0:00:02 > 0:00:09Heir Hunters spend their lives tracking down families of people who have died without leaving a will.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13They hand over thousands of pounds to long-lost relatives.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17Could they be knocking at your door?
0:00:32 > 0:00:37On today's programme, the Heir Hunters bring news of a hidden past.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41- You didn't know your father had brothers or sisters?- No.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45- He didn't speak about anybody? - No. He never spoke of anybody.
0:00:45 > 0:00:51- By introducing one woman to a family she never knew she had.- Fabulous!
0:00:51 > 0:00:58And why you should leave a will - how a man with a £1 million fortune narrowly escaped a pauper's funeral.
0:00:58 > 0:01:03This man had got a medal for the things that he had done.
0:01:03 > 0:01:10Yet they were prepared to take all his money and bury him in a plain coffin without any ceremony.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14And I thought that he didn't deserve that.
0:01:14 > 0:01:19Plus a list of unclaimed estates worth nearly half a million pounds.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Could you know anyone on the list?
0:01:29 > 0:01:35Every year in Britain, over 300,000 people die without leaving a will.
0:01:35 > 0:01:42When no family is found, their money goes to the government. That's when the heir-hunting companies step in.
0:01:42 > 0:01:46Using birth, death and marriage records,
0:01:46 > 0:01:52they race each other to be the first to track down any relatives entitled to inherit.
0:01:52 > 0:01:58- Who do you think? Lily or Ruby? - Fraser & Fraser is the largest firm of Heir Hunters in the country.
0:01:58 > 0:02:04In its 30-year history, the company has tracked down over 50,000 heirs
0:02:04 > 0:02:08entitled to a whopping sum of over £100 million.
0:02:08 > 0:02:14It's 7am on a cold Thursday morning at Fraser & Fraser's central London office.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17Partner Neil Fraser arrives long before sun-up.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20It's a crucial day for the company
0:02:20 > 0:02:26as every Thursday, the Treasury releases its list of unclaimed estates.
0:02:26 > 0:02:32It's always a tense time as the staff will race against other companies to find the missing heirs.
0:02:32 > 0:02:40The team investigates several cases at once. Neil goes through the list deciding which ones to pursue.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44- West Derby?- That's the Atkins. - Death in Sutton?
0:02:44 > 0:02:46One has caught his eye.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49The deceased is Rose Lillian Atkins.
0:02:49 > 0:02:55She dies on the 1st of January, 2006, so New Year's Day, 2006.
0:02:55 > 0:03:00That's registered in Carshalton in Surrey. We know she's a spinster.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03But that's as far as we've got.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07Rose Atkins was 85 years old when she died.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11A spinster with no children, she kept herself to herself.
0:03:11 > 0:03:16Neil has found the value of the estate on the Bona Vacantia list.
0:03:16 > 0:03:21It's £33,000, so it's pretty small for us. It's near our lower limit.
0:03:21 > 0:03:28But we've still got to do everything exactly the same as if it was three, four, five million.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31Neil wants to find out more about the case.
0:03:31 > 0:03:36He searches for the name Rose Atkins on the Land Registry records.
0:03:36 > 0:03:43Although she died in Carshalton, there is a flat registered under her name in South London.
0:03:46 > 0:03:52They need to find Rose's family connections before any competing Heir Hunters.
0:03:52 > 0:03:58So Neil asks Senior Case Manager Tony Pledger to take the lead in the hunt for Rose's heirs.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01We covered it all yesterday.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05If he can't find it, that's not my problem, is it?
0:04:05 > 0:04:11But Tony, for all his 28 years' experience in heir hunting, has never got used to the mornings.
0:04:16 > 0:04:23I take it first thing in the morning on a Thursday. Tony won't be looking forward to anything!
0:04:23 > 0:04:30But when we get on a roll and start producing bits of research for him, then I'm sure he'll cheer up a bit.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34That's all very well, but Tony has to get going soon
0:04:34 > 0:04:39if they're to find Rose's family connections before the competition.
0:04:39 > 0:04:45Over the years, Frasers have built up a huge library of birth, death and marriage records.
0:04:45 > 0:04:50They aim to find all they can about Rose Atkins to build a family tree.
0:04:50 > 0:04:56By breaking it down generation by generation, they will see who she's related to
0:04:56 > 0:04:59and who's in line to inherit.
0:05:01 > 0:05:08Neil uses Rose's age when she died to work out the year of her birth - 1921.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Using their basic birth records, he does a search
0:05:11 > 0:05:17and finds two Rose Atkins, both born in the northwest of England.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19The birth he's got is plain "Rose".
0:05:19 > 0:05:24- She died plain "Rose".- Yes, but she's on the list as "Rose Lillian".
0:05:24 > 0:05:27And something else is puzzling Neil.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30The deceased dies in Sutton
0:05:30 > 0:05:35and both the birth in December 1921, which is plain "Rose",
0:05:35 > 0:05:41and March 1922, which is "Rose L", they're both in West Derby which is a long way from Sutton.
0:05:42 > 0:05:50This is odd because the first rule of heir hunting is that people often die near to where they were born.
