Ursula Eileen Lloyd – Where There’s a Will, There’s a Way

A couple of months ago, I wrote a post about Ursula Eileen Lloyd, an aviatrix who encountered Robin W.G. Stephens in Addis Ababa during the mid-1930s. Ursula was a bit of a character, to say the least, and I admit to being sucked down the rabbit hole with her story! While writing the original post, I had applied for her Probate but, what with one thing and another, the delivery of that document was delayed for months. But… I now have it, and thought I would delve into it to see if there are any final crumbs of useful information.

Death of Ursula Eileen Lloyd

Ursula, a single woman, had been living at 284 Cape Road in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. That address is now the home of a copy centre (Omni Technologies) and the entire street seems to be primarily offices and commercial enterprises. Any vestiges of whatever residential area used to exist seem to have vanished. It is interesting that she is listed as a “single woman” in the probate documents. This would seem to suggest that either (a) she and Charles Lloyd had divorced or (b) she was widowed or (c) they had never been married in the first place.

According to the Probate documents, Ursula actually died at the New Stanley Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya on 12 October 1956. The New Stanley was (and still is) a rather posh hotel in the heart of Nairobi. Originally built in 1902, the hotel has moved locations several times. Its doors saw many famous actors, authors and political leaders including Winston Churchill, Ernest Hemingway, Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth), Frank Sinatra, Sean Connery, Clark Gable and Grace Kelly. What Ursula was doing in Nairobi in 1956 is a complete mystery.

The Standard Bank of South Africa Ltd. was named as executor of Ursula’s estate, which was valued at £6901-4-5. This doesn’t seem like a large estate but would be roughly equivalent to £155,000 today, certainly not an insignificant sum. Still, Ursula had been worth substantially more in the years prior to her death but, perhaps she spent it on wine, men, and song. Even though Ursula passed away in October 1956, probate was only completed on 27 May 1958, a year and a half later.

The Will

Ursula’s will is rather complex and includes a codicil which complicates matters further. She had a lengthy list of bequests…

1. I revoke all Wills, Codicils or other Testamentary Dispositions previously made by me.

2. I bequeath the following legacies:-

1. To KENNETH REGINALD WRIGHT, my advisor and Friend, Manager Martins Bank, 153 Sloane Street, London, S.W.1 the sum of FIVE THOUSAND POUNDS (£5,000);
2. To my sister MARY ELVIRA QUINN, c/o The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited, Head Office, Johannesburg, a legacy of TWO THOUSAND POUNDS (£2,000) and the sum of TWENTY POUNDS (£20) per month during her lifetime;
3. To my aunt BERTHA ASHWORTH, 30 Rhodes Street, Uitenhage [town northwest of Port Elizabeth], the sum of TWO THOUSAND POUNDS (£2,000) together with TWENTY POUNDS (£20) per month during her lifetime together with the usufruct [the right to enjoy the use and advantages of another’s property short of the destruction or waste of its substance] of my property known as 30 Rhodes Street, Uitenhage, and such of the contents thereof as consist of furniture, linen, ornaments and household equipment and appliances as may belong to me, for her lifetime. [Codicil added a clause regarding preservation and restoration]
4. To MAYNARD McWILLIAMS, my lawyer, c/o McWilliams and Elliott, Guardian Buildings, Main Street, Port Elizabeth, my landed property known as 284 Cape Road, Port Elizabeth, together with household furniture, equipment, appliances and effects therein and belonging to me, except the articles bequeathed to my servants, and in addition my motor car, guns, fishing rods and tackle, cameras and all books; [cancelled by Codicil and rewritten to exclude the house]
5. To Dr. ROBERT KAHN, “Suncrest”, Highwick Avenue, Kennilworth, Cape, my doctor and friend, the sum of ONE THOUSAND POUNDS (£1,000).
6. To ETHEL KAHN, wife of the aforesaid Dr. ROBERT KAHN, the sum of ONE THOUSAND POUNDS (£1,000) and my jewellery including my single stone (3.9 carat) diamond ring. [italicized later cancelled by Codicil]]
7. To my good friends and neighbours DOROTHY and ERNEST LANTERME – husband and wife – of 282 Cape Road, Port Elizabeth, the sum of ONE THOUSAND POUNDS (£1,000) each.
8. To my god-child ELIZABETH ANN CHESWORTH of c/o Child Welfare Society, Port Elizabeth the sum of ONE THOUSAND POUNDS (£1,000).
9. To Mrs. ELLEN CHESWORTH, mother of my god-child ELIZABETH ANN CHESWORTH, presently of 284 Cape Road, Port Elizabeth, the sum of FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS (£500).
10. To ELIZABETH REX of 44 Hurd Street, Newton Park, Port Elizabeth, the sum of FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS (£500).
11. To FLORENCE BAYBROOKE, c/o Sister Goodman, 8 Albert Road, Port Elizabeth, the sum of FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS (£500).
12. To my friend DORIS RADOMSKY, c/o Dr. Robert Kahn, “Suncrest”, Highwick Avenue, Kennilworth, Cape, the sum of TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY POUNDS (£250).
13. To my friend MAURICE RADOMSKY, c/o Dr. Robert Kahn, “Suncrest”, Highwick Avenue, Kennilworth, Cape, the sum of TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY POUNDS (£250).
14. To my friend THOROLD DICKINSON, 18 Ovington Gardens, London S.W.1, the sum of FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS (£500).
15. To my friend JOANNA DICKINSON, 18 Ovington Gardens, London S.W.1, the sum of FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS (£500).
16. To my friend FRANCIS McKENZIE-CARVER, c/o Thorold Dickinson, 18 Ovington Gardens, London S.W.1, the sum of FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS (£500).
17. To SYBIL ABRAHAMS, daughter of RACHEL LORD, of 50 Second Avenue, Newton Park, Port Elizabeth the sum of FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS (£500). [cancelled by Codicil]
18. To each of my servants in my employment at the time of my death the sum of FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS (£500), and in the case of servants resident on my property of No. 284 Cape Road, to each of them the furniture and effects belonging to me in each of their respective rooms. [cancelled by Codicil]
19. All of my personal clothing, and all bedding and linen belonging to me in my house at 284 Cape Road, Port Elizabeth, shall be divided amongst such servants as are in my employment at the time of my death, as far as reasonably possible in equal shares. [cancelled by Codicil]

