0:00:02 > 0:00:08Every year, over 12,000 people die without leaving a will and seemingly with no next of kin.
0:00:08 > 0:00:14But often, there is a relative who stands to inherit and that's where the Heir Hunters come in.
0:00:30 > 0:00:36On today's programme, a woman who had dedicated her time to charity work passes away,
0:00:36 > 0:00:41leaving a fortune to the family she hadn't seen since childhood.
0:00:41 > 0:00:47She was very shy and I rather imagine this has contributed to losing touch over the years.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51And Heir Hunters uncover one of the youngest heirs they've ever found.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55I think, if anything, it's made me realise that money isn't everything.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59It's family. That's the main thing.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03Plus, we'll have details of some of the hundreds of unclaimed estates.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05Could you be in line for a windfall?
0:01:08 > 0:01:12In the UK, about two-thirds of people do not have a will
0:01:12 > 0:01:16and therefore leave no record of their last wishes.
0:01:16 > 0:01:21If they die and leave an estate and an obvious relative can not be found,
0:01:21 > 0:01:24then the money defaults to the government
0:01:24 > 0:01:28who last year made £18 million in unclaimed estates.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Heir Hunters must leave no stone unturned
0:01:31 > 0:01:35and there are over 30 companies competing to find beneficiaries
0:01:35 > 0:01:39and put them in touch with a fortune they never knew existed.
0:01:39 > 0:01:47With so much money at stake, there's a lot of competition in heir hunting, so time is of the essence.
0:01:47 > 0:01:52I have every confidence in the team and I'm sure that we'll triumph in the end.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55Fraser & Fraser have been heir-hunting for 40 years
0:01:55 > 0:02:02and have handled over £100 million-worth of inheritance in the last ten years alone.
0:02:02 > 0:02:07The search for an heir can take them anywhere, so the team must exhaust every line of enquiry
0:02:07 > 0:02:10in their hunt for beneficiaries.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18It's 7am on Thursday morning
0:02:18 > 0:02:22and at Fraser & Fraser's, work is in full flow.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26The Treasury's weekly list of unclaimed estates has been released,
0:02:26 > 0:02:32so case manager Tony Pledger and the team are assessing which deserve further investigation.
0:02:32 > 0:02:37There's one case in particular Neil thinks the team should home in on.
0:02:37 > 0:02:42What we're going to be looking at is Margaret Doreen Mooney. Dies in Chingford in 2009.
0:02:42 > 0:02:48It's a valuable estate. The property is going to be worth certainly above £200,000.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50So very valuable for us to work.
0:02:50 > 0:02:56It's also here in the south-east, so it's going to be very competitive with a lot of other firms working it,
0:02:56 > 0:02:59so we need to pull our finger out.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02The company have little information to go on,
0:03:02 > 0:03:06so they use census and birth, death and marriage certificates
0:03:06 > 0:03:11to build a family tree for the deceased. Going back generations and generations,
0:03:11 > 0:03:15the team hope to uncover potential heirs to an estate.
0:03:20 > 0:03:26Margaret Mooney passed away in Chingford, East London, in July 2009, aged 88.
0:03:26 > 0:03:34She left behind an estate worth in excess of £200,000, based on the value of her home.
0:03:36 > 0:03:43Having lived in the area since the '60s, Margaret was a well-known, if quiet member of the community.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46I live not quite opposite Margaret,
0:03:46 > 0:03:53but we've lived here since 1967 when I first got married. Margaret was living with her sister Hilda then.
0:03:53 > 0:03:57They were very different people, different as chalk and cheese.
0:03:57 > 0:04:03Hilda was very extrovert and she, from what I can gather, did lots of travelling,
0:04:03 > 0:04:06always had her nails manicured and everything like that.
0:04:06 > 0:04:10Margaret was much quieter. They didn't do a lot of things together.
0:04:10 > 0:04:15They did different things on their own, but they shared the house together.
0:04:15 > 0:04:20Despite Margaret's sister Hilda passing away ten years ago,
0:04:20 > 0:04:24Margaret remained independent and living in the house.
0:04:25 > 0:04:30She was a well-composed lady. She went to the hairdresser's regularly.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33She used to go out smartly dressed.
0:04:33 > 0:04:38I don't know exactly, but I think she worked at the hospital at Hackney.
0:04:38 > 0:04:44She wasn't happy to have to retire at 60. She hadn't been married or had a family and that was her life, really.
0:04:44 > 0:04:49On retirement, Margaret was determined to continue leading a full life
0:04:49 > 0:04:54and began working voluntarily in the tea bar at Whipps Cross Hospital,
0:04:54 > 0:04:57a role she enjoyed for over 20 years.
0:04:57 > 0:05:03The fact that she'd do that into her 80s shows that she liked to be with people and around people.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06That probably for her was her social life.
0:05:06 > 0:05:14The kindness Margaret had shown to others throughout her life was later repaid by the local community.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18Towards the latter years, she became more frail, so we kept an eye on her
0:05:18 > 0:05:23and we used to monitor the fact that she was OK by whether her TV went on of an evening.
0:05:23 > 0:05:28- People care about each other round here.- If we see something we don't think is right,
0:05:28 > 0:05:30we'll be nosey, I suppose.
