0:00:02 > 0:00:06Heir hunters spend their lives tracking down families of people who've died without leaving a will.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09They hand over thousands of pounds to long lost relatives,
0:00:09 > 0:00:12who had no idea they were in line for a windfall.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14Could they be knocking at your door?
0:00:30 > 0:00:34On today's programme, the heir hunters struggle with a missing clue...
0:00:34 > 0:00:37What we need is somebody to get somewhere and get something.
0:00:37 > 0:00:43..two heirs discover a family link to one of the most shocking events of the 20th century...
0:00:43 > 0:00:46Was it the war that made him do things like that?
0:00:46 > 0:00:50..and a lucky man finds out about a long-lost relative.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52Did you know that she's still alive?
0:00:52 > 0:00:55- She is?- She's still alive. - Is she really?- Yeah.
0:00:56 > 0:01:01Plus a list of unclaimed estates worth over £2 million.
0:01:01 > 0:01:03Could you be in line for a windfall?
0:01:10 > 0:01:15Every year, over 300,000 people die without leaving a will.
0:01:15 > 0:01:20When no family is found, their money goes to the government.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23That's when the heir hunting companies step in.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26They race against each other to be the first to track down
0:01:26 > 0:01:29any long-lost relatives entitled to inherit.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35Fraser & Fraser is one of the oldest firms of heir hunters in Britain.
0:01:35 > 0:01:36Nicki is the half-sister.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39In its 30-year history, the company has tracked down
0:01:39 > 0:01:44over 50,000 heirs, entitled to a whopping sum of over £100 million.
0:01:49 > 0:01:55It's 7am on Thursday, in Fraser & Fraser's central London office.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00The government's weekly list of those who've died with no known heirs
0:02:00 > 0:02:05has just been published, and boss Charles Fraser has picked one out that looks of interest.
0:02:05 > 0:02:11We are following the case of Ronald W Bestwick, who died relatively
0:02:11 > 0:02:17recently, leaving an estate of about £165,000, so we believe.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21So far, all the team know about Ronald Bestwick
0:02:21 > 0:02:25is when and where he died and the approximate size of his estate.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31Frasers' challenge is to track down all his living relatives
0:02:31 > 0:02:34to see who's entitled to a share of his money.
0:02:34 > 0:02:39To have any chance of finding the heirs, the team will have to flesh out a family tree,
0:02:39 > 0:02:44working out generation by generation, how the family fits together.
0:02:50 > 0:02:55Overseeing today's hunt is senior case manager Tony Pledger.
0:02:56 > 0:03:02Tony's one of Frasers' most experienced heir hunters, but he's not known for his sunny disposition.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04Right.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06Have a bad day. Bye.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09And the Bestwick case hasn't cheered him up...
0:03:09 > 0:03:12although Charles tries.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15We had a case without the T in August.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18- Well, it's different then, isn't it? - It's different.- Right.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21It's like having a case called Brown without a B.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23Seems like Tony's staying grumpy...
0:03:23 > 0:03:27but that's not going to get in the way of his work.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31He gets his researchers to look up the electoral roll...
0:03:31 > 0:03:35Ronald William Bestwick. 165,000.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38..often the first place an heir hunter will go to for clues.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43Within minutes they've found Ronald Bestwick's address.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46A bungalow in Heanor, Derbyshire.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50And they soon discover that his mother lived here with Ronald until she died.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54Finding her maiden name is crucial for building the family tree
0:03:54 > 0:03:57and with their vast library of records,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00it doesn't take them long to get their next breakthrough...
0:04:00 > 0:04:02but there's a problem.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04Brown is an exceptionally common name.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08I would have thought probably about fifth or sixth ranked of the most common names
0:04:08 > 0:04:11we have in England and Wales.
0:04:11 > 0:04:17With over 2.5 million Browns in the UK phone book, there are hundreds of records
0:04:17 > 0:04:21for the team to sift through. This could take hours -
0:04:21 > 0:04:25hours they don't have if they want to get to the heirs ahead of rival companies.
0:04:25 > 0:04:30As a short cut, Tony calls one of Ronald's neighbours.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34If she knew him, she could speed things up by providing him with crucial information.
0:04:34 > 0:04:39Um...did his parents live with him, at all?
0:04:39 > 0:04:41Was he married, do you have any idea?
0:04:45 > 0:04:47Lived alone.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49So, would you assume he was a bachelor?
0:04:49 > 0:04:51Right.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55Definitely a bachelor, born and bred.
0:04:57 > 0:05:00Ronald Bestwick, shown here as a 14-year-old schoolboy,
0:05:00 > 0:05:02lived next door to neighbour Sue Horton.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08He was a really nice likeable chappie.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11He was very much a loner.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13We never saw any visitors.
0:05:13 > 0:05:16Even the people round here that live on their own
0:05:16 > 0:05:19do have the occasional visitor.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21We never saw anyone at Ron's...
0:05:23 > 0:05:27..and we certainly didn't know of any relatives at all.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31I feel sad that he never got any joy out of his money.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33That makes me sad.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41In the office, the team have hit a brick wall.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45The phone call to another neighbour hasn't given them any more information.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50They didn't know about his mother,
0:05:50 > 0:05:54who was of the same address when she died in 1990.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58So, obviously, they didn't know him that well.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02But the fact he's definitely a bachelor saves us a marriage search, I suppose.
