Rae's documents/WILSON FAMILY continued.doc

WILSON FAMILY continued

Auntie Maimie being the eldest daughter had always had the role of taking the place of her mother as needed, as the next daughter Jessie died when young, and Agnes and Margaret were so much younger. She was still a very attractive woman when I first knew her, although she had a very pronounced stoop, perhaps the result of carrying small children around as a child. She died at home soon after Charlie had died, the nurse who rang and told me had been looking after Margaret at the time, it was quite a surprise as I had not been told that she was ill and had been at the place frequently. Margaret had gradually become bedridden, the plastic surgery done by Dr. Rank had been very successful and although her arms were quite scarred, her face was not very marked.

Agnes had been trying to cope with household affairs, at the time there were a number of people in and out, a full-time nurse looking after Margaret in the day-time, and another full-time night nurse, a relieving nurse for each, a woman to come in and cook meals for a few hours each day, and a gardener who came once a week I think.

Agnes was becoming very forgetful and acting strangely, she had a stroke and died in hospital in 1958, a year after Charlie and Maimie. Margaret Had never been able to accept the fact that Charlie had left the bulk of his estate to the Church, she refused to read his will, just went into denial, said that ‘dear Charl” would never do such a thing. He had stipulated that they could continue to live at Linlathen, but made no provision for their support. The National Trustees paid the rates and the gardener but his sisters had to meet all the other expenses including electricity and gas. Maimie and Margaret and I think Agnes each had a few shares in the C.M.Wilson business, Agnes had some savings from her years in the Postal Service, but there was really little and they could not afford to replace household items. Frank did quite a lot for them, the flooring in the kitchen was quite dangerously worn and broken, there was no refrigerator, and many other things really needed replacing. After Agnes died I found a number of cheques under her mattress, which fortunately I was able to recover and put into her estate. She left no will, so her savings were divided according to law. Maimie had left her shares to my sisters, she had little else. When the bank manager contacted me and said he could no longer accept Margaret’s signature I was given Power of Attorney to sign for her. Their solicitor was Hartwell Lander who lived quite close and always kept in touch, had probably arranged it. With paying the staff, and also coping with the frequent changes, I just had to hope that the money would last, as the only money coming in was from the few shares Margaret had. Margaret did not make a will. After she died Frank and I spent most evenings and weekends sorting out and deciding what to do with everything, the Trustees had asked me to do this and said I could do whatever I thought fit with what was in the house. Garrick Wilson came down and said that all he wanted was the large picture of David Garrick the actor. I asked Hartwell what he would like, he had always been a great support to Margaret, and he selected a beautifully embroidered silk Oriental picture, quite large, that Margaret always kept on the wall in her bedroom, some things I sent to Herb Hay and his wife Peggy, distant cousins who had a large property near Bendigo, nice people and good friends of Margaret, gave the nurse who had stood by Margaret various items of furniture that would be useful in the small nursing home she was hoping to set up, and picked out a number of things for my family in Perth, and a small table and the cutlery which I think Alan has, or had, it had the W initial. I remember the Red Cross or Salvation Army or such, sent a large stand-up bag for things that could be re-used, we filled four of these, and we had the incinerator going for a full two weeks with things. Maimie’s room had been locked after she died, her wardrobe was full of moths, including her fur coat. I took many suitcases full of papers back to our home in Kew because it took time to sort through what was of family interest, or papers needed by the Trustees. Incidentally the Trustees wrote and thanked me and I seem to remember they also enclosed a cheque to cover expenses. Not a great deal but it was appreciated.