PT-2025-000104 - [2025] EWHC 2255 (Ch)

The Will was professionally prepared by Kirkwoods Solicitors of Epsom.

The Will appoints Kirkwoods or its successor as Mrs Midworth’s executors and trustees. Kirkwoods’ successor practice was wound-up and dissolved before Mrs Midworth’s death.

The Will makes specific gifts of Mrs Midworth’s prints and pictures of llamas and the llamas owned at the date of her death to friends.

Clauses 5 contains a gift of Mrs Midworth’s remaining property to her executors.

Clause 6 provides that the executors are to:

“stand possessed of the residue of the said monies and investments for the time being representing the same and of such part of my estate as shall for the time being remain unsold or unconverted upon trust PROVIDED that if PETER ALEXANDER GROSSMAN of Tudor House Oaken Lane Claygate Surrey shall survive me to divide the same into one hundred equal shares and to hold the shares upon the following trusts that is to say:

(a)

as to eighty such shares for the said PETER ALEXANDER GROSSMAN

(b)

as to two such equal shares for the BRITISH CAMELIDS LIMITED care of the Royal Bank of Scotland 70 High Street Peebles Scotland Charity No. 802688 and I declare that the receipt of the Treasurer or other appropriate officer of this charity shall be a good discharge to my Executors

(c)

as to six such equal shares to the BROOKE HOSPITAL FOR ANIMALS Department CC14 Broadmead House 21 Panton Street London SW1 Charity No. 207869 and I declare that the receipt of the Treasurer or other appropriate officer of this charity shall be good discharge to my Executors

(d)

as to six such equal shares to ZOO CHECK PROJECT of the Born Free Foundation, Coldharbour Lane, Dorking Surrey Charity No. 296024 and I declare that the receipt of the Treasurer or other appropriate officer of this charity shall be good discharge to my Executors

(e)

as to six such equal shares to the LIBERTY CAMPAIGN World Society for the Protection of Animals 2 Langley Lane London SW8 Charity No. 282908 and I declare that the receipt of the Treasurer or other appropriate officer of this charity shall be a good discharge to my Executors

PROVIDED that if the said PETER ALEXANDER GROSSMAN shall not survive me upon trust for such of the following that exist at the date of my death and if more than one in equal shares absolutely:-

(i)

the said BRITISH CAMELIDS LIMITED

(ii)

the said BROOKE HOSPITAL FOR ANIMALS

(iii)

the said ZOO CHECK PROJECT

(iv)

the said LIBERTY CAMPAIGN

(v)

the BURSTOW WILD LIFE SANCTUARY Old Orchard Church Lane Burstow Surrey Charity No. 801970

(vi)

BRITISH UNION FOR THE ABOLITION OF VIVISECTION 16a Crane Grove London N7 8LB

PROVIDED that in respect of all of the above the receipt of the Treasurer or other appropriate Officer of the organisation shall be a good discharge to my Executors.”

The claimant obtained a grant of letters of administration with the Will annexed on 2 October 2024. The grant states the net value of the estate for probate as £1,922,343.