0:06:02 > 0:06:08So with a wife ruled out, the team need to widen their search for Ronald's relatives.
0:06:08 > 0:06:14To get any further, they need Ronald's birth certificate and his parents' marriage certificate.
0:06:14 > 0:06:20Things are getting a little bit more difficult because you've now got to really get the certificates
0:06:20 > 0:06:23before you can be sure that you're on the right family.
0:06:23 > 0:06:30Both of these vital certificates are held 130 miles away in Derby Register Office.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34But fortunately for the heir hunters, distance is no problem.
0:06:37 > 0:06:43Frasers' employs a team of travelling heir hunters who spend their Thursdays poised for action...
0:06:44 > 0:06:47..ready to go wherever the hunt takes them.
0:06:49 > 0:06:54These travellers cover every corner of the country and aim to get to any heirs in record time
0:06:54 > 0:06:57and sign them up before the competition.
0:07:00 > 0:07:07The nearest heir hunter to Derby is Birmingham-based Paul Matthews, whose office is his car.
0:07:07 > 0:07:08PHONE RINGS
0:07:08 > 0:07:10Tony puts in a call.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12- 'Hello.'- Hello, Paul.
0:07:12 > 0:07:18The mother, Evelyn Bestwick, she dies in Feb '90.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21OK.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24OK. So what we really need is the marriage of the parents out of Derby
0:07:24 > 0:07:29- and the birth of deceased out of the auction.- OK. Cheers, Tone. - Speak to you later. Bye.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35As Paul sets off for Derby on the hunt for the precious certificates,
0:07:35 > 0:07:39he's all too aware that time is of the essence.
0:07:39 > 0:07:44Frasers' are not the only heir hunters who will be chasing the Bestwick case.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46I would expect to have competition on this case
0:07:46 > 0:07:50from probably three to four companies.
0:07:52 > 0:07:55So you have to be on your game,
0:07:55 > 0:07:59otherwise you get there second and you're not going to get the business.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03If you don't get the business then that's when you get problems.
0:08:03 > 0:08:09But for heir hunter boss Neil Fraser, competition is what he thrives on.
0:08:09 > 0:08:11This is one of the joys of the game.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13Not everything pans out. Not everything's easy.
0:08:13 > 0:08:19If we were able to go on to the internet and download a family tree, partly we wouldn't need all these
0:08:19 > 0:08:24people behind me, but secondly, anyone else could do it and there would be no joy in doing it at all.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26There would be no thrill of the chase.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30But if Neil knew what was going on out on the road,
0:08:30 > 0:08:35he might not be too thrilled at the way this chase is going.
0:08:35 > 0:08:41- In his makeshift office, Paul's experiencing a technical hitch. - Abrahart.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44He's meant to be heading for Derby City Centre,
0:08:44 > 0:08:48but his satellite navigation system seems to be having other ideas...
0:08:48 > 0:08:49Uh-oh.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53..and has led him into a supermarket car park.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59A ship at sea without a rudder and I'm a car without a rudder.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01This GPS.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05Of course, Tony's in no mood for waiting around.
0:09:05 > 0:09:10He knows that time is money and if they don't get to the heirs first, Frasers' will lose out.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13Nothing, as far as I'm concerned, is still happening of any use.
0:09:13 > 0:09:18Until you get some certificates, it's very difficult to know really where you're going.
0:09:18 > 0:09:23GPS: 'Take the next left turn and then take the fourth exit off the next roundabout.'
0:09:23 > 0:09:27That's quite interesting. GPS strikes again.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30Is there anything you want done? I can't think of anything.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33What we need is somebody to get somewhere and get something.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38'Tony...?'
0:09:38 > 0:09:41Hello. How you doing?
0:09:41 > 0:09:45- I'm all right. I'm still going to Derby, but am I?- Yeah. Where is that?
0:09:45 > 0:09:47Why is it taking you so long?
0:09:47 > 0:09:49That postcode in the book,
0:09:49 > 0:09:54- it doesn't recognise it. I've had to put it in manually somehow. - What postcode in what book for what?
0:09:54 > 0:09:57Well, our little book to get me to the Registry Office,
0:09:57 > 0:10:00but the postcode's right but it's not in the GPS.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04- I thought you'd been there before. - I've been a lot of places before, Tone.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06I don't know what the postcode is,
0:10:06 > 0:10:08cos I don't work on the postcode for the Registry Office.
0:10:08 > 0:10:13No, so hopefully, if this is right, I should be there in five minutes.
0:10:13 > 0:10:18- End up in Derby Registry Office and then give us a bell. - OK, then. Cheers, Tone. Bye.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20Jesus Christ.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23It's time for a mid-morning pick-me-up.
0:10:25 > 0:10:26We're getting desperate.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32The team have reached a dead end.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36Until they get more information, they can't move on with their search.
0:10:36 > 0:10:41Tony has been doing this sort of work for the best part of 30 years.
0:10:41 > 0:10:46I've been doing this for ten years which makes me seem a bit of an amateur, really,
0:10:46 > 0:10:49but we've put all of our ideas together and no-one's come up with anything,
0:10:49 > 0:10:53apart from to wait for the marriage certificate, so that's what we're doing.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Here at last. Wish me luck.
0:10:57 > 0:11:02At last, three hours into the search, Paul finally gets Ronald Bestwick's birth certificate.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06Will this give Frasers' the information they need to track down
0:11:06 > 0:11:09the heirs to his £165,000 estate?
