Catalogue description Papers and correspondence concerning a dispute over the inheritance of property in Cookham

The collection consists of papers and correspondence sent to Colonel and Mrs. Haultain of Peterborough, Canada, concerning family disputes over the inheritance of the estate in Cookham and the personal effects of Mrs. Haultain's mother Mrs. Z.A.R. Gordon. The dispute centred over the question of whether Mrs. Gordon had power to leave her estate to all eight of her children or just to her six daughters, as stipulated in the will of Miss Arabella Lewis, who left the estate to Major-General and Mrs. Gordon, and whether Mrs. Gordon could leave her personal effects to one daughter alone or whether her furniture etc. had been left to her by the Major-General for life, to be subsequently divided between all eight children.

Presented by Mrs. P. Nation of Ontario, Canada in Oct. 1976 (acc. 2160)