0:00:01 > 0:00:05A team of Heir Hunters is chasing through the leafy lanes of Surrey,
0:00:05 > 0:00:08hunting for people due a small fortune.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11I'm too old to be running. Are you Natalie?
0:00:11 > 0:00:16They're looking for relatives who have no idea they may be in line for a windfall.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19Could they be knocking at your door?
0:00:35 > 0:00:42On today's programme, the Heir Hunters tackle a highly unusual case...
0:00:42 > 0:00:47The difficulty in this case is the fact that he died seven or eight years ago.
0:00:47 > 0:00:52..that leads them from one young man's tragedy to its chilling consequences.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56I just think it's really sad that someone with so much potential,
0:00:56 > 0:01:00that life ended like that. It's really sad.
0:01:02 > 0:01:08And the fascinating story of how this modest man's talent took him to the giddy heights of the art world.
0:01:08 > 0:01:12He restored for Christie's, Sotheby's, all the major people.
0:01:12 > 0:01:18Plus how you could be entitled to unclaimed estates where heirs still need to be found.
0:01:18 > 0:01:22Could you be in line for a cash payout?
0:01:27 > 0:01:33Every year in the UK, it's estimated that over 300,000 people die without leaving a will.
0:01:33 > 0:01:39If no relatives are found, then any money they've left behind will go to the government.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43And last year, that was a staggering £14 million.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47But over 30 specialist firms are competing to stop this happening.
0:01:47 > 0:01:52They're the Heir Hunters and they try to track down missing relatives
0:01:52 > 0:01:55and help them claim their rightful inheritance.
0:01:56 > 0:02:01Putting families back together, cousins who haven't seen each other for 30, 40 years,
0:02:01 > 0:02:05this is the whole thing about the job which I love.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15It's 7am in London.
0:02:15 > 0:02:20Overnight, the Treasury has released their weekly list of unclaimed estates.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23In the offices of Fraser & Fraser...
0:02:23 > 0:02:26We need the death certificate on that.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29..partner Charles Fraser is scanning the options.
0:02:29 > 0:02:35We've got a nice, short list today, so there are probably about four cases we'll look at.
0:02:35 > 0:02:40Case manager David Pacifico is shocked by one of the names on the list.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42- Have you got a birth for him?- Yeah.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45Brett Peter Miller who died in 2003.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47We've got one born in 1964 here.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50Getting younger and younger.
0:02:56 > 0:03:01Brett Miller, seen here in his 20s, was just 39 when he died.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04He worked as an electrical engineer.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08We were doing charades there, weren't we?
0:03:08 > 0:03:12Alison is not a blood relative, but married into the family.
0:03:12 > 0:03:18That's his most favourite photo that I used to show to all his girlfriends.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22She and her daughter Rachel knew Brett as a teenager.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27Brett was very friendly and he was very outgoing.
0:03:28 > 0:03:33He tried hard, you know, to help anybody.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36He used to make you laugh all the time.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38He was a really funny person.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42I've got a lot of nice, little memories of him,
0:03:42 > 0:03:49my ex-husband and him dancing around in the living room after we'd had a little party,
0:03:49 > 0:03:53then falling through my room divider with my favourite ornaments,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56knocking it over and just breaking all my ornaments,
0:03:56 > 0:04:00but he managed to chat his way out of that as well.
0:04:00 > 0:04:06He may have been a charmer, but sometimes Alison saw a darker side to his personality.
0:04:07 > 0:04:12Occasionally, he had his moments when he was quite a rebel,
0:04:12 > 0:04:17but generally, he was a really lovely, outgoing, friendly person.
0:04:18 > 0:04:23At the time Brett died, he was living in a Housing Association flat.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26Nobody thought he had any money.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33Sometimes when names appear on the Treasury list,
0:04:33 > 0:04:38it's because money has come to light or an investment has matured.
0:04:38 > 0:04:45At this stage, the Heir Hunters know nothing about Brett and have no leads as to the value of his estate.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48Brett Peter Miller, probably small value.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52The minimum amount needed to make it on to the list is £5,000.
0:04:52 > 0:04:58Heir Hunters work on commission, taking a percentage of the money received by each heir they sign.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02They need a good-sized estate to cover costs.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05But in this case, they have a trump card.
0:05:05 > 0:05:10Although the surname Miller is common, the combination of Brett and Miller is unusual.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14We look to see if there's any close kin, even if it may be low value.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18With a name like Brett Miller, it's easy to identify,
0:05:18 > 0:05:21easy to identify marriages...
0:05:22 > 0:05:25..and also whether he had siblings.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29David is disturbed by Brett's early death.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33He was only 39 when he died. Most of our deceased are much older.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37It will be interesting to see the cause of death on this one.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41David has Brett's last known address in Surrey
0:05:41 > 0:05:45and he's hoping neighbours may remember something about him.
