The Wills of two Marys

At PRONI there is an abstract of the Will of Mrs. Mary Elizabeth McIlhagga (n0 image) in which we learn her address at death, the place she died and the value of her effects which went to her husband. Mary Elizabeth was the second wife of John McIlhagga who according to her will was a retired baker when she died. I have written about this family in a blog of 8th June this year. John was one of the sons of John and Margaret (nee Douglas) McIlhagga who were buried at Templepatrick Old Graveyard, where Mary Elizabeth herself is also buried. Mary Elizabeth's Will was proved at Belfast Registry on 19 January 1940. There appears to be a four day discrepancy in her death-date, it being 15th November in the Will and 19th November on a Memorial Stone. The Full Abstract reads as follows:

McIlhagga Mary Elizabeth of 9 Grand Parade Belfast died 15 November 1939 at Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast Administration Belfast 19 January to John McIlhagga retired baker the husband. Effects £339. 11s. 8d.

The second Mary was born a McIlhagga on 28th June 1860, the eldest child of John and Elizabeth (nee McCullough) McIlhagga. She remained single through her long life, dying on 25th May 1940, aged 80. She appears to have left her effects, valued at over £900 to two of her siblings, her fourth brother, Robert who was a Coal Merchant and her younger sister Rebecca who was the widow of an engineer, Charles Kennett. Though on second thoughts perhaps these two acted as executors to the Will of which once again we have no image. Miss Mary McIlhagga's Will tells us that at the end of her life she lived at Whiteabbey, County Antrim. The Full Extract reads:

McIlhagga Mary of Newmarket Villas Whiteabbey county Antrim spinster died 25 May 1940 Probate Belfast 19 July to Robert McIlhagga coal merchant and Rebecca Kennet widow. Effects £923 18s. 7d.