WIDOW’S SURPRISE.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 299, 2 December 1936, Page 3

WIDOW’S SURPRISE.

£lOO,OOO BEQUEST TO “ARMY.' Both the Salvation Army and the Church Army had £lOO,OOO surprises recently. Until the London Daily Mail informed them of the contents of the will of Mrs Annie Blanche Smith, widow of a millionaire brewer and distiller, neither organisation knew that she had left them £lOO,OOO each. Officials racked their memories, to Identify their benefactress, but could not recollect that she had any connection with either of the “Armies* " work. Mrs Smith, who was more than 90 when she died on August 11, left no family and willed the greater part of her £350.000 to charities. Mr Charles Valentine Walker, one of the executors, told a reporter: “The reason neither the Salvation Army nor the Church Army has yet been officially informed of Mrs Smith’s bequests is that the will has only just been granted probate. “Mrs Smith lived in great retirement for many years past. Iler husband, Mr Thomas Valentine Smith, died in 190 G, leaving about £2,000,000.” Mr Smith was chairman of Smith, Garratt and Co., of Bow Brewery, which later became merged with Taylor Walker and Co. lie was also proprietor of the Thamesbank Distillery, which now no longer exists. ' Mrs Smith lived at Albert Hall Mansions, Kensington, and also had a house/in Bournemouth. She left bequests to her servants, after the two principal bequests, to charity: £2OOO io the British Home and Hospital for Incurables. Streatham. £l5OO to Hie Home for Incurables. Putney. £lOOO to Hie Cancer Hospital. Fulham. She also bequeathed £lOOO to ttie Royal National Lifeboat Institution to build a lifeboat to he called the Annie Blanc'..,' Smith.