0:05:45 > 0:05:50- He gives travelling Heir Hunter Bob Barratt a call. - Good morning, Bob.- Hello, David.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57Bob is one of the company's experienced mobile Heir Hunters.
0:05:57 > 0:06:03Every Thursday, they take to the road, poised to follow the leads, ordering certificates...
0:06:03 > 0:06:06- Thanks very much.- ..and canvassing neighbours...- Mrs Holman?- Yes.
0:06:06 > 0:06:11- Thank you.- ..intent on staying one step ahead of the competition
0:06:11 > 0:06:14and getting to the people who are the rightful heirs.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19We've got Miller in Surrey. Brett Peter Miller.
0:06:19 > 0:06:25I'm afraid he's much younger than us. It's Housing Association, by the way, this address.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28- Right.- We're looking for near kin.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31Thanks, Bob. Bye.
0:06:31 > 0:06:32Right.
0:06:34 > 0:06:41I'm going over to Deepcut to try and make some inquiries with regard to Brett Miller
0:06:41 > 0:06:45who died back in 2003 and wasn't very old.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48My guess is there's probably a tale there.
0:06:48 > 0:06:55I'll start off by seeing whether the neighbours can tell me anything - was he married, did he have children?
0:06:55 > 0:07:00While Bob makes his way to the last registered address for Brett Miller,
0:07:00 > 0:07:05in the office, the research team are starting to draw up a family tree.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09- Have you got a birth for him?- Yeah. - Where is it for?- Windsor.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13- Can you check for any near kin on that?- Yeah.
0:07:13 > 0:07:18Heir Hunters use these documents to guide them through the twists and turns of families.
0:07:18 > 0:07:23They break down every generation until they find the rightful heirs.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26And Dave was right. Brett's name has been easy to research.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28That's in Kensington and Chelsea.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30When's that birth? 1999?
0:07:30 > 0:07:33James Harry. So this could be a child.
0:07:34 > 0:07:39In just 20 minutes of research, they've made a startling discovery.
0:07:40 > 0:07:45Brett was married to Trudi in 1986 when he was just 22 years old.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49The couple went on to have a son, James.
0:07:50 > 0:07:56If they were still married when Brett died, then his wife Trudi will be first in line to inherit.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59But first they need some more facts.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03There's two things here. Firstly, is the wife still alive?
0:08:03 > 0:08:08If so, was she still married to him? Possibility of divorce, then she doesn't come into it.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10If Brett has divorced Trudi,
0:08:10 > 0:08:15that means the next in line to inherit will be his son James.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19The child might come into it unless the child was adopted out.
0:08:19 > 0:08:24Sometimes when partners remarry, a child can be adopted by the new step-parent.
0:08:24 > 0:08:30This could have happened to James which means the next in line to inherit will be Brett's parents
0:08:30 > 0:08:32if they're still alive.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37- Do you know what the parents' names are?- Not yet.
0:08:38 > 0:08:43If one of you can look up a birth on this, see if there's a birth on that one there...
0:08:43 > 0:08:47Using the birth records, the researchers find
0:08:47 > 0:08:51that Brett's parents were Sidney Miller and Marlene Starkey.
0:08:51 > 0:08:58He also had three brothers. If the parents have passed away, they could be next in line to inherit.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01Possible child. If not, it could be parents.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03If not, there's a brother,
0:09:03 > 0:09:08so we've got a choice of potentially near kin here.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12It's only eight o'clock in the morning and they have a family tree,
0:09:12 > 0:09:16but to crack this, they need to speak directly to a family member.
0:09:16 > 0:09:22The researchers are trawling local Surrey directories when Debbie strikes gold.
0:09:22 > 0:09:28They have found a phone number for a woman who was married to one of Brett's brothers in the 1980s.
0:09:28 > 0:09:33David, I've got the ex-wife of the brother of the deceased on the phone.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36- How do you know it's the ex-wife? - She's remarried.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40It's the break they're looking for.
0:09:40 > 0:09:46She's not a blood relative and not entitled, but maybe she'll know how to find James.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50- She'll know what happened.- Yeah. - Right.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55David gets straight on the phone to her.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58Sorry to trouble you so early in the morning.
0:09:58 > 0:10:03I'm not sure if you're aware that Brett passed away some years ago.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06We're trying to track down his next of kin.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08But it's not good news.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11Right. No idea whereabouts?
0:10:11 > 0:10:17It's so long since she divorced Brett's brother, the ex-wife has lost touch with the entire family.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21But she was able to fill them in on how Brett died
0:10:21 > 0:10:24and it's left Dave stunned.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27The deceased committed suicide, yeah.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30Why? Do you know?
0:10:30 > 0:10:36Whatever it is, committing suicide is a very desperate and final thing to do, isn't it?
0:10:38 > 0:10:40It's profoundly sad.
0:10:40 > 0:10:45Brett was just 39 years old when he died.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49What drove him to something so extreme?
0:10:49 > 0:10:52And as his death was eight years ago,
0:10:52 > 0:10:57why has he suddenly cropped up on the Treasury list of unclaimed estates?