0:05:50 > 0:05:57- If you're living in Clapham, why do you die in Carshalton?- You're out on a bus and you get run over.
0:05:57 > 0:06:03While Tony gets into the frame of mind to face the day, Neil continues the research.
0:06:03 > 0:06:08At the moment, they have the record of two Roses born around 1921
0:06:08 > 0:06:12and both registered in the West Derby area of Liverpool.
0:06:12 > 0:06:19They need those birth certificates to ensure they have the right Rose and to find out her parents' names.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23They need someone to get up to Liverpool fast.
0:06:24 > 0:06:30Fortunately, Fraser & Fraser have more than just a dedicated team of researchers.
0:06:30 > 0:06:37They employ a squad of experienced travellers who spend every Thursday chasing the clues on the ground.
0:06:37 > 0:06:43Senior Case Manager David Pacifico calls Birmingham-based Paul Matthews to get on the road
0:06:43 > 0:06:47to Liverpool to be ready to collect any certificates.
0:06:47 > 0:06:54Can you go up to Liverpool Register Office and see if you can pick up Rose Atkins' birth?
0:06:54 > 0:06:58- Yeah, lovely(!)- I know, Liverpool are very difficult.
0:06:58 > 0:07:03Paul is not happy about facing a two-hour journey on the M6.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06The family come from West Derby up in Liverpool,
0:07:06 > 0:07:11so I'm on a car park called the motorway just heading up north.
0:07:11 > 0:07:16Although Rose died in Carshalton nearly 250 miles to the south,
0:07:16 > 0:07:23there's a good chance she may still have family near where she was born in Liverpool or the West Derby area.
0:07:23 > 0:07:29Normally, Liverpool would be covered by my colleague Dave in Manchester, but he's abandoned me.
0:07:29 > 0:07:34For some strange reason, he wanted to go to Tenerife for a fortnight(!)
0:07:34 > 0:07:38I'd rather stop here and do this, I don't think!
0:07:40 > 0:07:45Neil is trying his luck with the Sutton Register Office in Surrey.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49Good morning. Is Marian still superintendent there?
0:07:49 > 0:07:53It covers the district where Rose's death is registered.
0:07:53 > 0:07:59He's sent Bob Smith to collect the certificate, but it could be an hour before he gets there.
0:07:59 > 0:08:04You don't accept credit cards or anything, do you? It's cash only?
0:08:04 > 0:08:09Although he can't pay over the phone, Neil hopes some sweet talk
0:08:09 > 0:08:14will save him precious minutes in the race to get information on Rose.
0:08:14 > 0:08:21My colleague's on his way out there, but can you give me any details before he pays for it?
0:08:21 > 0:08:23You're not allowed to.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27But Neil can't afford to take no for an answer.
0:08:28 > 0:08:34While he perseveres, Bob Smith is on his way to pick up the certificate.
0:08:34 > 0:08:41As Lambeth is en route to Sutton, he's made a short stop in a desperate bid for more information.
0:08:41 > 0:08:45This is the address where our deceased lived till two years ago,
0:08:45 > 0:08:50so I'll try the neighbours and ask what they know about her family.
0:08:50 > 0:08:56Rose died alone, but her neighbours may have seen her with family.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00This kind of legwork can produce surprising results.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04But on this occasion, it's all come to nothing.
0:09:04 > 0:09:10I've tried all the houses next to where our deceased lived and nobody seems to be in,
0:09:10 > 0:09:17so there's not really a lot I can do now. We'll just go and pick up the death certificate.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20The Heir Hunters really need a break here.
0:09:20 > 0:09:27Rose Atkins must have come from somewhere and they need that death certificate to fill in the blanks.
0:09:27 > 0:09:34Coming up - is Paul going in the right direction? And if he is, will he ever get to his destination?
0:09:34 > 0:09:38It's been three hours and we're still not there.
0:09:38 > 0:09:43And a cautionary tale - how a man who left a million pound fortune
0:09:43 > 0:09:47faced the indignity of a pauper's funeral.
0:09:47 > 0:09:53It was suggested that his funeral would be quick and he would be in a pauper's grave.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57We were shocked and horrified and didn't want this to happen.
0:10:01 > 0:10:07Heir Hunters put the puzzle of missing family members together piece by piece,
0:10:07 > 0:10:11but there are often parts of the picture that don't add up.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15Maybe you can help find the missing links.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19Kathleen Marian Coomer died in Dartmouth, Devon, aged 79 years.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22She passed away in February 2006,
0:10:22 > 0:10:25leaving a huge estate of £300,000.
0:10:25 > 0:10:32Are you related to Kathleen? Could you be in line to inherit the fortune she left behind?
0:10:32 > 0:10:37William Arthur Kerridge died in Canterbury in March 2005, aged 96.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40He passed away leaving no known relatives
0:10:40 > 0:10:43and an estate of £60,000.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47Do you know William Kerridge? Should his money go to you?
0:10:47 > 0:10:52Richard Douglas's death was registered in Hammersmith, London.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55He was 74 when he died. He left behind £33,000.
0:10:55 > 0:11:00Are you part of Richard's family? Do you know someone who is?