0:11:09 > 0:11:11Go on, what you got?
0:11:15 > 0:11:20It's not just companies like Fraser & Fraser who can track down missing heirs.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24You, too, might be able to help with the detective work,
0:11:24 > 0:11:29if you have any information about any of these unsolved cases.
0:11:31 > 0:11:36David John Hugh Roberts died in Kingston upon Thames,
0:11:36 > 0:11:38Surrey, in August 2005.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42David was 74 when he passed away and left an estate
0:11:42 > 0:11:44worth a massive £2 million.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46Are you related to David Roberts?
0:11:46 > 0:11:48Could you be entitled to his fortune?
0:11:52 > 0:11:57William Mason died in his 70s in Middlesborough, in April 2006.
0:11:57 > 0:12:02William left £19,000, which is currently in government coffers.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04Are you part of William's family?
0:12:04 > 0:12:06Should you be the one to get his cash?
0:12:09 > 0:12:13Edgars Martins Sprogis died in Tooting, London,
0:12:13 > 0:12:15at the ripe old age of 100.
0:12:15 > 0:12:21Edgars died in December 2006, leaving an estate worth £450,000.
0:12:21 > 0:12:22Do you know Edgars?
0:12:22 > 0:12:24Is his money rightfully yours?
0:12:27 > 0:12:30If you think you're related to any of these people,
0:12:30 > 0:12:32and entitled to inherit their money,
0:12:32 > 0:12:36then please go to our website for information about what to do next.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56At Fraser & Fraser, the Heir Hunters are trying to track down
0:12:56 > 0:12:59relatives of Ronald Bestwick,
0:12:59 > 0:13:04who died leaving an estate worth around £165,000.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09But the race to get ahead of the competition has been thwarted
0:13:09 > 0:13:11by a technical hitch.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14SATNAV: 'Take the fourth exit off the next roundabout.'
0:13:14 > 0:13:18That's quite interesting. GPS strikes again.
0:13:18 > 0:13:23And to make matters worse, Ronald's mother's maiden name is far from unique.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26Probably about fifth or sixth ranked
0:13:26 > 0:13:30of the most common names we have in England and Wales.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32But finally...
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Here at last. Wish me luck.
0:13:35 > 0:13:40Three hours into the search, heir hunter Paul Matthews has got his hands on Ronald's birth certificate.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43Could this be the breakthrough they've been waiting for?
0:13:46 > 0:13:49- Hello. You're the secretary, are you?- No, I'm the monkey.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51- You're the organ grinder. Go on, what you got?- Right.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55This is Ronald William Bestwick.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Born 16th October 1939.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00Dad is William Bestwick.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04The mum is Evelyn Bestwick, formerly Brown.
0:14:04 > 0:14:08So Paul's now confirmed the names of Ronald's parents.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10Evelyn Brown and William Bestwick.
0:14:10 > 0:14:13Finding Ronald's mother's birth certificate
0:14:13 > 0:14:20- could prove even more useful. - Father's William Brown.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23Mother's Rebecca Brown, formerly Fowkes.
0:14:23 > 0:14:28Ronald's mother's birth certificate is a godsend.
0:14:28 > 0:14:31It gives the team the names of Ronald's maternal grandparents,
0:14:31 > 0:14:35meaning they can work down the tree and identify any uncles,
0:14:35 > 0:14:37aunts and cousins on the mother's side.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42Paul knows Frasers' needs to get a move on as Heir Hunters
0:14:42 > 0:14:45from other companies are also trying to track down Ronald's relatives.
0:14:45 > 0:14:50Yeah, we know that there's another company doing this particular case,
0:14:50 > 0:14:54because he actually showed up at the Register Office.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56I've met the gentleman before.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59But this day and age, most of the estate should know anyway
0:14:59 > 0:15:02that other companies will be looking at it.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05First one there wins the prize, normally.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10With their rivals hot on their heels,
0:15:10 > 0:15:14the Frasers' team sift through reels of birth records to find
0:15:14 > 0:15:17the names of any children who had a father with the surname Brown
0:15:17 > 0:15:19and a mother with the maiden name Fowkes.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22They find ten children who fit the profile.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24One is Evelyn Brown...
0:15:24 > 0:15:26but who are the others?
0:15:26 > 0:15:30It's either a very prolific family or,
0:15:30 > 0:15:35there's again, more than one Mr Brown marrying a Miss Fowkes.
0:15:35 > 0:15:39Because Brown's a very common name and I rather think somehow that Fowkes is going to be
0:15:39 > 0:15:44fairly common up there, as well, you obviously get lots of possibilities.
0:15:44 > 0:15:49Neil double checks to find out if there is more than one Brown to Fowkes' marriage in that period.
0:15:49 > 0:15:51The news is bad.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54There's three. And that one's...
0:15:57 > 0:16:01We've just actually found out there are three marriages of Fowkes
0:16:01 > 0:16:04to Brown, so of all the births we've got,
0:16:04 > 0:16:07none of them could be right, or all of them could be right.
0:16:07 > 0:16:12It's a bit hit and miss, at the moment. There's absolutely no way of identifying without
0:16:12 > 0:16:15speaking to someone and then we may find out they're totally wrong.
0:16:15 > 0:16:19The Frasers' team need another clue to move the search forward.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21And they might just have one.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25One of the ten Brown and Fowkes children has an unusual name.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28How do you pronounce that name?
