0:00:02 > 0:00:06Heir hunters track down the families of people who died without leaving a will.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09They hand over thousands of pounds to long-lost relatives
0:00:09 > 0:00:13who had no idea that they were in line for a windfall.
0:00:13 > 0:00:15Could they be knocking at your door?
0:00:32 > 0:00:37On today's programme, the heir hunters' bottom line is at stake as they try to beat the competition.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40It's now when we have to speak to the beneficiaries.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43Good conversation with one of the managers could mean the difference
0:00:43 > 0:00:47between being paid for this case or unfortunately making a big loss.
0:00:47 > 0:00:52And an unusual address sparks a search for a much-missed relative.
0:00:52 > 0:00:57His address was British Home and Hospital for Incurables.
0:00:57 > 0:01:02Plus, how you may be entitled to inherit some of the unclaimed estates held by the Treasury.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Could thousands of pounds be headed your way?
0:01:08 > 0:01:12Every year in Britain, thousands of people die without leaving a will.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14If no obvious family can be found,
0:01:14 > 0:01:17the money goes straight to the Government,
0:01:17 > 0:01:22who last year made over £18 million in unclaimed estates.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25That's where the heir hunting companies come in.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29Fraser and Fraser is one of the largest probate firms in the world.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33For over 90 years, a member of the Fraser family has been helping trace
0:01:33 > 0:01:37the rightful beneficiaries to thousands of estates.
0:01:37 > 0:01:40Our job is incredibly exciting. We are tracing family trees,
0:01:40 > 0:01:44delving back into people's history, delving back in time,
0:01:44 > 0:01:47looking at the hidden mysteries around people's families.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52It's 7am on Thursday in their central London office,
0:01:52 > 0:01:56and the Treasury's list of unclaimed estates has just been released.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04The team have already scoured the details to establish which ones to investigate,
0:02:04 > 0:02:11and company partner, Neil Fraser, has just identified a potentially valuable estate near Newcastle.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15We're going to start on this case of Jean Louisa Ring.
0:02:15 > 0:02:20Married lady, so her maiden name is Sanderson, which is quite a good name.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24Terraced house, probably in the region of £150,000,
0:02:24 > 0:02:26so a fair value on that.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29Fingers crossed they own it and we can make good progress.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35Jean and her husband, Aiden, lived in Newcastle for many years
0:02:35 > 0:02:40before moving just up the coast to the seaside town of Seahouses, Northumberland.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46Their friend, Joan Archibald, knew them both well.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49They moved to Seahouses because they'd always holidayed up there.
0:02:49 > 0:02:55For a lot of years, they took a cottage beside the harbour for a holiday.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58They had a dog and they used to be able to bring the dog with them.
0:02:58 > 0:03:03And they fell in love with the area and they decided to retire there.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06They had an extremely strong relationship,
0:03:06 > 0:03:08they were a very devoted couple.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12They did everything for each other and everything together.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Jean and Aiden were happily married for 55 years.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19They never had children.
0:03:19 > 0:03:24They were very quiet but she had a wicked sense of humour.
0:03:24 > 0:03:29She was very loving, very generous,
0:03:29 > 0:03:31just a lovely person to know.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35In October 2007, Aiden sadly passed away
0:03:35 > 0:03:38and Jean was devastated.
0:03:38 > 0:03:44It became very obvious after Aiden died that she was very lonely
0:03:44 > 0:03:48and I really believe that because they'd done everything together
0:03:48 > 0:03:54for over 50 years, that once he died she didn't have the will to live.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58In the office, the team have confirmed
0:03:58 > 0:04:01that Jean Ring did own the property and never made a will.
0:04:01 > 0:04:06And the estate would be worth at least £150,000.
0:04:06 > 0:04:11With such a high value at stake, there will almost certainly be competition on the case,
0:04:11 > 0:04:15so there's pressure to get ahead as soon as possible.
0:04:17 > 0:04:23Case manager David Slee's first job is to try to speak to neighbours of Mrs Ring.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27He's waiting until a reasonable time to call.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30But the competition often aren't so considerate.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36Here we go. I don't like phoning them too early.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45Good morning, I'm very sorry to trouble you so early in the morning.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49I'm making some inquiries about a lady who lived at number 104 Main Street.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53I am sorry about that.
0:04:53 > 0:04:58It's just that we're anxiously trying to trace the next of kin to the lady.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02OK, fine, thank you. Bye-bye.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09The guy's got information but he won't talk to me.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14It's not the start they wanted, as information from neighbours
0:05:14 > 0:05:17can prove a fantastic source of quick leads for the heir hunters.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21But across the office, Gareth Langford is heading up
0:05:21 > 0:05:25the research into the birth, death and marriage records of Jean's family.
0:05:25 > 0:05:31Luckily for him, they are available at any time of day and he's made a breakthrough.
0:05:31 > 0:05:36Basically, we've found a birth. It's in Newcastle in 1931.
0:05:36 > 0:05:40We found also the parents' marriage, Norman and Lilian,
0:05:40 > 0:05:41and that's in 1930.
0:05:41 > 0:05:46It looks like she's an only child, so we're almost certainly going to have to go to cousins on this.