0:11:00 > 0:11:03If you think you may know any of these people
0:11:03 > 0:11:07or someone who may be entitled to their money,
0:11:07 > 0:11:12please look at our website for details on what to do next.
0:11:25 > 0:11:33The Heir Hunters are pursuing the case of Rose Atkins who died leaving £33,000 and no apparent heirs.
0:11:33 > 0:11:38They are not having much luck in finding any information about Rose.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42I've tried all the houses next to where our deceased lived
0:11:42 > 0:11:46and nobody seems to be in, so there's not a lot I can do.
0:11:46 > 0:11:53Neil thinks she may have been born in Liverpool and has dispatched Paul in the hope his research is right.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55Running round getting nowhere fast.
0:11:55 > 0:12:03Neil is trying to get information from Rose's death certificate from the Sutton Register Office by phone.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07They've refused to issue the details without payment,
0:12:07 > 0:12:11so Neil lays his cards on the table. Will they help him out?
0:12:11 > 0:12:15The problem we've got is we think she dies in Carshalton,
0:12:15 > 0:12:21but the birth we've found is in West Derby, which is Liverpool,
0:12:21 > 0:12:27so we want to sort of see if we've got the right birth really before we...
0:12:28 > 0:12:32She was born in Liverpool. OK, that is good news.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36That's fantastic news. It confirms Neil's predictions
0:12:36 > 0:12:42and it means they've got Paul Matthews heading in the right direction.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46But there is one small cloud on Neil's horizon.
0:12:46 > 0:12:51Whereas most registry offices we can get stuff within 24 hours,
0:12:51 > 0:12:55Liverpool we find that we can be waiting weeks and weeks.
0:12:55 > 0:13:00But Frasers need the information today to solve the case
0:13:00 > 0:13:04and get to the heirs ahead of the competition.
0:13:04 > 0:13:10The office is counting on Paul to charm his way into the good books in Liverpool, if he gets there on time!
0:13:10 > 0:13:15Well, it's been three hours and we're still not there.
0:13:15 > 0:13:21We've got a mile to go. Very, very slow progress. Very frustrating.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25Lots of traffic, so it's been a bad start to the day.
0:13:25 > 0:13:31While Paul faces bad traffic and tricky negotiations with the Liverpool Register Office,
0:13:31 > 0:13:35Neil has been getting on with the detective work.
0:13:35 > 0:13:42Now he knows that Rose was born in Liverpool, he wants to see if he can get any clues about her parents.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46He comes up with something that could help crack the case.
0:13:46 > 0:13:53Although we still haven't found the parents' marriage, we have identified a child born in 1916.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57This child is a Maude MF Atkins.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00She was born in June quarter in 1916,
0:14:00 > 0:14:03also in West Derby, Liverpool.
0:14:03 > 0:14:10It leads us to conclude that we're dealing with siblings here, with Maude and Rose being sisters.
0:14:10 > 0:14:15Using an inspired piece of deduction, Neil has made a calculated guess,
0:14:15 > 0:14:22based on the fact that Maude Atkins is the right age to be a sibling and was also born in West Derby.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25Maude should be their first heir,
0:14:25 > 0:14:31but Neil's discovered that she was married to a Thomas Kellett and passed away 25 years ago.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35So if that's right, she dies in 1983 in Liverpool.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39So we'll see if they had any children from the marriage.
0:14:39 > 0:14:46Or if those children are still alive or the husband's still alive or someone may have known Maude.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49We've got another area to look for.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53It's a great lead and there's a lot riding on this.
0:14:53 > 0:14:59Tony looks up the Liverpool phone directory and finds a Thomas Kellett
0:14:59 > 0:15:03but did he have a sister-in-law called Rose Atkins?
0:15:03 > 0:15:08We've found the birth record of your wife Maude Atkins in 1916
0:15:08 > 0:15:14and of course you were married in 1951. Now, I think your wife passed away in '83?
0:15:14 > 0:15:19Did she have any siblings at all? Any brothers and sisters?
0:15:19 > 0:15:21Rose? Right, OK.
0:15:21 > 0:15:28That's good news. They've found a connection, but will he find any potential heirs?
0:15:28 > 0:15:35In Sutton, Bob Smith's visit to the Register Office has revealed an important piece of the puzzle.
0:15:35 > 0:15:43As I suspected, the reason she hadn't died in Lambeth is she's actually died in hospital in Carshalton.
0:15:43 > 0:15:50Deaths are always registered in the area where someone dies. This shows Rose no longer lived in Lambeth.
0:15:50 > 0:15:55In fact, she spent her final years in this rest home in Carshalton.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01In the office, Tony is still on the phone to Mr Kellett in Liverpool.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05He's found the family, but are there any heirs?
0:16:05 > 0:16:08Did your wife have any children?
0:16:08 > 0:16:13Yeah, your daughter Jean, she would be an entitled heir,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16being a child of your wife, you see.
0:16:16 > 0:16:21It's a major breakthrough. The Heir Hunters have found their first heir.
0:16:21 > 0:16:26The phone call has confirmed that Rose did have a sister called Maude.
0:16:26 > 0:16:32She died in 1983, but daughter Jean, Rose's niece, is alive and well.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35Would you have a work number for her?