0:05:30 > 0:05:36But on Margaret's death, it was these same neighbours who bid her a fond farewell
0:05:36 > 0:05:38after no next of kin came forward.
0:05:38 > 0:05:44We were concerned because she was an old lady on her own that there wouldn't be very much,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47- but she had quite a nice send-off. - Yes, she did.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51The funeral fitted the type of person that she was.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55It wasn't fussy, it wasn't over the top. It was just very simple.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59I just remember her as a very independent old lady
0:05:59 > 0:06:04who always was happy to give you a smile or have a little chat with you.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08Back in the Heir Hunters' office, the research is under way.
0:06:08 > 0:06:15With the case seeming to be based initially in Chingford, case manager Tony calls Ewart Lindsay.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19- 'Hello?'- Hello, cheerful! I want you to slip over to Chingford.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26Throughout the UK, Frasers have a team of researchers on standby
0:06:26 > 0:06:30who are able to hit the road at a moment's notice.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34Their job is to find vital clues and information on the case
0:06:34 > 0:06:37and eventually sign up the rightful heirs.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41They have to work fast as a rival company is never far behind,
0:06:41 > 0:06:44so there's no room for error.
0:06:44 > 0:06:50- Pleased to meet you.- Ewart Lindsay is one of Frasers' travelling Heir Hunters and is based in Watford,
0:06:50 > 0:06:56so Tony has sent him to Margaret's house in Chingford to see if he can gauge a value for the property
0:06:56 > 0:07:02and to see if the neighbours might be able to offer any clues about her background.
0:07:07 > 0:07:12In the office, Tony and Jo are working on the father's side of the tree
0:07:12 > 0:07:16and seem to be making some headway.
0:07:16 > 0:07:21The Mooney name is quite good and they're based in and around Hackney and that sort of area,
0:07:21 > 0:07:24so it's been quite easy to identify at the moment.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27Jo has got aunts on the father's side
0:07:27 > 0:07:32and therefore the father of the deceased might have three sisters
0:07:32 > 0:07:36who might go on to produce children, but we don't know yet.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42On the other side of the tree, the mother's side,
0:07:42 > 0:07:47the name the team are working on is frighteningly familiar.
0:07:47 > 0:07:53The surname we're looking at is Fraser, so it's a nightmare! She's Edith Mary Fraser.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57I believe this is an aunt of the deceased, but I don't know that.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01All we know at the moment is she's born in 1876 in Mile End
0:08:01 > 0:08:06and she's alive in 1891 as a spinster which, bearing in mind she'd be 15, is no surprise.
0:08:06 > 0:08:13Other than that, I can't find a marriage for her and I can't find her on the census after '91.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16So I've run around in circles, really.
0:08:16 > 0:08:22Alongside case manager Simon Grosvenor is senior researcher Gareth.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26He's finding his investigations no easier.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30On the maternal side, we've got three aunts and uncles -
0:08:30 > 0:08:32Alexander, Edith and Albert.
0:08:32 > 0:08:39Alexander and Albert, reasonably good names, but as yet, I can't find them on the census.
0:08:39 > 0:08:44I've got them all single, but I haven't got them later on with their partners.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48It could be that they don't marry or don't do anything, but...
0:08:48 > 0:08:53I'd like to say it was going brilliantly, but they all seem to disappear
0:08:53 > 0:08:55and I'm not sure why yet.
0:08:57 > 0:09:03So far, the office has discovered that John Fraser married Louisa Brown and they had four children.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07They have found records showing that one of these children, Alice,
0:09:07 > 0:09:11married James Mooney and had a daughter Margaret.
0:09:11 > 0:09:17But what happened to the other Fraser children? Did they too have families of their own?
0:09:17 > 0:09:23- Edith Mary Fraser...- Meanwhile, Simon thinks he may have got a result on Edith, Margaret's aunt.
0:09:23 > 0:09:29I couldn't find a marriage for her, then we got some info that a couple of them had died
0:09:29 > 0:09:34and there's a death for an Edith Mary Fraser in Bethnal Green which is right on age, in 1900,
0:09:34 > 0:09:38which is just before the '01 census which she is not on.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40That looks as if she's her.
0:09:42 > 0:09:48A few miles away in Chingford, Ewart has arrived at the deceased Margaret's house.
0:09:48 > 0:09:53Let's see what the neighbours can actually tell me about the deceased.
0:09:53 > 0:09:58- Good morning. I'm just making some enquiries into your neighbour who passed away.- Yes.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01- Did you know much about her?- No.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06I just said this morning that no-one came to visit her.
0:10:06 > 0:10:12- She just used to go out to the hairdresser's and that's all we ever saw of her really.- Right.
0:10:12 > 0:10:16As far as we know, she didn't have any relations.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19How much is this property worth, do you think?
0:10:19 > 0:10:24That one is probably worth £250,000, something like that.
0:10:24 > 0:10:30Thank you very much for your help. Take care. All the best. Take care. Bye-bye.
0:10:30 > 0:10:35We never saw any family. The last one was her sister who died quite a few years ago.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37Very sad.
0:10:47 > 0:10:53Back in the office, on the father's side of the tree, Tony and Jo are racing ahead.
0:10:54 > 0:11:01We found out from a neighbour of the deceased that she had a sister who died about ten years ago.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05We researched into that and we found out her name was Hilda Edith Mooney.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09She died ten years ago. We don't think there is any more near kin,
0:11:09 > 0:11:12so that's why we're going back to cousins.
