoings, be paid and applied to the person or persons, and in the manner to whom and in which the income of the proceeds of such sale and conversion would, for the time being be payable or applicable under this my will, if such sale and conversion had been actually made.
    
    
16. I declare that my trustees shall have proper accounts of my trust estate kept and audited annually by a chartered accountant or accountants.
    
    
17. I declare that it shall be lawful for my trustees in order to facilitate the distribution of my estate, to appropriate and set apart and invest a sufficient sum to answer the amount hereinbefore directed to be paid to my said wife, and that after such appropriation the residue of my trust estate shall be liberated from the trust for payment in favor of my said wife.
    
    
18. And I direct that all investments of trust moneys under the trusts or provisions of this my will, may be made by my trustees in or upon one or more of the investments or securities following, that is to say, any of the public stocks, or funds, or Government securities, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, or of the Colonies of the United Kingdom, or of any freehold or copyhold securities in England or Wales, or in or upon the purchase of freehold ground rents in England or Wales, or in or upon the debentures, debenture, Stock, or guaranteed or preference stock, of any railway or other company, a fixed or minimum rate of interest or dividend, on which is guaranteed whether absolutely or otherwise by the government of India, or in or upon the debentures or debenture, or rent charge, stock of any railway, canal, dock, harbour, water, or other company, or body, incorporated by special act of the Imperial Parliament, or by Royal Charter, or in or upon the guaranteed or preference stock, or shares of any such company as aforesaid, which shall have paid dividends upon its ordinary capital at the rate of at least five pounds per centum per annum for at least five years prior to the time of investment, or in or upon the stocks, bonds, or securities of any municipality, county council, public body, or local authority, in the United Kingdom, but not on any stocks, funds, bonds, or securities, to bearer, or transferable by mere delivery and endorsement thereof, though coming within the general description of investments hereby authorized. And I declare that my trustees may from time to time vary or transpose such stocks , funds, shares, and securities into or for any other or others of the kinds aforesaid.
    
    

IN WITNESS whereof, I have hereunto set my hand the day and year first before written - R. C. Thompson

Signed by the said Richard Charles Thompson, as and for his last will, in our presence and in the presence of each other, at the same time subscribe our names as witnesses:

E. DE WERPE, Consular clerk, Bridge Dockyard Sunderland A. BIRRELL, Clerk, Bridge Dockyard Sunderland

On the 18th day of February 1919, Probate of this will was granted to Millicent Frances Thompson, Thomas Elliot Parrington, Stewart Wyvol Thompson, and Charles Ralfe Thompson, the executors.

Richard Charles Thompson, of Morton House, Fence Houses, County Durham died 2 Aug 1918
at DENE HOUSE NURSING HOME
15 Ellison Place,
Newcastle upon Tyne

£92,664 17s 7d