0:16:35 > 0:16:39Mr Kellett has not only told Tony about his daughter Jean,
0:16:39 > 0:16:44but filled in a few more blanks on the Rose Atkins family tree.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48Rose's parents were Henry Atkins and Maude Nicolas.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53They had four children - Henry born in 1909, John born in 1911,
0:16:53 > 0:16:57Maude in 1916 and Rose Lillian born in 1921.
0:16:57 > 0:17:04But while the Heir Hunters now have all this information, there's a whole new set of riddles to solve.
0:17:04 > 0:17:10It seems as if this family, like so many of those the Heir Hunters deal with,
0:17:10 > 0:17:13is a casualty of a bitter family feud.
0:17:13 > 0:17:20So he's lost touch with them and he doesn't know a great deal about them and he probably doesn't want to. OK?
0:17:20 > 0:17:27- Right, Neil...- Congratulations. Have a can of chicken soup. - Thanks ever so much.
0:17:27 > 0:17:33A family fall-out means the Heir Hunters aren't just looking for heirs entitled to money.
0:17:33 > 0:17:40They may be people who know nothing of aunts, uncles and cousins. It sheds a whole new light on the case.
0:17:40 > 0:17:47The pressure is on to find Rose's siblings Henry and John and get them signed up before rival companies.
0:17:47 > 0:17:52And they still have to make contact with Maude's daughter Jean.
0:17:52 > 0:17:59We've got to try and figure out where the niece of the deceased works. She works in a benefit agency.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02Coming up - so near, yet so far.
0:18:02 > 0:18:08The race is on to track down Rose's heirs, but will Tony be able to get through?
0:18:08 > 0:18:11Of course there's a problem!
0:18:11 > 0:18:16Will family disputes thwart Frasers' attempt to track down heirs?
0:18:16 > 0:18:21- Do you know anything about Henry? - Nobody knows anything about Henry.
0:18:25 > 0:18:3060 miles south of London in the sleepy town of Burgess Hill
0:18:30 > 0:18:34is a rather different heir-hunting organisation.
0:18:34 > 0:18:41- If you rang the post office, they'd tell you who he was.- I'll do that. - Today?- Yes.- Thank you very much.
0:18:41 > 0:18:47Husband and wife Charles and Mary Teviot run their his-and-hers probate research company
0:18:47 > 0:18:49from two bedrooms in their home.
0:18:49 > 0:18:54Funny thing this morning, you can hear me and I can't hear you.
0:18:54 > 0:18:59A wardrobe doubles up as their national records archive.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02- Can you find it?- No, not yet.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05And they're not your average Heir Hunters.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09Charles and Mary are a Lord and Lady, but don't advertise it.
0:19:09 > 0:19:16I wouldn't suddenly say I'm Lady Teviot on the telephone. And Charlie wouldn't say he's Lord Teviot.
0:19:16 > 0:19:24They acquired their title through Charles's father who was made a hereditary peer in 1940.
0:19:24 > 0:19:31My father was born in May '74 and Winston Churchill was born on St Andrew's Day, November 30th, '74.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35They knew each other for most of their lives, I think.
0:19:35 > 0:19:40Charles and Mary have been tracking down heirs for 30 years,
0:19:40 > 0:19:44but they usually research cases under £40,000.
0:19:44 > 0:19:52My policy is to do old cases of fairly low value, so hopefully we don't get competition.
0:19:52 > 0:19:59But three years ago, Charles stumbled upon a million pound case that was just too hard to resist.
0:19:59 > 0:20:0480-year-old Peter Eberall died at his home in Hassocks, Sussex.
0:20:06 > 0:20:13Peter was one of many brave men who went to the beaches of Normandy and took part in the Allied invasion.
0:20:13 > 0:20:18For services to his country, he was awarded the British Empire Medal.
0:20:18 > 0:20:22Later, he worked as an accountant for London Transport
0:20:22 > 0:20:29and through a lifetime of astute saving and frugal living, he left behind an estate worth £1 million.
0:20:29 > 0:20:34But Peter never got round to writing a will and with no known relatives,
0:20:34 > 0:20:39the Eberall case seemed destined for the government's Bona Vacantia list.
0:20:39 > 0:20:46But as the Teviots used to live in Hassocks, Charles was called upon by a mutual friend, Simon Strange,
0:20:46 > 0:20:51to try to track down heirs before the case went to the Treasury.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55After Peter had died, I realised that he had not made a will,
0:20:55 > 0:21:02so I did suggest that I could get in touch with Charles Teviot to see if they could trace his ancestry.
0:21:02 > 0:21:10This was a head start as it usually takes months for probate researchers to hear about unclaimed estates.
0:21:10 > 0:21:14He was well placed to find heirs before his competitors.
0:21:14 > 0:21:17Once in a blue moon, this happens
0:21:17 > 0:21:23when a really big case comes up and people know that you are interested.
0:21:23 > 0:21:28The poor fellow was hardly cold, or not cold,
0:21:28 > 0:21:34and one felt, "This is a bit awkward." One's becoming more of an ambulance chaser, you know!
0:21:34 > 0:21:42But still, it's their business, and it would have been very nice to have had a slice of that.
