Williams/Wild

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0:00:02 > 0:00:05Every year, thousands of people die with no known family

0:00:05 > 0:00:07and without leaving a will.

0:00:08 > 0:00:12If no relatives are found, their money could go to the Government

0:00:12 > 0:00:14and that's where the heir hunters step in.

0:00:16 > 0:00:20We trace the next of kin of people who have died intestate.

0:00:20 > 0:00:22They use specially honed research skills

0:00:22 > 0:00:24to trace long-lost relatives...

0:00:24 > 0:00:27Nothing in this job gets the adrenaline going

0:00:27 > 0:00:28like making enquiries.

0:00:28 > 0:00:31..and delve into the past to uncover family secrets.

0:00:31 > 0:00:34Joseph Napier-Du has been dismissed with service

0:00:34 > 0:00:38by sentence of general court martial.

0:00:38 > 0:00:41It's a race against time to beat the competition...

0:00:41 > 0:00:44We treat everything with the same degree of urgency.

0:00:44 > 0:00:47You don't want to take a chance. You never really know for sure.

0:00:47 > 0:00:50..and bring news of an unexpected windfall.

0:00:50 > 0:00:54Hopefully...he'll be proud that it went to his family members.

0:00:54 > 0:00:57Could the heir hunters be knocking at your door?

0:01:01 > 0:01:05Coming up...a common family name puts the heir hunters in a spin...

0:01:05 > 0:01:07It's thrown a bit of a spanner in the works.

0:01:07 > 0:01:10We thought we'd ruled out the possibility of near kin.

0:01:10 > 0:01:13..and an unclaimed estate uncovers a family history

0:01:13 > 0:01:15spanning two world wars.

0:01:15 > 0:01:19None of them even had a chance to say goodbye,

0:01:19 > 0:01:22and that in itself must have been horrendously traumatic.

0:01:22 > 0:01:25Plus, could a fortune be heading your way?

0:01:25 > 0:01:27Find out how you could inherit unclaimed estates

0:01:27 > 0:01:28held by the Treasury.

0:01:38 > 0:01:42It's Tuesday morning in London at heir hunting firm Fraser & Fraser.

0:01:42 > 0:01:44What have you got there, Jay?

0:01:44 > 0:01:46Just some priorities that have come in this morning.

0:01:46 > 0:01:50A new case has just come in, which the staff are busy getting their

0:01:50 > 0:01:54teeth into, and senior researcher Roger Marsh is already optimistic.

0:01:55 > 0:01:58Got my search? Ah! Good man.

0:01:58 > 0:02:00Thank you very much.

0:02:00 > 0:02:02I've got a new job that's Arthur Charles Williams

0:02:02 > 0:02:04who died in 2013 in Brighton

0:02:04 > 0:02:08and we believe there's a property in Brighton, so there will be value,

0:02:08 > 0:02:13but I don't know how much at the moment, but definitely worth doing.

0:02:18 > 0:02:22Arthur Charles Williams died on the 8th of July 2013

0:02:22 > 0:02:24in Brighton, aged 81.

0:02:25 > 0:02:28There seemed to be no surviving photographs of Arthur

0:02:28 > 0:02:30and the details of his life remain vague.

0:02:34 > 0:02:36He's believed to have served in the RAF and then

0:02:36 > 0:02:40worked as an aircraft maintenance engineer until he retired.

0:02:46 > 0:02:49Judging by his home in Worthing-on-Sea, it would seem that,

0:02:49 > 0:02:52whatever Arthur did, he had a successful career,

0:02:52 > 0:02:54which is good news for Dom.

0:02:59 > 0:03:02We think the deceased owned his flat in Brighton.

0:03:02 > 0:03:05And we think it's probably a £200,000-plus case.

0:03:05 > 0:03:08But, although they believe he owned his own home, they don't yet have

0:03:08 > 0:03:12any proof, so taking on the case is a bit of a gamble,

0:03:12 > 0:03:14which could prove costly.

0:03:14 > 0:03:17The neighbours of the deceased said he'd never been known to have

0:03:17 > 0:03:19any visitors, any family or friends.

0:03:19 > 0:03:22Many of the cases the heir hunters work are advertised

0:03:22 > 0:03:25on the Treasury solicitor's bona vacantia list of

0:03:25 > 0:03:28unclaimed estates, but, today, they're acting on a tip-off,

0:03:28 > 0:03:31so they need to tread carefully.

0:03:31 > 0:03:32When we do any of these cases,

0:03:32 > 0:03:34there's always a risk that there's a will.

0:03:34 > 0:03:37In this particular case, we haven't been indicated by anyone that

0:03:37 > 0:03:40there's definitely no will, so we are taking a bit of a risk on this one.

0:03:42 > 0:03:45And it doesn't look like there's an easy road ahead.

0:03:45 > 0:03:49If we're correct on the date of birth, the parents have got

0:03:49 > 0:03:52to be Charles Williams and Florence Hill, both common names.

0:03:52 > 0:03:54That'll make it quite a hard job, but, you know,

0:03:54 > 0:03:56we'll see how we get on.

0:04:00 > 0:04:03We'll have to come back to the one before that as well, because it's...

0:04:03 > 0:04:06- No, I can't.- Yeah, cos they're... - They said they've got...

0:04:07 > 0:04:12Arthur was born on the 3rd of April 1932 in Brighton...

0:04:12 > 0:04:16but the team can find no trace of any siblings.

0:04:16 > 0:04:19So, this means the search for heirs must widen to aunts,

0:04:19 > 0:04:22uncles and cousins on both sides of the family.

0:04:23 > 0:04:28So, it looks like the parents were married in Staining in 1931.

0:04:28 > 0:04:33He was 42 and Mum was 34, so...it's a start.

0:04:33 > 0:04:35It appears that both of Arthur's parents were

0:04:35 > 0:04:37born in the late 1800s,

0:04:37 > 0:04:41so researcher Roger turns to census records in the hope that it

0:04:41 > 0:04:44will give him a short cut to finding their siblings.

0:04:44 > 0:04:48I'm just trying to tie up censuses for the parents.

0:04:48 > 0:04:50I was hoping that there'd be something in the Brighton,

0:04:50 > 0:04:53Sussex area, but there's no reason to presume

0:04:53 > 0:04:55they were born in that area, so...

0:04:57 > 0:04:59So, it's a bit hit-and-miss at the moment.

0:05:03 > 0:05:06But the team starts exploring the maternal side

0:05:06 > 0:05:10and is already making headway on Arthur's mother's family.

