TWO estranged siblings have revealed how they were handed £12,000 by a complete stranger.
Raymond and Brenda Ward both received unexpected letters in 2023 telling them they were set to inherit a stranger’s whole estate.
The surprise cash came from 90-year-old George Potter, who had died alone in a nursing home in Basildon, Essex in May 2020.
George had no known next of kin and hadn’t made a will, meaning there was no obvious recipient for his estate.
This led to Finders International, a professional probate genealogy firm that regularly features on BBC’s Heir Hunters show, being tasked with tracking down his relatives.
Finders found George had no children, but he did have an “illegitimate” half-brother, Dennis Ward, born 11 years before him.
Dennis’ children, half-siblings Brenda, 80, and Raymond, 73, who had never met and didn’t know each other, were identified as beneficiaries of their half-uncle’s estate.
Brenda is his daughter from Dennis’ first marriage, and Raymond is a son from his second marriage.
They were both shocked to have been contacted by Finders International and were equally surprised to learn about each other.
Brenda, who lives in London, said: “Receiving the letter from Finders International came as a shock. Seeing my father’s name on it, a man I had never met, was unsettling – especially considering the challenging times my mother had faced.
“My late brother and I had no contact whatsoever with him when we were growing up.”
She explained that she “had no idea” that her father had married again or had another family until Finders International told her – it was a “shock”.
“I knew Uncle George, he and his mother, who we called Nanny Potter, would visit my mum and us when we were small children.
“I remember him doing his national service and being very kind to us but we lost touch with him when we were in our teens,” she added.
Raymond, who lives in Tennessee, US, and Brenda were later finally introduced to each other as half-siblings.
Sharing the same father, Raymond and Brenda have lived very different lives, and neither have fond memories to share about their father.
IF someone in England or Wales dies without a will, their estate is given to their next kin in the following order:
Note that once the highest related relative has claimed, it negates claims made by lower down relatives.
So if you are, for example, a first cousin, you would only be entitled a share in the estate if there are no relatives above you in this order.
Raymond, who is retired from a successful international career, said: “When I got the letter from Finders International I was very surprised. What has transpired during this process is quite amazing.
“More than 70 years of not knowing about my father’s first family has finally come to an end. Discovering that I have a half-sister, Brenda, living in London has been a hugely positive experience for me.”
Raymond said his father, Dennis, who served in the military for many years, was a “difficult” man.
He had never spoken of his half-brother, George, nor his children from his first marriage.
Dennis had had a tricky childhood, Raymond explained.
He said: “As an ‘illegitimate child’ he was given to an aunt who tried her best to bring him up, but I understand that at times he was neglected and sometimes destitute.
“Perhaps he felt abandoned by his mother. I just don’t know.”
Raymond said that hearing from Finders meant that “some of the puzzle” of his father’s life began to be solved.
Adding: “Finders International’s research into my half-uncle made it possible for me and Brenda to finally connect in the sunset of our lives.
“I truly appreciate all Finders has done and undertaken to find me as far away as Tennessee, USA and helped me connect the dots to my family in the UK. This is truly remarkable.”
Now Brenda and Raymond write to each other regularly and update each other on their lives.
Brenda said: “I have sent Raymond photos of my late brother, his half-brother, so he can see what he looked like.
“I show my family the photos Raymond sends me too and all my family ask after him on a regular basis.
“I lost one brother in 2016, and now I feel I have found another one with Raymond.”
Simonne Llewellyn of Finders International, stated: “Without the passing of George Potter, who died intestate in Essex, it’s highly improbable that siblings Raymond and Brenda would have ever connected.
“Residing on separate continents over 4,000 miles apart, these half-siblings, previously unknown to each other, now have the chance to forge a relationship.
If the team had not found Brenda and Raymond, George’s money would have gone to the Treasury.
Simonne added: “While George’s estate, divided among three beneficiaries, amounted to just £12,000 the value of uniting Raymond and Brenda is priceless.
“This will stand as George Potter’s legacy—a legacy transcending continents and generations.”
According to Finder’s International, there are around 6,500 unclaimed estates on the Bona Vacantia list.
Bona Vacantia is the name given to these “ownerless” estates that are then passed to the Crown.
Family members and heirs have just 12 years to claim an estate once it has been reported unclaimed to the Crown.
The list is published by the government and updated daily, it’s made up of the estates of people who have died but do not have a will or any living relatives.
The only other criteria required to be on the list is that the estate has a minimum value of £500.
You can search the list yourself and make a claim, but the process can be expensive and time-consuming.
To see the entire searchable list that is updated daily visit:
http://www.bonavacantialist.co.uk/
You’ll have to build a family tree, listing birth, marriage and death dates, and pay for copies of certificates for each person between you and the deceased.
An heir hunter, like Finders International, does the legwork for you, for a fee.
But bear in mind that you’re probably not the sole heir to an estate and around 95% of those listed are worth less than £1,000.
Meanwhile, have a look at our guide for how to track down an inheritance.
Plus, a woman was handed a share of £180,000 for free by a complete stranger – and it wasn’t a scam.
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