0:11:12 > 0:11:17We've got an aunt of the deceased who might marry Ernest Benjamin Wyatt.
0:11:17 > 0:11:22From that marriage, there are two children, potential cousins of the deceased -
0:11:22 > 0:11:26Harold Ernest Wyatt and Daisy Elizabeth Wyatt.
0:11:26 > 0:11:32We've got three potential marriages for Daisy Elizabeth Wyatt, all of which, either or none may be right.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35Harold Ernest Wyatt, potential cousin of the deceased,
0:11:35 > 0:11:41would seem to have been born in Walthamstow, but probably died in Plymouth in 1979.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46Elizabeth Mooney, aunt of Margaret,
0:11:46 > 0:11:49married and had two children, Daisy and Harold,
0:11:49 > 0:11:53but did they go on to have children themselves?
0:11:53 > 0:11:57Elizabeth's sister Caroline had one daughter, Kathleen.
0:11:58 > 0:12:03All this research poses as many questions as it does answers,
0:12:03 > 0:12:07but it has thrown up a potential heir and Tony has her on the phone.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13We couldn't find any brothers or sisters. You're an only child. Good.
0:12:13 > 0:12:19Your mum would have had some sisters, I think. She had two sisters, Sarah and Elizabeth.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22And a brother, perhaps James, I think.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26Was that just the four of them in the family?
0:12:27 > 0:12:30What was Winifred's married name then?
0:12:30 > 0:12:32Bishop. Right.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36And this son that's still alive, would you know his name?
0:12:37 > 0:12:40Oh, good. That's a good name.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43Thanks ever so. Bye.
0:12:44 > 0:12:49I've just put the phone down on a paternal cousin of the deceased, Kathleen Cutting.
0:12:49 > 0:12:55She's got a good family knowledge. She knew the deceased. Hadn't seen her for years, as you don't.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59And she also confirmed her other two aunts, one of whom had four children
0:12:59 > 0:13:02and one of whom died without any issue.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06It looks like there's going to be eight heirs on the father's side.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09There's enough heirs to make it worth our while.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14Tony's call to Kathleen has been really useful.
0:13:14 > 0:13:20She has been able to confirm that her aunt, Elizabeth Mooney, had two more children.
0:13:20 > 0:13:23This adds two more cousins to Margaret's tree.
0:13:24 > 0:13:30Kathleen's phone call has also revealed the names of seven of her cousins once removed.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37If they are still alive, then they would be heirs.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41If they have died, then any children they had would inherit.
0:13:41 > 0:13:46It's looking like there's a lot of work for the Heir Hunters to do.
0:13:50 > 0:13:57Having made such headway by only 9.25am, Tony feels he deserves a break.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00I'll get a cup of tea. I'm waiting for...
0:14:00 > 0:14:07- 'Tony, I've Bob Barratt for you.' - I'm going to ask Bob Barratt to go round and interview Mrs Cutting.
0:14:07 > 0:14:09Hello?
0:14:09 > 0:14:13Hi, Bob. Listen, how long to Maidenhead, do you think?
0:14:13 > 0:14:18- Um... I don't know, half an hour or so?- That's good. Right, OK.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25They've obviously been doing their work in the office very diligently.
0:14:25 > 0:14:30It's only half past nine and they've already found an heir, so that's pretty good going.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35Hello...?
0:14:35 > 0:14:37Coming up on Heir Hunters -
0:14:37 > 0:14:43Tony calls for reinforcements in his bid to sign up all the heirs ahead of the competition.
0:14:43 > 0:14:48And a visit from Bob Barratt stirs up memories of family members not seen for decades.
0:14:49 > 0:14:54I've lost touch with a lot of my relatives because I'm an old person.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57I haven't seen Margaret for years.
0:14:57 > 0:15:01I was rather surprised that there should be any connection at all.
0:15:06 > 0:15:10Heir Hunters can be found all over the UK
0:15:10 > 0:15:14and the search for a rightful beneficiary can take them anywhere.
0:15:14 > 0:15:20Celtic Research is run by Peter and Hector Birchwood from their offices in Wales and London
0:15:20 > 0:15:25and their regional case managers work from home. Saul Marks is based in Liverpool.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29- PHONE RINGS - Good afternoon, Celtic Research?
0:15:29 > 0:15:34Saul had to work fast on the case of Olive Sonntag as it had a high value estate.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36I will get the file out.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Thankfully, it was relatively easy to solve.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43From the time that it got to me when the case opened
0:15:43 > 0:15:49to the time that we signed the main heir was about 14 hours, so it was one of the quicker ones.
0:15:49 > 0:15:56Though the investigation was quickly put to bed, it left a lasting impression on those involved.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00I think, if anything, it's made me realise that money isn't everything.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03It's family. That's the main thing.
0:16:07 > 0:16:13Olive Sonntag died in 2008 in a care home on the Isle of Wight, aged 84.
0:16:13 > 0:16:18She left behind an estate worth an estimated £130,000,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21but no will.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25Olive married Charles Sonntag, a photographer, in 1956.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29Their partnership lasted more than 30 years, but they had no children.
0:16:29 > 0:16:34After Charles died in 1989, Olive lived alone for ten years,
0:16:34 > 0:16:37after which she developed dementia.
