Archers thread #185: Some farming would be nice. Discuss The Archers here.

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Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

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Over to you!

I thought it was clear she's got the same email. She's worried there's a mistake because she's getting so little.

Kate has definitely only got £278 too. She would never think a large bequest was a mistake, she's very entitled. It's hilarious that Peggy has done this. Where is the estate going?

Could be that she invested a sum of 5k in a specific account, to be split between grandchildren and great grandchildren, which has since had a bit of interest added.

@FortyElephants yes I think you are right but I can hold the hope until 7.03pm

I'd hope that (unless the estate is insolvent) there is more to come for Jennifer's children, otherwise it would be very unfair.

I actually enjoyed yesterday's episode. Back to the old TA.

I also actively want to hear tonight's which hasn't happened in a long time.

There's still Peggy's house to be valued and sold, post-probate, I think? Or was it sold to pay for the Laurels fees?

Loved hearing Brian and Tony just having a drink in the Bull.

She sold it - that's why Kate now lives with Brian.

I always imagined the Lodge to be a fair-sized “Dowager Duchess quality” building rather than a gatehouse that housed an estate worker. 3(?) bedrooms and a conservatory and a smart kitchen would probably go for £500-£700k as it is close to a train station and commutable to Birmingham etc. in what is now described as an attractive village, possibly more.

I don’t think her accountant would have just left her with a house and a couple of hundred thousand when she decided to set up the Trust.

Equally she would have been in touch with Lillian and Justin if she just had enough money left for a couple of weeks’ care home fees.

I reckon Brian would be fairly clued up about her wealth.

I hope the ramifications of the bequests rumble through the storylines for months; we certainly need some respite from the Beechwood crew(s)!

I feel the same. Good to have a storyline that hasn't just dropped in out of nowhere and which involves not only actual Archers but characters who we have known and who have evolved over decades.

And in which bloody boring Joy and Rochelle can't be involved!

The Lodge was the two-bedroomed lodge/gatehouse for a small estate. It gained another bedroom unexpectedly (and Keri Davies admitted as much) when the plot called for Ursula to stay there with Rob-and-Helen and Henry occupying the existing bedrooms.

This is not relevant to Peggy's estate, since she sold it to pay for the fees at The Laurels.

Synopsis for Sunday 31st December, 2023 "The Lodge is being cleared and cleaned to Peggy's ('exceedingly exacting', according to Lilian) standards by Brian, Lilian and Tony."

What is seriously impressive is that Peggy died on 8th May and her executors, an accountant and a solicitor, got information to her legatees in four working days! It took my father's solicitor, who held his will, three weeks to get round to telling us that she did.

If she had to sell the lodge to pay nursing home fees then she can’t have had much left elsewhere

I’m sure I remember a conversation between Peggy and Tony when she told him she wouldn’t be leaving anything to her children ‘because they didn’t need it’ but just to her grandchildren. He was very miffed because he felt he was much less well off than Lilian and Jennifer. Did I dream it??
I think Kate has been left a house where she has to live with Hilda and cater to her every whim, but at this stage hasn’t been told the Hilda part hence thinking there must be a mistake.

Asking, did you mean The Lodge? Surely Ursula stayed at Blossom Hill Cottage with Rob, Helen and Henry?

Blossom Hill Cottage was Peggy's before she married Jack Woolley.

It was BHC that got the extra bedroom for Ursula.

Yes, she sold it to Usha who rented it to Rob and Helen. Brian's there now, with Kate.

When it FIL died his will was reviewed the next day. There were specific amounts for some people and we knew there was sufficient cash to pay those. I don’t think they were told until ut was actually distributed though. So this might be the same. It is a very precise number though.

I did. Mea culpa. The Lodge was only ever two-bedroomed, because when Peggy invited Hazel to stay with her Kate had to clear out so Hazel could use her bedroom.

I liked many things about Peggy but loathed her weaponised deployment of her will. Partly because I had an aunt who used to do that - what are you supposed say when you're told "I'm leaving you these earrings in my will.'' ?

'Oh good, hurry up and die soon' ?

I obviously didn't play the game right because I never did get the earrings. Bitter, moi?

what are you supposed say when you're told "I'm leaving you these earrings in my will.'' ?
That's so thoughtful of you, Aunt. Thank you.

If I'd been Kate I'd have left even if The Lodge had had 20 bedrooms!

I probably did mumble something like that. Still didn't get the jooowels.

In most families, I'm sure that would be the best response. I suspect Dean's aunt was possibly the type of person to say pointedly something like 'I'm leaving you these earrings so you'll finally have to get your ears pierced after all these years of saying you don't fancy it!' with a sniff and/or a triumphant look.

You can have my earrings when I die @DeanElderberry .

M mum has a fabulous earring collections and was irritated for years that had created inheritance issues by not having pierced ears while my sister does. Luckily dd has pierced ears so my mum is now happy she can leave the jewels 50/50