mystery

[Matlock1418]

2 hours ago, PaulC78 said:

 

I suspect this newspaper article has made the copy of Dr. Mackay's Will to be a bit surplus now [which is no problem Paul - thanks for the trouble of your journey and for looking :-) ] but I still await the full copy with interest.

 

An aside perhaps, or perhaps with undertones ??? - "My Book of Hours" - a very interesting book that obviously made quite an impression on on Dr. Mackay

 

[charlie962]

3 hours ago, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said:

Will they tell you what they have?

No.

I disagree.

It depends what question you ask.

They will have to respect client confidentiality.

If they are presented with the original newspaper article that they are quoted in, it is perfectly reasonable for them to say 'Yes we found representatives' (without naming them) or' No we were unable to find them so in accordance with the will the sum went to Service Charities'.

 

It may be that they have not kept a record and on that basis are unable to respond.

 

Charlie

[PaulC78]

I should add that I only had time to skim through the Southport Visitor for May 1964, a more thorough search might turn up more.

 

Did look for Dolan/Osborne in the WW1 years but found nothing. There was a brief reference to a Gunner James P Dolan (RFA) in 1916 but he was clearly a local man from a different family.

[The Scorer]

On ‎03‎/‎01‎/‎2020 at 17:20, Matlock1418 said:

"My Book of Hours"

 

I'd never heard of this, so i asked Mr W Pedia for his advice. This is a link to what he has to say about them - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_hours - which is quite interesting. The request from Dr Mackay that "it be regarded as a heirloom" could mean that it was quite an ornate book and worth a tidy sum - although it could equally mean that it wasn't, of course! I wonder what happened to it?

[Matlock1418]

On 07/01/2020 at 11:06, The Scorer said:

On 03/01/2020 at 17:20, Matlock1418 said:

"My Book of Hours"

 

I'd never heard of this, so i asked Mr W Pedia for his advice.

I've got to admit I had to look it up - not on my bookcase that's for sure!

I'm not at all certain it is your selection though [and that one's certainly on my shelf either!!!].

It's "My Book of Hours" in the newspaper article, not "my Book of Hours"

I thought it probably meant this 1919 one, or an edition of it, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passionate_Journey and still do.

The artwork is more contemporary with Dr Mackay and the GW period and quite/very 'novel' if you have a look through the novel/book and its preliminary works!

The author/artist, Frans Masereel, is interesting and I think had a somewhat 'different' sort of GW - I read somewhere [possibly his website in translated german - I did have quite a look at him and his works as a result to this thread] with the Swiss Red Cross - perhaps striking a chord with Dr Mackay. ???

But we must get too carried away with this probable little aside.

Sadly, which ever way, I don't think it gets us any closer to 'Osborne'/Dolan and the reason for his alias.

:-/ M

 

Edit:

From Dr MacKay's Will [copy now received] it actually reads "... my Book of Hours ..." so I have to now admit I am now uncertain as to whether it is his "Book of Hours" or his "My Book of Hours"  :-/

Edited 30 January , 2020 by Matlock1418
Addition

[familyhistoryman]

At the end of the day we may never know the reason for the change of name. I was once asked to help someone research his grandfather called Aspinall Arrandale who was born in England. When obtaining his marriage certificate we found him as Aspinall Arrandale otherwise John Wilkinson. No one in father family know the reason for the change of name and why he picked those names as they did not occur in the family tree

 

However don’t let this put you off 

 

Tony

[Matlock1418]

On 03/01/2020 at 17:20, Matlock1418 said:

I suspect this newspaper article has made the copy of Dr. Mackay's Will to be a bit surplus now [which is no problem Paul - thanks for the trouble of your journey and for looking :-) ] but I still await the full copy with interest.

Copy of will has arrived - took 28 days [longer than I thought it would, but shorter than I was beginning to fear! ;-)]

'Osborne'/Dolan = doesn't tell us much beyond what we knew - his relatives or a military charity were going to be the beneficiaries of the largest single bequest, nearly 50%.

But not as to why to his relatives - so still ??? 

I wonder who got paid his share in the end ???

Dr MacKay   Gives place of death as St Peter's Hospital, Chertsey, Surrey and lists a number of relatives and other persons [some of whom start to raise questions - but these don't seem relevant here]

 

Would be good if we had the Death Certificate of 'Osborne'/Dolan

 

 

OSBORNE, JAMES
GRO Reference: 1917  D Quarter in ORMSKIRK  Volume 08B  Page 926

The PDF version would do fine

https://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/certificates/login.asp 

• As he started this rabbit running I wonder if the OP/Driver Higgs might be persuaded to get it for us??? - Please.  :-)

 

[charlie962]

16 hours ago, Matlock1418 said:

Copy of will has arrived

Well done. What was the date of the will- I am trying to understand the significance of 'live past ninety-one'

 

charlie

[Matlock1418]

2 hours ago, charlie962 said:

What was the date of the will

Hi again Charlie.

Sorry should have reported that.

Dr MacKay's Will signed & dated: 18 August 1961

His death was: 26 November 1964

I'm sure you will be able to find his dob but I am not sure how it relates to 'Osborne'/Dolan and his life/death - other that to ensure that bequest to his relatives was sort of inflation adjusted and later had interest applied before disbursement - to whoever.  I wonder to whom???

Edited 31 January , 2020 by Matlock1418