0:10:57 > 0:11:03The researchers are desperately looking for a family member who can help answer these questions.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07- Get David to phone the ex-wife. - Yeah.
0:11:07 > 0:11:12In the search, they've stumbled upon another ex-wife of another of Brett's brothers.
0:11:12 > 0:11:17Alison's on the phone, so you can give her a call and see where the ex-husband is.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21Not another! They're all married and all divorced.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25This is a crucial call.
0:11:25 > 0:11:29Will this other ex-wife know the answers to who is entitled?
0:11:29 > 0:11:33Can she confirm that Brett's parents are alive?
0:11:33 > 0:11:36Hello. Is that a Mrs Miller?
0:11:36 > 0:11:40Or whether his son James has been adopted out of the family?
0:11:40 > 0:11:42I mean, James was born in 1990.
0:11:42 > 0:11:46But then she drops a bombshell which changes everything.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50But you don't know the names of the children or the girlfriend?
0:11:50 > 0:11:55This call seems to have opened a whole new can of worms.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58It's a bit complicated. Thank you very much indeed, Mrs Miller.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01Thank you. Bye-bye.
0:12:03 > 0:12:09She confirmed that Brett was divorced from Trudi, although they don't know what happened to Trudi.
0:12:09 > 0:12:15He also had another girlfriend with whom he had two children, but no idea who they are.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18This is more research they didn't see coming.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21They can't locate Brett's ex-wife Trudi
0:12:21 > 0:12:27and without a marriage certificate, how will they locate the name and address of his girlfriend?
0:12:27 > 0:12:31Dave gives travelling Heir Hunter Bob Barratt a call.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34- 'Hi, Bob.'- Hi. - 'This is getting more complicated.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39- 'He's supposed to have had a girlfriend with two children as well.'- Right.
0:12:39 > 0:12:45So now they've got three children that could be heirs, but no way of contacting the mothers.
0:12:45 > 0:12:52The phone call did rule out Brett's parents Sidney and Marlene as they have both passed away.
0:12:53 > 0:13:00So now it's vital that they find either Trudi, Brett's ex-wife, or his former girlfriend.
0:13:00 > 0:13:03Bob is left pondering the news.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06His girlfriend has no entitlement,
0:13:06 > 0:13:11but all his children from his marriage or his girlfriend will be entitled.
0:13:11 > 0:13:15I'll see what I can find out by knocking at one of these neighbours.
0:13:18 > 0:13:23This is a long shot. Brett lived here in 2003.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25No luck. I'll try round the corner.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30Will anyone remember anything about a neighbour from that long ago?
0:13:30 > 0:13:32I've only lived here three years.
0:13:32 > 0:13:37I'm trying to find out something about a neighbour that used to live upstairs.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39No joy here either.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42Thanks ever so much. Cheers.
0:13:44 > 0:13:48No luck. No-one's lived here long enough to have known Mr Miller.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51I'll see what else the office want me to do.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55But while Bob has hit a brick wall,
0:13:55 > 0:13:59in the office, there's been a massive breakthrough.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Researcher Alan has been looking at birth records.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06He has found Brett's two children.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10It's on the birth certificate as the father.
0:14:10 > 0:14:17And their mother's name Natalie is also on the register. From there, he's found a current address.
0:14:17 > 0:14:21Natalie holds the key to cracking the case.
0:14:22 > 0:14:26She was living with the deceased until his death.
0:14:26 > 0:14:31They desperately need to speak to Natalie, but they must tread carefully.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35Her and Brett's children are young teenagers.
0:14:39 > 0:14:44Travelling Heir Hunter Bob Barratt has been sent to Natalie's house.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47Do you think she'll be back in a bit?
0:14:47 > 0:14:51She's not in, but she should be back soon from the school run.
0:14:51 > 0:14:57Bob might think he's in for a quick kip, but there's no rest for the wicked.
0:14:57 > 0:15:03The neighbour has indicated that Natalie is about to walk down the road, so I'd better go and see her.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12Have they found Natalie?
0:15:12 > 0:15:14I'm too old to be running.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Could this woman be the key to unlocking the case?
0:15:21 > 0:15:28- Coming up, the chase is on, but have they been barking up the wrong tree?- I don't know.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30Are you Natalie?
0:15:30 > 0:15:33And what happened to Brett and his family?
0:15:33 > 0:15:37He loved his children. You know, he loved James.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39He was very proud of him.
0:15:45 > 0:15:49In every family, there are secrets waiting to be uncovered,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52but not all of them are tragic.
0:15:52 > 0:15:58In some cases, in their hunt to find the heirs, the researchers discover fascinating stories
0:15:58 > 0:16:01of people whose lives straddled key moments in history.
0:16:01 > 0:16:07Heir Hunter Dave Slee found this was the case when he investigated the surprising life
0:16:07 > 0:16:10of art restorer John Woor.
