Wilson's papers for Bodleian
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Your support makes all the difference.Lord Wilson of Rievaulx, the former prime minister who died in May, has left pounds 490,992 in his will, published yesterday. Controversy over the role of Marcia Williams, his personal political secretary, followed him to the grave in a flurry of interest over a clause leaving "his political papers, correspondence, speeches and memoranda and all rights therein" to her, writes John Rentoul.
But it emerged that these personal papers are already being handed over to the Bodleian Library in Oxford "to be kept as part of the national heritage".
Diana Rawstron, of solicitors Goodman Derrick, acting for Lord Wilson's estate, said: "It's a superfluous provision of the will. The papers were handed over about five years ago to a charitable trust, and they are in the process of being transferred to the Bodleian."
Marcia Williams, now Lady Falkender, named as Lord Wilson's literary executrix, supervised the handover. She "does not get a penny of benefit from it", said Mrs Rawstron. Lord Wilson's wife Mary inherits the estate, which includes a flat in London and a house in Scilly.
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