0:05:46 > 0:05:52At the moment, we're trying to find the deaths of Norman and Lilian and then once we've found those,
0:05:52 > 0:05:56then we're going to see if we can find out births and hopefully get on to cousins.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58If Gareth's research is correct,
0:05:58 > 0:06:03Jean is the only child of Norman Sanderson and Lilian O'Neill.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07So the closest relation they expect to find will be cousins.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10The next step for the researchers is to track down the birth records
0:06:10 > 0:06:14of each parent to try to find any uncles and aunts of Jean's.
0:06:14 > 0:06:21But Gareth believes that the team will have their work cut out on Jean's mother, Lilian's side.
0:06:21 > 0:06:25I'm a bit concerned about the O'Neill side of the family because
0:06:25 > 0:06:28O'Neill's one of these surnames that can be chopped and changed around.
0:06:28 > 0:06:34It can be spelt several different ways and also there's a question of whether they drop the O.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37So, sometimes, O'Neill, it can cause a lot of work for us.
0:06:37 > 0:06:44The heir hunters are throwing resources at this tricky £150,000 case to get results.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47They have experienced case managers David Slee and Tony Pledger
0:06:47 > 0:06:52directing operations as well as researchers both in and out of the office.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55They are looking into Jean's family records
0:06:55 > 0:06:57to find the crucial certificates.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03But news has come in that they don't have the luxury of time
0:07:03 > 0:07:07as there are other rival firms also investigating the case.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Now this is a case with a property on it.
0:07:11 > 0:07:16It's certainly going to be worth in the region of £150,000.
0:07:17 > 0:07:22That's excited people, it's attracted other firms of researchers.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24We know of one other firm.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27However, I do know that one of the death certificates
0:07:27 > 0:07:32was picked up by two people as well, so that makes Frasers and two others.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35Despite an earlier rebuke from a neighbour on the phone,
0:07:35 > 0:07:37David Slee is under pressure to establish a lead
0:07:37 > 0:07:39about Jean's family life.
0:07:40 > 0:07:44The team have competition breathing down their necks.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46He'll need to call some other neighbours
0:07:46 > 0:07:48but will he have better luck?
0:07:48 > 0:07:51Hello, good morning. Sorry to trouble you so early in the morning.
0:07:51 > 0:07:58I'm making some inquiries about a lady who lived at 104 Main Street until she died in January of 2008.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02We think she might have been from the Newcastle area.
0:08:02 > 0:08:04Would that tie in? Was she a Geordie?
0:08:06 > 0:08:10So she lived at the house for over 20 years?
0:08:12 > 0:08:15No children as far as you're aware.
0:08:17 > 0:08:22Did she ever give any indication about brothers and sisters or anything like that?
0:08:22 > 0:08:26Didn't know her that...? No. Well, I really appreciate your time.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30That was my very kind of you. Thank you very much indeed. Take care now. Bye-bye.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35Although no new information has come to light,
0:08:35 > 0:08:39David's phone call has corroborated Gareth's birth record for Jean,
0:08:39 > 0:08:43with a match one of her age and Newcastle birth.
0:08:43 > 0:08:48This means that he can now progress on surer footing for the rest of the search.
0:08:48 > 0:08:53We've found the deaths and the birth of the parents of the deceased now.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55Norman is born in 1908 in Newcastle.
0:08:55 > 0:09:00That's good for us, 1908, because we've immediately been able to get to the 1911 census,
0:09:00 > 0:09:03from which we know that he's got a few siblings.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05So we're working those at the moment.
0:09:05 > 0:09:10Basically, on the top line, we've got William, Frederick, Eleanor and Albert.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14The Sanderson's side of the tree is flourishing.
0:09:14 > 0:09:20Gareth's hit on the census has shown that Norman has four siblings by 1911.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23The five children were all reasonably close in age
0:09:23 > 0:09:27and the records show that they ran a family business together,
0:09:27 > 0:09:30a local butcher shop in Newcastle called Sanderson's.
0:09:30 > 0:09:36None of these paternal uncles and aunts are still alive, so the team must try to find their descendants
0:09:36 > 0:09:40to establish whether there are any living heirs on the case
0:09:40 > 0:09:43and unravel why this once tight-knit family
0:09:43 > 0:09:45were not aware of Jean Ring's death.
0:09:49 > 0:09:53It's just after 9am and Gareth's team are moving forward quickly.
0:09:53 > 0:09:58But Neil is not quite so convinced that they are on the right track.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02It's just Norman Sanderson isn't a unique name.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05There are more people around with that name.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08This just is the best fit and I hope it's the right family.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13With other Norman Sandersons born in Newcastle at the same time,
0:10:13 > 0:10:17the researchers will have to be careful not to mix up all of their families.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22But until they speak to someone who actually is a relative,
0:10:22 > 0:10:26they just won't know if the research about the butcher's family is right or wrong.
0:10:26 > 0:10:31We've looked at the best name in the Sanderson site, which is Eleanor I.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34She's married a Gregory, a chap by the surname of Gregory
0:10:34 > 0:10:37and she's had one child, Norma, who we've got up state.
0:10:37 > 0:10:38Tony's going to give her a call
0:10:38 > 0:10:44and hopefully she's going to be able to confirm that everything that we've been doing is correct.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48Although we think we're right, that we've got the right family, we're not 100% sure.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52This is make or break time.
0:10:52 > 0:10:56Norma could be a paternal first cousin through her mother, Eleanor.
0:10:56 > 0:11:01But is she actually an heir or have the team been barking up the wrong family tree?
