Thanks to Gwynne and Shona!!

[Merry]

Originally Posted by Shona

Perhaps it was a self-portrait.

Painted when he was three? Very talented, in that case!! lol

[Kit]

Originally Posted by Merry

Thomas Dymond died in 1831 and in his will he stated:

".... By the Canon Law of the Church of England my marriage with my present wife Ann formerly Ann Harvey spinster is illegal and in order to prevent all claims which might hereafter be made by any of my relatives or other persons whatsoever to any part of my Estate or effects....."

So what did his will state to fend off unwanted relatives?

I'm also happy you solved the mystery.

[Phoenix]

Merry will tell us in due course, but it is probably to prevent greedy relations carving up the state by specifically leaving stuff to Ann, so she was protected after death.

[Merry]

Originally Posted by Kit

So what did his will state to fend off unwanted relatives?

I'm a bit confused

The bit I quoted is the bit he stated in his will to fend off potential claimants! The rest just says he leaves everything to Ann.

[Kit]

I thought there was more to what he said than what you typed.

[Merry]

I suppose with no surviving legal wife and no surviving legitimate children, he was protecting his estate from his next of kin who I presume would be his siblings or their descendants (I haven't looked at them to see who outlived Thomas).

I still haven't got round to looking at Ann's will to see where her bed linen went!