0:05:10 > 0:05:13The dad's got a second name and both names are listed on there,

0:05:13 > 0:05:17Edward David Hill, father of Florence, of the right age,

0:05:17 > 0:05:21and there's one in Brighton, so, unless I'm really unlucky...

0:05:21 > 0:05:22this is going to be the right one.

0:05:26 > 0:05:29But Roger is puzzled by the census entry for Arthur's grandmother.

0:05:29 > 0:05:31That's interesting.

0:05:31 > 0:05:35According to the marriage, she's married as Henderson Scott.

0:05:35 > 0:05:38The team were expecting Arthur's grandfather, Edward Hill,

0:05:38 > 0:05:40to be married to Elizabeth Henderson,

0:05:40 > 0:05:41but, to their surprise,

0:05:41 > 0:05:46the 1911 census lists Edward as having married in Brighton to

0:05:46 > 0:05:49Henderson Scott, a male-sounding name.

0:05:50 > 0:05:53He's not going to have married a Scott Henderson, is he?

0:05:53 > 0:05:55- No.- I don't think they're retrospecting gay marriage.

0:05:57 > 0:05:59Well, this is the wrong marriage.

0:06:01 > 0:06:04If this is the wrong marriage, then all the team's work

0:06:04 > 0:06:06so far will have been for nothing.

0:06:09 > 0:06:11In order to avoid any wrong turns,

0:06:11 > 0:06:15the team needs to ensure they have the right family and, for this,

0:06:15 > 0:06:19they urgently need to establish the full name of Arthur's grandmother.

0:06:19 > 0:06:21Scott.

0:06:21 > 0:06:24- Hmm.- It should be Elizabeth Henderson.

0:06:24 > 0:06:26This is down as Henderson, isn't it?

0:06:26 > 0:06:30Yeah.

0:06:30 > 0:06:33It's got to be the right one though, because it's bang on the right area.

0:06:33 > 0:06:36- Yeah.- We're going to have to order it in anyway, just to make sure.

0:06:36 > 0:06:38- Yeah, I'll bang that in as a priority.- Yeah.

0:06:41 > 0:06:44After a thorough search of birth records,

0:06:44 > 0:06:46the confusion is cleared up.

0:06:46 > 0:06:48Arthur's grandmother had the unusual name

0:06:48 > 0:06:52of Henderson Elizabeth Scott, but her full name was not listed

0:06:52 > 0:06:55on the census entries that relate to her.

0:06:55 > 0:06:58'I just found the birth of the maternal grandmother.'

0:06:58 > 0:07:00On the census, she was Elizabeth Henderson,

0:07:00 > 0:07:04but, when she was born, she was Henderson E.

0:07:04 > 0:07:08It just means that it's right and the marriage is right.

0:07:08 > 0:07:11It's one step further, isn't it? One step nearer.

0:07:13 > 0:07:15The heir hunters are back on the scent

0:07:15 > 0:07:18and have discovered that Arthur's grandparents, Edward Hill

0:07:18 > 0:07:20and Henderson Elizabeth Scott,

0:07:20 > 0:07:24had 11 children in addition to Arthur's mother, Florence.

0:07:24 > 0:07:27Four died as infants, which means the team is now

0:07:27 > 0:07:30searching for descendants of seven of Florence's brothers and sisters.

0:07:31 > 0:07:35One of them, Dorothy, has a very unusual middle name.

0:07:35 > 0:07:38That's a middle name to die for!

0:07:38 > 0:07:40- Catura.- Yes. If correct...

0:07:42 > 0:07:44..it might make life easier, might it?

0:07:44 > 0:07:47A name like Dorothy Catura Hill could be invaluable

0:07:47 > 0:07:51in tracking down beneficiaries and the team quickly makes progress.

0:07:55 > 0:07:57Dom identifies a cousin once removed

0:07:57 > 0:07:59and finds a telephone number for her.

0:08:01 > 0:08:03Oh, hello, I wonder if you can help me.

0:08:03 > 0:08:06I'm trying to figure out if a family that we've been looking into,

0:08:06 > 0:08:12which is a family by the surname of Hill, is any relation to your family.

0:08:13 > 0:08:17Edward David Hill and an Elizabeth Henderson Scott.

0:08:18 > 0:08:21- That's a name that means something to you, then?- Bingo.

0:08:21 > 0:08:24It's the right family and the relative tells Dom some

0:08:24 > 0:08:28vital information about Arthur's mother, Florence.

0:08:28 > 0:08:31Did Auntie Flo have any kids that you are aware of?

0:08:32 > 0:08:35Ah, OK. Well, that's interesting that you would say two.

0:08:35 > 0:08:40We think she had a son, Arthur, and we think Arthur has recently died.

0:08:42 > 0:08:44Thank you very much. Take care. Bye-bye.

0:08:45 > 0:08:46But unfortunately,

0:08:46 > 0:08:50it's flagged up a possible major flaw in the research.

0:08:50 > 0:08:53She thought Auntie Flo, who is the mother of the deceased,

0:08:53 > 0:08:55had possibly two kids.

0:08:55 > 0:08:57It's thrown a bit of a spanner in the works.

0:08:57 > 0:09:00We thought we'd ruled out the possibility of near kin,

0:09:00 > 0:09:02but with a surname like Williams, you just never know.

0:09:09 > 0:09:12Come on. Let's have a look at the trees over here.

0:09:12 > 0:09:16'The team now need to establish if Arthur did have brothers or sisters.

0:09:16 > 0:09:20'If he did, they or their children would be entitled over any cousins

0:09:20 > 0:09:25'the team are tracing, rendering that research null and void.'

0:09:25 > 0:09:27She had an Auntie Flo.

0:09:27 > 0:09:30- Auntie Flo, and this is where it goes slightly wobbly...- Hmm.

0:09:30 > 0:09:31..is thought to have two children.

0:09:31 > 0:09:35She thought she remembered playing with Auntie Flo's two children.

0:09:35 > 0:09:39The heir hunters now have to split their resources, with some of

0:09:39 > 0:09:42the team double-checking if Arthur did have siblings.

0:09:42 > 0:09:46Dom has to continue the search for wider family and updates the tree.

0:09:47 > 0:09:50Ernest Edwards was a French polisher.

0:09:50 > 0:09:53- She doesn't know if he married and had kids or not.- Right.

0:09:53 > 0:09:56Beatrice is thought to have married with kids, no idea of their names.

0:09:56 > 0:10:00So, I think the two to concentrate on are Beatrice and Ernest

0:10:00 > 0:10:04- because they're the two with potential for issue.- Yeah.