0:16:37 > 0:16:42When she could no longer manage on her own, she was moved into a nursing home
0:16:42 > 0:16:46where she spent the final years of her life.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50The sad thing with Olly being here was that nobody came to visit her.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54She had no relatives and it just made it so sad.
0:16:54 > 0:16:58But it's a family home, so we treated her like part of the family.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01She did tell me she had a sister.
0:17:01 > 0:17:07But I said to her, "Where is she?" She said, "I don't know. We lost touch an awful long time ago."
0:17:07 > 0:17:11That was the only reference she made to any family.
0:17:11 > 0:17:16As fate would have it, Olive was able to be buried with her husband Charles
0:17:16 > 0:17:18who had died 20 years before her.
0:17:18 > 0:17:23I found her husband's grave when I went to another lady's funeral.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27I thought, "We've found Olive's husband's grave - Charlie!"
0:17:27 > 0:17:32So we were able to have her buried with him which was really nice.
0:17:32 > 0:17:37- It finished it right for Olly that she was back with Charlie.- Yeah.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40That was lovely.
0:17:42 > 0:17:46Having left behind an estate worth an estimated £130,000,
0:17:46 > 0:17:50the case was a potentially lucrative one,
0:17:50 > 0:17:53so Saul would have to work fast to crack it.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57We knew that Olive was living on the Isle of Wight when she died.
0:17:57 > 0:18:03We were able to find her marriage certificate and her maiden name was Kevan.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07From that, we were able to look for an Olive Kevan birth
0:18:07 > 0:18:10and found her birth near here in Birkenhead.
0:18:10 > 0:18:14And from there, we were able to look for siblings.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18We found a brother Norman who died when he was very young
0:18:18 > 0:18:21and we also found a sister called Doreen.
0:18:21 > 0:18:27We could then look for children of Doreen and that was the avenue we researched next.
0:18:28 > 0:18:34Ernest Kevan married Catherine Bennett and they had three children, Olive, Norman and Doreen.
0:18:34 > 0:18:39Norman died as a child, but Doreen married and had three children -
0:18:39 > 0:18:41Jannette, Martin and Suzanne.
0:18:41 > 0:18:46As Olive had no children, Jannette, Martin and Suzanne would be heirs.
0:18:48 > 0:18:53Martin was married twice, but sadly he died very young. He was only 43.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56But he had had several children
0:18:56 > 0:19:02and we were able to establish that one of them was still living very close by and that was Cassie.
0:19:02 > 0:19:07It was my job to get over to where Cassie lived and sign her up on behalf of the company.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11Saul pulled up and he said, "Are you Cassandra Connolly?"
0:19:11 > 0:19:17I said, "Yeah." He said, "Was your father Martin Connolly, deceased?" I said, "Yeah."
0:19:17 > 0:19:22He said, "We need to go inside and have a talk. You might be about to inherit a lot of money."
0:19:22 > 0:19:25The colour just drained from my face. I was shaking.
0:19:25 > 0:19:29One company had visited her before and left a calling card.
0:19:29 > 0:19:35And while I was there, another company, a third company had knocked at the door
0:19:35 > 0:19:38and she was able to tell them
0:19:38 > 0:19:43that she had already signed with Celtic Research and she no longer needed their services,
0:19:43 > 0:19:47so it was very exciting in terms of the competition aspect.
0:19:49 > 0:19:5720-year-old Cassie Connolly lives in Liverpool with her mother and is studying to be a tattoo artist.
0:19:57 > 0:20:02Her father Martin, Olive's nephew, died of a heart attack in his early 40s.
0:20:02 > 0:20:07My dad died when I was ten and my mum got divorced when I was eight.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10So he obviously moved out, he had his own house.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14I used to spend Tuesdays and Wednesdays and weekends with him.
0:20:14 > 0:20:18I remember we had the same dinner every Tuesday -
0:20:18 > 0:20:20macaroni cheese with Sunny Delight.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24And I'd sit and watch Buffy in his little flat.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28When he died, it was completely unexpected.
0:20:28 > 0:20:34I just went to bed one night, I was staying at his house. We had spent the night watching DVDs.
0:20:34 > 0:20:38So I went to bed and when I woke up, my mum was there.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40I was confused instantly anyway.
0:20:41 > 0:20:47And she said my dad took ill in the night and he'd died, he had a heart attack.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51And that was it.
0:20:51 > 0:20:53It was a complete shock.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57My body went into shock. I was ill for the next couple of months.
0:20:57 > 0:21:02It was hard to deal with, being so young. I didn't know how to handle it.
0:21:06 > 0:21:11The memories I've got of my dad is the big friendly giant he was.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13He was over six foot tall.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16And I always remember having to run
0:21:16 > 0:21:20to keep up with his strides when we were walking down the street.
0:21:21 > 0:21:26I've just got the memories any kid will have of their dad really,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28him looking after me and...
0:21:28 > 0:21:31The big friendly giant, that's it.
0:21:31 > 0:21:37After Martin died, Cassie had very little knowledge of her father's side of the family
0:21:37 > 0:21:39and so news of Olive was surprising.
0:21:39 > 0:21:45It was a bit of a shock to find out that I had a great-auntie I knew nothing about.
