A STRANGE BEQUEST.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19622, 18 May 1929, Page 23

A STRANGE BEQUEST.

KNICKERS FOR BOYS. £BOOO LEFT BY TESTATOR. i ("ROM or?. OWJf COKBESFOKDEST.) LONDON, April 5. A bequest of nearly £BOOO to purchase knickerbockers for boys, "and for no other purpose whatsoever, whether educational or otherwise," has been left by the Kev. John Gwyon, Rector of Bisley, Surrey, for thirtythree years. Mr Gwyon's estate has been sworn at £9976 gross, with net personalty £7974. By his will he left: — The whole of his estate for the foundation of a charitable trust, to be known as " Gwyon's Foundation for Clothing Boys," the trustees to be members of Farnham District Council. "The yearly income of the Foundation shall be applied for the purpose of providing boys who are eligible with knickers.'' Benefits of the fund are confined to boys between 13 and 18, the sons of parents residing in Farnham, or within three miles of the Farnham Urban District boundary. Black boys are disqnalified, as are also boys who are inmates of, or supported by any charitable institution or whose parents are in receipt of parochial relief. As to the making and distribution of tjje garments, Mr Gwyon directed:— The Committee shall in Easter week in each year appoint a tailor who shall, in the opinion of such Committee, give the best value for money]

consistent with durability. He shall either make the garments to measure or shall provide ready-made garments. Every boy who shall be eligible shall send his name and adress, with his exact age, to the tailor not less than six weeks before Whit-Sunday in each year, and the tailor shall forward all particulars to the chairman of the Committee of the said Foundation, who shall then within five weeks convene a meeting of the Committee to select eligible applicants. "Shorts" Barred. Sporting or fancy knickers of any kind are not to be supplied, "and in no case shall the knickers be of the pattern known as "shorts." Mr Gwyon suggested' a strong, soft, and dark cord as being very becoming for boys, adding, '' but I desire to leave the kind and colour open for discreet choice." The gift is not confined to a single year: a boy may'make a second application. As to the garments themselves, the Vicar provided:The words "Gwvon's Present" shall be written in capital letters by the tailor with black marking ink on the lining of the right waist of each pair of knickers, which lining must be ">f unbleached material, and no boy shall tear away the words or obliterate them so that they become undecipherable by the time he applies in the following year. A boy, if he prefers, may choose a pair of trousers, "which shall be of strong, serviceable, and durable material, lined throughout to the ankles with strong, unbleached material, which shall be sewn to the trousers, and not allowed to hang loose."