0:10:04 > 0:10:07It seems there are still plenty more maternal cousins to find,

0:10:07 > 0:10:09and researcher Roger still has to get

0:10:09 > 0:10:12stuck into work on the paternal side.

0:10:13 > 0:10:15Nobody's started much on the Williams' side, have they?

0:10:15 > 0:10:19Because of the names. Potentially, 12 stems, aren't there?

0:10:19 > 0:10:21So, it could be a very big tree.

0:10:21 > 0:10:23As Williams is such a widely used name,

0:10:23 > 0:10:26Roger could be facing a huge search.

0:10:26 > 0:10:31Because it's a common name, they probably have to put that in probate, to see if he's right.

0:10:31 > 0:10:34But all the research they're doing into the wider family could be for

0:10:34 > 0:10:38nothing if it turns out that Arthur did indeed have brothers or sisters.

0:10:47 > 0:10:50When heir hunters receive a new case to explore,

0:10:50 > 0:10:52they never know the family history that they are

0:10:52 > 0:10:55about to uncover or when the next file is coming their way.

0:10:58 > 0:11:00Daniel Curran, from probate researchers Finders,

0:11:00 > 0:11:03knows that his team have to be prepared to hit the ground running

0:11:03 > 0:11:06to stay one step ahead of the competition.

0:11:07 > 0:11:10As the Treasury can advertise randomly at any time,

0:11:10 > 0:11:14we have to be ready to respond if we feel that a case is interesting.

0:11:21 > 0:11:25Raymond Wilfred Wild died at Queen's Hospital, Romford,

0:11:25 > 0:11:30close to his home on the 3rd of May 2012, aged 77.

0:11:30 > 0:11:33He was a journalist for local newspapers for many years

0:11:33 > 0:11:37after developing a love for writing as a child.

0:11:37 > 0:11:40Bonnie and David McGough lived next door to Raymond

0:11:40 > 0:11:41and remember him fondly.

0:11:43 > 0:11:49'Raymond was a very, very smart man. Very well dressed.'

0:11:49 > 0:11:53He'd have a Panama hat in the summer and a bowler hat in the winter

0:11:53 > 0:11:56and a red silk handkerchief in his top pocket.

0:11:56 > 0:11:58Everybody knew him, everybody used to say,

0:11:58 > 0:12:01"Who's that smart man who walks along?"

0:12:02 > 0:12:06David first met Ray when he was suddenly taken ill one night.

0:12:06 > 0:12:11We rang for an ambulance for him and, uh, he was taken into hospital

0:12:11 > 0:12:16and when he came out, we received a present and a letter from him.

0:12:18 > 0:12:20"Dear Dave and Bonnie, I want to thank you both

0:12:20 > 0:12:23"most sincerely for all the help you gave me.

0:12:23 > 0:12:25"It is indeed good to know that there are still a few

0:12:25 > 0:12:28"kind and caring people left in this world.

0:12:28 > 0:12:31"I am only too well aware of how very rare such people are

0:12:31 > 0:12:33"in this day and age.

0:12:33 > 0:12:36"Thank you again, sincerely, Raymond Wild."

0:12:38 > 0:12:40We thought, "What a nice way to write."

0:12:40 > 0:12:42It looks old-fashioned

0:12:42 > 0:12:45and it's precise and it just reminded us

0:12:45 > 0:12:49of someone from way back, really, a gentleman from back in history.

0:12:50 > 0:12:54Cos it is sad to see that he's not around any more.

0:12:54 > 0:12:56And...

0:12:56 > 0:12:58I suppose that's life, you know.

0:13:04 > 0:13:07When the estate of Raymond Wild was advertised by the Treasury's

0:13:07 > 0:13:11solicitor, case manager Amy-Louise Moyes immediately

0:13:11 > 0:13:13identified its potential.

0:13:13 > 0:13:17We thought that the surname Wild was particularly interesting.

0:13:17 > 0:13:21We also thought that he might have owned his own property.

0:13:21 > 0:13:24Raymond's case came from the Bona Vacantia Division,

0:13:24 > 0:13:27a government department run by the Treasury solicitor,

0:13:27 > 0:13:29which publishes unclaimed estates.

0:13:30 > 0:13:34And Amy knew that having an uncommon family name to work with,

0:13:34 > 0:13:35made things all the more urgent.

0:13:37 > 0:13:40When we are working on a case from the Treasury solicitor,

0:13:40 > 0:13:44it's usually a competitive case, which is why,

0:13:44 > 0:13:47if the surname appears to be unusual or particularly rare,

0:13:47 > 0:13:51it's always best because it means that we can work on it quickly

0:13:51 > 0:13:53and hope to beat any other competition.

0:13:53 > 0:13:57Aware that rival firms were also tracking Raymond's relatives, it was

0:13:57 > 0:14:01a race against time for Amy and the team, who hit problems straightaway.

0:14:02 > 0:14:05One of the first ports of call is to try

0:14:05 > 0:14:08and obtain a copy of the death certificate.

0:14:08 > 0:14:11The death certificate will confirm the full date of death for us

0:14:11 > 0:14:14and it will also provide a full name.

0:14:14 > 0:14:18The death certificate will also show a full date of birth

0:14:18 > 0:14:19and, hopefully, a place of birth.

0:14:19 > 0:14:23Unfortunately, with Raymond Wild, we were unable to obtain

0:14:23 > 0:14:25the death certificate because his death was

0:14:25 > 0:14:27still at inquest at the time.

0:14:29 > 0:14:32There are a variety of reasons why a death certificate may not be

0:14:32 > 0:14:35issued soon after someone has died.

0:14:35 > 0:14:39And without Raymond's, Amy had to explore other avenues.

0:14:39 > 0:14:44One of the first bits of research I did was to check the electoral rolls.

0:14:44 > 0:14:49This suggested that Raymond had been living alone for a number of years.

0:14:49 > 0:14:53There appeared to be no spouse living with him and no children either.

0:14:53 > 0:14:55I then double-checked this information to

0:14:55 > 0:14:58confirm by looking at the marriage indexes for England and Wales

0:14:58 > 0:15:02and there were no obvious marriages for Raymond, which, again,

0:15:02 > 0:15:06led us to believe that he had died a bachelor without any children.

0:15:06 > 0:15:10This meant that I could go straight ahead and look at the birth indexes.

0:15:10 > 0:15:13I could find Raymond's birth records

0:15:13 > 0:15:16which would then lead me onto finding out his parents' names

0:15:16 > 0:15:20and, in turn, to establish whether or not either parent was still alive.