0:16:28 > 0:16:30- I think it's Jubal.- Jubal.
0:16:30 > 0:16:33Right. So, the name we have is Jubal.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36J-U-B-A-L.
0:16:36 > 0:16:42If Jubal is the son of the right Miss Fowkes and Mr Brown, he'll be an uncle of Ronald Bestwick.
0:16:42 > 0:16:48With time ticking away and no other leads, the team decide to concentrate on the name Jubal Brown.
0:16:48 > 0:16:54They work out that Jubal Brown died in 1992, but that he had a son, also called Jubal.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00And finally, luck is on their side.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03They find this Jubal's number in the Derby phone book.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07Could this be Ronald's cousin,
0:17:07 > 0:17:10and Frasers' first heir?
0:17:10 > 0:17:15But their luck doesn't last long.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18Might be a cousin of the deceased. He might not be.
0:17:18 > 0:17:24Either way, we're not going to know, cos he's not going to answer the phone.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28Is he a member of the family, or are we dealing with pure coincidence of name?
0:17:28 > 0:17:31Untill we speak to him, we can't tell.
0:17:31 > 0:17:36And unfortunately, I've heard that although the person's on the phone, there's no answer there.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39If he has gone out, I hope he hasn't gone out for too long, really.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43CONTINUOUS RINGING TONE
0:17:43 > 0:17:48Coming up, Tony's using unusual tactics to pin down his heir.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52Well, yes, if you can stop him driving off, then I could call you back in a second.
0:17:52 > 0:17:57And an elderly aunt reveals some errors in Frasers' research.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00I think we may have to redraw the tree.
0:18:07 > 0:18:15A knock on the door from an Heir Hunter is always a life-changing experience.
0:18:15 > 0:18:20But often, inheriting money from a long lost relative can be just the beginning.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26In the last series of Heir Hunters, sister and brother Susan Hallett
0:18:26 > 0:18:30and Arnold Penny inherited thousands of pounds from their cousin Jeffrey.
0:18:30 > 0:18:35We can't give you an exact figure on how much the estate is worth.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39I'm led to believe that it's round about £150,000. OK?
0:18:39 > 0:18:43But the money faded into insignificance when they discovered
0:18:43 > 0:18:47a family link to one of the most shocking events of the 20th century.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57Jeffrey Penny died alone and without a will.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01If Frasers' hadn't tracked down Susan, Arnold and two other heirs,
0:19:01 > 0:19:03Jeffrey's money would have gone to the government.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07I think his whole estate was worth just over £200,000,
0:19:07 > 0:19:12but by the time you've lost all the fees and everything, the four of us
0:19:12 > 0:19:18inherited about £30,000, just over £30,000 each.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22Jeffrey Penny lived with his parents his whole life, and made his living as a printer.
0:19:22 > 0:19:26One day, the News of the World, the next day,
0:19:26 > 0:19:33the Chronicle, or the Daily Mail, or whatever it is now, and the Telegraph and various other papers, the Times.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35I think he went round them all.
0:19:35 > 0:19:40I understand that all the money came in cash and in plastic bags under the bed, you know.
0:19:40 > 0:19:42He never spent very much.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44Finding out about Jeffrey's death
0:19:44 > 0:19:48refuelled Arnold's interest in tracing his family's roots.
0:19:48 > 0:19:55I tentatively started to look at family history before Jeffrey,
0:19:55 > 0:19:58but not with any great enthusiasm.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01Arnold suddenly got the bug
0:20:01 > 0:20:05to do the genealogy of the family.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09Why he got further with the Penny side
0:20:09 > 0:20:12is because he found that the easiest.
0:20:12 > 0:20:18The people came out of the woodwork easier than the other side
0:20:18 > 0:20:21and yes, he found some very interesting things.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23It's like you found a pot of gold,
0:20:26 > 0:20:30- you know. Look, I've made it. - Arnold's research led him
0:20:30 > 0:20:34to a Baron William Penny, who'd played an important role in World War Two.
0:20:34 > 0:20:40He found that we've got a relation that...
0:20:40 > 0:20:45was the inventor of the atom bomb.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49The atom bomb was created during the Second World War.
0:20:49 > 0:20:54Expert Professor Brian Cathcart has researched William Penny's involvement.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58Penny had two functions in relation to the actual bombings of Japan.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01One was that he helped to calculate
0:21:01 > 0:21:06the height at which the bomb should be detonated, and indeed helped...
0:21:06 > 0:21:10He sat on the committee which chose which cities would be bombed.
0:21:10 > 0:21:15ANNOUNCER: 'Now the take-off. Bound for Nagasaki. Terrifying bomb!
0:21:15 > 0:21:19'From a great altitude we see the atomic explosion.'
0:21:28 > 0:21:32But he also saw the bomb dropped on Nagasaki, watched from
0:21:32 > 0:21:37the window of a following plane and the explosive plume,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40the smoke, the dust, rising into the sky.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44Penny was shocked by the scale of destruction,
0:21:44 > 0:21:49even as it were, the expert was shocked and he was very soon on the ground.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52Japan surrendered. He was one of the first groups of people
0:21:52 > 0:21:55into the country to look at the damage on the ground.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58Made a lifelong impression on him.
0:21:58 > 0:22:04'The phantasmal swirl of atomic energy soars upward in a column capped by a mushroom shape...'
0:22:04 > 0:22:09Arnold and Susan have mixed feelings about their relative's achievements.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12Why did they have to drop it on a town?