0:21:42 > 0:21:50But Charles's potential gain was a loss for one of Peter's closest friends, Tony Belching.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52Peter's death came as a shock.
0:21:52 > 0:21:58One of his neighbours noticed his curtains hadn't been drawn. This was unusual.
0:21:58 > 0:22:04Eventually she went round to see him and couldn't get in, the door was locked.
0:22:04 > 0:22:10Eventually, they got a policeman, I think - I'm not quite sure about anybody else -
0:22:10 > 0:22:15to open the door and they found him semi-conscious lying in bed.
0:22:15 > 0:22:22They called an ambulance. He was obviously ill. They wheeled him off into hospital,
0:22:22 > 0:22:26but by that time it was too late to save him.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28He died of heart failure, basically.
0:22:28 > 0:22:34Even though they were good friends, Tony had no idea that Peter had been a rich man.
0:22:34 > 0:22:41To be frank, I was quite surprised to learn that he was, in fact, comparatively wealthy.
0:22:41 > 0:22:46He lived very simply. He cooked for himself, looked after himself.
0:22:46 > 0:22:54He lived alone. And his house was, to say the least of it, a little bit dusty.
0:22:54 > 0:23:01With no known relatives, the task of going through Peter's belongings fell to neighbour Sue Porter.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05Our first concern was to try to find a will,
0:23:05 > 0:23:08which proved absolutely impossible.
0:23:08 > 0:23:14We did have the keys for a period of time, we searched the house.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17And could find absolutely nothing.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22When we were looking through papers, there were three suitcases.
0:23:22 > 0:23:28In one of them were his father's papers and documents and a copy of his will.
0:23:28 > 0:23:33In another one there was a copy of his mother's will and her papers.
0:23:33 > 0:23:39And in the third one was his aunt's papers and her will.
0:23:39 > 0:23:44The very fact that we can't find Peter's is just unbelievable.
0:23:44 > 0:23:52Although they couldn't find a will, there was a passion in Peter's life that could have benefited.
0:23:52 > 0:23:58Ironically, the night before he died, he'd said where he wanted some of his money to go.
0:23:58 > 0:24:05And the biggest thing he wanted done was his money to go to the Sussex County Cricket Club
0:24:05 > 0:24:11and, we understand, for a scoreboard. I'm not quite sure what this involves,
0:24:11 > 0:24:14but they cost a great deal of money.
0:24:16 > 0:24:25Tony Belching knew about Peter's commitment to the club, as did club archivist Rob Boddie.
0:24:27 > 0:24:35- He was a life member, wasn't he? - Oh, yes. It was almost his home from home during the summer season.
0:24:35 > 0:24:41Had he lived, I'm pretty sure that he would have done something about the scoreboard.
0:24:41 > 0:24:47All county cricket clubs struggle for finance, so it would have been most welcome. A great pity.
0:24:47 > 0:24:53Mind you, it just goes to show that if you do make a will, it makes itself felt.
0:24:53 > 0:24:59With Peter's fortune destined to go to the Treasury, Charles Teviot continued to scour the archives
0:24:59 > 0:25:02in the hope of finding an heir.
0:25:02 > 0:25:08One worked his family tree in the normal way and looked for the marriage of his parents.
0:25:08 > 0:25:14I knew he had no brothers or sisters, but nevertheless checked a few years
0:25:14 > 0:25:20in case, as you find in some families, there was an estrangement or people get forgotten.
0:25:20 > 0:25:25Knew he hadn't been married, but checked to be sure.
0:25:25 > 0:25:30In fact, E-B-E-R-A-L-L, he was the only one in the whole country.
0:25:30 > 0:25:35Now there are none. It is one of those lines that has rather bred out.
0:25:35 > 0:25:41And there was another tragic consequence to being the end of the family line.
0:25:41 > 0:25:47As there were no relatives and no will, the council took over Peter's funeral arrangements.
0:25:47 > 0:25:54It had been suggested that his funeral would be quick and he would be in a pauper's grave.
0:25:54 > 0:25:59We were quite shocked and horrified about this and didn't want it.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03Sue was determined to do something about this.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05There was an address book.
0:26:05 > 0:26:10We managed to write to everybody in that address book.
0:26:10 > 0:26:15Peter's community clubbed together to pay for a decent send off for their friend.
0:26:15 > 0:26:20At his funeral, we had over 60 people attend.
0:26:20 > 0:26:26So we feel we did the right thing. The pauper's funeral would have been absolutely terrible.
0:26:26 > 0:26:33With no relatives around, it fell to Tony to write Peter's obituary for the church magazine.
0:26:33 > 0:26:38He was a keen follower of Sussex County Cricket Club, as am I.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40He was aged 80 when he died.
0:26:40 > 0:26:48He was not himself a churchgoer, but I am sure the trumpets will sound for him on the other side.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03Still saddened by it.
0:27:04 > 0:27:10His friends may have saved him from a pauper's grave, but with no will, they couldn't save his fortune.
0:27:10 > 0:27:17I think Peter would have been horrified if he'd known his whole estate went to the government.
0:27:17 > 0:27:22So probably the Treasury would have over a million.