0:11:02 > 0:11:06It all rests on case manager Tony Pledger's next phone call.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08Hello. Sorry to bother you. Is that Mrs Reid?
0:11:08 > 0:11:13The reason I'm ringing his I'm hoping you're Norma Reid, formerly Gregory,
0:11:13 > 0:11:18the daughter of Eleanor, whose maiden name was Sanderson.
0:11:18 > 0:11:19Oh, good. I'll cut to the chase here.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23I think your mum would have also had a brother Norman.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26Any idea what happened to Norman?
0:11:26 > 0:11:29No, no, No. It's all a bit of a surprise. That's good.
0:11:29 > 0:11:33So Uncle Norman had a daughter, Jean, and she lived in Seahouses. Right, lovely.
0:11:33 > 0:11:36So we've definitely got the right family.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39It's a success.
0:11:39 > 0:11:43With great relief, Tony realises Norma is indeed the first heir
0:11:43 > 0:11:47on the estate and they have researched the correct family.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51What's more, she knows a lot about her relatives.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55She's got good knowledge of the family, she's got lots of certificates.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58She's given me an address for her cousin, Albert, who lives in Belgium.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02She's given me details of her uncle Fred's children,
0:12:02 > 0:12:07her auntie Lily's children and her uncle William's children, she knew the deceased as well.
0:12:08 > 0:12:15Speaking to Norma has been a revelation as there are now a wealth of leads to chase.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18Despite dying with no obvious family,
0:12:18 > 0:12:22it appears that Jean actually had five uncles and aunts on her father's side,
0:12:22 > 0:12:29who all had their own children, including Lilian, who had an amazing nine sons and daughters.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34Many of these potential heirs have international connections.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37But some stayed close to home, too.
0:12:37 > 0:12:40So the heir hunters need men on the ground in Newcastle
0:12:40 > 0:12:45to help locate and speak to all of the beneficiaries.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48Lilian has nine children, so we're going to need someone else up there.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51Can someone phone Paul, get him up to Newcastle?
0:12:52 > 0:12:55Fraser & Fraser's network of travelling heir hunters
0:12:55 > 0:13:00make door-to-door inquiries, speaking to people who knew the deceased.
0:13:02 > 0:13:03Is that George? OK, cheers.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05Thank you.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08- As well as picking up records. - Lovely.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10Thank you very much.
0:13:10 > 0:13:14All in the race to find and sign up heirs.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Paul Matthews' beat is normally Birmingham and the West Country
0:13:17 > 0:13:20but today he's needed a little further afield than usual.
0:13:20 > 0:13:26Company partner, Charles Fraser, has to deliver the good news.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29Hello, Paul. It's Charles.
0:13:29 > 0:13:33Yeah, not too bad, and you?
0:13:33 > 0:13:37Can I ask you to go to Newcastle please?
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Yeah, OK, that should be all right.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42All right? Cheers. Bye.
0:13:45 > 0:13:47Just leaving Birmingham. I'm on the M42.
0:13:47 > 0:13:53I've got a 230-mile drive
0:13:53 > 0:13:55and the M42 is like a car-park.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59So, the start of the journey is not good.
0:14:01 > 0:14:08Paul might be going nowhere fast, but in the office, they are now swamped with information.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10Tony has a lengthy list of heirs' phone numbers,
0:14:10 > 0:14:16but he actually needs to speak to them to have a chance of signing them up.
0:14:16 > 0:14:22I'm trying to ring up the cousin of the cousin that I've just spoken to.
0:14:25 > 0:14:28Basically, it's another paternal heir.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30LINE ENGAGED
0:14:30 > 0:14:33Right, so she's engaged.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41Obviously, being phoned up by the opposition, I would imagine.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45With Tony and Paul seemingly at the back of a queue,
0:14:45 > 0:14:51could the competition be one step ahead of the team on this £150,000 estate?
0:14:53 > 0:14:55This is absolute critical time for us now.
0:14:55 > 0:15:00It's now when we actually try and get paid as a firm.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03We've spent a huge amount of money so far on the research,
0:15:03 > 0:15:05we have to speak to the beneficiaries.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08It's no good just finding the beneficiaries,
0:15:08 > 0:15:12we actually have to take our contract a bit further, so absolute critical time for us.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16A good conversation with one of the managers could mean the difference
0:15:16 > 0:15:20between being paid for this case or unfortunately making a big loss.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25Still to come: Jean Ring's estate becomes even more of an uphill struggle
0:15:25 > 0:15:28for the heir hunters as they locate heirs across the globe.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32It's becoming a real international family.
0:15:32 > 0:15:33If we don't have anybody to talk to,
0:15:33 > 0:15:36then it makes it very difficult for us.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47Some estates demand that the heir hunters travel across the world to find beneficiaries,
0:15:47 > 0:15:54whilst other need more local research, as was the case of Michael Moore.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56When a name appears on the Treasury's list,
0:15:56 > 0:16:01all that the heir hunters have to go on initially is the date and place of death.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05It's their job to use their investigative skills to come up with more information.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10Fraser & Fraser's senior case manager David Milchard,
0:16:10 > 0:16:14known as Grimble to his colleagues, was assigned the case.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18The name Moore is an extremely common name, and of course there's
0:16:18 > 0:16:23variations on the name as well, which complicates it even further.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25So it is, from a research point of view,
0:16:25 > 0:16:29quite a difficult name up to research into.