0:22:12 > 0:22:21But I mean, they really didn't know, the people below, what was going to happen, did they?
0:22:21 > 0:22:24I wonder, you know,
0:22:24 > 0:22:28what made him think,
0:22:28 > 0:22:34even having an idea in inventing something that would destroy...?
0:22:34 > 0:22:37But then, presumably, he was part of a team.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Was it the war that made him do things like that?
0:22:40 > 0:22:45Penny was very concerned, himself, about his legacy.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49There's a story told about his years
0:22:49 > 0:22:54soon after the first British bomb,
0:22:54 > 0:22:58in which he was travelling with a friend in a car
0:22:58 > 0:23:02and they got to talking about how they would be remembered,
0:23:02 > 0:23:06another important friend, and Penny said, you know,
0:23:06 > 0:23:08I think I'll be remembered
0:23:08 > 0:23:11as the man who made atomic bombs, and it's not what I ever wanted.
0:23:11 > 0:23:16For his services to Britain, William Penny was awarded a life peerage.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18If I had known it in the '50s,
0:23:18 > 0:23:22I would have been really proud of him because, you know,
0:23:22 > 0:23:27that was the sort of trend in those days. It was the Cold War,
0:23:27 > 0:23:31and people wanted to see this sort of thing and security,
0:23:31 > 0:23:34but I think now, atom bombs are
0:23:34 > 0:23:37a bit bad news really,
0:23:37 > 0:23:38aren't they?
0:23:38 > 0:23:44Today, Arnold and Susan want to say farewell to a Penny who has more immediately touched their lives.
0:23:44 > 0:23:48Well, it's a pity about this weather, though.
0:23:48 > 0:23:54It would have been nice to have paid our respects to him in nice weather, wouldn't it?
0:23:54 > 0:24:00Arnold and Susan last saw their cousin 14 years ago, but his death has changed their lives.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02Not only have they inherited £60,000,
0:24:02 > 0:24:06but they have also found out more about their own family history.
0:24:06 > 0:24:11- Well, Jeffrey...- Jeffrey, we're sorry it's such a sad, rainy day,
0:24:11 > 0:24:15and we cannot get closer to the spot where you are...
0:24:15 > 0:24:21but we hope that this will compensate you and wish you a happier life than you had...
0:24:21 > 0:24:26- wherever you are. - Hope you're happy wherever you are, that's right. God bless you.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32Well, I hope he can see us now wherever he is.
0:24:32 > 0:24:33He knows he's not forgotten.
0:24:40 > 0:24:45Every day there are dozens of people who die, like Jeffrey Penny,
0:24:45 > 0:24:47without leaving a will.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51It could be that you're entitled to an unclaimed estate, or could
0:24:51 > 0:24:54help crack a case that the Heir Hunters haven't been able to solve.
0:24:58 > 0:25:02Francis Ryan died in Coventry on Boxing Day 2006,
0:25:02 > 0:25:06leaving £55,000. Are you related to Francis?
0:25:06 > 0:25:08Do you know of anyone who is?
0:25:10 > 0:25:16Frank Reeve died in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, in February 2007.
0:25:16 > 0:25:20Frank was 86 years old and left £40,000.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22Are you part of Frank's family?
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Should you be the one to get his money?
0:25:26 > 0:25:32John Leslie Law died in Kingsley, Northamptonshire, in February 2007.
0:25:32 > 0:25:37John was 87 and died leaving £23,000 and no will.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39Are you a relative of John Law?
0:25:39 > 0:25:41Do you know someone that is?
0:25:42 > 0:25:46If you think you might be entitled to any of these unclaimed estates
0:25:46 > 0:25:49and can prove it, take a look at our website.
0:26:03 > 0:26:08At Fraser & Fraser, the Heir Hunters are investigating
0:26:08 > 0:26:14the case of Ronald Bestwick, who died leaving around £165,000.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17After a frustrating start...
0:26:17 > 0:26:20What we need is somebody to get somewhere and get something.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23..there's been an important breakthrough,
0:26:23 > 0:26:28and senior case manager Tony Pledger thinks he's got the phone number to his first heir...
0:26:28 > 0:26:32- a cousin. - RINGING TONE
0:26:32 > 0:26:33But he's not having any luck getting through.
0:26:33 > 0:26:38He might be a cousin of the deceased. He might not be.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42Either way, we aren't going to know, cos he's not going to answer the phone, is he?
0:26:42 > 0:26:45The team are getting desperate.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48If he has gone out, I hope he hasn't gone out for too long, really.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52It's important they contact Jubal as soon as possible.
0:26:53 > 0:26:58If he's not going to answer the phone, they need to try other people who live on the street.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01- Can you raise the neighbours of this bloke?- In the hunt
0:27:01 > 0:27:06for Jubal, the team start calling every single house on the street.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08Let's try 16.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11The right side of the road.
0:27:13 > 0:27:19- Let's see if they've heard of him at number 12. We've rung eight, ten and 12.- But will anyone answer?
0:27:19 > 0:27:22Somebody's got to. They can't all be out.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26At last, Tony strikes lucky.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28Hello. Sorry to trouble you there.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31I don't know if you know number ten, at all.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34I assume it's on the other side of the road.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38Yeah. Hopefully, it's a Mr Brown. Is he?