0:27:22 > 0:27:28It's hard to believe that a man with a million pounds nearly got buried without ceremony,
0:27:28 > 0:27:34but without a will, every penny has to go to the Treasury.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38This man got a medal for the things he had done,
0:27:38 > 0:27:44yet they were prepared to take all his money and bury him in a plain coffin without any ceremony much
0:27:44 > 0:27:48and I thought that he didn't deserve that.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02When an inheritance comes out of the blue, it can change a life.
0:28:02 > 0:28:06Could you be due to come into some money?
0:28:06 > 0:28:12Richard John Henry Powell passed away in Redditch in 2005 at the age of 67.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15He left an estate valued at £24,000.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19Did you know Richard Powell or anyone related to him?
0:28:19 > 0:28:24Theresa Hirschberg died in Finchley, North London. She was 94.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28When she passed away, she left £17,000.
0:28:28 > 0:28:33Are you part of Theresa's family? Are you in line to inherit her cash?
0:28:33 > 0:28:40Do you know of Ethel Roberts? She passed away in July, 2004, in Tipton at the age of 95 years,
0:28:40 > 0:28:45leaving £15,000, which hasn't been claimed by family.
0:28:45 > 0:28:50If you're related to any of these people, you may inherit their money.
0:28:50 > 0:28:55For further information, take a look at our website:
0:28:55 > 0:28:57Follow the details there.
0:29:04 > 0:29:12It's Fraser and Fraser's business to track down heirs to unclaimed estates to give their inheritances.
0:29:12 > 0:29:18Today, senior case manager Tony Pledge has been glued to the phone trying to find their first heir,
0:29:18 > 0:29:23the niece of Rose Atkins, who left a £33,000 estate.
0:29:23 > 0:29:30I'm in London and I've been put through to you by half a dozen calls, so I don't know who I'm talking to!
0:29:32 > 0:29:36After finding out that she worked in a benefit office in Liverpool,
0:29:36 > 0:29:40he had systematically gone through the phone book and each centre.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42Too much like hard work!
0:29:45 > 0:29:50As Tony's scant patience is wearing thin, Paul arrives in Liverpool,
0:29:50 > 0:29:57steeling himself for the Register Office. He needs them to confirm they're researching the right family
0:29:57 > 0:30:02and he needs it today, but is that going to happen?
0:30:02 > 0:30:06- We have three districts. - West Derby.
0:30:06 > 0:30:11I thought I was going to Derby at the crack of dawn!
0:30:11 > 0:30:17- Always well-mannered, Paul outdoes himself with politeness here. - We'll pay for it, right or wrong.
0:30:17 > 0:30:21But will the staff be as fast as they are pleasant?
0:30:21 > 0:30:26- If you'd like to wait... - I'll leave you to deal with it.- OK.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29Thank you very much. Cheers.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32Money paid, it's now a waiting game.
0:30:36 > 0:30:42Back at Frasers, Tony's hard work pays off - he finds the niece.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44Sorry to bother you...
0:30:44 > 0:30:50- But she's on the phone. - If she could give me a phone back in the next hour or so, it'd be super.
0:30:50 > 0:30:56There's plenty to keep him busy while he waits for the call back.
0:30:56 > 0:31:03From his earlier call to Thomas Kellett, Tony knows that Rose's brother John Atkins died in 1988,
0:31:03 > 0:31:07leaving three children - John, Beryl and David.
0:31:07 > 0:31:13He now calls John Atkins' wife, also named Beryl, for some more information.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16- Hello?- Sorry to trouble you. Is that Beryl?
0:31:16 > 0:31:23Would you be the wife of Mr John Atkins or his sister? He might have a sister Beryl.
0:31:23 > 0:31:29- I'm hoping your husband would be an entitled heir.- And suddenly Tony's surrounded by heirs!
0:31:29 > 0:31:34I've got another call coming in. Can I call you back in a few minutes?
0:31:34 > 0:31:36Would that be OK?
0:31:36 > 0:31:44Rose's niece Jean has returned his call. She's set to get a third of her aunt's £33,000 estate.
0:31:44 > 0:31:52You are an only child, I assume? You're entitled to all of what your mother would have been entitled to.
0:31:52 > 0:31:58But, unfortunately for Tony, Jean doesn't want to sign up with Frasers immediately.
0:31:58 > 0:32:03We hoped to see her tonight, but she doesn't want anybody coming.
0:32:03 > 0:32:09Jean hadn't heard from her aunt in many years and is now a little overwhelmed by news of her death.
0:32:09 > 0:32:14She has said she needs time to take the information in.
0:32:14 > 0:32:20To make matters worse, Paul is still no nearer to getting those certificates.
0:32:20 > 0:32:22Leaving empty-handed isn't an option.
0:32:22 > 0:32:27After not securing an appointment to sign the first Atkins heir,
0:32:27 > 0:32:32pressure is on to sign up the heirs on the John Atkins branch of the family tree.
0:32:32 > 0:32:36Tony phones John's wife, also named Beryl.
0:32:36 > 0:32:40Could you recollect anything about Uncle Henry that...?