0:16:29 > 0:16:30The team had very little to go on,
0:16:30 > 0:16:35but they knew for the case to be on the Treasury's list in the first place
0:16:35 > 0:16:42the estate had to be valued at a minimum of £5,000, so decided to delve deeper.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46Michael Moore was born in London in 1948.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50He was 60 years old when he passed away in Croydon in July 2009.
0:16:51 > 0:16:56Sheila Scott met Michael in the 1990s and got to know him well.
0:16:56 > 0:17:01I just thought he was such... a nice man.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04He was very pleasant, never rude,
0:17:04 > 0:17:10very considerate, always put other people's needs first.
0:17:10 > 0:17:15He wasn't selfish, which you find... some people are.
0:17:15 > 0:17:19I mean, everybody is selfish, but he wasn't selfish.
0:17:20 > 0:17:25Michael had no known next of kin, and as he didn't leave a will,
0:17:25 > 0:17:30his money was destined to go into the Government's coffers unless his rightful heirs were found.
0:17:30 > 0:17:35The initial searches brought up no sign of Michael on any records in the office,
0:17:35 > 0:17:39so Grimble enlisted the help of travelling heir hunter Bob Barrett
0:17:39 > 0:17:42to see if he could assist with this puzzling case.
0:17:42 > 0:17:47Bob headed straight to the register office to see what he could find out.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52I'm at Croydon Registry Office, so hopefully they'll be able to help
0:17:52 > 0:17:55and produce us some certificates while I wait.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02Birth, death and marriage certificates are available
0:18:02 > 0:18:07and can often provide the team with the vital leads they need to progress with the case.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13Bob was able to get hold of Michael's death certificate
0:18:13 > 0:18:15and called Grimble with the news.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Michael Moore, er...
0:18:17 > 0:18:22died 23rd July 2009, Mayday Hospital.
0:18:22 > 0:18:28- Yeah.- 'Born 3rd November 1948...'
0:18:28 > 0:18:32- Yeah.- 'And his address was British Home and Hospital for Incurables.'
0:18:34 > 0:18:38Bob's inquiry uncovered that at the time of his death,
0:18:38 > 0:18:43Michael Moore had been a resident at the British Home and Hospital for Incurables,
0:18:43 > 0:18:45now called the British Home.
0:18:45 > 0:18:46This is an independent charity
0:18:46 > 0:18:49that provides specialised nursing and social care
0:18:49 > 0:18:54for people with long-term medical conditions and severe disabilities.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58Its forerunner was founded as the Royal Hospital for Incurables
0:18:58 > 0:19:01in 1861 by a group of philanthropists
0:19:01 > 0:19:04inspired by the work of Charles Dickens.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07Although originally sited in Clapham,
0:19:07 > 0:19:12by 1894 a new building was established in nearby Streatham.
0:19:16 > 0:19:22Grimble started investigating further and discovered that Michael had been born with Down's syndrome,
0:19:22 > 0:19:26a condition that affects 600 babies every year
0:19:26 > 0:19:29and occurs when a baby inherits an extra chromosome.
0:19:29 > 0:19:33About one in a thousand babies are born with Down's syndrome,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36and it can affect them in various different ways
0:19:36 > 0:19:38depending on the severity.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41Some it will be very mild, but it will still have some impact
0:19:41 > 0:19:44on some of the things they want to do, like reading and writing.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48Others will need help with all the activities of daily living,
0:19:48 > 0:19:49washing, dressing.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52That is quite a challenge for the families,
0:19:52 > 0:19:54and the families need support.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59For Michael and any sufferers of Down's syndrome,
0:19:59 > 0:20:02charitable institutions offered invaluable help,
0:20:02 > 0:20:08but the office's further investigations showed that Michael hadn't always lived at the home.
0:20:08 > 0:20:13He had also lived with his parents until his mother died in 1992.
0:20:13 > 0:20:18Angela Wood was a neighbour and a regular visitor to the house.
0:20:20 > 0:20:26Well, I met Michael when I was in the early years of senior school.
0:20:26 > 0:20:32He was living with his mum and dad, being cared for by them, cos he needed that little bit of extra help.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35So there was quite a bit of an age difference between us,
0:20:35 > 0:20:41but Michael being Michael, being that much younger in his mind, he enjoyed the things I enjoyed doing,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44and it was like two children together playing.
0:20:44 > 0:20:50I think Michael's parents didn't see him any different to any other child that they had.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52He was treated exactly the same.
0:20:52 > 0:20:57They were proud of him, and they wanted the world to see their son.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01At the time when Michael was born in 1948, many families
0:21:01 > 0:21:05put Down's syndrome children into long-term institutions.
0:21:05 > 0:21:11However, a ground-breaking project called the Brooklands Experience,
0:21:11 > 0:21:12run by Mencap in 1958,
0:21:12 > 0:21:18proved that children brought up in family-type environments progressed far better than those in hospitals.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20By looking after Michael at home,
0:21:20 > 0:21:23his parents had been ahead of their time.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26It's great that Michael's parents were not embarrassed.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29In the '40s, '50s and probably '60s, many parents were embarrassed,
0:21:29 > 0:21:34partly cos of the negative reaction they were getting from friends, family and neighbours.
0:21:34 > 0:21:39I'm not saying that's all totally disappeared, it hasn't, but it has got a lot, lot better,
0:21:39 > 0:21:43so the way they looked on Michael in those days was pretty enlightened.