0:15:25 > 0:15:26Having studied birth records,

0:15:26 > 0:15:29Amy discovered that Raymond's father, John Wild,

0:15:29 > 0:15:31had four brothers and sisters,

0:15:31 > 0:15:35and he had married Elizabeth Ellen Witting in 1921.

0:15:36 > 0:15:39Amy's search had thrown up some fascinating facts

0:15:39 > 0:15:41about John's profession.

0:15:41 > 0:15:45Raymond's parents' marriage certificate was able to tell us

0:15:45 > 0:15:48that his father, John, had been a sheet metal worker.

0:15:53 > 0:15:56John worked for Bates Cycles in East London and,

0:15:56 > 0:16:00perhaps surprisingly, his bicycle making skills

0:16:00 > 0:16:02brought him to the attention of the War Office.

0:16:06 > 0:16:10The War Office is, today, what we would call the Ministry of Defence.

0:16:10 > 0:16:12Army, Navy, Air Force all come under the War Office

0:16:12 > 0:16:14in the First World War.

0:16:14 > 0:16:16On the outbreak of war, there was a massive number

0:16:16 > 0:16:19of people who volunteered, and many of them were skilled workers,

0:16:19 > 0:16:20so it was very, very important

0:16:20 > 0:16:23that the War Office were able to stop some people going off to

0:16:23 > 0:16:26volunteer cos they were needed in the UK,

0:16:26 > 0:16:30so the War Office gave them a post. You probably don't know what

0:16:30 > 0:16:32you're making, because the War Office

0:16:32 > 0:16:35isn't going to tell you, it'll be assembled somewhere else.

0:16:35 > 0:16:37In those periods, you just don't talk about it.

0:16:37 > 0:16:40You do your job, you go home and you keep shtoom.

0:16:41 > 0:16:44John probably never imagined that one week he would be making

0:16:44 > 0:16:48bicycle frames and the next he would be part of the war effort.

0:16:53 > 0:16:56The bicycle industry is a real analogy with

0:16:56 > 0:16:58the ammunitions industry.

0:16:58 > 0:17:00The technology of bicycles,

0:17:00 > 0:17:03the technology of weapons at the time, almost identical.

0:17:03 > 0:17:05If you can make one, you can make the other.

0:17:05 > 0:17:07John Wild was a sheet metal worker.

0:17:07 > 0:17:10Sheet metalwork for the Army involves

0:17:10 > 0:17:14everything from building the interior ammunition boxes

0:17:14 > 0:17:19through material required inside the land ships later known as tanks.

0:17:19 > 0:17:22So, I suspect he was involved in some element of

0:17:22 > 0:17:24the production of weapons for the Army.

0:17:26 > 0:17:29John survived the war, but, unfortunately,

0:17:29 > 0:17:32like many families, he had loved ones fighting overseas.

0:17:34 > 0:17:35His brother, Matthew,

0:17:35 > 0:17:40was a stoker on HMS Inflexible at the beginning of the war.

0:17:40 > 0:17:42HMS Inflexible was a cruiser.

0:17:42 > 0:17:44When the Germans attempted to raid Port Stanley

0:17:44 > 0:17:47and they caught the Germans napping and they went out

0:17:47 > 0:17:51and all the German vessels were sunk just before Christmas 1914.

0:17:51 > 0:17:54The operation was a huge success for the crew,

0:17:54 > 0:17:57but, sadly, their celebrations were short-lived.

0:17:57 > 0:18:00What would have been a jubilant time for all those on board turned

0:18:00 > 0:18:03to tragedy as it seems Matthew fell overboard in what

0:18:03 > 0:18:08are described as unknown circumstances on Christmas Day 1914.

0:18:08 > 0:18:11They have just been involved in a successful operation,

0:18:11 > 0:18:14they've sunk all the enemy vessels, the South Atlantic is now clear,

0:18:14 > 0:18:18it's Christmas Day, there's a double reason to celebrate.

0:18:18 > 0:18:22Unfortunately, with everybody busy, everybody partying,

0:18:22 > 0:18:24somebody goes over the side, he simply will be lost

0:18:24 > 0:18:27and, even if he was seen to go over the side,

0:18:27 > 0:18:29a vessel of that size in the South Atlantic in winter...

0:18:29 > 0:18:32there's no point turning round and going back for him.

0:18:34 > 0:18:36The true story will never be known.

0:18:40 > 0:18:44This wasn't the only wartime tragedy to befall the family as

0:18:44 > 0:18:47less than six months later, John's older brother, James,

0:18:47 > 0:18:49was on board the Royal Edward.

0:18:49 > 0:18:53James Wild was in the second battalion of the Hampshire Regiment.

0:18:53 > 0:18:56He was a new recruit, wartime volunteer

0:18:56 > 0:19:00being sent on the Royal Edward to join the active service element of

0:19:00 > 0:19:03the 29th Division, when they are torpedoed.

0:19:03 > 0:19:06The vessel sinks very rapidly,

0:19:06 > 0:19:08there was a very, very high loss of life on board.

0:19:08 > 0:19:11One of those people is James Wild.

0:19:20 > 0:19:24By the time he was 25 years old, Raymond's father, John,

0:19:24 > 0:19:27had tragically lost both of his brothers.

0:19:27 > 0:19:30But in 1921, he married Elizabeth

0:19:30 > 0:19:33and Amy knew they had at least one son, Raymond.

0:19:33 > 0:19:37I searched the birth indexes using the surname Wild

0:19:37 > 0:19:41and also a mother's maiden name of Witting.

0:19:41 > 0:19:45Because the family appeared to be from London, I also

0:19:45 > 0:19:47limited my search to the London area.

0:19:49 > 0:19:53Based on her search, Amy quickly found a total of five siblings to

0:19:53 > 0:19:57Raymond, two sisters and three brothers, all born in London.

0:19:58 > 0:20:03I decided to look at the two sisters initially.

0:20:03 > 0:20:06I had a look at the marriage indexes in order to determine

0:20:06 > 0:20:10current surnames that the sisters were using.

0:20:10 > 0:20:13From here, I managed to identify potential addresses for both

0:20:13 > 0:20:15sisters and, in the meantime,

0:20:15 > 0:20:19the team had also identified an address for one of the brothers.

0:20:19 > 0:20:23The next steps were then to send some of our representatives

0:20:23 > 0:20:27around in order to determine that the information we had was correct

0:20:27 > 0:20:30and also to try and sign them up.

