0:00:02 > 0:00:04Roger Lennon lived in the naval city of Portsmouth
0:00:04 > 0:00:06for over half a century.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09The heir hunters are now facing an uphill struggle to
0:00:09 > 0:00:11trace his family members...
0:00:11 > 0:00:13Everyone's taking a branch
0:00:13 > 0:00:15and we're splitting it up between the entire office.
0:00:15 > 0:00:17..and find themselves in a race to sign up
0:00:17 > 0:00:19beneficiaries before the competition.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21And we want to get this done fairly quickly
0:00:21 > 0:00:25because obviously other people will be sniffing around.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28It's all in a day's work for the heir hunters.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41Coming up, we take a look at
0:00:41 > 0:00:44the arm's race leading up to the First World War...
0:00:44 > 0:00:47The dreadnoughts were the most powerful ships ever built,
0:00:47 > 0:00:50with the most powerful guns and the most powerful engine.
0:00:50 > 0:00:55..and the story of how one town was transformed by co-operative spirit.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57All of those things really changed the face
0:00:57 > 0:01:01and the fabric of this town and have made it what it is today.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04And we'll be giving you the details of the hundreds of thousands
0:01:04 > 0:01:07of pounds -worth of estates that are still to be claimed.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10Could the heir hunters be knocking at your door?
0:01:19 > 0:01:22It's Monday afternoon at London heir-hunting company Finders
0:01:22 > 0:01:27and the team are hard at work on a case that is an immediate priority.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31Well, we're working on a case. We've partially resolved it
0:01:31 > 0:01:33but then it's...
0:01:33 > 0:01:36all of a sudden been made public, so it's entered the public domain
0:01:36 > 0:01:40which means it could be competitive and probably is competitive now.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43The case of Roger Stuart Lennon was privately referred to the
0:01:43 > 0:01:47company over a month ago and they've already made some headway,
0:01:47 > 0:01:51but suddenly the pressure is on to crack the case - and fast.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54- Make sure it's right.- Doesn't necessarily look great...
0:01:54 > 0:01:56We've done the maternal side of the family
0:01:56 > 0:01:58but we've just had some information to say that
0:01:58 > 0:02:01it's actually a higher-value estate than we thought previously, so
0:02:01 > 0:02:05we're just trying to push through on the paternal side.
0:02:05 > 0:02:10Market trader, Roger Stuart Lennon was born in 1944 and spent
0:02:10 > 0:02:13his life in the naval city of Portsmouth on the Hampshire coast.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18Since childhood, he'd lived in this block of flats
0:02:18 > 0:02:21with his mother Irene and the two were very close.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26Local shop-owner, Brian Futcher, knew the pair well.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29Roger, we first came to know through his mother
0:02:29 > 0:02:32and our friendship with Irene.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34In those days, I used to have
0:02:34 > 0:02:37an eight-door street market behind my premises here.
0:02:37 > 0:02:41That was where Irene first hired one of our tables.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48Roger was there selling his bin-liners and his tissues, and...
0:02:48 > 0:02:54Very, very basic, limited items but he was still somebody that
0:02:54 > 0:02:59people related to as being a street market man that was always there.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03They liked his honesty and the fact that he wasn't pushy.
0:03:03 > 0:03:08That market in those days was very much, I would say...
0:03:08 > 0:03:13had so many characters and Roger was one of them.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Roger's mother passed away in 1970
0:03:16 > 0:03:19and Roger often cut a lonely figure after her death.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22No photographs of him as an adult survive
0:03:22 > 0:03:25but Roger was a well-known character in Portsmouth's markets,
0:03:25 > 0:03:30where life has changed very little since he gave up his stall.
0:03:30 > 0:03:31People have been here a few years, like,
0:03:31 > 0:03:33some of these have been here generations.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36I mean, I've been here, what, since 2002.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39I'm a newbie compared to some of these people.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41Yeah. Nasty.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43We're always having a laugh and a joke.
0:03:43 > 0:03:45Always messing around with each other. Erm...
0:03:45 > 0:03:48- The comradery is second to none. - There you go, sweetheart.- Thank you.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50- Enjoy it tomorrow. - Yeah, I will.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53- ...Going for, then? - I'll go for that one.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55I think you've got to have a strong personality to
0:03:55 > 0:03:56work on a market stall
0:03:56 > 0:03:58but it's just talking to people.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00Being friendly, being open and being honest.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06Sadly, Roger passed away on the 5th of September 2009,
0:04:06 > 0:04:09without leaving a will. Since his death,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Portsmouth's markets have lost a popular trader and personality.
0:04:12 > 0:04:1418 for that...
0:04:14 > 0:04:17I miss Roger because, erm, yeah, there was only...
0:04:17 > 0:04:21There was nobody like him. He was an original one-off.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26A character that I was pleased to say that I knew,
0:04:26 > 0:04:29and I was one of his friends.
0:04:34 > 0:04:35Before the case was made public,
0:04:35 > 0:04:40the team established that Roger was adopted in 1960.
0:04:40 > 0:04:41I just want to check in the census.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44Research also told them that he was an only child
0:04:44 > 0:04:47and had never married or had children of his own.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50As a result, they've tracked down two heirs on his mother's
0:04:50 > 0:04:52side of the family
0:04:52 > 0:04:55but the urgency in solving the case has suddenly increased,
0:04:55 > 0:05:01with the news that Roger's estate is now thought to be worth £130,000.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05As soon as we find out a case is of higher value,
0:05:05 > 0:05:07it becomes more competitive.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09The intensity is just going to increase a bit
0:05:09 > 0:05:14and you've just got to try and find people before everybody else.
0:05:14 > 0:05:18Roger's adoptive parents were Thomas Patrick Lennon and Irene Kinshot,
0:05:18 > 0:05:23and it's Roger's father's family that the search now turns to.
