Byline: MATT ROPER
BERNARD Matthews left most of his pounds 40.5million estate to his Dutch love child, his only blood heir, it emerged yesterday.
The turkey tycoon owned a 39% stake in Bernard Matthews Holdings Ltd when he died at the age of 80 last November.
In his will, which was published yesterday, he left 38% of the company to his son Frederick Elgershuizen, 29, who was born following an affair.
Frederick is now a larger share holder than Matthews' widow and childhood sweetheart, Joyce, 82, who owns 32%, and their three adopted children, Kathleen, Jason and Victoria.
Joyce, who Matthews married in 1953, helped build the business from its humble beginnings at Norfolk country house Great Witchingham Hall.
They separated in 1975 when Matthews began an eight-year relationship with Dutch aristocrat Cornelia Elgershuizen.
She gave birth to Frederick, who now lives in Holland and works as an internet entrepreneur.
In a company statement, Noel Bartram, Bernard Matthews' chief executive, said: "The company continues to be a family owned business, managed by its board in the interest of all the shareholders."
Matthews left the other 1% share in the firm to his former assistant Carolyn Claussen. He also left pounds 1million to his long-term partner Odile Marteyn.
The Bernard Matthews brand became a household name, with the catchphrase "bootiful" on adverts.
CAPTION(S):
WILL Bernard Matthews
No comments:
Post a Comment