0:20:30 > 0:20:33As Amy continued her research, it soon became clear that

0:20:33 > 0:20:36the Second World War had just as devastating an impact

0:20:36 > 0:20:39on the family as the First.

0:20:39 > 0:20:45During that period, we're looking at probably 30,000 Londoners dying

0:20:45 > 0:20:50and possibly another 50,000 who are injured as a result

0:20:50 > 0:20:51of the bombing itself.

0:20:51 > 0:20:53EXPLOSIONS

0:21:00 > 0:21:03Heir hunters trace thousands of rightful beneficiaries

0:21:03 > 0:21:07every year, but not all cases can be cracked. There are thousands of

0:21:07 > 0:21:10estates on the Treasury's bona vacantia list that have

0:21:10 > 0:21:14eluded the heir hunters and remain unsolved.

0:21:14 > 0:21:17When the Bona Vacantia Division passes money to the Treasury,

0:21:17 > 0:21:20it puts the case on its unclaimed list and it stays on there

0:21:20 > 0:21:23for 12 years to be claimed. If someone makes a valid claim

0:21:23 > 0:21:26within that period, then the money is paid back.

0:21:26 > 0:21:29Today, we're focusing on two cases that are yet to be

0:21:29 > 0:21:31solved by the heir hunters.

0:21:31 > 0:21:32First, it's the case of...

0:21:35 > 0:21:38..also known as Anita Fowler, who died a spinster on...

0:21:45 > 0:21:46Joyce was born in...

0:21:48 > 0:21:50Her mother, Phyllis May Vernon, died on...

0:21:56 > 0:21:57Joyce's father...

0:21:58 > 0:22:01..died on...

0:22:01 > 0:22:02..in Hillingdon.

0:22:04 > 0:22:07Despite this information, there's been no success in tracing

0:22:07 > 0:22:09beneficiaries to her estate.

0:22:09 > 0:22:12Do you know anything which could shed some light on her family?

0:22:15 > 0:22:18Next, can you shed any light on the case of...?

0:22:19 > 0:22:22Joseph was born in Israel in 1932

0:22:22 > 0:22:24and was a bachelor. He died on...

0:22:27 > 0:22:29..East Sussex.

0:22:30 > 0:22:33Both Joyce and Joseph's estates remain unclaimed and,

0:22:33 > 0:22:37if no-one comes forward, their money will go to the Government.

0:22:38 > 0:22:41The money raised by the Bona Vacantia Division is passed

0:22:41 > 0:22:45annually to the Treasury and it goes into the consolidated fund,

0:22:45 > 0:22:47therefore to benefit the country as a whole.

0:22:47 > 0:22:50Do you have any clues that could help solve the cases of...?

0:22:52 > 0:22:54..also known as Anita Fowler or...

0:22:55 > 0:22:58Perhaps you could be the next of kin.

0:22:58 > 0:23:01If so, you could have thousands of pounds coming your way.

0:23:08 > 0:23:12In London, a team of heir hunters led by case manager Dom are

0:23:12 > 0:23:16working the case of Arthur Williams who died in Brighton aged 81.

0:23:18 > 0:23:21As they think the case could be worth as much as £200,000,

0:23:21 > 0:23:24they are keen to try and stay ahead of the competition.

0:23:24 > 0:23:27'We're currently working on the case of Arthur Charles Williams

0:23:27 > 0:23:30'who died in July 2013.'

0:23:30 > 0:23:32He was not known to have any close family or friends,

0:23:32 > 0:23:35so we're keen to get cracking and work the family tree.

0:23:35 > 0:23:38The team are busy trying to trace Arthur's cousins,

0:23:38 > 0:23:41but their work has been thrown into doubt by a phone call

0:23:41 > 0:23:43suggesting he may have had a sibling.

0:23:44 > 0:23:47- Auntie Flo...and this is where it goes slightly wobbly...- Hmm.

0:23:47 > 0:23:49..is thought to have two children.

0:23:51 > 0:23:54If Arthur did have a sibling, he or she would be the sole heir

0:23:54 > 0:23:58to his estate, so the team must quickly establish if it's true.

0:23:59 > 0:24:03But at the same time, they must continue the search for cousins.

0:24:03 > 0:24:07I think the two to concentrate on are Beatrice and Ernest.

0:24:07 > 0:24:11In addition, there's work to be done on the paternal side as the surname

0:24:11 > 0:24:15Williams is so common, meaning the family tree could be enormous.

0:24:15 > 0:24:18Because it's a common name, they probably have to put that in

0:24:18 > 0:24:19probate and see if it's right.

0:24:19 > 0:24:21To make matters worse, it's not yet known

0:24:21 > 0:24:26if Arthur owned his own property, so working on this case is a gamble.

0:24:26 > 0:24:29It's not that easy when you have these really rubbish names.

0:24:32 > 0:24:35But the team get to it, and by studying birth, marriage

0:24:35 > 0:24:39and census records, they establish that Arthur's father, Charles,

0:24:39 > 0:24:43was one of up to 12 children born to Robert and Eliza Williams.

0:24:43 > 0:24:46The research has also thrown up some interesting

0:24:46 > 0:24:49information about the occupations of Charles and Robert,

0:24:49 > 0:24:51and the team have discovered that father and son

0:24:51 > 0:24:54were both saddle-makers in Bury St Edmunds.

0:24:57 > 0:24:59Back in the 1800s, the job as a saddler

0:24:59 > 0:25:02and harness maker was absolutely vital

0:25:02 > 0:25:08for everybody, you know, if they wanted to get from A to B.

0:25:08 > 0:25:12If they were drawing carriages or whether they were being ridden,

0:25:12 > 0:25:15it all involved saddle and harness making.

0:25:15 > 0:25:18The master saddler had to be able to turn his hand to everything.

0:25:18 > 0:25:20Whether it be horse harness,

0:25:20 > 0:25:24anything that needed to be fabricated from leather.

0:25:24 > 0:25:28Due to the importance and necessity of their work, Robert and Charles

0:25:28 > 0:25:32would have been well-known and well thought of in their local community.

0:25:32 > 0:25:34'It was a highly respected profession

0:25:34 > 0:25:38'because everybody was reliant on the horse.

0:25:38 > 0:25:40'There was no mechanical transport.

0:25:40 > 0:25:42'You didn't really want to upset your local saddler.

0:25:42 > 0:25:44'They were highly respected.'

0:25:44 > 0:25:48But being held in such high regard would not have come easily.

0:25:51 > 0:25:56The lifestyle of a country saddler would have been rather hard, I think.

0:25:56 > 0:26:01Long hours because you're constantly under pressure, especially in...