0:21:45 > 0:21:51It was quite sad as well that I only got to learn of her existence because she had died.
0:21:51 > 0:21:57I would have liked to have known Olive when she was alive to find out about my nan
0:21:57 > 0:22:00and maybe more about my dad if she knew anything.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04So it was... It was bittersweet really.
0:22:04 > 0:22:09Coming up - Cassie decides to pay her respects to Olive in person
0:22:09 > 0:22:13and visits the home where she spent her final years.
0:22:13 > 0:22:18- That's her at home in her house. - Aw!- With her dog. She was still quite beautiful.- Yeah.
0:22:25 > 0:22:31For every case that is cracked, there are still many thousands which remain a mystery.
0:22:31 > 0:22:37These cases sit on the Treasury's unsolved list and can remain there for up to 30 years.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41The estates can range wildly in value from £5,000 to many millions
0:22:41 > 0:22:46with the rightful heirs completely unaware of the windfall they could claim.
0:22:48 > 0:22:53Today, we've got two cases Heir Hunters have so far failed to solve.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57Could you have the answer? Could you be in line to inherit?
0:22:58 > 0:23:03Joyce Lily Anthony passed away in February 1999 in Hackney, London.
0:23:03 > 0:23:08In the decade since Joyce died, nobody has come forward as her next of kin.
0:23:08 > 0:23:13Did you know her? Could you be entitled to her estate?
0:23:13 > 0:23:20Elizabeth Barbara Mountjoy Erroll died in South Strand, East Preston in September 2000.
0:23:20 > 0:23:25Did you know Elizabeth? Could you be in line to inherit her estate?
0:23:39 > 0:23:44Back in London, the Frasers team are tracing heirs to the estate of Margaret Mooney
0:23:44 > 0:23:50who passed away in Chingford in 2008, leaving behind an estimated £200,000.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54So far, the team have established from neighbours
0:23:54 > 0:23:57that Margaret died with no living near kin.
0:23:57 > 0:24:04Her father's side of the tree has been relatively easy to solve and revealed Margaret had three aunts.
0:24:04 > 0:24:10Travelling Heir Hunter Ewart Lindsay has made enquiries with neighbours into Margaret's background.
0:24:10 > 0:24:15Good morning. I'm making some enquiries into your neighbour who passed away.
0:24:15 > 0:24:21And Bob Barratt is on his way to visit a potential cousin of the deceased in Berkshire.
0:24:21 > 0:24:28Although Margaret was shy, she never hesitated to offer her assistance to those in need
0:24:28 > 0:24:34and showed a continued commitment to voluntary work and charity until the end of her life.
0:24:34 > 0:24:39Margaret was awarded one of the long service medals we give out to people
0:24:39 > 0:24:44and this is to celebrate the fact that they have shown so many years of dedication.
0:24:44 > 0:24:50It's not just that they have signed up for that, but they have turned up for duty day after day.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52We're very proud of those people.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56In addition to donating her time to charity,
0:24:56 > 0:25:00Margaret also donated a lot of money to one of her favourite causes.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04She had a plaque on the wall from the Lifeboat Association.
0:25:04 > 0:25:10She wouldn't brag about it at all. If she wanted to give a donation to people, she obviously just did it.
0:25:10 > 0:25:17After Margaret died, the neighbours decided to follow her lead and donate some money in her memory.
0:25:17 > 0:25:22We made a list. I'm very much into lists. We made a list of everybody to knock on.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26And everybody that we knocked wanted to donate
0:25:26 > 0:25:30and quite a number of them wanted to come to the funeral as well.
0:25:30 > 0:25:37So in the end, we got enough money to put a very nice floral tribute for the top of the coffin
0:25:37 > 0:25:41and a donation of £60 to the Whipps Cross Connaught Day Centre
0:25:41 > 0:25:44and £60 to Lifeboats.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47So I think we did quite well really.
0:25:52 > 0:25:57Over two hours after research began, Gareth and his colleagues are still struggling
0:25:57 > 0:26:02with the maternal side and the name they are researching is Fraser.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05We're getting a bit competitive in the company
0:26:05 > 0:26:09because Jo has got her side up to date,
0:26:09 > 0:26:14whereas we - and there's five of us working on this side - have got absolutely nowhere.
0:26:16 > 0:26:19So Jo's beaten us, basically.
0:26:19 > 0:26:24I think she just got lucky. We've clearly got the harder side of the job.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27I mean, Fraser is a terrible name to work.
0:26:27 > 0:26:29There goes my bonus!
0:26:31 > 0:26:37What Gareth has managed to uncover is that Margaret's mother Alice Fraser had three siblings -
0:26:37 > 0:26:40Alexander John, Edith and Albert.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43He knows Edith died before 1911,
0:26:43 > 0:26:46but what happened to Alexander and Albert?
0:26:46 > 0:26:52According to a census, Gareth knows one of the brothers also died before 1911, but which one?
0:26:54 > 0:26:58So we've got one outstanding who might have children,
0:26:58 > 0:27:02but it's one stem we can't find at the moment, so it doesn't help.
0:27:02 > 0:27:08Another clue from the census research is that John Fraser, Margaret's grandfather,
0:27:08 > 0:27:12worked in the tea trade during the early part of the 20th century,
0:27:12 > 0:27:15a highly lucrative industry at this time.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17It was a very, very busy life
0:27:17 > 0:27:20and an incredibly dynamic trade.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23Tea was pouring into Britain from all over the Empire.