0:05:23 > 0:05:27- Patrick...- This guy.- ..of Portsmouth.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29Using the 1911 census,
0:05:29 > 0:05:31the team have traced what looks like the right family
0:05:31 > 0:05:35and it seems Thomas' parents, Thomas Patrick Lennon
0:05:35 > 0:05:39and Rose Anne Duffy, had another eight children.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41What's the occupation?
0:05:41 > 0:05:43But there's a concern that on the census
0:05:43 > 0:05:46the births for the family appear to be all over the country.
0:05:46 > 0:05:48Medway, Portsmouth...
0:05:48 > 0:05:52And as they look deeper into the case, they find a vital clue.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54- Chatham? Is it the navy again? - Could be navy.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57- That's his death.- Oh, OK. They merged his document.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01- Shipwright. So that's why. - Yes, so they're shipbuilders.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05The father is a shipbuilder so that's why.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09When you look on the 1911 census, the children are born all over.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12You've got births in Durham, births in Yorkshire, Kent,
0:06:12 > 0:06:15and they settle in Hampshire, which,
0:06:15 > 0:06:21as you can imagine, Hampshire is one of the main dockyard areas.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24Roger's father, John Patrick Lennon, moved his wife and
0:06:24 > 0:06:28young family to Portsmouth when he took a job in the town's dockyard.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31It was during a crucial period in shipbuilding.
0:06:31 > 0:06:35By 1905 there had been an enormous investment
0:06:35 > 0:06:38in new technology in order to make the Royal Navy
0:06:38 > 0:06:42the most powerful navy in Europe.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46For men like John, their shipwright skills were in high demand
0:06:46 > 0:06:49and one ship manufactured in Portsmouth at the time was to
0:06:49 > 0:06:52change the face of marine warfare.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56In 1906 they started building the first dreadnought.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03The dreadnoughts were the most powerful ships ever built,
0:07:03 > 0:07:08with the most powerful guns and the most powerful engines.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Meaning, as a shipwright, Patrick had a vital job.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17Well, the dreadnought, at this time, it signalled that
0:07:17 > 0:07:21Britain was leading the world in technology.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24Patrick Lennon would have been proud to have been
0:07:24 > 0:07:27working in Portsmouth dockyard, building up the Navy in this
0:07:27 > 0:07:31really crucial time, leading up to the First World War.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33It was a busy time for Britain's dockyards
0:07:33 > 0:07:37and relocating regularly was common for shipwrights.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40The probability is that Patrick would have followed wherever
0:07:40 > 0:07:44there were jobs, so if there was a boom in the north-east
0:07:44 > 0:07:46he would have gone for work there
0:07:46 > 0:07:49but when there was a boom within
0:07:49 > 0:07:53naval shipbuilding in the dockyards then he would have gone there
0:07:53 > 0:07:57because that probably offered him more long-term employment.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02Now the team know Roger's paternal grandfather's profession,
0:08:02 > 0:08:05it has a direct impact on their search.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08The fact that Patrick would have worked in many different ports
0:08:08 > 0:08:10means that Rose would have given birth to the couple's
0:08:10 > 0:08:13children wherever he was working.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16- Got anything?- We are probably focusing on Hampshire,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19where they were born in Kent.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21Confident that they now have the right family,
0:08:21 > 0:08:25the team continue to investigate Roger's eight uncles and aunts.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28- We're just trying to work out, make sure it's right.- It doesn't...
0:08:28 > 0:08:32Under pressure to solve the case fast, boss Daniel has to take action
0:08:32 > 0:08:35in an attempt to stay ahead of the competition.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37This is quite late in the day now.
0:08:37 > 0:08:41What we're going to do is spread out the work amongst
0:08:41 > 0:08:43a few people here.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45So, everyone's taking a branch
0:08:45 > 0:08:49and we're splitting it up between the entire office,
0:08:49 > 0:08:53to see how fast we can start descending the paternal side.
0:08:53 > 0:08:57Can we do a quick check to make sure there aren't any born after 1911?
0:08:57 > 0:08:58With any luck,
0:08:58 > 0:09:02any competition is still trying to look at the maternal side
0:09:02 > 0:09:06because the surname is much easier and if we're lucky we'll have
0:09:06 > 0:09:09time to catch up on the paternal side before anybody else gets there.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11Cox, can I give you a...?
0:09:11 > 0:09:13And Daniel's plan seems to be coming to fruition,
0:09:13 > 0:09:16as the various stems begin to unravel.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18Kathleen I, surname Lennon.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21Father - Thomas Patrick.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23With plenty of leads to follow.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27I have the stem of Margaret Lennon to try and descend.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30The name I'm looking at is James Lennon, born 1905.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33I have Rose Mary Lennon.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37She's got a middle name, so it's better than some of the others
0:09:37 > 0:09:39- that we've got to work with. - Disappeared off somewhere else.
0:09:39 > 0:09:41The team's research has led them to believe
0:09:41 > 0:09:45that the family moved to Hampshire in the early 1900s
0:09:45 > 0:09:47and possibly ended up in Portsmouth,
0:09:47 > 0:09:50but one of Roger's aunts may have gone a little further.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53I'm looking at the stem of Kathleen.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56We had a look to see if we could find any marriages or deaths
0:09:56 > 0:10:00and I couldn't find anything so I had a look at passenger lists
0:10:00 > 0:10:04and it looks like there's one born in 1917 in Portsmouth who
0:10:04 > 0:10:06then goes to New York in 1939.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10So at the moment that looks like that's what happened to her.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13And finally Daniel makes an important breakthrough.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17There is a paternal and called Annie Lennon
0:10:17 > 0:10:20and I think I've established when she was born,
0:10:20 > 0:10:24and her marriage and her death and some possible children.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26It all seems to match up.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29The team are quick to follow up on Daniel's lead.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32It was 1923, Portsmouth. That's...
0:10:32 > 0:10:36The investigation into Roger's Aunt Annie opens up the search
0:10:36 > 0:10:39and the team manage to trace some of her descendants.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41This is a huge step forward
0:10:41 > 0:10:43and results in the first heirs being contacted.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46- Receive this message... - Is he a relation to
0:10:46 > 0:10:50a relative that we believe might have passed away?
0:10:50 > 0:10:52But tracking down Annie's sister Margaret
0:10:52 > 0:10:55is proving more challenging.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57We're not having too much luck to be honest.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59The family seems to have been moved around quite a lot
0:10:59 > 0:11:02and unfortunately she doesn't have a middle name so it kind of
0:11:02 > 0:11:07limits the ways in which we can narrow down our search.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11She could, in theory, marry and die anywhere in the country,
0:11:11 > 0:11:13really, so it's not the easiest one.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17Having initially planned to have the case sewn up by the end of the day,
0:11:17 > 0:11:21the team still have eight of the nine paternal stems to unravel.
0:11:21 > 0:11:23It's looking like an uphill struggle.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27- And we've... when we've done what we can.- We've done it.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30We've descended one stem but for all of the others,
0:11:30 > 0:11:32the names are too plain.
0:11:32 > 0:11:37We need to order some birth certificates locally, first thing.
0:11:37 > 0:11:41And they know that the competition won't be far behind.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49The following morning, the team are up against it
0:11:49 > 0:11:53and Ryan is still struggling without vital paperwork.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58We are really waiting to get some of the birth certificates
0:11:58 > 0:12:01back today, hopefully. It will just help us
0:12:01 > 0:12:06confirm some of the speculative research that we did yesterday.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09Up to this point, most of the information that the team has
0:12:09 > 0:12:13gathered has been by crosschecking online indexes, but now that
0:12:13 > 0:12:16they are speaking to beneficiaries, things are looking up.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Yeah, a couple of people have said
0:12:18 > 0:12:20- that they called Margaret "Babs". - Oh, OK.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22- That's strange.- Yeah.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25In every search, speaking to family members is key,
0:12:25 > 0:12:29as they can confirm research and bring new information to light.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31You may think you have everything from the indexes
0:12:31 > 0:12:34or from the research, then you may speak to somebody
0:12:34 > 0:12:36and there could be some additional bits of info.
0:12:36 > 0:12:39We are tracing some heirs to the estate of someone who's passed away.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42And Daniel makes the most of the information that has been
0:12:42 > 0:12:44given to them by Annie's descendants.
0:12:44 > 0:12:49So, did your mum remarry then, or...? Oh, I see. OK.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52The phone call reveals that Margaret had married twice
0:12:52 > 0:12:55and whilst her son from her second marriage had passed away,
0:12:55 > 0:12:59he had three children who could now inherit his share.
0:12:59 > 0:13:00Is she in the local area?
0:13:00 > 0:13:04It's a significant development, as the team are now in contact
0:13:04 > 0:13:05with some of the heirs.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08Who's in Portsmouth, at the moment?
0:13:08 > 0:13:10Hi, sir, it's Ryan. Hi.
0:13:10 > 0:13:11And as time is of the essence,
0:13:11 > 0:13:14Ryan sends a travelling researcher to Gosport,
0:13:14 > 0:13:17where a meeting has been arranged with one of the beneficiaries -
0:13:17 > 0:13:19Margaret's granddaughter, Claire.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21The details, yeah.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24While it's looking like a long night for the team,
0:13:24 > 0:13:27Stuart is on his way, aware that every second counts.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31Can be big competition on this job and we certainly don't want anybody
0:13:31 > 0:13:34to nip in and pinch it under our noses.
0:13:34 > 0:13:40That's why I've, I've... I've come down here very quickly.
0:13:40 > 0:13:41There's a tense time ahead,
0:13:41 > 0:13:44as the team waits for news of Stuart's visit.
0:13:52 > 0:13:53In the course of their research,
0:13:53 > 0:13:57heir hunters often uncover fascinating family stories
0:13:57 > 0:14:00that shine a light on forgotten local histories.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02The next case does just that.
0:14:05 > 0:14:11David Lancaster Hartley passed away on the 29th of December 2013,
0:14:11 > 0:14:13in Southport, Merseyside.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16He was 81 years old.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20Shaquila Ajaru and her family lived opposite him.
0:14:20 > 0:14:23We first met David about five or six years ago
0:14:23 > 0:14:27and we met him on our local corner.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31The corner is somewhere that we used to go quite regularly,
0:14:31 > 0:14:32take the children for a walk.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35For Jake, especially because he's in a wheelchair,
0:14:35 > 0:14:39really enjoys local interaction with local people
0:14:39 > 0:14:43and traffic-watching, which was something that he did with David,
0:14:43 > 0:14:45which was lovely. Lovely to see.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47How did you know that?
0:14:47 > 0:14:51It wasn't only Shaquila and her family that enjoyed David's company.
0:14:51 > 0:14:57David was quite an outgoing person, would strike up a conversation with
0:14:57 > 0:15:02anybody that had the time for him which, to be fair, everybody did.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06David never mentioned any relatives.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09We did wonder about family because we did always see him
0:15:09 > 0:15:14on his own, generally in the car he'd be on his own and...
0:15:14 > 0:15:18Just used to think he was a nice, retired gentleman.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21We didn't, we didn't know any other personal details.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23But Shaquila, Jake and their family
0:15:23 > 0:15:27did share many happy times with David.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30My lasting memory of David would have been probably,
0:15:30 > 0:15:34maybe last summer...
0:15:34 > 0:15:37We were sat on the corner, all three of us, in the sunshine,
0:15:37 > 0:15:41just chatting and giggling, which was lovely.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44We're going to miss that little space of time where we shared
0:15:44 > 0:15:47the little catch-ups on the corner.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53David passed away with no known family and without making a will.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55When his case got referred to
0:15:55 > 0:15:57London heir-hunting firm Fraser & Fraser,
0:15:57 > 0:15:59it was up to case manager Dave Slee
0:15:59 > 0:16:01to lead the search for his heirs.
0:16:04 > 0:16:09Mr Hartley's estate came to our attention just prior to New Year,
0:16:09 > 0:16:14Mr Hartley having died between the Christmas and the New Year period.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18Like any fresh case, very little was known about David, and Dave
0:16:18 > 0:16:22was quick to use the resources at his disposal to get things moving.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24Hi, Charlie. How's it going?
0:16:24 > 0:16:27I was fortunate that even though it was over the Christmas period,
0:16:27 > 0:16:29my agent based in the North West, Charlie,
0:16:29 > 0:16:32was able to go straight away over to Southport
0:16:32 > 0:16:35and talk with neighbours and friends of the deceased.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38Dave had discovered that David owned his own property,
0:16:38 > 0:16:41making the case worth taking on, but one other
0:16:41 > 0:16:45piece of information from David's neighbours didn't bode well.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50And they were convinced that the very nature of the deceased,
0:16:50 > 0:16:54this very methodical man, that he would have left a will.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57Dave made some enquiries with the local council,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00who told him that there had been documentation from a firm
0:17:00 > 0:17:02of local solicitors found in David's house.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06There looked every likelihood that these solicitors would be
0:17:06 > 0:17:09holding a valid will.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12A valid will would have meant no case and Dave wasn't
0:17:12 > 0:17:17confident as he waited to hear back from his contact at the council.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20Bearing in mind that the deceased appeared to be
0:17:20 > 0:17:24a really fastidious chap, I was really surprised
0:17:24 > 0:17:27when I got the news from the environmental health team
0:17:27 > 0:17:32that the solicitors had no record of a valid will lodged with them.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36This was just the green light he'd been waiting for.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39Dave and the team could finally throw themselves
0:17:39 > 0:17:42fully into the search for heirs, and travelling researcher
0:17:42 > 0:17:45Charlie's work on the ground gave them a lot to go on.
0:17:47 > 0:17:53The information gathered from the inquiry suggested that Mr Hartley had
0:17:53 > 0:17:58lived in a common-law relationship with a lady by the name of Audrey.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01The information also suggested that there were no children born to
0:18:01 > 0:18:06that relationship and our research proved that was the case.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09Dave discovered that Audrey had passed away in 1994
0:18:09 > 0:18:12and the couple were not legally married.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17Over the years I've noticed there are far more relationships
0:18:17 > 0:18:22that are common-law than actual marriages taking place.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26It's a bit of a myth that people think as common-law partners,
0:18:26 > 0:18:29that they have a claim against the other partner's estate.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31That's not the case in law.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34As David and Audrey were not officially married,
0:18:34 > 0:18:36her family had no claim on his estate
0:18:36 > 0:18:40but that didn't stop case manager Dave getting in touch.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43And when he did, an old worry came back to haunt him.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46The family of Audrey's informed me that
0:18:46 > 0:18:50Audrey had made a will during her lifetime at the same
0:18:50 > 0:18:55firm of solicitors that paperwork was found in the deceased's possessions.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58So not only have I got the neighbours telling me that the
0:18:58 > 0:18:59deceased left a will,
0:18:59 > 0:19:01the environmental health officer telling me
0:19:01 > 0:19:05that there's paperwork in the home to suggest he may have left a will,
0:19:05 > 0:19:07Audrey's family were also telling me
0:19:07 > 0:19:11that they were sure there was a valid will.
0:19:11 > 0:19:14Despite this nagging concern, Dave and the team ploughed ahead
0:19:14 > 0:19:18with their research into David's immediate family.
0:19:19 > 0:19:23David was born in 1932 in the Todmorden registration district
0:19:23 > 0:19:27and his parents married also in the same area.
0:19:27 > 0:19:32David's father Walter Hartley was also born in Todmorden.
0:19:34 > 0:19:37David's parents were Walter and Florence Hartley.
0:19:37 > 0:19:42At the time of David's birth in 1932, his father was working as a
0:19:42 > 0:19:46grocer for the Co-operative Society in Todmorden, West Yorkshire.
0:19:46 > 0:19:47He was part of a movement that
0:19:47 > 0:19:51changed the face of local business forever.
0:19:51 > 0:19:54The modern co-operative movement began here in Rochdale,
0:19:54 > 0:19:56in this very building.
0:20:00 > 0:20:05In the 19th century, co-operators got together to form businesses,
0:20:05 > 0:20:07to really change their lives.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11They wanted to improve things financially and their domestic
0:20:11 > 0:20:16conditions, and they saw working together as the way to do that.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19Unhappy with the quality of the goods available to them
0:20:19 > 0:20:21and the way that they were sold,
0:20:21 > 0:20:25co-operative societies involved residents of towns and villages
0:20:25 > 0:20:26pulling together to run shops
0:20:26 > 0:20:30and businesses for the good of the local community.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33The first of these was known as the Rochdale Pioneers.
0:20:36 > 0:20:40In 1844, for the working classes, it was a really difficult time.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42There was a lot of unemployment
0:20:42 > 0:20:47and there was also an awful lot of adulteration of food,
0:20:47 > 0:20:49so, if you went shopping you were likely to find that the goods
0:20:49 > 0:20:52that you bought were not of very good quality.
0:20:52 > 0:20:54If you bought flour, for example,
0:20:54 > 0:20:57it was likely to be about half chalk, and the weights and measures
0:20:57 > 0:21:00- were very rarely honest. - One penny ha'penny.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03What's good enough for customers is good enough for thee.
0:21:03 > 0:21:07But the Rochdale Pioneers got together to change that
0:21:07 > 0:21:12and by setting up their first store they helped to make sure that
0:21:12 > 0:21:14working class people had access
0:21:14 > 0:21:17to good quality materials at good prices.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20All over Britain, co-operative societies grew
0:21:20 > 0:21:24and flourished on the lines that had proved so successful in Rochdale.
0:21:24 > 0:21:30- Co-operation...- Todmorden soon followed Rochdale's lead.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33When Todmorden Co-operative Society formed in 1846,
0:21:33 > 0:21:36it was just a handful of people who'd come together.
0:21:36 > 0:21:37But it grew very quickly
0:21:37 > 0:21:40and by the end of the 19th century,
0:21:40 > 0:21:43about one in five people were members of the Co-operative,
0:21:43 > 0:21:45and it had a turnover that would be equivalent to
0:21:45 > 0:21:4814 million pounds today.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52And Walter and his family would have benefited from the changes
0:21:52 > 0:21:56that the town went through, as the Todmorden Co-operative grew.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59For someone living in Todmorden in the 1930s, the Co-operative
0:21:59 > 0:22:02would have just meant all the difference in the world to them.
0:22:02 > 0:22:03Because of the Co-operative,
0:22:03 > 0:22:07they'd have been able to access groceries, foodstuffs, clothing,
0:22:07 > 0:22:10at prices that were reasonable and not exploitative.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12It meant they could have access to education.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15It meant they could socialise with people.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18It meant they could get access to new ideas because the Co-operative
0:22:18 > 0:22:20brought people into the area from outside of the town
0:22:20 > 0:22:23as lecturers, as speakers.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Walter Hartley was an integral part of the Co-operative Society,
0:22:26 > 0:22:30which has evolved into something still going strong to this day.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35We're here in Mary's garden, as it's known in the town.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38Part of the legacy of Todmorden Co-operative Society were its
0:22:38 > 0:22:42values and principles - embedding that sense of a community spirit.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45Part of all these growing initiatives around the town,
0:22:45 > 0:22:47they're very much here for you to help yourself. If they're in
0:22:47 > 0:22:50someone's front garden, come along and pick it. Here in Mary's garden
0:22:50 > 0:22:53she has hundreds of stories of people who've come and picked it,
0:22:53 > 0:22:54made soups and stews with it
0:22:54 > 0:22:57and shared those around with their neighbours.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00As well as leaving behind this thriving legacy,
0:23:00 > 0:23:02the work done by Walter and his fellow members
0:23:02 > 0:23:06of the Co-op Society has made a permanent mark on the town.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10There are scores of old industrial mill towns across the Pennines.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12None of them have the sense of vibrancy,
0:23:12 > 0:23:16of a community pulling together, supporting itself,
0:23:16 > 0:23:19either through growing vegetables like this or other ideas
0:23:19 > 0:23:20that Todmorden seems to have.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25Having traced the Hartleys to Todmorden, Dave began to
0:23:25 > 0:23:29look into David's immediate family.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33Our research showed that he was an only child, so there's no near kin.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36That means we then have to look to try and trace
0:23:36 > 0:23:40any potential cousins on both his father and mother's family.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43With no idea how big the tree could be,
0:23:43 > 0:23:45there was still a long way to go.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57Every year in Britain, thousands of people get a surprise
0:23:57 > 0:23:59knock on the door from the heir hunters.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02It just seems a big miracle, so...
0:24:02 > 0:24:06You know, nobody thinks this sort of thing happens.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09But there are still thousands of unsolved cases on the
0:24:09 > 0:24:14Treasury Solicitor's Bona Vacantia list, where heirs need to be found.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16Could you be one of them?
0:24:16 > 0:24:19Today we've got details of two estates on the list
0:24:19 > 0:24:22that are yet to be claimed.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24The first case is Jacob Radinowicz,
0:24:24 > 0:24:29who died on the fourth of October 2010, aged 86.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33Jacob was born in Vienna in 1934
0:24:33 > 0:24:36but passed away in Enfield, North London.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38It's not known when Jacob moved to England,
0:24:38 > 0:24:43or if he had any children, as he died a bachelor.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45His surname is of Eastern European origin
0:24:45 > 0:24:49but suggests he may have had Polish roots.
0:24:49 > 0:24:54Do you know anything that could lead to locating Jacob's family?
0:24:54 > 0:24:57Our second case is Patrick Joseph Kavanagh,
0:24:57 > 0:25:04who passed away on the 9th of September 2007, in Orpington, Kent.
0:25:04 > 0:25:05Patrick was 69 when he died
0:25:05 > 0:25:09and was also a bachelor with no known children.
0:25:09 > 0:25:16He was born in Gorey County in the Irish province of Wexford, in 1938.
0:25:16 > 0:25:18Patrick's surname Kavanagh was first used
0:25:18 > 0:25:21by the son of a 12th century king of Leinster,
0:25:21 > 0:25:23who sent his son to study in Wexford
0:25:23 > 0:25:28and is a well-known and widely-used Irish name.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31Can you help to trace Patrick's relatives?
0:25:31 > 0:25:34If you think you could be related to either of these people,
0:25:34 > 0:25:37you would need to make a claim on their estate by contacting
0:25:37 > 0:25:40the Treasury Solicitor's Office.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42Do you know anything about Jacob Radinowicz
0:25:42 > 0:25:47or Patrick Joseph Kavanagh, or where their families may be?
0:25:47 > 0:25:52Could you provide the clue that cracks these unsolved cases,
0:25:52 > 0:25:54or are you the beneficiary that stands to inherit
0:25:54 > 0:25:57Jacob or Patrick's estates?
0:25:57 > 0:26:02If so, thousands of pounds could be heading to you, or someone you know.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13On the hunt for heirs to David Hartley's estate,
0:26:13 > 0:26:15case manager Dave Slee, of Fraser & Fraser,
0:26:15 > 0:26:17was looking for any aunts and uncles
0:26:17 > 0:26:21on both David's mother and father's side of the tree.
0:26:21 > 0:26:24David's mother was born Florence Hollinrake
0:26:24 > 0:26:29and she was one of 13 children.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33Hollinrake, though it sounds very unusual,
0:26:33 > 0:26:39is a fairly common surname in the area in Todmorden,
0:26:39 > 0:26:42where the deceased's mother was born,
0:26:42 > 0:26:47so the research wasn't as easy as it would look on paper.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50Knowing they might have a mammoth task ahead,
0:26:50 > 0:26:53the team began wading through the records.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57Surprisingly, of the 13 children,
0:26:57 > 0:27:02only two of her siblings have descendants alive
0:27:02 > 0:27:07and we've located 14 beneficiaries who we believe would be entitled
0:27:07 > 0:27:12to share in David's estate, related to David on his mother's family.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15With the maternal side sewn up, it was time to look into
0:27:15 > 0:27:19David's father, Walter Hartley, and his family.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22Dave turned to a dependable source of information.