0:32:40 > 0:32:47She's told him a little bit more about the family, but there's still one piece of the puzzle missing.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51He seems to be a bit of a bloke. Nobody knows much about him.
0:32:51 > 0:32:56Beryl has confirmed that no one knows where Rose's brother Henry is.
0:32:56 > 0:33:02Would it be possible for somebody to come and see your husband at about half past 12?
0:33:02 > 0:33:04Would that be OK?
0:33:04 > 0:33:09On the upside, Tony puts some appointments in the diary for Paul,
0:33:09 > 0:33:13if he's not still at the Register Office, that is!
0:33:13 > 0:33:18- So we got lucky.- Very lucky there. - Absolutely brilliant. Thank you.
0:33:18 > 0:33:23It's a result. Paul's finally got what he came to Liverpool to get.
0:33:23 > 0:33:29The birth certificate confirms the names of Rose's parents and that their information is correct.
0:33:29 > 0:33:36As soon as he's back at the car, he gets the news that his long day is about to get longer.
0:33:36 > 0:33:43- I've got an arrangement for you to see a nephew of John in the Wirral.- Yeah.
0:33:43 > 0:33:48And then swing over to see Beryl, that's his sister,
0:33:48 > 0:33:54and she lives in...Windsford - not a million miles away - at three o'clock.
0:33:54 > 0:34:00Even with the appointments, they can't rest on their laurels until the heirs sign on the dotted line.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03Paul needs to get to the Wirral.
0:34:03 > 0:34:11In the London office, Gareth Langford has found their first piece of information about Rose's brother,
0:34:11 > 0:34:17the elusive Henry. He now has to cross-reference birth and marriage data to see if Henry had children.
0:34:17 > 0:34:23I've come across a Julia E Atkins, born in Southport in 1944.
0:34:23 > 0:34:27That looks to be a daughter of Henry and Margaret.
0:34:27 > 0:34:34Next step is find the marriages and see if we can find her around. It would be good to talk to her.
0:34:34 > 0:34:40While Gareth continues the research, Paul has finally arrived at John Atkins' house.
0:34:40 > 0:34:46John is Rose's nephew. His share of her £33,000 estate is more than £3,000.
0:34:46 > 0:34:52Paul needs him to sign up to Frasers if they are to help pursue his claim.
0:34:52 > 0:34:56Mr Atkins? Paul Matthews. Nice to meet you.
0:34:56 > 0:35:02John hasn't seen Rose in many years and doesn't know much about her. Paul verified his details.
0:35:02 > 0:35:07- What's your full name, please? - John Louis - L-O-U-I-S - Atkins.
0:35:07 > 0:35:12The date you got married? Better get this right! No looking!
0:35:12 > 0:35:16- The seventh of the ninth... Was it '64?- 1963.
0:35:16 > 0:35:211963. I knew it was somewhere about then!
0:35:21 > 0:35:23He was only a year out!
0:35:23 > 0:35:29Having signed on the dotted line, this windfall will mean a lot to John and Beryl.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32We might have a holiday.
0:35:32 > 0:35:39Because we've got a caravan in Wales, we haven't been to Spain for a number of years, you know.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43So we might do that with the spare cash.
0:35:43 > 0:35:50Whilst Paul's been with John and Beryl, there have been some developments in the office.
0:35:50 > 0:35:57They've located the daughter of Henry. As Rose's niece, Judith is an entitled heir.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01Tony gets her number through Directory Inquiries.
0:36:01 > 0:36:07If I can make arrangements for someone to come and see you at 9.30 tomorrow,
0:36:07 > 0:36:12at your home in Maidenhead, hopefully we can take it from there? Is that OK?
0:36:12 > 0:36:18It's approaching three o'clock. Frasers have finally got a completed family tree.
0:36:18 > 0:36:26We're fairly happy we've got the full extent of the family and nothing will give us a shock later.
0:36:26 > 0:36:30Rose had three siblings - Henry, Maude and John.
0:36:30 > 0:36:35Henry and Maude had an only child each, but John had three children.
0:36:35 > 0:36:40The Heir Hunters have already signed the eldest son, also called John.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44Paul has arrived at John's sister Beryl's house.
0:36:44 > 0:36:49- Paul Matthews from Fraser and Fraser.- Thank you.
0:36:49 > 0:36:54As one of three children, her entitlement will be around £3,000.
0:36:54 > 0:36:59It's not life-shattering, but it's still worth having.
0:36:59 > 0:37:06Paul gives Beryl some surprising news about an uncle she never knew she had.
0:37:06 > 0:37:13The office seem to think there was a Henry George and he's got a daughter, Judith, in Berkshire.
0:37:13 > 0:37:18- Obviously means nothing to you. - No. I've never even met him.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22She's still not really sure how the family lost touch.
0:37:22 > 0:37:27I used to keep in touch with Rose for a number of years
0:37:27 > 0:37:33- and then she went down to London... - Paul takes Beryl through the paperwork.
0:37:33 > 0:37:37- Bye. See you. Nice meeting you.- And you.
0:37:37 > 0:37:42- All the very best for the future. - Thank you very much. Bye.
0:37:42 > 0:37:47I've just seen Beryl. She's signed up with us.
