QUAINT OLD-WORLD WILLS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23828, 7 June 1939, Page 19

QUAINT OLD-WORLD WILLS

RELIC OF ROBERT BURNS NONAGENARIAN'S BEQUESTS (From Our Own Correspondent) SYDNEY, May 30 Probate of two quaint old-world wills, made by men who had preserved early links with Scotland, has been granted here. One will mentions a relic connected by tradition with Scotland's national poet, Robert Burns. It was executed by William Gow, who died three months ago at the age of 81. Of the possessions that made up his £2536 estate, the testator referred particularly to the supposed Burns relic, which he bequeathed to his daughter. He described it as "my window frame and pane of glass, on which is inscribed a short verse, allegedly by the Scottish poet, Robert Burns, and removed by me from the Cross Keys Inn at Falkirk, Scotland, of which I was formerlv the proprietor." John Strachan, 96, who died in March, left to his niece, Mrs Jean Gillies, of Crown Cottage, Ballater, in Aberdeenshire, £ 1000, " with best wishes from her uncle John." Other bequests were made in memory of "long and early friendships" and for the upkeep of the Strachan burial ground in the churchyard of Stottherds memorial church, Lumphanan. Prudent provision was made for the payment of exchange on the Scottish legacies, for, wrote the testator, "it would be much better if the sums specified were paid in full on demand."