0:27:38 > 0:27:42From her window, Jubal's neighbour can see him getting into his car.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44Tony needs her to stop him.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48Could you just sort of cover him and I'll call you back in a minute?
0:27:48 > 0:27:53Well, yes, if you could stop him driving off then I can call you back in a second.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57All right. Thank you. Right. Thank you.
0:27:57 > 0:28:03If Jubal comes to the phone, this speculative call could be the one to solve this call.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06Hello, Mr Brown. Hello, Mr Brown. Sorry to trouble you.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09I was ringing you a few minutes ago and I couldn't get any reply.
0:28:09 > 0:28:14Four hours into the search, and Tony's got a potential heir on the phone...
0:28:14 > 0:28:19but he needs to be certain that Jubal is related to Ronald Bestwick,
0:28:19 > 0:28:23so he quizzes him about the family, but doesn't reveal who has died.
0:28:23 > 0:28:27We've been researching the family out of Brown and we're trying to contact
0:28:27 > 0:28:30the children of a William Brown and a Rebecca Fowkes.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32F-O-W-K-E-S.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37Right. OK. That's what I was hoping.
0:28:37 > 0:28:43Now, we know that he had several children and one of whom, I think, was your dad, born in 1912.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46And I think there was also a sister,
0:28:46 > 0:28:51your father would have had a sister Evelyn who was born in 1907.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54Did Evelyn have any children, do you know?
0:28:54 > 0:28:59Jubal names his cousin Ronald, convincing Tony they found their first heir.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03The decision to research his unusual name has paid off.
0:29:03 > 0:29:11From what you told me about your Aunt Evelyn, OK, I'm pretty sure that we have got the right family because
0:29:11 > 0:29:16the Evelyn that we have did have a child Ron, OK, but what I was hoping was that
0:29:16 > 0:29:20one of our researchers, it would be a Mr Paul Matthews,
0:29:20 > 0:29:24- could perhaps call and visit you later on today... - They may have found their man, but
0:29:24 > 0:29:28until he signs on the dotted line, any other company could get to him.
0:29:28 > 0:29:34If they want their commission, travelling Heir Hunter Paul needs to move fast.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37With a meeting set up, Tony uses the opportunity
0:29:37 > 0:29:42of having Jubal on the phone to find out if there are any other heirs.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45Well, the problem that we have is that we've got to establish
0:29:45 > 0:29:48your father's brothers and sisters and then what became of them as well.
0:29:48 > 0:29:53Well, I don't mind, sketchy's better than nothing at all.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56Can you remember any of the names?
0:29:56 > 0:29:59Jubal's not only convinced Tony that he's a cousin of Ronald Bestwick,
0:29:59 > 0:30:05but he's also provided the team with another clue. The name and surname of an aunt Beulah Strange.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07That's lovely.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10Thanks ever so much. Bye.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13Rang the next-door neighbour. He's just about to get in his car.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16She's gone out, given him the phone.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19He's got an Auntie Evelyn and a cousin Ronald, so I think he's right.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22Feels like I now need a cup of tea.
0:30:26 > 0:30:32So while Tony celebrates, Paul makes his way to Jubal's home, 30 miles away.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37Jubal lost touch with his cousin Ronald over 50 years ago, yet
0:30:37 > 0:30:43by a strange twist of fate, looks set to inherit a share of his riches.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45People don't keep in touch with their cousins
0:30:45 > 0:30:49and that's where the large majority of these estates end up going.
0:30:49 > 0:30:53A lot of the time, you don't know the person exists,
0:30:53 > 0:30:58but haven't seen them for 30, 40, 50, 60 years.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01They don't regard cousins as family cos they never see them.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03That's why they don't end up making wills.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10With no time to waste, Tony is straight on the trail of his next heir.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13He's talking to Jubal's aunt, Beulah.
0:31:13 > 0:31:18I've recently been speaking to your nephew, the son of your brother Jubal.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22Yeah.
0:31:22 > 0:31:26That's all right. Don't worry. So, basically, what we're saying is that one, two, three, four...
0:31:26 > 0:31:30there were six children in the family. You were one of six.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32Yeah. Yeah. That's right. OK.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35Aunt Beulah is a brilliant find.
0:31:35 > 0:31:40She's the only remaining child of the right Rebecca Fowkes and William Brown.
0:31:41 > 0:31:46The names she gives identify all of the aunts and uncles on Ronald Bestwick's mother's side.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49It means they're getting closer and closer
0:31:49 > 0:31:55to finding all of Ronald Bestwick's surviving relatives, narrowing down
0:31:55 > 0:31:57the heirs to his £165,000 estate.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59Thank you ever so much, indeed.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01Thank you. Bye.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06She's, in theory, filled us in on that side of the family which means
0:32:06 > 0:32:10that if what she said is right, all this other stuff was all wrong.
0:32:11 > 0:32:18The breakthrough was picking up the birth of the mother of the deceased, which we did three hours ago.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22This is the second breakthrough.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25PHONE DIALS
0:32:25 > 0:32:29They always ring me up quite regular
0:32:29 > 0:32:32on jobs day, about every 30 seconds.
0:32:32 > 0:32:37- Hello.- Hello. Are you talking to Mr Brown?- No, no, I'm still on the way.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41- Oh, good, cos when you get there, tell him that I've spoken with his Auntie Beulah. Right.- Yeah.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43She's still alive and well, aged 91.
0:32:43 > 0:32:47- Yeah.- But she's run through the top line with me.