0:26:01 > 0:26:06'Well, with Victorian times, we've got no electric light,

0:26:06 > 0:26:10'you've got to rely on daylight, so you're actually sat at the bench'

0:26:10 > 0:26:14for a long, long time making the most of the amount of light that

0:26:14 > 0:26:16you've actually got, naturally.

0:26:21 > 0:26:24And it would have been up to Robert to hand down the vital secrets

0:26:24 > 0:26:29of his trade to his son, in order to maintain the family business.

0:26:29 > 0:26:34'The usual way, of course, is to pass it from one generation to the other,

0:26:34 > 0:26:37'and that means that that person would sit

0:26:37 > 0:26:40'an apprenticeship with the master.'

0:26:40 > 0:26:42It's a long-term apprenticeship.

0:26:42 > 0:26:46But it is known that Arthur, who was born in 1932,

0:26:46 > 0:26:49did not follow in his father and grandfather's footsteps.

0:26:49 > 0:26:54In 1932, of course, times were changing, technology was changing.

0:26:54 > 0:26:57The whole world was changing. It was the age of the motorcar.

0:26:58 > 0:27:01And, so, he went on to do other things.

0:27:09 > 0:27:13Back in the office, several members of staff are now hard at work

0:27:13 > 0:27:16trying to track down heirs on the huge paternal side of the family.

0:27:18 > 0:27:19For researcher Shannon,

0:27:19 > 0:27:22it's clear there's still a mammoth amount of work to be done.

0:27:23 > 0:27:27It's not that easy because I've got 885 marriages to work through.

0:27:28 > 0:27:31And there's still the matter of a possible sibling

0:27:31 > 0:27:33of Arthur to consider.

0:27:33 > 0:27:35Don't worry about this near kin thing.

0:27:35 > 0:27:37I think everything about this says that he

0:27:37 > 0:27:39looks like he's going to be an only child.

0:27:39 > 0:27:42A thorough trawl of birth records has also drawn a blank,

0:27:42 > 0:27:45so case manager Dom decides to follow Roger's hunch,

0:27:45 > 0:27:48that Arthur was indeed an only child.

0:27:48 > 0:27:50We've been told sort of roughly that there might be

0:27:50 > 0:27:54a sibling of the deceased. We think we've ruled that out.

0:27:54 > 0:27:57But for today, that's as much as the team can do.

0:28:05 > 0:28:09The next day, it's an early start for the heir hunters and

0:28:09 > 0:28:12satisfied that Arthur was an only child, the team can now put

0:28:12 > 0:28:15all their efforts into tracing his extended family.

0:28:15 > 0:28:17Can you guys play with this a bit and then give me a shout

0:28:17 > 0:28:19when it's all on the tree?

0:28:19 > 0:28:22Case manager Dom starts the day in a confident mood.

0:28:22 > 0:28:26We're getting there. I have to say, the research has been brilliant.

0:28:26 > 0:28:27We got everything up-to-date

0:28:27 > 0:28:28really, really quickly.

0:28:28 > 0:28:31So, filling all the gaps is going to take a long time.

0:28:31 > 0:28:34And the arrival of various certificates helps the team

0:28:34 > 0:28:36take several steps forward.

0:28:36 > 0:28:41And what they know about the family profession proves vital.

0:28:41 > 0:28:44In the Sidney Williams marriage, the father has the right name

0:28:44 > 0:28:48and he's a saddler, so that pretty much confirms it's the right family.

0:28:48 > 0:28:50So...saddler and harness maker.

0:28:50 > 0:28:52The discovery of Sidney Williams,

0:28:52 > 0:28:56a saddle-maker in Bury St Edmunds, adds another piece to the jigsaw.

0:28:56 > 0:28:58What it means is that we've got the right name

0:28:58 > 0:29:01and he's got the right occupation, so it's going to link in with family.

0:29:01 > 0:29:04So, on the cert itself is an Arthur Williams and a Robert Williams

0:29:04 > 0:29:06and we've got both of those in the family,

0:29:06 > 0:29:09so, it's a double check, really.

0:29:14 > 0:29:16INAUDIBLE

0:29:16 > 0:29:19Finally, the heir hunters can confirm that Arthur's father,

0:29:19 > 0:29:21Charles, had ten siblings,

0:29:21 > 0:29:24most of whom were believed to have lived in the Brighton area.

0:29:25 > 0:29:29One of Arthur's uncles, Robert, had seven children, one of whom,

0:29:29 > 0:29:31Hilda, went on to have

0:29:31 > 0:29:33five children of her own.

0:29:33 > 0:29:35As first cousins once removed to Arthur,

0:29:35 > 0:29:38they're in line to inherit a share of his estate.

0:29:38 > 0:29:42This Hilda, however, suddenly jumps and goes up to Derbyshire.

0:29:42 > 0:29:45We've tracked down one of her kids, Reginald Alan Barber.

0:29:52 > 0:29:56Reginald Barber is one of the heirs the team have tracked down

0:29:56 > 0:29:59and he's Arthur's cousin once removed.

0:29:59 > 0:30:02It's now two weeks since he was contacted by the team

0:30:02 > 0:30:04and the news is still sinking in.

0:30:04 > 0:30:08I didn't know anything about my mother's side of the family

0:30:08 > 0:30:11and I couldn't think of anybody up in Derby who it could be.

0:30:13 > 0:30:18'It's hard to believe when you get it and you do feel

0:30:18 > 0:30:21'a little bit sorry for the people who's died and left it to you.'

0:30:22 > 0:30:25But then, it was, "Who is this person that's died?"

0:30:25 > 0:30:31And we still, hopefully, will learn a bit more about it and about

0:30:31 > 0:30:33the extended family down in Bury St Edmunds,

0:30:33 > 0:30:36which we know absolutely nothing about.

0:30:43 > 0:30:46In London, it's taken Dom and the team more than three weeks to

0:30:46 > 0:30:50finally get a handle on Arthur Williams' huge family tree.

0:30:52 > 0:30:55On the maternal side, the team has identified descendants

0:30:55 > 0:30:57of three of Arthur's aunts and uncles,

0:30:57 > 0:31:01all of whom will be entitled to a share of his estate.

0:31:01 > 0:31:02And, from his father's side,

0:31:02 > 0:31:06there are heirs from five branches of the family.

0:31:06 > 0:31:09It's been a tough but rewarding job for case manager Dom.

0:31:09 > 0:31:11'We've identified over 30 beneficiaries so far'

0:31:11 > 0:31:13and I'm sure we're going to identify more again.