0:21:43 > 0:21:48People with Down's syndrome have the same right to live as everybody else,
0:21:48 > 0:21:52and they do make very good friends and companions and what have you,
0:21:52 > 0:21:55and people shouldn't shun them and shouldn't feel,
0:21:55 > 0:21:59"Why are they here?" They should treat them like they do everybody else.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03Michael lived until he was 60 years old.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06As he outlived both of his parents,
0:22:06 > 0:22:08he spent his last few years in a home.
0:22:08 > 0:22:14With only the nursing home as an address, it was hard for the team to know whether Michael had inherited
0:22:14 > 0:22:19any property from his parents and therefore whether there was any value to the estate.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22Grimble could only speculate.
0:22:22 > 0:22:27Michael's estate would most probably have been built up
0:22:27 > 0:22:30by perhaps any benefits that he may have received,
0:22:30 > 0:22:37or it could be that he could have had an allowance when he was younger,
0:22:37 > 0:22:39perhaps made by family,
0:22:39 > 0:22:45and of course any money that he derived from that and hasn't spent,
0:22:45 > 0:22:48that's just built up a bit.
0:22:48 > 0:22:53Once they got hold of the death certificate, the team could start to investigate further.
0:22:53 > 0:22:58So their next line of inquiry was to call the nursing home.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00It proved to be a fruitful call,
0:23:00 > 0:23:03as Grimble found out that Michael had a niece.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07Although the home didn't have any details, as she didn't visit him,
0:23:07 > 0:23:11it was a good lead, as it meant that Michael would have had to have at least one sibling.
0:23:11 > 0:23:15Could the heir hunters be close to solving the case?
0:23:15 > 0:23:18As they didn't know who Michael's parents were,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21researcher Gareth started to look at birth records
0:23:21 > 0:23:27around the time that Michael was born to see if there was anyone else with the same surname.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30And he was in luck. Just under two years before
0:23:30 > 0:23:34Michael Moore was born, there was a Valerie Moore born in the same area.
0:23:34 > 0:23:39It was a bit of a stab in the dark, because basically we had two births and no marriage to go with them.
0:23:39 > 0:23:42So we had a Michael and a Valerie born in the same sort of area,
0:23:42 > 0:23:45but no connecting parents to tie them together.
0:23:45 > 0:23:49Gareth had two names, but were they actually siblings, as he hoped?
0:23:49 > 0:23:55He cross-checked all the records at his disposal and was finally able
0:23:55 > 0:23:59to prove what he'd suspected, that Michael and Valerie were related.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03His investigations showed that they shared the same parents,
0:24:03 > 0:24:06Alfred Moore and Phyllis Wilkinson.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10But with every breakthrough the team made, there seemed to be a setback.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14Well, once we established that he had a sister, erm...
0:24:14 > 0:24:19of course we made every effort to try to contact or find her.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22We then got a bit of disappointment,
0:24:22 > 0:24:25because we then established that she had died.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29So you're beginning to think, "Oh, you know, perhaps there isn't anybody."
0:24:30 > 0:24:34With Michael's only sister already passed away, Grimble wasn't
0:24:34 > 0:24:37too hopeful there would be any living heirs left on this estate.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41But the researchers still had a good lead left,
0:24:41 > 0:24:47the unknown niece who had been mentioned by the care home, if she was still alive.
0:24:49 > 0:24:53Coming up, with the whereabouts of Michael's heirs still unknown,
0:24:53 > 0:24:57could travelling heir hunter Bob Smith be heading out on a wild goose chase?
0:24:58 > 0:25:02I've been asked by the office to go and see a niece of the deceased.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05The only information I have is the surname is Moore.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14For every case that's solved,
0:25:14 > 0:25:18there are still thousands on the Treasury's list that remain a mystery.
0:25:20 > 0:25:26The deceased's assets are kept for up to 30 years in the hope that eventually someone will remember
0:25:26 > 0:25:29and come forward to claim their inheritance.
0:25:32 > 0:25:37And with estates valued at anything from 5,000 to millions of pounds,
0:25:37 > 0:25:39the rightful heirs are out there somewhere.
0:25:42 > 0:25:46Could you know the answer? Maybe you are in line for a windfall?
0:25:49 > 0:25:53Marjorie Hyslop passed away in Stockwell south London
0:25:53 > 0:25:54on 4th April 1997.
0:25:54 > 0:25:59So far, every attempt to find her rightful heir has failed.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01Does her name sound familiar to you?
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Could you be entitled to her legacy?
0:26:12 > 0:26:19Phyllis Claire Isaacs died in Exeter, Devon, on 16th November 2004. Do you know her?
0:26:19 > 0:26:21Was she a neighbour of yours?
0:26:24 > 0:26:29If no relatives are found for either Phyllis or Marjorie, their money will go to the Government.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33But could it be meant for you?
0:26:35 > 0:26:41Still to come - with competition closing in on Jean Ring's £150,000 estate,
0:26:41 > 0:26:46Paul needs to get his skates on if he is to make his appointment in Newcastle.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48The race is on. I need a time machine.
0:26:55 > 0:27:00Fraser & Fraser had been investigating the case of Michael Moore who lived in
0:27:00 > 0:27:04the British Home for Incurables for the later part of his life.