0:32:47 > 0:32:52- OK.- If you want to prompt him, there's a Mary and a Winifred.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54Hang on, I can't write it down at the moment.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56Well, listen, you'll remember this. Mary, Winifred and Doris.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59That's the only other three. All right. Mary, Winifred, Doris.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02Evelyn the mother and Jubal the father.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05So it's Mary, Winifred and Doris.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08- Yeah.- And Beulah's still alive.- Yeah.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10Ta da. Talk to you later. Bye.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15Something else to remember.
0:33:15 > 0:33:20It's 1pm and Paul's now been on the road for six hours.
0:33:20 > 0:33:24SATNAV: 'You have arrived at your destination.'
0:33:24 > 0:33:26But he's finally got to where he wanted to be...
0:33:26 > 0:33:29with the first of Ronald Bestwick's heirs.
0:33:29 > 0:33:31Yep. Paul Matthews from Fraser & Fraser.
0:33:31 > 0:33:33I believe I am expected.
0:33:33 > 0:33:37Right. I've got a quick interview to do, ask you a few questions, explain a bit more.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39- Yes.- Is it OK to...?
0:33:39 > 0:33:43- Unfortunately I can't get in at the moment. I have a house full of people.- Oh, right.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45Could do it in the car, it would help. It would certainly help me.
0:33:45 > 0:33:47Yeah, if it suits you. Yeah, why not. Yeah.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50That's a first for me there. No problem.
0:33:50 > 0:33:56Unless he can get Jubal to sign their contract, all these hours of work will have been for nothing.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59This is unusual. Right.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01OK. Right.
0:34:01 > 0:34:06It was Jubal's name that enabled the Frasers' team to crack this case.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09An unusual name, Jubal. Where's that originated from?
0:34:09 > 0:34:11It's a very old biblical name.
0:34:13 > 0:34:18- Oh, right. - Fourth chapter of Genesis, verse 21.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20Oh, right.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23It's not long after Cain and Abel.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25The verse goes something like...
0:34:25 > 0:34:28"And his brother's name was Jubal,
0:34:30 > 0:34:34- "handler of the harp and the organ." - Oh, right.
0:34:34 > 0:34:35Basically, that's what it says.
0:34:35 > 0:34:40It's an old family name that my father did tell me once had been in the family for 400 years.
0:34:40 > 0:34:44Oh, well, that's why, they've got to keep that in the family, haven't they?
0:34:44 > 0:34:46Paul then explains how Frasers' work.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48What I'll do, as I've explained...
0:34:48 > 0:34:50you've talked to the office already...
0:34:50 > 0:34:52a distant relative of yours has passed away.
0:34:52 > 0:34:54They haven't made a will.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56Under those circumstances, that estate would normally
0:34:56 > 0:35:00end up going to the government and the way we run the business is if we put forward your claim we get
0:35:00 > 0:35:04a commission at the end, so basically, if you receive something,
0:35:04 > 0:35:07we get a slice of your cake at the end.
0:35:07 > 0:35:14Paul goes through the family tree with Jubal to find out which of the aunts and uncles he remembers.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17He needs to do this to double check that Jubal is part of the right
0:35:17 > 0:35:21family and is therefore entitled to inherit some of Ronald's estate.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24Forgotten until he mentioned it...
0:35:24 > 0:35:25Beulah, Aunt Beulah.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27Yes. One of my dad's sisters.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29Beulah's still alive.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32Did you know that?
0:35:32 > 0:35:35I would have thought so, but I wouldn't have been sure,
0:35:35 > 0:35:39cos again, with the family being so disjointed...
0:35:39 > 0:35:41She's about 90 now, I think.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43- She must be. - She's doing very well.- She must be.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47The family may have lost touch a long time ago, but Jubal reveals
0:35:47 > 0:35:51- that he still remembers Ronald's mother.- I know I've got
0:35:51 > 0:35:53an Auntie Evelyn.
0:35:53 > 0:35:55Did Evelyn have children?
0:35:55 > 0:35:58As far as I know, there was one son.
0:35:58 > 0:35:59And what was his name?
0:35:59 > 0:36:03Ronald. He lived with my Aunt Evelyn. He lived with his mother.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06So we've got Evelyn. We know she married. We don't know who to.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08Know she had a son, Ronald.
0:36:08 > 0:36:12Paul's careful not to let slip that Ronald has died.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16That's company policy until all the heirs have been found and the family tree is complete.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19Have you heard of a Winifred?
0:36:21 > 0:36:23No.
0:36:23 > 0:36:28You've not heard of the name?
0:36:28 > 0:36:30No. Yes. I can now.
0:36:33 > 0:36:38What do you know about her, when she was born, married?
0:36:38 > 0:36:42- No. Crikey.- It's taking you back a bit, isn't it?
0:36:42 > 0:36:43It is.
0:36:43 > 0:36:46Seems to pull...
0:36:46 > 0:36:53people I've only met either once or twice, or only heard of distantly.
0:36:53 > 0:37:00Unexpectedly, Jubal gives Paul a piece of information that could prove priceless.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03She married a man called Abrahart.
0:37:03 > 0:37:09- I think the man she married, his name was Charles.- Charles.
0:37:09 > 0:37:15Abrahart is not a common surname and can therefore be researched easily.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17But it doesn't stop there.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21I know they had two boys.
0:37:21 > 0:37:23Alan and Keith.