0:31:13 > 0:31:15This is going to be really quite a large family tree.

0:31:15 > 0:31:18So far, we've signed about seven of the family.

0:31:18 > 0:31:20Uh, we'd hope to have a lot more in the coming days,

0:31:20 > 0:31:23so it's going quite well, but we've really still got to keep pushing it.

0:31:23 > 0:31:27And the team have confirmed that Arthur did own his own property.

0:31:28 > 0:31:32Meaning his estate was worth around £214,000.

0:31:34 > 0:31:35Dom's instincts were right

0:31:35 > 0:31:38and the gamble he took on the case has paid off.

0:31:40 > 0:31:41DOM LAUGHS

0:31:43 > 0:31:46But for Reginald, more important than an unexpected windfall

0:31:46 > 0:31:51is the chance to find out more about the relative he never knew he had.

0:31:51 > 0:31:53You just want to know more,

0:31:53 > 0:31:56something that you've never bothered about in your life.

0:31:56 > 0:31:57And then, all of a sudden...

0:31:57 > 0:32:00somebody comes into your life who you don't know

0:32:00 > 0:32:02and it's a funny experience.

0:32:04 > 0:32:06I suppose, in a way, it is a bit of an adventure,

0:32:06 > 0:32:08your family tree that you never think of.

0:32:21 > 0:32:22In North London,

0:32:22 > 0:32:26case manager Amy-Louise Moyes was working the case of Raymond Wild.

0:32:28 > 0:32:32So far, she'd found out that Raymond had five brothers and sisters,

0:32:32 > 0:32:35but Amy knew she would have to act quickly to find them.

0:32:35 > 0:32:37With a highly competitive case,

0:32:37 > 0:32:42it's imperative that you are the firm that makes the first contact.

0:32:42 > 0:32:45Once we had names of the potential siblings,

0:32:45 > 0:32:48myself and the rest of the team were then able to work

0:32:48 > 0:32:52simultaneously in order to try and find addresses for these siblings

0:32:52 > 0:32:56and try and visit them before any other competition came our way.

0:33:07 > 0:33:12Raymond Wild, a bachelor from East London, died in May 2012

0:33:12 > 0:33:15and the heir hunters believe he may have owned his own home.

0:33:17 > 0:33:19His neighbours, Dave and Bonnie McGough, were some of

0:33:19 > 0:33:23the few people that had contact with Raymond in his final years.

0:33:24 > 0:33:27He was an enigma...to us, yeah.

0:33:29 > 0:33:33'We was getting used to him stopping and chatting a bit more.'

0:33:33 > 0:33:36We just tried to be friendly and be as normal as possible.

0:33:39 > 0:33:41'He was just a nice guy.'

0:33:41 > 0:33:44- It was sad.- It would be nice to see him walking up and down again.

0:33:53 > 0:33:56Having found contact details for some of Raymond's siblings,

0:33:56 > 0:34:00it was urgent that the heir hunters got to them as soon as possible.

0:34:00 > 0:34:03The challenge with this case was more to do with

0:34:03 > 0:34:05the timescale that we were working to.

0:34:05 > 0:34:08Because we were keen not to encounter any competition,

0:34:08 > 0:34:11the whole team worked together so that we were able to, then,

0:34:11 > 0:34:14go and visit the heirs simultaneously.

0:34:14 > 0:34:17And when they did, it threw up a surprising twist.

0:34:18 > 0:34:22One of the first heirs we were able to contact was one of

0:34:22 > 0:34:27Raymond's sisters who was able to verify our research as correct and,

0:34:27 > 0:34:31also, she was able to tell us of an additional sibling,

0:34:31 > 0:34:34a younger brother named Bernard who had been born

0:34:34 > 0:34:37outside of the London area.

0:34:37 > 0:34:40This was why he hadn't been included in our original search.

0:34:43 > 0:34:47This new information meant that Amy was now able to confirm that

0:34:47 > 0:34:51Raymond was in fact one of seven children born to John and Elizabeth.

0:34:56 > 0:35:00Raymond's brother Bernard was born in Somerset rather than London,

0:35:00 > 0:35:02where the other siblings were born.

0:35:02 > 0:35:06Bernard was born during the Second World War and, during this time,

0:35:06 > 0:35:09it was common for whole families to flee London

0:35:09 > 0:35:11in order to avoid the bombing.

0:35:14 > 0:35:17With German bombs pounding the capital, the Wilds were

0:35:17 > 0:35:20one of many families who were not safe in their own home

0:35:20 > 0:35:23during the Battle of Britain and the Blitz.

0:35:23 > 0:35:27This is the period of intensive bombing of London

0:35:27 > 0:35:33and other British cities and it is indiscriminate bombing, rather than

0:35:33 > 0:35:36attempts at tactical or strategic bombing on specific areas.

0:35:39 > 0:35:44We're looking at about 28,000 high explosive bombs being

0:35:44 > 0:35:47dropped on London and something over

0:35:47 > 0:35:51400 parachute mines being dropped in London at that time.

0:35:59 > 0:36:02Having already lost his brothers during World War I, John did

0:36:02 > 0:36:06everything he could to make sure his family were safe.

0:36:06 > 0:36:10He moved his pregnant wife and his children to Bridgwater in Somerset.

0:36:12 > 0:36:17If you are suffering from intense aerial bombardment,

0:36:17 > 0:36:21you have an incentive to try and make your family safe.

0:36:21 > 0:36:27Key workers may well be staying in central London and elsewhere,

0:36:27 > 0:36:31although their families might be relocated, if they can.

0:36:33 > 0:36:38While it was a common experience, those who could leave, did.

0:36:47 > 0:36:49Having confirmed Raymond's siblings,

0:36:49 > 0:36:52Amy was now close to tracing all of the heirs.

0:36:52 > 0:36:56Two of Raymond's brothers had actually predeceased him,

0:36:56 > 0:36:59but had died leaving children of their own

0:36:59 > 0:37:04and these children would now inherit a share of Raymond's estate.

0:37:04 > 0:37:07But it was only when the team had actually traced the heirs,

0:37:07 > 0:37:10that it became clear that Raymond's father John's attempts to keep

0:37:10 > 0:37:14the family safe, weren't enough to prevent another tragedy.

0:37:20 > 0:37:23Raymond and his family were in Somerset,

0:37:23 > 0:37:24having been evacuated,

0:37:24 > 0:37:28but Raymond's father John was worried about their house being

0:37:28 > 0:37:31damaged due to the bombing, and he wanted the insurance papers

0:37:31 > 0:37:35for the home and so Cyril went along with his father.

