MELBA’S BEQUESTS

Feilding Star, Volume 8, Issue 2401, 10 April 1931, Page 5

MELBA’S BEQUESTS

€200,000 TN ESTATE PROPERTY JEWELS. AXTIQCES HOST OF RENEFTf I ART F.S (Aust. and N.Z. Cable) Afelbourne, April 9. Though the cumulative, value of the late Dame Nellie' Melba’s pm-. • per tv will not he known for many m* nths, its approximate value is £200.000. The Victorian po>rtio» is worth £40,000, and the American portion at least L 100,000. Tho diva also owned considerable residential rp>rr pen*ty i n By d n ey. FR.FENDS- REAIEAI BER F.D During the war, however, she suffered heavy losses in foreign securi- . ties. Her sen, Mr Charge Armstrong and his wife and daughter Pamela are residuary benofieari.es, while an annuity -of €250 is provided for the diva’s lifev-1 >ng friend Air -J.ihn f.ommone, the noted flautist. Pamela Armstrong receives the late Dame Nellie’s. priceless jewels, which were gifts from crowned heads of Europe during Alellxa’s heyday*; also a little brooch of pearls and rubies presented to- AFelba, by Queen Victoria. Ho<st s of relatives, friends and faithful servants, rich and poor, benefit mid£r the will. A aluahle antiques, pictures and art collections are to be sold to provide the numerous legacies:, of which €IOOO has been bequeathed to AEi*s Annie Purelia.s, < £ Remuera Road, Auckland and Frank and Lucy Purehas each £2OOO. Another bequest of £BOOO gees • o the Af cl bourne Cons er v* a tori n m of Afpsie to* prov ide a Afelba Scholarship, the testatrix expressng the hope that another Alelba may arise.