0:16:10 > 0:16:16Of course, my ears pricked up at the thought that these might be valuable paintings.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22John Woor, seen here in the only photo that exists of him,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25was 87 when he passed away.
0:16:25 > 0:16:30He lived in this modest, semi-detached rented cottage in Essex.
0:16:30 > 0:16:35Inside, it had been stripped bare, except for hundreds of oil paintings.
0:16:35 > 0:16:40And with rumour of hidden funds amounting to £13,000 in a bank account,
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Dave suspected that there could be rich pickings.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48It all started when a neighbour got in touch.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52She believed that the deceased had died without leaving a will
0:16:52 > 0:16:55and that his house, though he didn't own his own home,
0:16:55 > 0:17:01contained a number of artefacts, including a number of what she thought may be valuable paintings.
0:17:03 > 0:17:08Art gallery owner Derek Sorrell knew John for 30 years of his life.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11He first met him when he came into his gallery.
0:17:11 > 0:17:16John was an extremely kind man, extremely kind to all of my family.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18He taught my son to restore.
0:17:18 > 0:17:23My son started when he was 16 years of age and John taught him for 20-odd years.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25And he was a character.
0:17:25 > 0:17:30John never spoke of his family, but he did tell Derek about his wife Madeleine
0:17:30 > 0:17:33and how his life changed after her death.
0:17:33 > 0:17:37His home was a nice home when his wife was alive
0:17:37 > 0:17:41and after she died, John stripped the home of everything -
0:17:41 > 0:17:45all furniture, all carpets, everything out of the property,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48and lived very, very basically from then on in.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52Because of John's solitary existence,
0:17:52 > 0:17:58his £13,000 estate, including what could be valuable paintings, lay unclaimed.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03But Dave Slee was determined to find a rightful heir.
0:18:03 > 0:18:08I was fortunate that the neighbour knew the deceased very well.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12The deceased had told her that he was married during his lifetime,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15that his wife pre-deceased him and they had no children.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20Dave's next step was to look for brothers or sisters.
0:18:20 > 0:18:26John Woor was born in 1923 in Edmonton, North London,
0:18:26 > 0:18:30so I undertook a search for birth records
0:18:30 > 0:18:34and I established that the deceased had a sister called Eunice,
0:18:34 > 0:18:38but she didn't in fact survive infancy.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42Dave was able to draw up the first stage of John Woor's family tree.
0:18:42 > 0:18:46His parents were James Woor and Mary Ann Farrow.
0:18:46 > 0:18:52Dave knew that he would have to look further back, hoping to find cousins who might be in line to inherit,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55and he had an advantage.
0:18:55 > 0:19:01This is an estate where I had the luxury of researching a fairly uncommon surname in Woor,
0:19:01 > 0:19:08so firstly, our research was on the paternal family, the Woor side.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12In fact, the name Woor is incredibly rare.
0:19:12 > 0:19:19There are just two in a million. The largest concentration of them seem to be in East Anglia.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23John Woor certainly had lots of ties to this area.
0:19:23 > 0:19:28And Dave was to discover that during the war years, even his regiment had links.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36John Woor was just 16 when World War Two broke out.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40As soon as he was old enough, he volunteered to join the army
0:19:40 > 0:19:45and in 1944, he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion Suffolk.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47John's battalion was sent to Asia
0:19:47 > 0:19:53where they became involved in policing the post-war independence of India.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57Attlee's government decided to partition India into two countries.
0:19:57 > 0:20:01The Muslims were given modern-day Pakistan in the north
0:20:01 > 0:20:05and the Hindus were given India to the south.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09Suddenly, those two countries come into being.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13They have no working government, no economies. It was a disaster.
0:20:13 > 0:20:18And when the borders were drawn up, millions of people found themselves displaced.
0:20:18 > 0:20:23There are at least 15 million refugees who suddenly have to leave their homes,
0:20:23 > 0:20:27go into countries they've never been in before,
0:20:27 > 0:20:31or just for the sake of what religion they happen to believe in.
0:20:31 > 0:20:3724-year-old John Woor and his battalion witnessed communities being torn apart
0:20:37 > 0:20:42and conflicts about property and religion were rife.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45Anything up to two million people were killed.
0:20:47 > 0:20:54With a nation in upheaval, it was up to the British soldiers like John to try and keep the peace.
0:20:54 > 0:21:00The role the 2nd Suffolk were playing of internal security, people like John, it was a very important job
0:21:00 > 0:21:04because there were signs of anarchy, the whole country was falling apart,
0:21:04 > 0:21:09and the idea of walking away and leaving them was something the British didn't want to do.
0:21:09 > 0:21:14But with dwindling post-war resources and millions of people to police,
0:21:14 > 0:21:19John and his fellow infantrymen were fighting a losing battle.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24In the end, there is no option.
0:21:24 > 0:21:29There are simply not enough British soldiers to keep the warring factions apart.