0:27:23 > 0:27:29We would have had thousands of small and medium-sized tea businesses, all prospering,
0:27:29 > 0:27:35because in John Fraser's time all the tea that was sold in the world was auctioned in London.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39I suppose from a social point of view, as a tea merchant,
0:27:39 > 0:27:43John Fraser would be in the upper echelons of the commercial world.
0:27:43 > 0:27:50So they would be in the same social category as bankers and headmasters, headmistresses, etcetera.
0:27:50 > 0:27:54They would definitely be highly regarded
0:27:54 > 0:27:58because it was a very skilled and experienced trade.
0:27:58 > 0:28:05It was a very secure business and tea, of course, was Britain's favourite beverage by a mile.
0:28:05 > 0:28:13In fact, at that time, about 50% of the fluid that we took on a daily basis was tea.
0:28:16 > 0:28:21In Chingford, Ewart is keen to report back on what he has learnt from the neighbours.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Tony Pledger, please...
0:28:25 > 0:28:31But Tony has more pressing issues to deal with, like his 9.45am cake break.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36I hate when they do this.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38DIALLING TONE
0:28:39 > 0:28:42MOBILE PHONE RINGS
0:28:42 > 0:28:45- Hello?- Hello, Ewart.
0:28:45 > 0:28:51Tony needs Ewart to head over to Southgate to meet a cousin once removed to Margaret.
0:28:53 > 0:28:58There doesn't appear to be any competition on this job. I can't believe it.
0:28:58 > 0:29:00It's worth a bit of money.
0:29:00 > 0:29:07While Ewart makes his way over to Southgate, Bob Barratt has arrived at Kathleen Cutting's house,
0:29:07 > 0:29:10a paternal cousin of Margaret's, for an interview.
0:29:10 > 0:29:14What I'd like to do, if you are in agreement, is a family questionnaire.
0:29:14 > 0:29:19- How many children were there from your parents' marriage?- Just me. One.
0:29:19 > 0:29:24- And to your knowledge, were either of your parents married more than once?- No.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26No, they weren't.
0:29:26 > 0:29:31- And your mother's maiden name? - Mooney. Mabel Mooney.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33- Mabel?- Yes.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37- That's a museum name. - It is, isn't it?
0:29:37 > 0:29:41Kathleen has verified everything she told Tony on the phone earlier.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45Bob will leave paperwork with her to look over.
0:29:45 > 0:29:50And recounting her family history has stirred up memories of Margaret for Kathleen.
0:29:50 > 0:29:56Well, I knew her when we were both little girls. She was a little bit older than I am. She was very shy.
0:29:56 > 0:30:00I imagine this has contributed to losing touch over the years.
0:30:00 > 0:30:05When my uncle died, we really lost contact completely.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13With much of the father's side of the tree solved,
0:30:13 > 0:30:19the team working on the mother's side have been desperate for a breakthrough. Finally, it's arrived!
0:30:19 > 0:30:27Frances has identified the marriage of Albert Edward Fraser and Jenny Henderson Clark
0:30:27 > 0:30:30in Winnipeg in Manitoba,
0:30:30 > 0:30:33which occurred on the 3rd of December, 1919.
0:30:33 > 0:30:35We have an agent in Canada.
0:30:35 > 0:30:38He might be able to do something,
0:30:38 > 0:30:41but it's not helpful.
0:30:41 > 0:30:48And Tony has his second heir of the day on the phone - Michael, son of Daisy Wyatt.
0:30:48 > 0:30:52We think that you would be entitled, as would be your siblings.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54I understand that Donald,
0:30:54 > 0:30:59I think he might have passed away in Colchester about ten years ago or so.
0:30:59 > 0:31:04Was he married to somebody called Margaret, do you know?
0:31:04 > 0:31:09Primrose, oh. Did they have children? That's the most important thing.
0:31:09 > 0:31:14Two boys, right. And would you be in touch with them at all? No?
0:31:15 > 0:31:19Michael has filled in some more of the tree.
0:31:19 > 0:31:24He confirmed that his brother Donald married and had two children who would be heirs.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28He also informs Tony of his sisters Joyce and Peggy.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32Both of them had children who would now be heirs.
0:31:32 > 0:31:37His information is further filling out what is already a very crowded family tree.
0:31:37 > 0:31:43Tony needs to send a travelling Heir Hunter to interview Michael as soon as possible.
0:31:43 > 0:31:47- 'Tony, I've got Bob Barratt on 608 for you.'- Thanks. Bye.
0:31:47 > 0:31:50What's happening? I've got no idea.
0:31:50 > 0:31:52Bob Barratt, 608.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57- Tony!- What? - What number is that phone?- 452.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00I haven't got a tree here.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03PHONE RINGS
0:32:03 > 0:32:05Hello?
0:32:05 > 0:32:09- Hi, Tony. Right, I've just been to see Mrs Cutting.- Yeah.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13Her son told her not to sign anything until he'd seen it,
0:32:13 > 0:32:17- so I've left her agreements... - 'As you would, yeah.'
0:32:17 > 0:32:21- I've got Bob Smith doing nothing. - Have you?- N1 North.- N1 North?