0:37:23 > 0:37:29Jubal has just given the team the names of two further heirs.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36Yeah. I know. It's very difficult taking you back.
0:37:36 > 0:37:40Jubal's information is crucial for Frasers'.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44All that's left now is for him to sign the contract.
0:37:44 > 0:37:49The company will now help him put in a claim for his share of Ronald Bestwick's estate.
0:37:51 > 0:37:55Nice meeting you. I'll leave you to get back to your friends. Very nice.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57Hope you get a nice sum of money.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00Nice to get a call like this, isn't it?
0:38:00 > 0:38:03It is. Very nice.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06Yeah. It's unusual. A bit of a surprise.
0:38:07 > 0:38:13Although one heir's been signed up,
0:38:15 > 0:38:19there's no rest for the Heir Hunters.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22They set to work on the new leads Jubal gave them.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24Hello, lads.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26Hi.
0:38:26 > 0:38:30Winifred was meant to marry a Charles Abrahart.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33- Right.- A-B-R-A-H-A-R-T.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36And has two children.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39Within minutes, the researcher's tracked down an address for Keith Abrahart.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43Look. It's this proximity in Sinfin.
0:38:45 > 0:38:50- Only round the corner from old Jubal. - They've discovered another twist to this case.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52All of Ronald's living relatives live within 20 minutes of where
0:38:52 > 0:38:56he died, yet none were in touch with Ronald at the end of his life.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00It's something that saddens heir-hunting supremo Neil Fraser.
0:39:02 > 0:39:07It always... Makes you think twice that some people have been separated
0:39:07 > 0:39:14away from their family, so it always makes you think back, why did he pass away alone?
0:39:14 > 0:39:19Is there something which someone could have done at some time to mean he died with company?
0:39:22 > 0:39:26Over in Derby, Paul's been sent to visit Keith Abrahart,
0:39:26 > 0:39:30but this visit isn't going to be quite so straightforward.
0:39:30 > 0:39:35Keith's ex-directory so the office haven't been able to contact him to pave Paul's way.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37It's a cold call.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40So we're going to persuade him that we are above board
0:39:40 > 0:39:43and that we're not here doing some sort of elaborate hoax.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53- Keith's wife answers the door. - Hello. Sorry to bother you.
0:39:53 > 0:39:54- Is Mr Abrahart at home, please?- He is.- Some money basically, from a distant relative.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56No, it's worth it.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59Is he in at the moment?
0:40:04 > 0:40:06- Yeah.- Hello. You must be Keith.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09- Hello.- Pleased to meet you. Paul Matthews, from Fraser and Fraser.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12- All out the blue. - It is out the blue, yeah.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15I'll explain what it is I'm doing, why I'm here.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17But basically, we're dealing with a new estate.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20Somebody who's passed away without making a will,
0:40:20 > 0:40:23but what I need to do first is ask you a few questions about yourself
0:40:23 > 0:40:29- to make sure we've got the right person.- Paul starts by asking about Ronald's mother, Evelyn.
0:40:29 > 0:40:34She married a chap named Bestwick.
0:40:34 > 0:40:38- Did they have children? - Yeah. A son, Ronald.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41So, you've got Evelyn, married to Bestwick.
0:40:41 > 0:40:48Keith's recollections convinced Paul that he is a genuine relative of Ronald Bestwick and a definite heir.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52Paul now needs to find out more about Keith's brother Alan.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54OK. You say Alan passed away.
0:40:54 > 0:40:58- When did he die?- 1966.
0:40:58 > 0:41:03- On the 13th of November.- Yeah. 1966.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05So he was only 37.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07What happened to him?
0:41:07 > 0:41:10One Sunday morning he collapsed and died, in the garden.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14Did Alan have any children?
0:41:14 > 0:41:16- Yes. Geofrey.- Just the one, is it?
0:41:16 > 0:41:18Yeah.
0:41:18 > 0:41:24Geofrey and his uncle Keith will both inherit around £15,000.
0:41:24 > 0:41:29With the interrogation over, Paul remembers the good news that Tony asked him to pass on.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32Did you know that Beulah's still alive?
0:41:32 > 0:41:35- She is?- She's still alive, yeah. - Is she really?
0:41:35 > 0:41:37Yeah. Yeah. She's still alive,
0:41:37 > 0:41:41- in her 90s.- Crikey. - I think we've written to her...
0:41:41 > 0:41:43she's got a son called John.
0:41:44 > 0:41:49Keith signs the contract, making Paul a happy man.
0:41:49 > 0:41:54Always good to get the signature, especially in front of competition,
0:41:54 > 0:41:58- so we've got here first, again. - There will be months of legal work
0:41:58 > 0:42:02before the heirs can receive their share of the £165,000.
0:42:02 > 0:42:07But for Keith and his wife, it will be worth the wait.
0:42:07 > 0:42:13It's going to open some doors for us. When you retire,
0:42:13 > 0:42:15you have to think...
0:42:15 > 0:42:22are you going to manage your money, and it would be nice to go without worrying about the cost of it.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27And, of course,
0:42:27 > 0:42:30Neil's pleased with the day's events.
0:42:30 > 0:42:32We've found seven heirs.
0:42:32 > 0:42:34They're all maternal heirs.
0:42:34 > 0:42:41There's two cousins once removed, so they're a generation below what the deceased would have been.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44We'll sign a couple of beneficiaries.
0:42:44 > 0:42:46We've had a good day, yes.
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