0:21:29 > 0:21:35In the end, the 2nd Suffolk are withdrawn with all the other British army units and sent home,
0:21:35 > 0:21:39but at the time, they did their best in very difficult circumstances.
0:21:39 > 0:21:44John's time in India was extreme and shocking.
0:21:44 > 0:21:50And the experiences would have stayed with him until the end of his life.
0:21:52 > 0:22:00In London, case manager Dave Slee was still trying to find heirs to his small fortune of £13,000.
0:22:00 > 0:22:04Dave was poised to work up the father's side of the family tree.
0:22:04 > 0:22:10Little did he know, he would discover a family forced apart by poverty and strife.
0:22:17 > 0:22:23Heir Hunters solve thousands of cases a year, ensuring millions of pounds go to rightful heirs.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26But not every case can be cracked.
0:22:26 > 0:22:32The Treasury has a list of over 2,000 estates that have baffled the Heir Hunters
0:22:32 > 0:22:37and remain unclaimed. These estates stay on the list for up to 30 years
0:22:37 > 0:22:42and each one could be worth anything from £5,000 to many millions of pounds.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46Today we're focusing on three names from the list.
0:22:46 > 0:22:51Are they relatives of yours? Could you be in line for a windfall?
0:22:51 > 0:22:58Terpsithea Ellinas died in Southall, Middlesex, on 23rd November, 2003.
0:22:58 > 0:23:03Both of Terpsithea's names are Greek. If no names are found for her fortune,
0:23:03 > 0:23:09every penny will go to the Treasury. Could you be entitled to her money?
0:23:11 > 0:23:15Charlotte Titchiner passed away in Upminster, Essex.
0:23:15 > 0:23:17She died on 10th October, 1998.
0:23:17 > 0:23:23Titchiner is a very rare surname. Could there be one in your family tree?
0:23:23 > 0:23:26Could you be an heir to her estate?
0:23:26 > 0:23:30Does the name Samuel Archibald Illingworth ring any bells?
0:23:30 > 0:23:36Samuel died on the 25th of January, 2002, in Leeds, West Yorkshire.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40Samuel's last name, Illingworth, comes from that area.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44Could you be related and entitled to his estate?
0:23:44 > 0:23:50If the names Terpsithea Ellinas, Charlotte Titchiner or Samuel Archibald Illingworth
0:23:50 > 0:23:55mean anything to you, then you could have a fortune coming your way.
0:24:04 > 0:24:10Dave Slee was hoping to crack the case of John Woor, who died in Basildon in Essex
0:24:10 > 0:24:12at the age of 87.
0:24:13 > 0:24:19Without any obvious heirs, all of his small fortune of £13,000 would go to the Treasury,
0:24:19 > 0:24:22but not if Dave could help it.
0:24:22 > 0:24:27He was keen to take advantage of John Woor's extremely rare surname.
0:24:27 > 0:24:32We decided to concentrate firstly our research on the paternal family
0:24:32 > 0:24:36because the surname is relatively uncommon.
0:24:36 > 0:24:41Dave was desperately hoping that John's father James Woor would have siblings
0:24:41 > 0:24:44who would be John's uncles and aunts.
0:24:44 > 0:24:50The deceased father was named James Woor. He was the son of James Woor.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53And he was one of five children.
0:24:53 > 0:24:59But would any of James Woor's brothers or sisters have produced children that could be heirs?
0:24:59 > 0:25:06Two of them, one called Luke Woor and one called Alice Georgiana Woor, had descendants.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10Dave decided to focus on Luke Woor first.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14Once again I've been blessed with not only a good surname in Woor,
0:25:14 > 0:25:17but Luke is a fairly unusual Christian name.
0:25:17 > 0:25:22And so we located Luke Woor's marriage.
0:25:22 > 0:25:29Dave traced Luke's descendants and discovered his first heir - Luke's grandson, John Reeve.
0:25:29 > 0:25:35He is a first cousin once removed to John Woor and an heir to his estate.
0:25:35 > 0:25:42A keen family historian, he was amazed and excited when he was contacted by the Heir Hunters.
0:25:43 > 0:25:47John James Woor is a name that didn't mean anything to me at all,
0:25:47 > 0:25:51although I'd researched a little bit about the Woor family.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55John had been very close to his grandfather, Luke Woor.
0:25:55 > 0:26:01I knew quite a lot about him, but he didn't mention anything about any brothers or sisters,
0:26:01 > 0:26:06which I've found out since he had. So the whole thing is a mystery.
0:26:06 > 0:26:11John Reeve's grandfather Luke, who was John Woor's uncle,
0:26:11 > 0:26:15had been hiding a dreadful secret from his childhood,
0:26:15 > 0:26:19something which might explain why the family lost touch.
0:26:19 > 0:26:26My grandfather, Luke Woor, spent a considerable number of years when he was younger in an orphanage.