0:27:05 > 0:27:10They had established that he may have had a living relative in the form of a niece,
0:27:10 > 0:27:13but didn't know who she was of if she was even alive.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16They needed more information.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22When they looked back into the records, they discovered that
0:27:22 > 0:27:27Michael's sister, Valerie, had indeed married and with a stroke of luck,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30her husband had an unusual surname, Uffindell.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35It's certainly not a name that I'd come across before.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39She married an Uffindell and then the marriages of her children were always
0:27:39 > 0:27:43going to be the right marriages, because there aren't many Uffindells around.
0:27:45 > 0:27:50With such a good name to go on, they quickly found Valerie's two daughters.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54They would be Michael's heirs.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58Once we knew who the daughters were,
0:27:58 > 0:28:01it was just a matter of finding out where they were.
0:28:01 > 0:28:03The case looked close to being solved
0:28:03 > 0:28:07and Grimble identified a possible address for one of them,
0:28:07 > 0:28:11so dispatched travelling heir hunter Bob Smith in that direction
0:28:11 > 0:28:16whilst he verified the details to find out whether she was indeed still living there.
0:28:16 > 0:28:22I've been asked by the office to go and see two nieces of the deceased.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26The only information I have about the name of the deceased is that the surname is Moore.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30The team are trying to find out the full story,
0:28:30 > 0:28:34but the person who knew the most about Michael was Sheila Scott.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38She was the assistant manager at one of the day centres
0:28:38 > 0:28:44Michael used to visit when he was living with his parents, before his move to a permanent care home.
0:28:44 > 0:28:49Michael was very contented because he had the love of his family,
0:28:49 > 0:28:52and also he had the day centres to go to.
0:28:52 > 0:28:57He just got on with life and he enjoyed every part of life.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00Michael was very comfortable living at home with his parents,
0:29:00 > 0:29:05whilst attending a day centre, but the arrangement couldn't continue indefinitely.
0:29:07 > 0:29:13His father, Alfred, died in 1984, followed by his mother, Phyllis, in 1992.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16And dealing with the upheaval of parents' deaths is becoming
0:29:16 > 0:29:22more and more of a consideration as people with Down's syndrome have begun to live longer lives.
0:29:22 > 0:29:28When Michael was born in 1948, very often people with Down's syndrome didn't live beyond their thirties.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31That was a fact, they died of all sorts of things.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33The most crucial change has come in terms of giving them
0:29:33 > 0:29:38the necessary heart treatment much earlier, particularly when they're very young.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42Now many people with Down's syndrome live into their 60s and some live into their 70s and 80s.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45There's a much greater life expectancy.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49That of itself creates problems because their parents will often die before they do.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52This was the case for Michael.
0:29:52 > 0:29:58When his parents died, his sister, Valerie, looked after him for the next five years,
0:29:58 > 0:30:00until she, too, passed away.
0:30:02 > 0:30:06It soon became evident that he was in need of more specialist care
0:30:06 > 0:30:12at this time and Sheila, his friend as well as his carer, helped him on his next move,
0:30:12 > 0:30:16to a permanent residential care home in south London.
0:30:16 > 0:30:20We had a look round the home and everything, which was really nice.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23And he loved it, he loved the people.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25He just mixed so well.
0:30:25 > 0:30:28He didn't have a problem mixing, he wasn't shy.
0:30:28 > 0:30:32He was very friendly, so he never had no problems.
0:30:32 > 0:30:36Moving into permanent carer coincided with Michael losing touch
0:30:36 > 0:30:39with his remaining family, still living in Kent.
0:30:39 > 0:30:43Michael was eventually cared for in the British Home for Incurables
0:30:43 > 0:30:46in Streatham, where he was living when he passed away.
0:30:46 > 0:30:53And as he didn't leave a will, it was now down to the heir hunters to find any living blood relatives.
0:30:54 > 0:31:01Over the last hour, traveller Bob Smith has made his way to Kent, to a possible address of a niece.
0:31:01 > 0:31:05During that time, Grimble managed to confirm that the person living
0:31:05 > 0:31:08at this address was indeed the Barbara they had been looking for.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12Hello, Mrs Pooley, its Robert Smith, Fraser & Fraser.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18Barbara had lost touch with her uncle.
0:31:18 > 0:31:23She had known Michael when he lived in Kent with her grandparents and her mother, Valerie.
0:31:23 > 0:31:29Once he'd moved to London, and she'd got married, they unfortunately drifted apart.
0:31:29 > 0:31:34Your uncle, Michael, unfortunately he's died without making a will.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37I wasn't shocked, but I was still sad to receive it.
0:31:37 > 0:31:44He was a really lovely guy, very sweet-natured, very loving, and just really nice.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47We used to always take him photos and little bits
0:31:47 > 0:31:51that he used to like to colour and stuff and all different things.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55But he was really lovely. It's really sad.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59Michael's estate has finally been solved
0:31:59 > 0:32:04and Grimble was pleased with the result and that he'd found the right people.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10The value of his estate at this time was still unknown.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15Whatever money he had, it was his.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21It's a nice thought that we were able to trace relatives,
0:32:21 > 0:32:26for them to benefit from his money, and certainly not the Government.
0:32:28 > 0:32:33The final value turned out to be £6,000, which was split between the two nieces.
0:32:35 > 0:32:40Barbara had no hesitation about what to do with her share of the cash.
0:32:42 > 0:32:46Probably whatever he's left I will donate to Mencap so that
0:32:46 > 0:32:50they can make some use of it, like they helped him when he was alive.
