The last chapter began as an enquiry into the specific relationships between women and property but ended as much more than that, for many of the property strategies used by and for women were, in practice, female preferences rather than limited to women. The use of ‘things’ to mark and affirm relationships and meanings, the aversion to real property, the importance of property as an income stream rather than absolute property and the use of trustees were all closely associated with women, but not specifically female in the sense that the loss of property rights in marriage or the claim to thirds and dower were female. Likewise, questions about the experience of women as they received trust based income was about more than women's experience and ability to make choices. The experience and ability to make choices within the trust relationship was only one aspect of the trust.

The importance of the limitations and protections of the trust for wealth holding has already been demonstrated. This chapter looks at the nature of the trust. This is about the economic history of ‘life after death’. The chapter will show how the trust worked in practice. Many lasted for a considerable length of time as both legal and economic entities. In many cases, there was no distinct boundary between the tasks of executor and trustee.