Collections, Gifts & Bequests

Your personal living legacy...

It will be obvious to members that their books, papers, photographs, archive material, other records and artefacts relating to the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway will become increasingly important over the years. It is easy to take for granted that they will be well looked after, but sadly there have been cases where material has been destroyed or unwisely disposed of by relatives and others quite unaware of its intrinsic or financial value.

How can the Society help?

The Society's Management Committee strongly recommends to members that they make a will including specific instructions as to what should be done with books, papers, plans, maps, photographs, artefacts, their own notes and electronic records, etc and to whom they should pass on death.

The Society maintains collections of documents, maps, photographs, books and other items relating to the Lanky in pursuance of its objects as an educational charity and for the benefit of the membership. We welcome new additions to these collections.

Although the Society does not have physical premises of its own, collections are either in the care of nominated officers or deposited in recognised institutions (such as the Greater Manchester County Record Office). All collections are properly managed and housed in conditions intended to ensure their long-term preservation. Wherever possible, unique and historically important items are placed in appropriate depositories, although in all cases the Society retains ownership.

What about tax?

All gifts and bequests to a registered charity, such as The L&YR Society, are exempt from Inheritance Tax, whether made during the donor's life or in a will. This applies equally to cash or collections. By remembering the Society in your will you can help ensure the continuity of its work.
When giving a bequest in a will it is usual to adopt a form of words such as the following:

I give to The L&YR Society (Registered Charity number 1098492), whose Secretary for the time being is Martin Nield, 31 Enfield Close, Hilton, Derby, DE65 SHT, [insert details of the bequest here], together with such copyright and other intellectual property rights in such material as I have power to assign, and I declare that the receipt of the Secretary or Treasurer of the said Society shall be a full discharge of my Executors.

You should speak to your solicitor for more specific advice.

Identification of material bequeathed should be quite clear in the will or codicil, but it is not necessary to make a very detailed list including every item.

Can everything be kept together?

Bequests made with conditions binding recipients to certain courses of action may cause difficulties and can even result in the recipient not being able to accept them. For example, it is rarely possible to keep collections as separate physical entities in perpetuity.

In general the Society, in common with many other organisations, can accept only absolute gifts or bequests without strings attached. Book collections, for instance, often include items that are duplicates of existing stock. However, the Society will do its best to safeguard the interests and expressed wishes of the donor and to ensure that the provenance of individual items is recorded.

What about confidentiality?

The Society understands that some members who, while anxious to secure the ultimate destination of their collections, feel a reluctance to approach anyone outside of their own family on such a personal matter, though failure to do so may lead to difficulty in carrying out their wishes when they are no longer in a position to express them.

The Society is able to call upon a wide range of expertise and would be prepared to offer advice. Members contemplating making a gift or bequest are invited to contact the Secretary or other member of the committee with the assurance that any approach would be treated in confidence. Be assured that any information you disclose about your will, or the gift you have included in it for the Society, will be treated with respect and in the strictest confidence.

Time to give it some thought?

It is for prospective donors to decide whether material shall be transferred during their lifetime or as a bequest in their will. There is a practical value in carefully considering the disposition of items and discussing details with the intended recipient. This is particularly advisable in the case of large collections and those that include artefacts as well as documents and books.