National Lottery winner who scooped £11million dies after living like a hermit

13 December 2023 , 07:41

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Paul Maddison won the lottery in 1995 (Image: No credit)

A lottery winner who bagged a share of a huge £22million jackpot has died after living a secluded life in Scotland for years.

Paul Maddison, a former double-glazing firm boss, and his ex-business partner Mark Gardiner won a massive £22,590,829 back in 1995, splitting the winnings between themselves.

Paul, originally from Hastings in East Sussex, moved to Perth for a quieter life after the big win. However, his marriage to wife Ruth ended shortly after when she left him for another man. The lottery winner then moved into a luxury six-bedroom mansion - Lettertabor Lodge - and hired Evelyn McGillivary to clean it. The pair fell in love and tied the knot on a beach in Mauritius on Valentine's Day in 1997.

A representative for the Crown office and Procurator Fiscal Service told the Daily Record: "The Procurator Fiscal received a report in connection with the death of a 73-year-old man in Perth on 28 November 2023. Following investigation the Procurator Fiscal concluded no further action was required. The family have been informed."

Mark Gardiner and former business partner Paul Maddison (right) split the £22m jackpot in 1995 (PA)

After spending £10,000 on home improvements, he sold the property for £450,000 to a member of the Stagecoach tycoon family. The couple later bought Robgill Tower, a 16th-century property near Dumfries, for £650,000 and lived a 'reclusive' lifestyle there. Paul installed security cameras, remote-controlled gates and an intercom to screen visitors. Locals in the nearby village of Kirtlebridge said they rarely saw the couple outside their 40-acre estate.

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By 2008, Paul and Evelyn decided to sell the castle for £2.8m. Evelyn, a former florist, told the Daily Record at the time: "It has been a fabulous and very happy house but it has become too big for us. Sometimes we move bedrooms just for a change but really it's time for the next part of the dream and we want to downsize. We have done the big house thing. Now we want something more manageable.This house is lottery fantasy now. Maybe another winner will buy it."

After selling the castle, the couple moved back to the Perth and Kinross area. It is understood that Evelyn passed away earlier this year after a health battle. Earlier this year Mark didn't reveal if he still communicates with his former business partner and co-lottery winner. He shared that he was back at work after making a few poor investments.

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Sarah Vesty