I suppose it can't be too unusual for someone to want to see their pets cared for after they have died, but it is unusual to find it being stipulated in their Will. I came across this little snippet from a local newspaper about an 85 year old woman who died in 1914. "She desired her residuary legatees to be kind to and to find the best home they can for her tortoise, which she had had since June 1845", when she would have been just 16.
Ellen Biddell was a wealthy lady. An estate of £14,097 in 1914 would today be worth in the region of £1.2 million using the retail price index as a comparison. She was unmarried and had lived with two of her sisters in Henley Road, Ipswich for many years before she ended up in a 9 room house, Violet Lodge, on the 1911 census with just her, a resident cook and a housemaid ..... and, of course, her tortoise !
Ellen Biddell was a wealthy lady. An estate of £14,097 in 1914 would today be worth in the region of £1.2 million using the retail price index as a comparison. She was unmarried and had lived with two of her sisters in Henley Road, Ipswich for many years before she ended up in a 9 room house, Violet Lodge, on the 1911 census with just her, a resident cook and a housemaid ..... and, of course, her tortoise !
The 1851 census shows 21 year old Ellen living with her parents and siblings plus various servants. They were obviously a successful farming family. The tortoise would have been at least 6 at this time but is not included on the census.
There is no record of how many years the tortoise outlived his / her loving owner, but they can live for in excess of 100 years. I hope her descendants found him a nice home to go to.
There is no record of how many years the tortoise outlived his / her loving owner, but they can live for in excess of 100 years. I hope her descendants found him a nice home to go to.