3. The rest and residue of my Estate I leave to the British Society for Psychical Research, London and the Royal Geographical Society of 1 Kensington Gore, London, S.W.1 in equal shares, share and share alike, and should either of the said Societies have ceased to exist at the time of my death, the whole of the said residue shall devolve upon the remaining Society.  [Both are still in existence in 2022]

4. My Executors as Administrators shall retain under their administration such sum as they may deem necessary which when invested will enable them to pay from income and if necessary from capital the monthly allowance of TWENTY POUNDS (£20) each to my sister and my aunt during their respective lifetimes and they shall keep under their control and administration my property 30 Rhodes Street, Uitenhage, whilst the usufruct thereof is enjoyed by my aunt, provided that my aunt shall be responsible for all expenses in connection with the upkeep and for the payment of all rates on the said property. On the death of my said aunt and my said sister the said property and so much of the investments constituting the said funds as shall no longer be required to enable them respectively to enjoy the aforegoing [sic] benefits shall be sold and the proceeds shall form part of the residue of my Estate. My Executors shall have full and entire discretion as to the amount of funds required to be retained by them from time to time and in the investment of such funds.

5. I record that my Estate which shall devolve in term of this my Will includes any share due or belong to me in the Estate of Sir Reginald Hanson and/or Sir Francis Stanhope Hanson, together with any other funds over which I may have power of appointment.

6. I nominate the Standard Bank of South Africa Limited acting through its proper officer or officers to be the Executors of this my Will and Administrators of my Estate, and I direct that my said Executors and Administrators shall not be required to furnish security to the Master of the Supreme Court or any other official for the fulfilment of their duties or any of them. I further direct that the said bank shall be entitled to act as bankers for my Estate charging the usual banking fees in addition to the usual and customary remuneration as Executors and Administrators.

7. I reserve to myself the right to make all such alterations in or additions to this my Will as I shall at any time consider necessary, either by a separate act or as a Codicil at the foot hereof, desiring that all such alterations or additions so made over my signature and duly attested, shall be held as valid and effectual as if they had been inserted herein.

The will was signed at Port Elizabeth on 27 April 1955, about 18 months before Ursula’s death.

