The Walkers left an estate valued at £178,586 12s (equivalent to £21,235,022 in 2023) to be used to construct a new place of worship, which became St Mary's Cathedral, and to provide for other needs of the church.
The act was replaced in its role of governing the bequest by a 2019 declaration of trust and the trustees now comprise the bishop, dean, diocesan secretary and two others.
[1] The pair were wealthy spinsters who descended from William Walker, the son of a Scottish Episcopal Church clergyman and grandson of a tailor and burgess of Aberdeen.
[2]: 165–167 On Patrick's death in 1837 the office of White Rod as well as a large estate of land at Coates, Drumseugh and in the City of Edinburgh had come to Barbara and Mary Walker, daughters of William.
[1] The first £20,000 (equivalent to £2,378,120 in 2023) produced was directed to be spent to erect a 1,500-capacity Episcopal Church at Coates or Drumseugh which was to be "in a handsome and substantial style of architecture".
Further sums were allocated to pay for ministers and officers of the new church, to support other ministers of the Episcopal church in Edinburgh, for bursaries for the education of three young Episcopalian men "distinguished for talent, industry and good conduct", for the relief of the poor "inflicted with incurable disease", and for the maintenance of the vestry at the Episcopalian chapel in Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire.
The society brought a case before the Outer House of the Court of Session in March 1909 disputing the right of the trustees to collect fees when knights were appointed.
In 1902 the trustees successfully petitioned the Court of Claims to play a role in the coronation of Edward VII and Alexandra.
When the court found that the Lord Lyon King of Arms also had no real duties at the coronation beyond standing and waiting the decision was reversed and a representative of the trustees granted permission to attend.