Smith v Smith 1857


Vice Chancellor's Courts - Monday.

(Before Sir Richard T. Kindersley).

Smith v. Smith

The only point in this case turned upon the construction of a clause in the will of George Smith, of Croydon, who made a will without date, but who died in May, 1820. The Master made his report in 1827, and in 1857 the question came on for decision. The clause ran thus:- To "Maria Inkpen, the interest of 400l. for her life, independent of her present or any future husband, and at her decease the 400l. to be equally divided among her children." The legatee died, without issue surviving her, in 1855, having received the dividends during her life. The question was whether the fund went to the testator's son-in-law, the husband of Maria, an executor of the testator's widow, or to the father.

Mr. Nalder was for the petitioner, the father; Mr. Glasse was for the residuary legatee.

The Vice Chancellor held that the fund belonged to the father.


Source: The Standard (London, England), Tuesday, August 04, 1857; pg. 7; Issue 10288.

Also: The Morning Post (London, England), Tuesday, August 04, 1857; pg. 7; Issue 26082.