End of the line?

[jettejjane]

Thank you Sharon,

Wow that will is fantastic. Lucky you. Yes indeed I will keep trying and won't give up. I sometimes find  at times I can't see the wood for the trees. I get help from a fellow researcher and they see something I have missed. Have made many friends through these boards who I mail and share my finds with! One is really getting into my family as much as I am! So glad I found this site.

Will contact probate office assume be in Derbyshire where he died, I am West Sussex.  Hubby will not speak to sister, too much gone on. Also he has..resigned himself to fact that father left him nothing and was maybe persuaded to cut him out will. I can't let this drop, he doesn't mind me trying but says not bothered (think he is really) It's sad  But so was his childhood as well. I am his champion! We need closure.

Thanks again have enjoyed all replies to my post, and would welcome more!

Jane

[aghadowey]

If you have queries about a recent Will or the way an estate might be divided then suggest you ask at your local Citizens Advice (either online help or in person, each office should list their hours, etc.). They should be able to direct you to general advice although you may need to consult a solicitor for details pertaining to a particular matter.
http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

[jettejjane]

Now why didn't I think of a simple family tree. See what i mean about new pair of eyes helping. Will have to do it extra large. Thanks Ruskie.

Regarding recent Will, yes possibly it has not gone through yet. I am only basing on fact my dad's was very quick. We feel sure he made a Will before illness because his second wife did. He had property and savings. We think maybe family bled him dry so nothing left. It is not about the money, although wouldn't say no! I will say no more.  Thanks Mike and Aghadowey.

[smudwhisk]

Not everyone who left Wills had money.  I've one proven in 1636 in Buckinghamshire who was a labourer, says it in the Will.   You do find Wills from people who were from lower classes, but they're not that common, it's very much the luck of the drawer.  Its worth bearing in mind that before 1858 all Wills and Administrations were proven in church courts and there were different levels of court depending on the size of the estate, so you will need to see if you can find indexes for the different courts, some have been indexed, others not, but the records are scattered around different archives all over the country.

We managed to confirm three lines of one family in the 1500s and 1600s by Wills because the parish records were missing until much later.  Without the Wills, we'd not have found the information.

[weste]

When my uncle died 2 years ago , we ended gong to the reg office with the details. He did n't want anyone sorting his stuff  out as one failed marriage and one daughter, I still don't whether she knows he's dead although I did mention it to the solicitor. He had a sort of finance document done, I forget what it was called. I knew he was leaving everything to his "grand kids "and did n't  want people from his second relationship getting anything. I think these are from his second relationship. Well we eventually found the right solicitor, the first one had been a relative of his second partner and had referred him to this solicitor. She wanted info of us each time and any problems we had to ring her about of which there was several. It was obvious she was dealing with things but we found out from friends that people were in uncles house so we did n't know whether it was sanctioned but she emailed me back to say yes it was sanctioned. I felt we did n't know what was happening so found how to go about things. Went to the birmingham probate office and paid a fee and if anything came in we would get a copy. They confirmed it by post but I had to ring them up about. Then a week later I got a copy of it. It's called a Fid I think. It gave names and addresses where the benificiaries lived. The solicitor had asked us to get her a copy of the death cert and I sent it special delivery did n't even offer the money back! We did n't bother asking! She even asked us if we'd arranged the funeral and I said know he said you would. Don't know what happened as well because we said we'd meet at the crem and the undertaker had taken all round the estate , we did n't want that as it had took 6 weeks to bury cos of the messing around. She chose an undertaker she knew and told me he were n't usual somber sort and to wear my best frock cos he was dishy. Still at least I found out what was happening. I managed to get his ashes, I signed for them at the undertakers as the beneficiaries were happy for us to take them. I didn't confirm where they were scatter and we did n't invite the beneficiaries as they obviously were n't bothered.

[jettejjane]

I have a lot to think about now and will do my best to track down any old wills there may be. Thanks all I have more of an idea now.

Regarding hubby' s dad I have an idea what to do and where to go, it may be too soon but will not give up.

Sometimes the living cause more heartache than the dead!! Like you westie not straightforward second marriage and children and 3rd marriage with no children but she has children!  Hubby from first. This is the root of the problem that has been on going for years before amongst other things.

Going off on a slight tangent remember dad had probs when his female cousin died and he was executor. People coming out of woodwork saying she promised things, her neighbour going into house and helping herself. The saddest thing was someone stole a few bits including all her family  photo's and dumped them because they were not worth anything. Dad was left family stuff but ended up with very little.

Jane