0:32:50 > 0:32:54I'd rather his money go back to help somebody else.
0:32:54 > 0:33:00Michael's legacy, as well as Fraser's fees, will now be passed on to the charity who helped him most.
0:33:00 > 0:33:05They used to go there for the day and they used to do lots of different things,
0:33:05 > 0:33:11they used to go on outings to places, make things, all the general things that he loved doing, really.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14He used to look forward to going there. He made lots of friends there
0:33:14 > 0:33:19as well, and the staff and everyone were all very nice, very helpful.
0:33:19 > 0:33:21And he really enjoyed doing that, really enjoyed that.
0:33:21 > 0:33:27Michael's parents refused to view him any differently from any other child
0:33:27 > 0:33:30and he grew up feeling secure and happy.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34He left a lasting impression on everyone who met him.
0:33:34 > 0:33:40He was always laughing, always ready for a hug, always wanted to give you a hug.
0:33:40 > 0:33:44Very friendly, very loving, just full of laughter, really.
0:33:46 > 0:33:51He was always happy. Never think of him as anything else, really, just always being happy.
0:34:00 > 0:34:05Whilst some cases are relatively easy to solve for the heir hunters,
0:34:05 > 0:34:09other cases, like the estate of Jean Ring, involve chasing families
0:34:09 > 0:34:14across the world in a bid to get to the heirs before rival firms.
0:34:14 > 0:34:19The team have made rapid progress, and senior researcher Paul Matthews
0:34:19 > 0:34:24is making his way from his home in Birmingham up to Newcastle
0:34:24 > 0:34:27so he's in the right area to sign up the beneficiaries.
0:34:28 > 0:34:32After speaking to his first heir early this morning, case manager Tony
0:34:32 > 0:34:37has finally managed to speak to another heir, Olga Brennan.
0:34:37 > 0:34:42She's the daughter of one of Jean Ring's uncles, Frederick Sanderson,
0:34:42 > 0:34:44and is still based in Newcastle.
0:34:44 > 0:34:48What I was hoping was that I can make an arrangement for one of our
0:34:48 > 0:34:54researchers, possibly Paul Matthews, to visit you later on today.
0:34:54 > 0:34:58There are at least two other heir hunting firms on the case,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01so Tony's booked Paul in for a 2.30 appointment to meet her.
0:35:01 > 0:35:05Unfortunately, progress has been painfully slow.
0:35:05 > 0:35:10It's already 12.30pm and he's still 100 miles away.
0:35:10 > 0:35:16So will he make it in time and will be competition already have visited her?
0:35:16 > 0:35:22One of our rival companies, researching the same estate, just as we're doing,
0:35:22 > 0:35:26they're going round contacting relatives.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29So, yeah, the race is on.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31I need a time machine.
0:35:32 > 0:35:36In the office, Gareth is looking into Olga's brother Frederick's family.
0:35:36 > 0:35:41He passed away in 1995 but they know that he had children,
0:35:41 > 0:35:44who will be heirs, if they can find them.
0:35:44 > 0:35:49I'm just seeing if I can track down the children of Frederick Sanderson.
0:35:49 > 0:35:54We know he was in the RAF, so he was having children all over the country
0:35:54 > 0:35:57which is making him slightly difficult to track down.
0:35:59 > 0:36:06Jean's cousin, Frederick, joined the RAF straight after World War II, aged 17.
0:36:06 > 0:36:12He worked as a mechanic in the MT section before graduating to a Chief Tech Engineer.
0:36:12 > 0:36:16His job took him to live in bases across the UK
0:36:16 > 0:36:23as well as Malta, Gibraltar, the Maldives and Singapore where his eldest daughter was born.
0:36:23 > 0:36:29This colourful history can be a challenge to the hunters if they have to rely on certificates alone.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32It's becoming a real international family
0:36:32 > 0:36:37which, as long as we're talking to people, that's fine, and they're giving us that information.
0:36:37 > 0:36:41If we don't have anybody to talk to, then it makes it very difficult for us.
0:36:41 > 0:36:44Jean Ring's father's family were all born and bred in Newcastle
0:36:44 > 0:36:47and worked in the same family butcher shop.
0:36:51 > 0:36:56But much of the next generation seems to have travelled much wider and Gareth has a theory as to why.
0:36:58 > 0:37:02We've got one stem in the RAF, that we know was in the RAF,
0:37:02 > 0:37:05and then we've got other stems that are going all over the world.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08That, to me, means maybe that they're in the aviation business.
0:37:08 > 0:37:13It's a complete guess at this stage, but I've got a gut feeling. I might be right.
0:37:13 > 0:37:19Gareth might be right, but the heir hunters need to keep speaking to people who know about the family
0:37:19 > 0:37:21or the research could start to slow down.
0:37:23 > 0:37:30A little closer to home and it has taken Paul nearly five hours to drive the 230 miles to Newcastle
0:37:30 > 0:37:35in a bid to meet cousin Olga Brennan before the opposition.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37Three minutes early.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40I don't know how I've timed it so well, but there you go.
0:37:40 > 0:37:43With such a large and spread out family,
0:37:43 > 0:37:45Paul will not only need to sign Olga up
0:37:45 > 0:37:49but also establish as many facts as he can
0:37:49 > 0:37:54if the office stands any chance of getting to the other heirs before the competition.
0:37:54 > 0:37:56Fortunately, he has managed to get to Olga
0:37:56 > 0:38:00before any other heir hunters so they are already one step ahead.