0:26:27 > 0:26:34In the late Victorian era, families that had fallen on hard times were often put in the poorhouse,
0:26:34 > 0:26:39but in the case of Luke Woor, he and his siblings were put in a children's home
0:26:39 > 0:26:43while their father went in search of work.
0:26:43 > 0:26:48When the were old enough, they left the orphanage to find work.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52John wonders if that's what happened to John Woor's father.
0:26:52 > 0:26:57I'm just wondering if his father did contact him at any point
0:26:57 > 0:27:03and said, "You're old enough. We've got a job for you in London. Come down and help me out."
0:27:03 > 0:27:10And at that point, of course, my grandfather Luke would have still been in the orphanage,
0:27:10 > 0:27:16so he would have lost contact with James. And, likewise, when my grandfather left the orphanage,
0:27:16 > 0:27:20he probably didn't tell anybody where he went.
0:27:20 > 0:27:26With such humble origins, John was genuinely stunned to learn of his cousin once removed, John Woor,
0:27:26 > 0:27:28and his history.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32I had assumed he would either be a labourer or working on the land
0:27:32 > 0:27:38because all the family I'd been able to trace had some connection with the countryside.
0:27:39 > 0:27:45John Woor's travels with the Army and part in the radical restructuring of India
0:27:45 > 0:27:47were just one aspect of his life.
0:27:50 > 0:27:56Some time between 1947 and the 1950s John retrained as a fine art restorer.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01Nick Sangari worked with John in the 1950s
0:28:01 > 0:28:05at the prestigious Hahn and Sons.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09We worked for some of the top London galleries.
0:28:09 > 0:28:14One memory I have of working at Christie's the auctioneers.
0:28:14 > 0:28:22They had a painting there by Burne-Jones. It was approximately 24 feet by 12.
0:28:22 > 0:28:28And to reach the top we had, obviously, to get on a step ladder to work on it.
0:28:28 > 0:28:33And to novice Nick senior restorer John Woor was a master at his art.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37John was a talented restorer.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40He had a good eye for detail.
0:28:42 > 0:28:49In the 1980s, John told his friend Derek Sorrell all about the calibre of work he took on.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53John restored a Rembrandt,
0:28:53 > 0:28:55which was a panel.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59And there was only the head left on the panel.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03So the head had to be re-set into another panel.
0:29:03 > 0:29:08I know he did different frescos around the country at times.
0:29:09 > 0:29:13Paintings like this are good examples of John's work.
0:29:13 > 0:29:19His small estate and collection of paintings found in his house came to £13,000.
0:29:22 > 0:29:28Heir Hunter Dave Slee spent weeks researching both sides of the family
0:29:28 > 0:29:33and was amazed at the number of heirs he eventually tracked down.
0:29:33 > 0:29:39We've located in excess of 40 beneficiaries, all round the world - Australia and America.
0:29:45 > 0:29:50Heir John Reeve is on his way to Hertfordshire to meet Derek.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53It's an exciting moment for him.
0:29:53 > 0:29:59He's about to find out more about his illustrious cousin once removed, John Woor.
0:29:59 > 0:30:04- Hi there. I'm Derek.- I'm John. - Welcome. Come in, come in.
0:30:04 > 0:30:08It's the first time he'll see his cousin's work.
0:30:08 > 0:30:13This is a little picture here that he restored for me 25 years ago
0:30:13 > 0:30:17by quite a famous artist called George Charlton.
0:30:17 > 0:30:22The little picture behind you there is actually by John himself.
0:30:22 > 0:30:29That's one he painted himself and the one over there, which is in the manner of Seurat,
0:30:29 > 0:30:31is one he did for me years ago,
0:30:31 > 0:30:36which is really an amazing little piece of art.
0:30:36 > 0:30:41John is thrilled to know there is such a talented artist in the Woor clan.
0:30:41 > 0:30:46- That's phenomenal.- Is it? - Because we have nobody with any talent, as far as I know,
0:30:46 > 0:30:52on that side of the family. All the photos I've got of the family show labourers
0:30:52 > 0:30:55and people working on the farm.
0:30:55 > 0:31:01Derek has quite a few of John's paintings and they're a good example of his versatility.
0:31:01 > 0:31:06This is one John did for me years ago when I was into Russell Flints.
0:31:06 > 0:31:11This is all pencil. John had an amazing amount of talent.
0:31:11 > 0:31:15There's very little he couldn't paint if he wanted to paint.
0:31:15 > 0:31:19It's really good to actually see some of the things he produced
0:31:19 > 0:31:24- and how wonderful they are.- John, you're welcome to take a few home
0:31:24 > 0:31:28- then you've got a few in the family. - Well, that's...
0:31:28 > 0:31:36That's very kind because that would be the only tactile thing we've got as any remembrance.
0:31:36 > 0:31:42- Yeah.- This one in particular, this is a brilliant piece of work. - Yeah.
0:31:42 > 0:31:46- You're more than welcome. - Thank you very much indeed.
