SUMMONS AND CITATION, STANDARD LIFE ASSURANCE CO AGANST MRS S M BECKLES

Summons and Citation in the case of Standard Life Assurance Company against Mrs S M Beckles and others (including Septimus and Octavius Burt, the lawful sons and executors acting under will of the estate in England of the deceased Sir Archibald Paull Burt). Requiring defenders to appear before the Lords Council and Session in Edinburgh. Regarding a number of competing claims on the life insurance policy of the deceased Reverend Edward Hyndman Beckles, worth 1250 pounds plus an additional amount of 1,370 pounds, 18 shillings and 9 pence..

Comprising two documents pertaining to the case: a printed paper booklet (the Citation) and a smaller slip of paper affixed to the bottom of p. 7 of the booklet (the Summons).

Paper booklet with blind folio cover page “First Division// June 2, 1903// [Lord Low, Ordinary.” Cover page has foxing throughout and discolouration along central vertical fold. Horizontal central fold of booklet has tearing and folding at each end damaging all pages of document. The document opens to a spread grouping pages 2 and 3, the second page of document is the verso side of the cover page. Each page has justified text with a narrower border margin on spine side of page. Page numbers are located centrally at the top of text. Page 7 has a white rectangular signed copy slip of paper (the Summons) signed by Robert Gardiner, attached with an adhesive to the bottom of the page.

The slip of paper, marked 'Copy', is dated 5 June 1903 and is folded horizontally to not overhang outside of the document. The adhesive has browned and can be seen through the copy paper and verso side of page 7 which is a blank page. It has an impressed seal at top right and is the individual summons addressed to Septimus Burt to appear before the next Lords of Council and Session at Edinburgh for the matter detailed in the booklet on the fourteenth day after the date of the citation.

The name of a firm of London solicitors appear to have been handwritten in pencil on the top right of the first page of the booklet.