0:32:21 > 0:32:23'Tell him...
0:32:23 > 0:32:26'Is that Bob Smith?'
0:32:26 > 0:32:29- Go to Wisbech. I'll catch him in a minute.- No worries.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32Er, Dave, Bob...?
0:32:32 > 0:32:34Yeah, what day is it(?)
0:32:34 > 0:32:38I think it's probably "pull over, have a cup of tea and regroup" time.
0:32:38 > 0:32:43- OK. I'll wait to hear from you then. - Thanks, mate. Bye.
0:32:44 > 0:32:48With Tony not knowing whether he's coming or going,
0:32:48 > 0:32:52one thing that is for sure is that Bob Smith is on the road.
0:32:52 > 0:32:57On such a high value case, there's no time to lose, so Bob has been called in for reinforcement.
0:32:57 > 0:33:02He's being sent to see Michael in Cambridgeshire.
0:33:02 > 0:33:08Meanwhile, Ewart has been sent to see Anthony, a paternal cousin once removed to Margaret,
0:33:08 > 0:33:12and arranged a meeting for a few days' time.
0:33:12 > 0:33:17With Michael's revelation about Antonia, a paternal cousin twice removed to Margaret,
0:33:17 > 0:33:20Ewart is sent to her home immediately.
0:33:20 > 0:33:25Bob Smith will be going somewhere, yes. To Wisbech, I think.
0:33:25 > 0:33:29And we've got... Ewart is popping down to N8.
0:33:29 > 0:33:35And we've got somebody else, I can't remember what his name is, he's having a cup of tea.
0:33:35 > 0:33:39So we're coming along. We're nearly there.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43Finally, Gareth has an answer on the fate of Alexander John,
0:33:43 > 0:33:47uncle of Margaret Mooney on her mother's side.
0:33:47 > 0:33:51We've just had the death of Alexander Fraser phoned through.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55Alexander John Fraser died as John Alexander, a police constable.
0:33:55 > 0:34:00He was 38 when he died, so that's quite a lot of scope for him to have got married.
0:34:00 > 0:34:04We think he was single because we can't find a good marriage for him.
0:34:04 > 0:34:10We've just got the death certificate and we know that he died on the 19th of October, 1910.
0:34:10 > 0:34:16The informant is just a coroner and the reason for that is because he committed suicide.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18He drowned in the River Lee.
0:34:18 > 0:34:24So it hasn't got us huge amounts further, but we do know a bit more about him now which is good.
0:34:24 > 0:34:29Gareth and the team can put Margaret's mother's side of the family on hold
0:34:29 > 0:34:35and wait to see if Canadian enquiries offer any further leads in a few days' time.
0:34:35 > 0:34:40In the meantime, Ewart has arrived at an heir's house in North London,
0:34:40 > 0:34:44but unfortunately, she is too ill for a meeting today,
0:34:44 > 0:34:47so Frasers will have to write to her instead.
0:34:47 > 0:34:53Meanwhile, Bob Barratt is on his way to Newmarket to see another potential heir.
0:34:53 > 0:35:00And Bob Smith has arrived at the home of Michael, a paternal cousin once removed to Margaret,
0:35:00 > 0:35:02and more importantly, another heir.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06Hello, Mr Wood? I'm Robert Smith from Fraser & Fraser.
0:35:06 > 0:35:12A relation going back through your grandmother's family has died without making a will.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16- If I could start with your full birth name?- Michael Leslie Richard.
0:35:17 > 0:35:24I think my family all wanted to have a little piece of the action when they named me.
0:35:24 > 0:35:28- And the little 'un? - That's Paddy, my daughter's son.
0:35:28 > 0:35:32Now, how many children from your parents' marriage?
0:35:32 > 0:35:34- My eldest sister Peggy.- Yeah.
0:35:34 > 0:35:37My second sister Joyce who's died.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41- I don't know what's happened to Peggy. She's disappeared.- Oh, right.
0:35:41 > 0:35:46I think the last time I knew of Peggy, she was living in Shoreham.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48- But that was years ago.- Right.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51- So there was Joycey.- Yeah. - And Donald.
0:35:51 > 0:35:55- The eldest you say was Peggy? Is that right?- Yes.
0:35:55 > 0:36:01- Now, any children at all? - Just Lynn and Ian from the second marriage.
0:36:02 > 0:36:04Hello! Are you OK?
0:36:04 > 0:36:07He's strong, isn't he?
0:36:07 > 0:36:09- Yeah.- Eh?
0:36:09 > 0:36:14Michael's knowledge of his family has filled in more information on the tree,
0:36:14 > 0:36:17so Frasers will help him make a claim to the estate.
0:36:17 > 0:36:21It was a surprise when the call came this morning.
0:36:21 > 0:36:25It's too early for me to say I've got plans because I wouldn't know.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27I'll wait and see if anything happens.
0:36:27 > 0:36:32And I'm sure my family, if there was anything of any size,
0:36:32 > 0:36:36would be more than willing to help me decide how to spend it.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38That was a very nice interview
0:36:38 > 0:36:43with a very lovely gentleman and his wife and a grandson.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48I'm confident we'll get the contract.
0:36:49 > 0:36:5338 miles away, Bob Barratt has arrived in Newmarket,
0:36:53 > 0:36:58but after a long drive, the heir doesn't seem to be at home, so Bob calls on a neighbour.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01- He works irregular hours.- Oh, right.
