ORPHANAGE PART

That portion of an intestate’s effects which his children were entitled to by the custom of London. This custom appears to have been a remnant of what was once a general law all over England, namely, that a father should not by his will bequeath the entirety of his personal estate away from his family, but should leave them a third part at least, called the “children’s part,” corresponding to the “bairns’ part” or legitim of Scotch law, and also (although not in amount) to the legitima quarta of Roman law. (Inst 2, 18.) This custom of London was abolished by St. 19 & 20 Vict c. 94. Brown.