The will (dated April 12, 1875), with two codicils (dated May 22, 1876, and March 28, 1882, respectively), of the Mr. Arthur Wells, of Nottingham, solicitor, was proved on the 8th ult., in the Nottingham district Probate Office, by Mr. James Bingham Alliott and Mr. William Blankley Thorpe, the executors, the personalty being sworn under £140,000. The testator bequeaths his library at his house to the Congregational Institute, Nottingham, and any works of art belonging, to him that were at the time of his decease exhibiting at the South Kensington Museum he bequeaths to that museum. The entire residue of his estate and effects, both real and personal, is given to the trustees, upon trust, for sale. The will contains numerous charitable and other legacies, including £15,000 to the London Missionary Society, £5000 to the British and Foreign Bible Society, £2000 to the Religious Tract Society, £1000 to the Congregational Pastors Retiring Fund, £1000 to the Home for Sons and Orphans of Missionaries at Blackheath, £1000 to the School for the Daughters of Missionaries at Walthamstow, £200 to the Earlswood Asylum for Idiots; £300 to the Home for Little boys at Morton Kirby, Farningham; £200 to the Home for Boys under the superintendence of the Rev. Mr. Stephenson, near London; £300 to the Home for Boys under the care of Dr. Barnardo; £500 to the Orphan Institute at Bristol, under the care of Dr. Muller; £500 to the Provident Society for the Ministers of Notts, Derbyshire, and Leicestershire; £500 to the Nottingham General Hospital, £500 to the Nottingham Dispensary; £100 to the Lunatic Asylum at The Coppice, £2000 to the Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society; £300? to the deacons of Castlegate Chapel, Nottingham, the income of which is to be distributed yearly to the poor of the congregation; £2000 to Miss Burton's Almshouses on the Flood-road, Nottingham, £6000 to the Congregational Institute, Nottingham; and £1100 to each of the executors. All legacies to be paid free of legacy duty. Various annuities are given to relatives, and pecuniary legacies to some of his friends and to his clerks and servants. The residue of the estate is to be divided between the testator's nephews and nieces, the sons and daughters of his late brother, Henry Wells.
Source: The Illustrated London News, July 1, 1882, p.28