Heir Hunters

Jon113

So, things have taken an unexpected turn.  Turns out the HH offer a free service to public services on their website and highlight the fact they can usually locate a next of kin within 24 hours therefore saving funeral costs etc to the LA.  

HH still weren't responding so we contacted them again.  Unable to speak to our original contact we were told by the call handler that a son had turned up so we were no longer of interest.  After explaining we previously had no knowledge of the deceased and would just like some background information, we were told they didn't see why not and someone would call us back.  Fortunately they passed on the name of the deceased parents so we were able to work out the deceased wasn't our half sibling, but appeared to be the son of our half sister.

No one did contact us so after a further email from us we eventually received a curt response saying the son was now dealing with the estate and the HH were no longer involved.

In the meantime I contacted a couple of councils in the locality, no response.

Whilst all this was going on one of my sister's friend's whose really interested in ancestry, was working on the name we had been given originally, based on our conclusion the deceased was our half brother.  She came up with a tremendous amount of information including the same names for the deceased parents that the HH had given but since the dates didn't fit our info, she thought she was on the wrong path. 

She has now been updated and is looking into it again.  However, if the dates she found are correct, it indicates our father could not be this father because he was only 10.  Are the dates incorrect or did the HH get it completely wrong, it remains to be seen.  At least we know the deceased was not born illegitimate and whilst he may have died alone he was not 'alone'.