Doing the Math

It doesn’t take much to see that Ursula’s bequests far exceed the actual net value of her estate upon her death. She bequeathed a minimum of £17,000 and that does not include the £500 to each of her servants, nor the £20/month lifetime bequests to her sister and aunt.

Ursula was quite generous in her bequests with £500 being roughly equivalent to £11,000 today. Which makes one wonder, did she actually have the financial resources to cover all of these bequests?

The Codicil

The Codicil was signed on 4 June 1956 and included several clauses:

1. I hereby amend Clause 2(iii) of my aforesaid Last Will and Testament by the addition of the following words:-
   “I especially direct that the said BERTHA ASHWORTH shall not be called upon to furnish any security for the due preservation and restoration of the aforesaid usufructuary assets.”
2. I hereby cancel Clause 2(iv) of my aforesaid Last Will and Testament and substitute therefor the following:-
   “To MAYNARD McWILLIAMS, care of McWilliams and Elliott, Guardian Buildings, Main Street, Port Elizabeth, my household furniture, equipment, appliances and effects belonging to be and contained in my landed property known as 284 Cape Road, Port Elizabeth, and in addition my motor car, guns, fishing rods and tackle, cameras and all books;
3. I hereby amend Clause 2(vi) of my aforesaid Last Will and Testament by the deletion of the words:-
   “Including my single stone (3.9 carat) diamond ring”.
4. I hereby cancel Clause 2(xvii) of my aforesaid Last Will and Testament
5. I hereby cancel Clause 2(xviii) of my aforesaid Last Will and Testament
6. I hereby cancel Clause 2(xix) of my aforesaid Last Will and Testament
7. I hereby amend Clause 4 of my aforesaid Last Will and Testament by the addition of the following words:-
   “Notwithstanding anything in this clause contained, I specially direct that my herein appointed Executors and Administrators shall in no way be responsible to see that the usufructuary of the aforesaid property carries out her duties herein mentioned in connection with the said fixed property, and I therefore direct that my said Executors and Administrators need not concern themselves in any way with the property during the usufructuary’s lifetime.”

The Codicil does reduce the amount of the bequests a bit, but not a lot. It was also written four months before her death which would seem to indicate that Ursula believed she had the funds to cover the bequests. Perhaps.

The removal of 284 Cape Road from Maynard McWilliams bequest (as well as the removal of the bequests to the servants resident there) makes me wonder if perhaps she sold the place and was simply renting it. Perhaps she also let her servants go as money became tight. The removal of the diamond ring from the bequest to Ethel Kahn is also perplexing. Perhaps Ursula sold the ring to generate some funds?

The Hanson’s

The reference to Sir Reginald Hanson and Sir Francis Stanhope Hanson is interesting. Ursula’s first husband was Charles Reginald Francis Hanson, the ill-fated gentleman who drowned in the Thames in 1933 during a boat crossing.

Sir Reginald Hanson was the grandfather of Charles (and a former Lord Mayor of London) and had passed away in 1905. Sir Reginald left an estate valued at an eye-watering £495,000, the equivalent of about £64,000,000 today. I can see why Ursula, as the widow of Charles Hanson, might want to keep her finger in the Hanson pie!

Sir Francis Stanhope Hanson was one of the sons of Reginald and the father of Charles. When Sir Francis passed away in 1910, his estate was valued at £416,000, the equivalent of about £52,000,000 today. Given that Charles only had an estate valued at £25,000 in 1933, it would seem likely that his mother, Pearl Norcott Hanson (the beneficiary of Sir Francis’s estate) was still alive and still enjoyed the lion’s share of the inheritance. Pearl passed away in 1965 and one does wonder if Ursula’s estate had any claim on Pearl’s estate.

Conclusion

It is interesting that there is not a whisper of any Lloyd’s in Ursula’s Last Will and Testament. If Charles Lloyd was still alive in 1956, it is clear that he and Ursula had nothing to do with each other.

I can also see why it took so long for Ursula’s will to wend its way through probate. There must have been quite a tussle to decide who received what out of her reduced estate.

And I think that’s a wrap on Ursula Eileen Lloyd. The mysterious aviatrix leaves another trail of mysteries and tantalizing clues in her wake. I doubt that many of them will be solved but I’ll keep my eye out for any blips on the internet radar.

Header Image – New Stanley Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya ca. 1950 – from Wikipedia