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Gift of farm to RSPCA was out of character
A FARMER'S wife who left her £2.4m family farm to the RSPCA was no fan of the animal charity, it was claimed in court this week.
Joyce Gill died in 2006, bequeathing Potto Carr Farm, in Potto, to the charity.
Her daughter, Dr Christine Gill, is challenging the will at the High Court in Leeds.
The university lecturer claims her "domineering" father, John Arthur Gill, coerced her mother, who she says had mental health problems, into signing the document.
The couple signed mirror wills in 1993 which left the farm to each other and then to the RSPCA if they both died.
Mr Gill died in 1999, but Dr Gill only found out she had received nothing when her mother died.
On day six of the hearing, Philip Armstrong, who killed vermin on the farm, said: "To me, Mrs Gill didn't seem to have any time for the RSPCA. She didn't like them she told me so."
Mr Armstrong said he was shocked to hear Dr Gill had been left nothing.
He said: "Mrs Gill was a nice lady. I couldn't believe she would lead Christopher (Dr Gill's son) on by buying him toy tractors, things to do with the farm, and at the end of the day knowing that the farm would not go to him."
Steven Dawson, from Swainby, who farmed next door to the Gills, was called to give evidence by the RSPCA.
He said he had never seen Dr Gill or her husband working the farm, as the claimant said they did regularly.
He said it did not surprise him that Mr Gill had left the farm to the RSPCA, describing him as an eccentric character.
The case was expected to run until today when it will be adjourned until November.
The fuller version of this story can be read in today's Darlington & Stockton Times.
12:21pm Friday 25th July 2008
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CommentPosted by: Chris Newman, UK on 1:17pm Fri 25 Jul 08
A question that needs to be asked is did the firm of solicitors that drafted the Will for Mrs Gill, also work for the RSPCA. In short I wonder if the firm of solicitors that drafted the Will in favour of the RSPCA also acted for the RSPCA prosecutions department?
A question that needs to be asked is did the firm of solicitors that drafted the Will for Mrs Gill, also work for the RSPCA. In short I wonder if the firm of solicitors that drafted the Will in favour of the RSPCA also acted for the RSPCA prosecutions department?
Posted by: David Tyne, amersham on 11:12pm Fri 25 Jul 08
Anyone who leave any money to the RSPCA must be completely bonkers. The idea of a farmer leaving them anything is too ridiculous to contemplate. The story of those animal rights loonies selling off Dr Gill's family photos for £1 each in a silver frame is one of the sickest things I've heard. I bet the lawyer who executed the will had some direct or indirect links to the "charity" - they pay their lawyers £400 an hour. There's one madder thing than a farmer leaving the RSPCA money - and that's an old lady leaving the RSPCA money to look after her cats when she dies. The cats will be dead before her body is as cold as the hard cash the RSPCA needs to keep running.
Anyone who leave any money to the RSPCA must be completely bonkers. The idea of a farmer leaving them anything is too ridiculous to contemplate. The story of those animal rights loonies selling off Dr Gill's family photos for £1 each in a silver frame is one of the sickest things I've heard. I bet the lawyer who executed the will had some direct or indirect links to the "charity" - they pay their lawyers £400 an hour. There's one madder thing than a farmer leaving the RSPCA money - and that's an old lady leaving the RSPCA money to look after her cats when she dies. The cats will be dead before her body is as cold as the hard cash the RSPCA needs to keep running.
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