0:37:35 > 0:37:38When they got there, unfortunately, tragedy struck

0:37:38 > 0:37:42and a bomb actually hit and damaged the family home.

0:37:43 > 0:37:46As the bomb fell, Cyril was pushed out of the way.

0:37:46 > 0:37:50Sadly, his father John was killed during this bombing.

0:37:52 > 0:37:53For the second time,

0:37:53 > 0:37:57a world war had caused the family agonising heartbreak.

0:37:57 > 0:38:02This is probably where 26 Rochester Avenue actually stood.

0:38:02 > 0:38:06Now, the parachute mine detonated where that block of flats is.

0:38:06 > 0:38:09That would have taken out the entire row of houses

0:38:09 > 0:38:11from there up to this point.

0:38:12 > 0:38:15John had heroically saved his son's life by pushing him

0:38:15 > 0:38:17under a cupboard to safety.

0:38:17 > 0:38:22Raymond's brother Cyril fractured his skull, but survived, but a joist

0:38:22 > 0:38:26fell on John in the family home, breaking his neck and killing him.

0:38:26 > 0:38:29It's a matter of luck, in this case, enormously bad luck,

0:38:29 > 0:38:33that the parachute mine went off here and destroyed this area.

0:38:34 > 0:38:36It really is a tragedy.

0:38:39 > 0:38:42Through her research and conversations with the family,

0:38:42 > 0:38:44Amy had managed to unravel the family tree

0:38:44 > 0:38:48and contacted the families of all six of Raymond's siblings.

0:38:48 > 0:38:51One of the beneficiaries was the family of Bernard,

0:38:51 > 0:38:54the youngest, born in Somerset during World War II.

0:38:56 > 0:39:02Bernard passed away in July 2011, um, survived by three children,

0:39:02 > 0:39:04a son called Martin and two others.

0:39:09 > 0:39:11Bernard also left a wife, Eileen.

0:39:11 > 0:39:14Their son, Martin, is one of the heirs

0:39:14 > 0:39:17and knows from his father how the bombing affected him.

0:39:18 > 0:39:20My dad never got to know his own dad

0:39:20 > 0:39:24because my dad was born nine days after his father was killed.

0:39:26 > 0:39:29Um, and I think that had a massive effect on the entire family,

0:39:29 > 0:39:30really, the loss of the father.

0:39:32 > 0:39:35Instead of introducing her husband to his newborn son,

0:39:35 > 0:39:38Elizabeth had to travel to London for John's burial,

0:39:38 > 0:39:42but, when she arrived, Elizabeth had missed the funeral.

0:39:43 > 0:39:46None of them even had a chance to say goodbye,

0:39:46 > 0:39:49and that in itself must have been horrendously traumatic.

0:39:50 > 0:39:52News of Raymond's death has brought back

0:39:52 > 0:39:56vivid childhood memories of his uncle for Martin.

0:39:56 > 0:39:58When I first met Raymond, I thought he was great.

0:39:58 > 0:40:01He was just like a smaller version of my dad.

0:40:01 > 0:40:04Their sense of humour was almost identical.

0:40:05 > 0:40:08And this is amazing.

0:40:08 > 0:40:11Bernard was in possession of some priceless family items that he

0:40:11 > 0:40:13left with his wife, Eileen,

0:40:13 > 0:40:17including a birthday card sent from John to Elizabeth Wild,

0:40:17 > 0:40:21which reveals the pet names they used for each other, Jack and Nell.

0:40:23 > 0:40:28"My dear Nell, I wish you many happy returns of the day.

0:40:28 > 0:40:31"May the year be the end of the war. Best wishes.

0:40:31 > 0:40:35"Love from yours, Jack."

0:40:37 > 0:40:39And, on the back...

0:40:40 > 0:40:46"I am writing this under heavy gunfire, so..."

0:40:46 > 0:40:49So, he was being holed in somewhere...

0:40:49 > 0:40:51- So, he was...- ..in the war.

0:40:51 > 0:40:54That is about three months...

0:40:54 > 0:40:56- before he died.- Before he died, yeah.- Yeah.

0:41:04 > 0:41:07Unfortunately, Raymond did not own his own house,

0:41:07 > 0:41:10meaning his estate was worth £6,000.

0:41:15 > 0:41:18AMY-LOUISE: With the work that we do here, it isn't always about the size

0:41:18 > 0:41:21of an estate with cases such as this one where the value itself

0:41:21 > 0:41:25is relatively small. It's the research that brings you

0:41:25 > 0:41:28the satisfaction and is the reason why we do the work that we do.

0:41:29 > 0:41:32Amy's work has meant that Raymond's estate is

0:41:32 > 0:41:33going to the rightful heirs.

0:41:35 > 0:41:40'In total, we identified eight heirs to Raymond's estate.'

0:41:40 > 0:41:43It had come as quite a shock to several of the heirs that

0:41:43 > 0:41:45Raymond had lived so nearby,

0:41:45 > 0:41:48as they'd been unaware that he lived so close to them.

0:41:53 > 0:41:56Raymond's ashes were scattered by hospital staff

0:41:56 > 0:41:59on the Chase in Dagenham after they were told by

0:41:59 > 0:42:03his neighbour Dave that Raymond used to go horse riding there as a boy.

0:42:05 > 0:42:07It was a surprise that he has got relatives

0:42:07 > 0:42:12and it's sad that there wasn't much contact between them.

0:42:12 > 0:42:17I don't know...I don't know, it's hard to...it's hard to fathom.

0:42:19 > 0:42:22For Martin, it could mean the start of a personal journey

0:42:22 > 0:42:26and a chance to build relationships with some of his long-lost family.

0:42:26 > 0:42:28'I'm certainly interested in'

0:42:28 > 0:42:32finding out more information about where my position in this

0:42:32 > 0:42:34whole Wild family is.

0:42:37 > 0:42:40'Had John not have died during the war, I think

0:42:40 > 0:42:43'the whole family dynamic would have been very different.

0:42:43 > 0:42:47'I certainly feel that that has affected...

0:42:47 > 0:42:50'the relationships between all of the siblings, and...'

0:42:50 > 0:42:53now, the family has gone sort of scattered far and wide

0:42:53 > 0:42:55with very little communication.

0:42:58 > 0:43:02'I know very, very little about my dad's side of the family and,

0:43:02 > 0:43:06'unfortunately, that side of the family are much older,'

0:43:06 > 0:43:08so, the time to be able to find that

0:43:08 > 0:43:10sort of thing out is...is running out.