0:31:50 > 0:31:57For John Reeve, meeting Derek and finding out about John Woor has been a real eye-opener.
0:31:57 > 0:32:04It's nice to know what a great man he was. To actually see the variety of paintings that he's produced
0:32:04 > 0:32:10and he was absolutely prolific and spent most of his life doing landscapes and charcoal.
0:32:10 > 0:32:17Nothing like I imagined I was going to find out. He'd obviously contributed a lot to people
0:32:17 > 0:32:21and he's done a lot in the life that he's had.
0:32:21 > 0:32:28And I can now go home and tell the family and share it with everybody. Brilliant day.
0:32:45 > 0:32:50The Heir Hunters are on a desperate chase to solve the case of Brett Miller
0:32:50 > 0:32:55who died tragically in 2003 when he committed suicide.
0:32:55 > 0:32:59He was only 39 when he died. Very, very young.
0:33:00 > 0:33:05The team have found out that Brett married Trudi in 1986
0:33:05 > 0:33:07and had a son called James.
0:33:09 > 0:33:15After divorcing Trudi, he then went on to live with Natalie and had two children,
0:33:15 > 0:33:19a boy and a girl, who are now young teenagers.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23- There's Brett at Dad's 40th. - He looks like Barry Manilow!
0:33:23 > 0:33:27Alison Miller was married to one of Brett's brothers.
0:33:27 > 0:33:33She remembers Brett as a very young dad that was devastated when he split with his first wife, Trudi.
0:33:35 > 0:33:39He was very upset about the split-up.
0:33:39 > 0:33:44Very upset not to see his son as much as he'd like to.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49He loved his children. You know, he loved James.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51He was very proud of him.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54He idolised him, really.
0:33:55 > 0:34:01- There he is at my wedding. - Aww, he looks very small there, doesn't he?- Yeah.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03He grew up so quickly.
0:34:04 > 0:34:11Alison had known Brett from when he was a teenager and the news of his suicide left her reeling.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15It was quite a shock. I had a phone call
0:34:15 > 0:34:19and I was told that he'd been found dead in his flat,
0:34:19 > 0:34:22which was very sad. Very sad.
0:34:24 > 0:34:28I just think it's really sad that someone as young as him,
0:34:28 > 0:34:33he wasn't REALLY young, but someone with so much potential,
0:34:33 > 0:34:36you know, life ended like that.
0:34:40 > 0:34:44- He was so cute. - He looks beautiful.- A sweetheart.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53Brett died eight years ago in 2003
0:34:53 > 0:34:59and his name has only just appeared on the Treasury list of unclaimed estates.
0:34:59 > 0:35:05At the moment, the Heir Hunters have no idea why it's there or how much the estate is worth.
0:35:05 > 0:35:09The minimum amount to qualify for the list is £5,000.
0:35:09 > 0:35:13Brett's ex-girlfriend Natalie might know if he had money
0:35:13 > 0:35:17and her children will also be entitled to a share of his estate,
0:35:17 > 0:35:21but will the Heir Hunters be able to find her?
0:35:21 > 0:35:27- I'm too old to be running! - In Surrey, Heir Hunter Bob Barrett thought he had found her.
0:35:27 > 0:35:32- Hello. Are you Natalie?- But then... - You're not Natalie Townsend.
0:35:33 > 0:35:37But there is good news. It may have been a false start,
0:35:37 > 0:35:40but now Bob's found the right address.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48- Hello. Natalie Townsend?- Yes. - Hi, my name's Bob Barrett...
0:35:48 > 0:35:53She is not entitled to inherit, but her and Brett's two children are.
0:35:53 > 0:35:59- You had a relationship with a Mr Miller?- Yes. - Who died back in 2003.- Yes.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02- Did you have children with him?- Yes.
0:36:02 > 0:36:06- Well, we think they will be heirs to an estate that he's left.- Right.
0:36:06 > 0:36:12I don't quite understand how he died back in 2003
0:36:12 > 0:36:16and the estate has only just come to notice.
0:36:16 > 0:36:23And I can't tell you how much it is because I don't know. Would you know how he has left an estate?
0:36:23 > 0:36:25- No.- No.
0:36:25 > 0:36:31Unfortunately, Natalie can't give them any reason why Brett's estate has been advertised now.
0:36:31 > 0:36:37- So you've got no idea where this money might have come from?- No idea.
0:36:37 > 0:36:42Natalie agrees to sign with Frasers on behalf of her two children.
0:36:42 > 0:36:48As they are minors, she will manage the inheritance until they are old enough.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52Natalie was with Brett for 11 years, on and off.
0:36:52 > 0:36:56He was a regular father. He always came to see the children.
0:36:57 > 0:37:02But there was something about Brett that made family life difficult
0:37:02 > 0:37:06and Natalie and the kids experienced it first-hand.
0:37:06 > 0:37:11Most of the time it was good, but some of the time it was horrendous.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13He was an alcoholic.
0:37:13 > 0:37:19His drinking, and his eventual suicide, had shattering consequences.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22My boy is still in counselling now
0:37:22 > 0:37:25and it all stems from Brett's death.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28It was a shock.
0:37:28 > 0:37:32The children, they miss their father.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35- Bye.- Bye-bye.
0:37:39 > 0:37:45It's a heartbreaking story of addiction and the catastrophic effects on a family.
0:37:47 > 0:37:49Bob phones in to the office.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53- Hello?- Hi, Dave. Bob Barrett.
0:37:53 > 0:37:59- Hi, Bob.- Just to let you know I've seen Natalie, Natalie Townsend.
0:37:59 > 0:38:06She has signed an agreement on her own behalf and on behalf of her two children.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10Natalie couldn't tell them how much Brett's estate might be worth,
0:38:10 > 0:38:17but as far as the hunt for his eldest son James is concerned, David Pacifico has some good news.
0:38:17 > 0:38:23- It looks like the full story. - They've found Brett's ex-wife, Trudi, the mother of James
0:38:23 > 0:38:26and the final piece in the puzzle.
0:38:26 > 0:38:33James will be due one third of the estate. I understand he's at university somewhere.
0:38:33 > 0:38:40So I'll leave some paperwork with his mother with a view to her forwarding it on to him.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44Trudi was divorced from Brett 20 years ago and remarried.
0:38:45 > 0:38:52- Hello, Bob Barrett. I think you're expecting me. - Yes.- Excellent.
0:38:52 > 0:38:58The Heir Hunters' biggest worry is that James may have been adopted by her new husband.
0:38:58 > 0:39:02If he has been adopted, he will no longer be entitled.
0:39:02 > 0:39:08- We weren't sure whether James had been adopted.- There was talk of it, but we didn't get round to it.
0:39:08 > 0:39:14- It's quite a long process.- Quite. - So James just decided to change his name by deed poll.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17- Oh, he's done it by deed poll?- Yeah.
0:39:17 > 0:39:22Trudi and James hadn't seen Brett for some time before his death.
0:39:22 > 0:39:26When we separated originally and then divorced,
0:39:26 > 0:39:30he was only allowed supervised access.
0:39:30 > 0:39:35He did that a couple of times and then it drifted apart.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39I don't think he felt that comfortable with people there.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42So, yeah, we kind of lost contact.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47- Thanks very much. Bye-bye.- Bye.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53It's been an unusual case for the Heir Hunters.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56It's been quite an interesting day.
0:39:56 > 0:40:02We've identified three heirs and I've not seen any of them,
0:40:02 > 0:40:09although I've spoken to the parent... to the parents of all three.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11A bit unusual, that.
0:40:17 > 0:40:25In the office, case manager David Pacifico is pleased, but still a little puzzled by the story.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29This is a strange case. The fact that he died so many years ago
0:40:29 > 0:40:34and they all knew that he died and dealt with matters then,
0:40:34 > 0:40:41but, of course, what this matter... why this matter has come to light further
0:40:41 > 0:40:48is obviously some further assets, which obviously weren't known at the time when he died.
0:40:50 > 0:40:55Fraser and Fraser estimate the final value of Brett's estate to be around £5,000.
0:40:55 > 0:41:01Although they don't know where the money has come from, it could be interest on savings
0:41:01 > 0:41:05or a forgotten insurance policy maturing.
0:41:09 > 0:41:15James, Brett's eldest son, is now 21 and studying at university.
0:41:16 > 0:41:21His father's legacy will go towards his studies to be a pharmacist.
0:41:21 > 0:41:27When I found out this money was here, I was so surprised. I had a phone call from my mum
0:41:27 > 0:41:33and she said, "You'll never believe what's just happened. You've actually got some money coming."
0:41:33 > 0:41:38I said, "Where's it coming from?" And she said, "It's from your dad."
0:41:38 > 0:41:45Unlike Natalie's children, he didn't have a lot to do with his father.
0:41:45 > 0:41:51When I last saw him I was about three years old and I was at my grandmother's house.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55He came round with a colouring book full of dinosaurs
0:41:55 > 0:41:59and I sat and did that and he read the paper.
0:42:00 > 0:42:04That's my last memory of seeing him.
0:42:04 > 0:42:10Having lost touch at such a young age, James is philosophical about his father's alcoholism
0:42:10 > 0:42:13and his tragic death.
0:42:13 > 0:42:19The story of my dad, I don't really feel as though it's affected how I feel about parenting.
0:42:19 > 0:42:25I think that maybe, if anything, it's made me want to be a better parent towards my children.
0:42:27 > 0:42:34My father was an alcoholic. He didn't have his priorities right, I think was the main problem.
0:42:34 > 0:42:40Which I think comes with alcoholism. You end up losing sight of what's really important in life.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43But he wasn't a stupid man.
0:42:45 > 0:42:50He just lost his way a bit and couldn't find his way back to the path.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd