Heir Hunters TV programme

[FraserandFraser]

Yes how things change, some one sent me a letter signed by my great aunt (on Alfred J Hooper & co, headed paper, yes she is listed first as the senior partner) from the 50's. Some paragraphs in our standard letters are still the same today.

As for film crew, generally we have 2 crews in the office at any one time (about 4 people) see the web page for a independent view about how we work on a day the crew are in http://www.fraserandfraser.com/WDYTYA%20day%20with%20Frasers.pdf . We dont use many fiche so dont have boxes of them, the fiche we do have are all in fiche cabinets, so we have never dropped a box!! only a hand full.
Our office is fairly full though, been here 10 years now would love to have more room but as the work gets easier and more on computer, and the fees less and less it is just not economical to move. We seem to have more and more competition last week we had 5 firms on a case I know was worth £ 12k we ended up dropping out when the fee went bellow 5%, so it is not the film crew we have to worry about just other firms.

[PBirchwood]

The F & F office is like a ballroom compared to mine. We had to borrow next doors cat to see if we could swing him and that wasn't appreciated.  We have our case-officers dotted around the country and that works well for us.
Neil is correct; the problem is other companies one or two of whom are so desperate to sign heirs that they drive the fees down to 2%.

[DudleyWinchurch]

Hi,

I wondered if some of the professional Heir Hunters here could answer a couple of questions for me.

A (distant) cousin has sent me a letter indicating that a solicior dealt with an intestacy relating to my family in the 1950s.  It is evident that they had tried to trace all the descendants of my great-great-grandparents and presumably my father would have been one of the beneficiaries but, sadly, he is no longer here to ask.

The letter indiicates that they were still trying to trace a few of the beneficiaries at the point when they began distributing the money.  Oddly, I could now give them some pointers into where they should have been looking.

The questions that I have are:
Is there any place/ court etc. where a complete list of beneficiaries would need to be lodged to complete the proceedings?

What should have happened to any moneys that could not be distributed because, although a beneficiary was known to exist, they were unable to locate them?

There does nor appear to have been a notice in the London Gazette, or at least, if there was, it did not include the name of the deceased.

[Nick29]

60 years is too long ago for anything do be done.

[DudleyWinchurch]

I appreciate that - and don't think that the £3 or so per person would go far even at todays values.

What would be of great value to me is the complete list of beneficiaries that they identified, to check against all the relatives and connections that I think that I have found.  It's the paperwork I'd like to find and the solicitors no longer have it!

[Nick29]

You should drop Neil Fraser at Fraser and Fraser an email.  F & F are one of the oldest firms in the country, and may have something in their archives.  Neil pops into these forums sporadically - I think he's probably busy at the moment, because they're filming a new series 

[lizanne]

I have just noticed this thread.
I would be interested in which 1892 newspaper Ebch saw the notice asking for someone to contact Mr Philip G Fisk of 17 Arm Street Lower Broughton was.
The Mr Philip G Fisk was my gg grandfather , not sure which Christopher Fisk it relates to.
Many of the Fisk's went to the USA in the 1800's

Jane

[bammy52]

With regards to the amount of money Fraser make, I was wondering the same thing,it is often quoted in the programme that in the last ten years Fraser's have recovered £100,00000, at ten per cent I make that £10,000000 which sounds brilliant,but with wages,rent etc etc £2,000000p.a. it's a wonder they make any money.

[Ebch]

Sorry Lizanne - only just seen your post.  It was in the Missing Friends column of the Manchester Times.