0:37:01 > 0:37:06Bob decides to leave a note to let the heir know he called.
0:37:08 > 0:37:12Back in the office, spirits are high.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14It's half past two in the afternoon
0:37:14 > 0:37:20and I'm pleased to say that through diligent research on behalf of my colleagues,
0:37:20 > 0:37:22this case appears to be finished.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25Only about eight heirs, I think.
0:37:25 > 0:37:29We spoke to the majority of people, we visited most of them as well.
0:37:29 > 0:37:33It seems to be going fairly well, I'm pleased to say.
0:37:33 > 0:37:39When the case finally closed, the company managed to sign up nine heirs,
0:37:39 > 0:37:44all on the father's side of the family, having beaten competition from rival firms.
0:37:44 > 0:37:48These beneficiaries will share in Margaret's £200,000 estate.
0:37:57 > 0:38:03Saul at Celtic Research has been investigating the estate of Olive Sonntag
0:38:03 > 0:38:05who died in 2008,
0:38:05 > 0:38:09leaving behind an estimated £130,000.
0:38:09 > 0:38:14One of the five heirs to the estate, 20-year-old Cassie Connolly,
0:38:14 > 0:38:18has only just learned of the existence of her great aunt.
0:38:18 > 0:38:24I would like to have known Olive when she was alive to find out about my nan and maybe more about my dad
0:38:24 > 0:38:26if she knew anything.
0:38:26 > 0:38:33As Saul's research into the family continued, he has been able to bring Olive's past to life for Cassie.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36This is Olive with an aeroplane.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39Jan writes, "I don't think Olive owns this plane!"
0:38:40 > 0:38:44I wonder if she flew it? You never know.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47It would make sense that that's your dad.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50It's just nice thinking of it as him.
0:38:50 > 0:38:56- It's nice to look at him. - You've never seen any of him at that sort of age?- No. Never.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00- It certainly makes sense that it's him. Definitely.- Yeah.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03- That does look like Doreen.- Yeah.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08With the revelation of family members she never knew she had,
0:39:08 > 0:39:12Cassie felt compelled to pay her respects to Olive
0:39:12 > 0:39:17and decided to journey to the Isle of Wight, accompanied by her boyfriend Jake.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21I think it's a good idea going to the Isle of Wight, actually.
0:39:21 > 0:39:25If you're inheriting money off a family member,
0:39:25 > 0:39:29it's obviously disrespectful not to go and find out more.
0:39:29 > 0:39:33It gives her a chance to search more into her family background as well.
0:39:43 > 0:39:49Cassie and Jake have an appointment with Daphne from Whiteley Bank House
0:39:49 > 0:39:52where Olive spent the last few years of her life.
0:39:52 > 0:39:58Today is important because I'm getting to find out about a relative I didn't know I had.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02I'm hoping to find out more about my dad and that side of the family.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06I'm just about to find out now and I'm excited.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09As Olive seemingly had no next of kin,
0:40:09 > 0:40:14all her possessions and memories have been kept safe by the care home.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17See? "Next of kin"? And we've found you!
0:40:19 > 0:40:22- She's like a film star, isn't she?- Yeah.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26You can see how beautiful she was. She was lovely.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29- Oh, wow!- And this is when she was older, look.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34- She was still beautiful then.- Yeah.
0:40:34 > 0:40:40This... The pictures that Saul showed me that Jan, my auntie from America, sent over...
0:40:40 > 0:40:44This resembles her a lot when she was a kid.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46And that looks like my dad.
0:40:47 > 0:40:52So I think that might have been my dad when he was younger.
0:40:52 > 0:40:57- Is he still alive? - No, he died ten years ago nearly.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00- Yeah?- It's coming up to ten years in January.
0:41:00 > 0:41:05- Crikey! He couldn't have been very old.- No, he was 42 when he died.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08- That's my dad.- Hmm.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10I think so.
0:41:12 > 0:41:18Coming here, the whole situation being made so much more of a reality to me,
0:41:18 > 0:41:22I want to go and see where Olive was buried.
0:41:23 > 0:41:28I felt like I've just dealt with the whole...family member dying,
0:41:28 > 0:41:31so maybe a bit of closure.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34I think that's... It's happened in such a short time.
0:41:35 > 0:41:40But it's sad, so I want to go and see where she was buried.
0:41:46 > 0:41:51Olive was buried in the Isle of Wight beside her husband Charles.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54- Shall we put them in...?- Yeah.
0:42:00 > 0:42:04'I'm just really glad that I've been given the opportunity
0:42:04 > 0:42:09'to do everything I've been able to do
0:42:09 > 0:42:14'and learn of a new family member and come and say goodbye to her, really.'
0:42:14 > 0:42:21Me and Jake spoke about it. I'll come back at least once a year and put some flowers at her graveside.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24I'm just really happy and sad at the same time.
0:42:24 > 0:42:30I'm glad I got to come and do this and I'm glad she's buried with Charles as well.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33It's really lovely.
0:42:48 > 0:42:54If you would like advice about building your family tree or making a will,
0:42:54 > 0:42:57go to: bbc.co.uk
0:43:17 > 0:43:21Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd 2010
0:43:21 > 0:43:24Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk