Approached by Heir Hunters... (General)

by Roger Griffiths , Monday, May 13, 2013, 17:49 (4207 days ago) @ Jefff

I should be very wary of this. Ask them who the solicitors for the deceased are, I bet you don't get an answer. Normally, the solicitors put adverts in the papers and then if they suspect there may be unknown living beneficiaries, they employ genealogists to track forwards. It costs the beneficiaries nothing.

A case like this initiated my interest in family history. In 1959, my father got a letter from a firm of solicitors. It laid out all that the solicitors knew including my father and asking for any information. An ummarried lady had died the same year and although making some bequests there was a residual estate. Because the lady was unmarried it had to go back to her grandfather born 1830!!! (also grandfather of my fathers mother)and her grandmother similarly.

Genealogists had to be employed as descendants were in Canada and Australia etc. It took 10 years before a distribution was made. Even then an insurance policy was taken out in case any more descendants turned up. My fathers share was 1/385th.