0:27:22 > 0:27:27The 1911 census is a really useful tool to us
0:27:27 > 0:27:32because it indicates not only who the children are living at home at the
0:27:32 > 0:27:35time, but it also indicates when the parents married
0:27:35 > 0:27:40and how many children they had, both living and deceased.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44Dave was able to establish from the census that Walter was
0:27:44 > 0:27:49the fourth of five children born to Betsey and James Hartley.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53When the couple gave birth to their first son in 1897, records
0:27:53 > 0:27:58show that David's grandfather, James, had an intriguing job title.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03James worked as a billiard marker and a billiard marker in those days
0:28:03 > 0:28:06was a job that you did round a billiard table.
0:28:06 > 0:28:11You would mark the scores on either a board or some sort of
0:28:11 > 0:28:17more commercial device. You would be expected to be reliable.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19You would expect to be able to handle money.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21And... but it wasn't a well-paid job.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26But James' work would have had to accommodate his passion,
0:28:26 > 0:28:28as he was a talented cricketer,
0:28:28 > 0:28:31playing for his local team in the Lancashire League.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35Todmorden Cricket Club is one of the top sides of the time.
0:28:35 > 0:28:40It's a very competitive club. It achieves some success.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42It has very good amateur players
0:28:42 > 0:28:46and it's very highly-regarded in the local community as well.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48With all sport played on Saturdays,
0:28:48 > 0:28:52it would have been hard to juggle the two.
0:28:52 > 0:28:56It's difficult for anyone to play sport in the late 19th century.
0:28:56 > 0:28:58Most workers, at least five and a half days,
0:28:58 > 0:29:00some have to work six days.
0:29:00 > 0:29:04To play sport anywhere outside your own community, it means
0:29:04 > 0:29:09you're going to have to sacrifice not just time, but money too.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12This meant that the idea of making money from playing sport
0:29:12 > 0:29:14became more common.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17And by the 19th century you start to see many more
0:29:17 > 0:29:23professionals in sports like rowing, in boxing, in running.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26And team sports were not far behind.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29By the late 19th century, cricket sides throughout
0:29:29 > 0:29:34the North are starting to recruit one professional for their side.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37Somebody who can probably bowl very well.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41Occasionally you get someone who can bat very well.
0:29:41 > 0:29:42Even more occasionally
0:29:42 > 0:29:46you have someone who's good at, really good at both.
0:29:46 > 0:29:47In February 1892,
0:29:47 > 0:29:51James Hartley was recruited to play for Springhead Cricket Club as
0:29:51 > 0:29:56their one professional player, known then as a Saturday professional.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58The Saturday professional is always
0:29:58 > 0:30:01a man who has a full-time job elsewhere.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05It will be a legitimate job, but always these men will have
0:30:05 > 0:30:09another job because they're only playing for that single day a week.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11And this explains why James might have chosen to
0:30:11 > 0:30:14work as a billiard marker during this time.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17He could earn money right the way through the week,
0:30:17 > 0:30:21and then on the Saturday he could come back to his job in the evening.
0:30:23 > 0:30:27Success and extra pay would have been very good indeed.
0:30:30 > 0:30:32After his cricketing career,
0:30:32 > 0:30:36James was listed on the 1911 census as a pub landlord.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39The census also revealed that James and Betsey Hartley
0:30:39 > 0:30:43had five children, including David's father Walter.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46The team now had to trace the descendants of Walter's four
0:30:46 > 0:30:48brothers and sisters.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50Our research leads us to believe
0:30:50 > 0:30:55that there is only one paternal beneficiary entitled.
0:30:55 > 0:30:59This lady will be entitled to what I believe will be
0:30:59 > 0:31:02one third of the overall estate of the deceased.
0:31:03 > 0:31:07Jennifer Cann, David's first cousin once-removed,
0:31:07 > 0:31:10is the sole paternal heir to his estate.
0:31:10 > 0:31:15When the envelope arrived it was a total surprise
0:31:15 > 0:31:21because I had never expected anybody
0:31:21 > 0:31:24to leave me anything
0:31:24 > 0:31:28and once I'd established that it was genuine,
0:31:28 > 0:31:32then the surprise was even greater.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35As she began to digest the details on the paperwork,
0:31:35 > 0:31:38Jennifer was able to turn to a family heirloom
0:31:38 > 0:31:40passed down by her father.
0:31:40 > 0:31:46I recognised the name David Hartley because I'd read it in a book.
0:31:46 > 0:31:51My father kept a little red birthday book and he was meticulous.
0:31:51 > 0:31:58He had put all the dates of birth in and it rang a bell,
0:31:58 > 0:32:04so I went straight up to the birthday book to confirm that
0:32:04 > 0:32:07David Hartley was in fact one and the same.
0:32:07 > 0:32:1122nd of August, 1932.
0:32:11 > 0:32:16But this was the only information Jennifer had.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18David's life has been a total mystery to me
0:32:18 > 0:32:22because other than a name in a... in a birthday book,
0:32:22 > 0:32:29I wasn't aware that he was a close relation to me.
0:32:29 > 0:32:36So, yes, I'm intrigued to know about what his life was like.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39The news of her inheritance is still sinking in.
0:32:39 > 0:32:44I feel I am very, very lucky
0:32:44 > 0:32:48to be a beneficiary of somebody
0:32:48 > 0:32:51who I didn't know.
0:32:51 > 0:32:55And Jennifer can only speculate as to why David never made a will.
0:32:55 > 0:33:00I suppose he must have thought that, as he had no children,
0:33:00 > 0:33:05that making a will didn't matter.
0:33:05 > 0:33:09To date, no will has ever come to light having been made by David
0:33:09 > 0:33:13and we don't think there's a likelihood that there ever will be.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17Which means another solved case for Dave.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21There was a lot of research but it's all concluded
0:33:21 > 0:33:25and interesting to learn different occupations I didn't know existed.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27Billiard hall markers, that's a new one.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36In London, heir-hunting firm Finders are desperately trying
0:33:36 > 0:33:42to trace heirs to market trader Roger Lennon's £130,000 estate.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45There's a birth for him and he's on the census with parents, but...
0:33:45 > 0:33:48The team have traced the two heirs on the maternal side
0:33:48 > 0:33:53but so far they've only had success with one of the nine paternal stems.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56As the case has suddenly been made public, they're likely to be
0:33:56 > 0:34:00up against rival firms, but the team have made some progress.
0:34:00 > 0:34:03Travelling researcher Stuart is on the way to meet
0:34:03 > 0:34:05Roger's first cousin once-removed, Claire,
0:34:05 > 0:34:09who stands to inherit a share of his estate.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12We've travelled to Gosport in Hampshire
0:34:12 > 0:34:17and we're going to see a beneficiary on the paternal side.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22The team are hoping that no other firms have been in contact
0:34:22 > 0:34:27with Claire, but won't know for sure until Stuart meets her in person.
0:34:27 > 0:34:30- DOG BARKS - Hello there, Claire.- Hello!
0:34:30 > 0:34:32- Stuart.- Nice to meet you. - Nice to meet you.- Come on in.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35As Stuart explains about Roger's life and estate,
0:34:35 > 0:34:38there's plenty for Claire to take in.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42- Quite...- Yeah, it's quite involved. - Yeah.- It is quite involved.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45But his hurry to get to Gosport has paid off,
0:34:45 > 0:34:48as Claire signs the paperwork as the news sinks in.
0:34:50 > 0:34:52Totally out of the blue. I...
0:34:52 > 0:34:54It doesn't happen to people like, like...
0:34:54 > 0:34:57Everybody says, "It doesn't happen to people like me."
0:34:57 > 0:35:01It's always somebody else, isn't it, that this sort of thing happens to.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03It's... It's quite surreal.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06Claire now has all the information about Roger
0:35:06 > 0:35:09that Stuart has passed on.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11But usually...
0:35:11 > 0:35:13It does feel strange that he's only across the water
0:35:13 > 0:35:16and the majority of my family live in Portsmouth
0:35:16 > 0:35:19and that...I could have walked past him and not known it was...
0:35:19 > 0:35:21him.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24But there are still plenty of unanswered questions.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27It'd be nice to find out more about him and...
0:35:27 > 0:35:31and what...what kind of life he had. Yes...
0:35:31 > 0:35:34Made me very interested in my father's side of the family now
0:35:34 > 0:35:39and to find out more about my grandmother's brothers and sisters.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43However, Roger's estate is now heading to the rightful heirs.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46I've got two boys in their early twenties that
0:35:46 > 0:35:49certainly could do with some help, so...or a nice holiday.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51- Thank you very much. Lovely to meet you.- Thank you.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53- Thanks, Mark.- Thank you.- Great. Nice to see you.- Bye-bye.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56- Thank you...- And Stuart can finally call it a night.
0:35:56 > 0:36:00It's been a very successful evening. Tomorrow is another day.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03It's frightening at my age, being out so late. I should be in bed.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06I should be tucked up in bed with a scarf on.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10Thanks to Stuart, the team end the day on a high
0:36:10 > 0:36:12but there's still a great deal left to do
0:36:12 > 0:36:15if they're to keep the competition at arm's length.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21The following morning, Stuart is straight back on the road,
0:36:21 > 0:36:23after his late night.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26We're in sunny Gosport but the sun's not out.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29But it's a lovely place. We're in
0:36:29 > 0:36:32Alverstoke, I think it's called, this neighbourhood. Very nice.
0:36:32 > 0:36:34Very nice, indeed.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36To the sea. Lovely.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39Excellent.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41We're now just waiting for the office to call
0:36:41 > 0:36:44and I have a notepad at the ready, and we're just going to
0:36:44 > 0:36:48hopefully see some beneficiaries of this big job.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51And we want to get this done fairly quickly because
0:36:51 > 0:36:55obviously other people will be sniffing around.
0:36:55 > 0:36:56For the team in the office,
0:36:56 > 0:36:59their search now moves onto the remaining unsolved stems of
0:36:59 > 0:37:05the family tree, and in particular that of Roger's uncle, James Lennon.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08James had two children, including a daughter.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11Our main focus of work today is going to
0:37:11 > 0:37:15be on the stem of Patricia Exton, nee Lennon.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18She was a cousin of the deceased and she passed away in 2003
0:37:18 > 0:37:22but she had nine children. We've got addresses.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24One of those is based in Scotland
0:37:24 > 0:37:27but the majority of children are based in the Portsmouth area.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31- PHONE RINGS - Ryan calls on Stuart,
0:37:31 > 0:37:33who's in place and ready to go.
0:37:33 > 0:37:37Really just got seven heirs that we're dealing with today.
0:37:37 > 0:37:39Only seven?
0:37:39 > 0:37:41Only seven, yeah. So if anybody...
0:37:41 > 0:37:45Ryan has not been able to contact some of Patricia's nine
0:37:45 > 0:37:47children and enlists Stuart's help.
0:37:47 > 0:37:50- OK!- Thank you, Stuart. - I'll get on with these three.
0:37:50 > 0:37:52Let us know. Thanks a lot. Bye-bye.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54Bye. Thanks.
0:37:54 > 0:38:00The low-down is that we have seven heirs to see,
0:38:00 > 0:38:04so I should be back in bed about four in the morning, I should think.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09Stuart's on the move with a full schedule.
0:38:09 > 0:38:15We're on our way now to cold-call on some of these beneficiaries.
0:38:15 > 0:38:18Hopefully, they'll be in.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21It's a situation that has to be handled with great sensitivity,
0:38:21 > 0:38:24- as the visit can go either way. - He's a beneficiary...
0:38:24 > 0:38:28But every visit has the potential to move the case on and this
0:38:28 > 0:38:33conversation with another first cousin once-removed is no different.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37Well, that was...absolutely great because he's given us
0:38:37 > 0:38:42so much information about his brothers and his sisters
0:38:42 > 0:38:46and he signed, obviously, the contract.
0:38:46 > 0:38:47I've left him all the brochures.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50So it's been a really good, brilliant morning.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52- Stuart's on the phone for you. - Thank you. Hi, Stuart.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55As Stuart updates Ryan on the outcome of his visit
0:38:55 > 0:38:58and passes on the information he's gathered,
0:38:58 > 0:39:01the pair coordinate the next part of their search.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03- Yes.- Because obviously, I mean,
0:39:03 > 0:39:06they're all going to talk to one another today, I think.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09Sadly, further cold-calls prove fruitless
0:39:09 > 0:39:14and Stuart has to post the paperwork.
0:39:14 > 0:39:18However, back at the office, things may be looking up.
0:39:18 > 0:39:23OK, so that's good. I just spoke to one of the beneficiaries.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25She's confirmed that herself
0:39:25 > 0:39:29and her sibling can be available to meet our rep together.
0:39:31 > 0:39:37Going to speak to Stuart and give him a run-down of what's happening.
0:39:37 > 0:39:41Once briefed by Ryan, Stuart heads straight to meet up with Susan
0:39:41 > 0:39:44and Shirley Exton, Roger's first cousins once-removed.
0:39:46 > 0:39:48A great deal is resting on this visit,
0:39:48 > 0:39:52as it's likely to have a knock-on effect on the rest of the stem.
0:39:54 > 0:39:57- Hello.- Hello.- I'm Stuart.- Hello, I'm Brenda.- Lovely to meet you.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00- Come through. - Thank you very much indeed.
0:40:00 > 0:40:05He was 72 and he died in September last year, and there's no will.
0:40:05 > 0:40:09- All right.- There's lots for Stuart to explain to Susan and Shirley.
0:40:09 > 0:40:11Unless they go through the paperwork,
0:40:11 > 0:40:14the sisters are also happy to help contact other family members.
0:40:14 > 0:40:16- Do you speak to him? - Yeah, well we do, don't we?
0:40:16 > 0:40:19- Yeah.- Have you got his up-to-date number, Shirl?
0:40:19 > 0:40:22- That would be great, if you'd ring your dad.- Yeah, I will do.- Yeah.
0:40:22 > 0:40:27- And after an extremely long day, Stuart is on a roll.- Hi, Chris.- Hi.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30- Nice to meet you. Oh, you're all alike, aren't you?- Hello. Oh, yeah.
0:40:30 > 0:40:32I just had to...
0:40:32 > 0:40:35Susan and Shirley's brother Christopher is
0:40:35 > 0:40:38one of the siblings Stuart tried to visit earlier on
0:40:38 > 0:40:40but instead had to post paperwork through the door.
0:40:40 > 0:40:42And...
0:40:42 > 0:40:46- I know...- All Gosport.- Unbelievable, isn't it, Chris? It is unbelievable.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49He will now be leaving with signed contracts from all
0:40:49 > 0:40:51the siblings tonight.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54I wish, especially knowing now that he lived so local,
0:40:54 > 0:40:56- that we'd seen him. - We could have been...
0:40:56 > 0:40:58Even though it's an emotional time,
0:40:58 > 0:41:02the family are happy to hear of Roger's estate.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04It's good because everybody's got together, you know?
0:41:04 > 0:41:07- What a strange way for everybody to come together.- Yeah.
0:41:07 > 0:41:11Because we don't get to see each other very often, so it's nice.
0:41:11 > 0:41:14And it's led them to recall memories of their childhood.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17We knew to Mum's dad Jim.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21- Yeah.- But we didn't know anything about Jim's family.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24Because Mum was so busy bringing us up,
0:41:24 > 0:41:26she never talked about her family.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29You just don't think that there is anybody out there
0:41:29 > 0:41:32apart from your immediate family.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35So, yeah, it was amazing. It's really good.
0:41:35 > 0:41:37As Stuart leaves the family to take in the news,
0:41:37 > 0:41:42there's one factor that Christopher can't help but think about.
0:41:42 > 0:41:47The person only lived in a five-mile radius of most of us
0:41:47 > 0:41:49and we never knew.
0:41:49 > 0:41:53And surely at that age, his seventies,
0:41:53 > 0:41:56he could have done with some help, and we would have given him some.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59That's the sad side of it.
0:41:59 > 0:42:04His job done, Stuart can finally call it a night, and with the help
0:42:04 > 0:42:07of Susan, Shirley and Christopher, the team will now be able to
0:42:07 > 0:42:10contact the remaining heirs in the coming days.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13Back in the office the following morning,
0:42:13 > 0:42:17the end is in sight for case manager Ryan.
0:42:17 > 0:42:19OK, that's fine. So, yeah,
0:42:19 > 0:42:21last line in the UK, four heirs,
0:42:21 > 0:42:24contact details for the four of them.
0:42:24 > 0:42:28So I'd say probably in a week's time, case pretty much done,
0:42:28 > 0:42:31apart from this line that we need to look into in America.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34So far they've found 28 heirs,
0:42:34 > 0:42:36all entitled to a share of Roger's estate,
0:42:36 > 0:42:41valued at approximately £137,000,
0:42:41 > 0:42:45and tracking them down has taken a monumental effort from the team.
0:42:45 > 0:42:49We kind of spent the whole week last week and extended hours,
0:42:49 > 0:42:52and a lot of the team trying to find people on this case.
0:42:52 > 0:42:56So it's nice when that happens. It's really satisfying to know that
0:42:56 > 0:42:58the effort's paid off.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01And Roger's estate has ended up where it should be -
0:43:01 > 0:43:02with his family.
0:43:02 > 0:43:07Things like this don't happen just to normal, everyday folk, does it?
0:43:07 > 0:43:10- You know?- No.- You know, it's just... It's brilliant.