0:38:00 > 0:38:04What I've got to do now is ask you a few questions about yourself.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06It proves you're the right person.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09Then I'll ask you what you know about the family which will help us
0:38:09 > 0:38:14with our research because we've got a very big family tree and lots of people to trace.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17So, right, OK. What's your full name, please?
0:38:17 > 0:38:21- Olga Eleanor Brennan. - And your maiden name?
0:38:21 > 0:38:23- Sanderson.- Good start.
0:38:23 > 0:38:25So you've got one sibling.
0:38:25 > 0:38:27Did Frederick have children?
0:38:27 > 0:38:29Yes, he had six.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33A lot of writing today then!
0:38:33 > 0:38:35Keep you occupied.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38- Who's the oldest of the children? - David.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42- Do you know when David was born? - 1952, in this house.- Oh, right.
0:38:42 > 0:38:46- Is David married?- He is divorced.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49- We've got Stephen, does that ring a bell?- That rings a bell, yes.
0:38:49 > 0:38:51Olga's June 16th.
0:38:51 > 0:38:56You're very good on dates, aren't you? I ought to come and see you every week.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59Well, I try to.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02Paul has hit the jackpot as Olga has a wealth of information
0:39:02 > 0:39:07about her extended family and can answer all his questions.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10Unfortunately, he may be there some time.
0:39:10 > 0:39:13Blimey. Now up to page 5.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16We're doing very well.
0:39:16 > 0:39:21Olga's signed up and proven the key to discovering the whereabouts to the children of her brother,
0:39:21 > 0:39:25Frederick, as well as some of the international parts of the family.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28And the case is now looking up in the office.
0:39:30 > 0:39:35The whole matter is coming together and, as I said, of the sort of 26 or so heirs that there are,
0:39:35 > 0:39:39we've probably contacted the best part of 15 of them by now by today.
0:39:39 > 0:39:44So the others, you know, we will be writing to and still trying to contact on the phone.
0:39:44 > 0:39:49So it's coming together quite well, so we're fairly positive that it's going to be successful.
0:39:51 > 0:39:56The investigation into Jean Ring's estate is looking good for the heir hunters.
0:39:56 > 0:40:02There are no heirs on Jean's mother's side of the family and presently 26 heirs on her father's.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08With Olga's help, Gareth has finally tracked down all six children of
0:40:08 > 0:40:12Frederick Sanderson, the cousin who travelled the world in the RAF.
0:40:12 > 0:40:16They will all be heirs, but his guess about the rest of the family
0:40:16 > 0:40:18has proven to be wide of the mark.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24I thought maybe they were involved in the aviation business.
0:40:24 > 0:40:25Unfortunately, I was wrong.
0:40:25 > 0:40:31It turns out that only Frederick, the son of Frederick, born in 1929, was actually in the RAF.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34The rest of the family appear to be sort of more linked
0:40:34 > 0:40:38to the butcher's family, which isn't quite as well travelled.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41If the family hadn't lost touch with Jean through distance,
0:40:41 > 0:40:45then why did they grow apart and not know about her when she died?
0:40:47 > 0:40:50The heir hunters spoke to Frederick's eldest daughter, Olga,
0:40:50 > 0:40:57later that day and for her, the call came totally out of the blue.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59I was quite surprised, I was just shocked,
0:40:59 > 0:41:01just didn't know what to say.
0:41:01 > 0:41:02Disbelief, really.
0:41:02 > 0:41:08Didn't think that anything like that would happen to me.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11When I was told it was a lady called Jean Ring,
0:41:11 > 0:41:14the name didn't mean anything to me
0:41:14 > 0:41:19so I had to get in contact with my mother to find out who she was.
0:41:24 > 0:41:30From what I've been told, there was a family butchers in Newcastle.
0:41:30 > 0:41:34I think it was called Sanderson's but I'm not sure cos I've never been there.
0:41:34 > 0:41:39And it was run by my grandfather
0:41:39 > 0:41:42and Jean's father
0:41:42 > 0:41:44and there were two other brothers.
0:41:44 > 0:41:49The Sanderson's family butcher's business was passed down
0:41:49 > 0:41:51through the generations.
0:41:51 > 0:41:56It thrived through the 1930s and '40s as the four brothers
0:41:56 > 0:42:00expanded it into two shops to serve the locals of Newcastle.
0:42:00 > 0:42:04But by the late 1950s, the shops had shut down.
0:42:04 > 0:42:09There was a disagreement between Norman and his other brothers.
0:42:09 > 0:42:15Norman left the butchers and they all went their separate ways.
0:42:16 > 0:42:22I was never told anything about her father, Norman, or her.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26Whilst the details of the family dispute might have gone to the brothers' graves,
0:42:26 > 0:42:33it's unfortunate for Olga that it kept her away from Jean and her husband, Aiden, for all those years.
0:42:33 > 0:42:37I would like to have known a little bit more about Jean
0:42:37 > 0:42:39and more of her side of the family,
0:42:39 > 0:42:41and it's sad, really,
0:42:41 > 0:42:44that there was somebody that
0:42:44 > 0:42:49I was going to inherit money from that I knew nothing about.
0:42:50 > 0:42:54If you would like advice about building your family tree
0:42:54 > 0:42:58or making a will, go to bbc.co.uk.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:01 > 0:43:04E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk