Chris and colleagues

Two postings from me in as many minutes!

Pasted in below (to avoid sending an attachment) is the wording of our
guidance sheet for potential bequests.

I would particularly stress the importance of getting hold of a copy of the
relevant part of the will in advance, and then getting hold of a complete
copy of the will after probate has been granted. We have had a couple of
recent "debates" with heirs and executors about copyright issues in
archives willed to us, which we have been able to resolve to our advantage
due to knowledge of the full provisions of the will.

Richard Taylor
NRM
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Text:
GUIDANCE ON MAKING A BEQUEST IN FAVOUR OF THE NATIONAL RAILWAY MUSEUM

This note is intended to help you if you are considering making a bequest
to the National Railway Museum.

In order to ensure that your money and possessions are divided as you wish
after your death, it is important to make a Will. If you die intestate the
State writes a Will for you and your possessions are distributed according
to this Law of Intestacy and you miss all the chances of passing on
particular gifts to your friends or favourite charities.

A solicitor can help you draw up a Will in any form you desire but these
notes are intended to give guidance if you wish to leave objects or money
to the National Railway Museum.

The Museum is always grateful to be considered as the recipient for a
collection and generous donations have helped to build the national railway
collection over the years. However, we reserve the right to decline objects
which duplicate existing holdings or which fall outside our collecting
policy.

Potential benefactors are encouraged to discuss the bequest in general
terms at an early stage with a Curator who can provide advice on the
museum's collections policies. A full description of all items to be
bequeathed should be made, which will help both the executors dealing with
the estate and the National Railway Museum.

If you propose to leave an object or a collection of items to the Museum
the preferred wording is:

I bequeath to the Board of Trustees of the Science Museum, upon trust for
the Nation and deposited in the collections of the National Railway Museum,
York, my …………….

In some instances you may be asked if the Museum may select items for your
collection for permanent preservation and dispose of other material to
another organisation or be sold to further the work of the Museum in other
ways.

If you intend to leave money to the Museum, the wording should be:

I bequeath to the Board of Trustees of the Science Museum for furthering
the aims and the objectives of the National Railway Museum, the sum of ………….

It is helpful if the Museum can have a copy for our files of that part of
your Will which specifically refers to any bequest and of any related list
of items.

You may also be interested to know that bequests in favour of the National
Railway Museum will qualify for inheritance tax relief as the Museum has
charitable status. Your solicitor should be able to advise you on how this
benefit is acquired or you could contact the Inland Revenue for the
relevant explanatory leaflet.

We thank you for supporting the work of the National Railway Museum which
relies on public funds earned income and donations to fulfil its role as
trustee of the National Railway Collection.





At 04:38 PM 1/30/02 -0000, Chris Jones wrote:
>Dear all,
>I've been asked to supply the wording for the will of someone who wishes
to leave her archive to us. Is there a standard paragraph somewhere that I
could draw upon?
>Many thanks for your help.
>Chris Jones
>National Resource Centre for Dance
>
>
====================================================
Richard Taylor
Curator, Archive Collections
National Railway Museum
Leeman Road
YORK YO26 4XJ
ENGLAND

Tel +44 (0)1904 686 289
Fax +44 (0)1904 611 112
Email [log in to unmask]
Website http://www.nrm.org.uk

The National Railway Museum is the European Museum of the Year 2001
=====================================================




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