When is abroad not abroad....?

[Marmalady]

I would agree that they were somewhere overseas -- and also  had not been heard from for some time so their relatives back home did not know where they were or whether they were still alive

[jim1]

I would have thought if still in the UK the will would have read.... ? now residing in the Parish/County of ? or similar.
I've also seen abroad as "foreign parts" & "a land beyond the seas" with the same claim period & direction to the Trustees re the other legatees.
With goods & chattels it won't appear anywhere if the legacy went unclaimed after that period but with regard to property there would have been a legal document of transfer.

[jubee]

Thanks to everyone, as I suspected the general consensus seems to be that they were out of the country given the time stipulation on collecting the share of the estate.

They were not abroad in Australia.    The First Fleet departed in 1787 and arrived in Sydney in 1788.     

1776   
That's the year of the Declaration of Independence ..... USA etc http://www.historytoday.com/robert-hole/american-declaration-independence-july-4th-1776

When I saw the date of the will, 1776, it did make me think of the Revolutionary Wars period or maybe the East India Company.

Given the ambiguity I think I'll need to have a good think about where to go next, otherwise it could end up in my growing list of "brick wall" files 

[mazi]

I have seen this exact phrase used in a will of this period, "come and demand his share"
I think it means that the whereabouts of the person is not known, not necessarily overseas.

Without it the executor would have to trace the person, an impossible task at that time, and the estate could never be finalised.

Mie