0:37:47 > 0:37:53Thanks to Paul's perseverance, Frasers can help the two heirs put in a claim on Rose's estate.
0:37:53 > 0:37:58At the end of a long day up and down the M6, he finally gets home.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03Thank you and good night!
0:38:09 > 0:38:16It's 8am and Ewart Lindsay is on his way to see Henry's daughter Judith in Maidenhead.
0:38:16 > 0:38:21- Mrs Percy? Hi, how are you?- Hi there.
0:38:21 > 0:38:27Judith is the daughter of Rose's eldest brother, Henry Atkins, making her Rose's niece.
0:38:27 > 0:38:33As her father never discussed his background, Judith can only guess at why he broke away from his family.
0:38:33 > 0:38:39He was very determined. He only had one hard and fast rule and that was his own.
0:38:39 > 0:38:44He wouldn't bear any compromise. I don't know what the rift was over.
0:38:44 > 0:38:49That is still a mystery. Why did he split from his family?
0:38:49 > 0:38:55Judith had no idea of how big her family was, but she'd always hoped to discover some relatives.
0:38:55 > 0:38:59- You didn't know your father had any brothers or sisters?- No.
0:38:59 > 0:39:06- No.- So he didn't speak about any brothers...?- Oh, no. He never spoke of anybody.
0:39:06 > 0:39:12I'm just, em... I'm just glad to know that I have relatives there.
0:39:12 > 0:39:19- Ewart suggests that she contact her relatives through Frasers. - I'll see if they accept a letter.
0:39:19 > 0:39:23- I'm delighted that you're happy. - Thank you. That's lovely.
0:39:23 > 0:39:27- Thanks a lot, safe journey.- Thanks.
0:39:27 > 0:39:33Judith's share of the inheritance is £11,000, but for her it's about more than just the money.
0:39:33 > 0:39:37She's now found out about her family.
0:39:37 > 0:39:43It'd be lovely to see if we can meet up and just match up photographs, too.
0:39:43 > 0:39:49Now that she's signed up, Frasers can help her submit her claim to Rose's £33,000 estate.
0:39:49 > 0:39:55Hi, Tony. I've just seen...Judith Percy.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57Mm.
0:39:57 > 0:40:01- And she has signed. - What? Sorry? Hello? Right.
0:40:01 > 0:40:06"Thank you, Ewart, for doing that"(!)
0:40:06 > 0:40:10- Received in an hour or two, right? - Probably about an hour or two.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13Cheers, Tony. Love you, bye(!)
0:40:14 > 0:40:20So within 28 hours, all the Atkins heirs have been traced and the legal process can begin.
0:40:20 > 0:40:26For Frasers, it's just another day at the coalface, but for Judith Percy it's a life-changing event.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30Despite his acid humour, Tony must have a soft spot.
0:40:30 > 0:40:37He passes Judith's information to the Liverpool Atkins and they agree to meet up.
0:40:39 > 0:40:44I think it will be fascinating for both of us, really,
0:40:44 > 0:40:50finding out all sorts of little bits of family history that we need to catch up on, I suppose.
0:40:50 > 0:40:57It's nearly three months later and Judith has made her way up to Windsford, Cheshire,
0:40:57 > 0:41:03- to meet her cousins for the very first time.- Hello! Nice to meet you.- And you.
0:41:03 > 0:41:10- Hello, John!- Yeah, I'm John. - How lovely. A thank you for all the trouble you've gone to.
0:41:10 > 0:41:15- No trouble, no trouble. Come in. - Thank you.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17Lead the way.
0:41:17 > 0:41:24Before Frasers did the research, Judith did not even know that John and Beryl existed.
0:41:24 > 0:41:30Now they have an opportunity to share all the memories they were denied.
0:41:32 > 0:41:39I think those... The two little boys in the background are my father and your father.
0:41:41 > 0:41:45I've got a better one than that. I had a copy made for you.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48- Oh, lovely!- The grandma as well.
0:41:48 > 0:41:54- How wonderful!- That's your father. And mine.- Isn't that lovely?
0:41:54 > 0:41:58- You can have these. - Isn't that gorgeous?
0:41:58 > 0:42:04The photos show Rose Atkins' older brothers Henry and John as little boys with their parents.
0:42:04 > 0:42:09Judith couldn't have asked for a better meeting.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13It was fabulous. We've put together so many family traits,
0:42:13 > 0:42:18all the characteristics that family pass on from one to another.
0:42:18 > 0:42:24They're all there. And they're so welcoming. It's been absolutely glorious.
0:42:24 > 0:42:30When Neil Fraser chose to work this case, he could never have imagined such a rewarding ending.
0:42:30 > 0:42:37One direct outcome of Rose passing away is the beneficiaries will get a small inheritance, not huge,
0:42:37 > 0:42:41but along with that they've been put back in contact with their family,
0:42:41 > 0:42:46which is probably worth more than the money in the long term.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50But it wouldn't have happened without one person.
0:42:50 > 0:42:55It's just so sad that Rose needn't have died alone.
0:42:55 > 0:42:59I wasn't that far away. I just didn't know of her existence.
0:43:08 > 0:43:12Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media 2008
0:43:13 > 0:43:15Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk