Heir Hunters

Spinster Lily Fernandez died alone in Sidcup, her body lying undiscovered for several weeks. As Fraser and Fraser begins hunting for any relations, investigators discover that Lily actually owned not just one, but two properties. It is the first clue in a mystery that will lead the team from an unremarkable Kentish town to the evocative streets of Jamalpur in the Bengal region of India. Closer to home, Cat Whiteaway is researching the case of Queenie Cobb, a born-and-bred Eastender who died in 2001. As Cat tries to bring together the pieces of Queenie's story, the shadow of illegitimacy soon falls over events and just when Cat believes that she has found the rightful heirs, the old lady springs a surprise.

This time around the team investigates an apparently worthless case that takes a surprising twist, and the harrowing tale of a Holocaust victim. Douglas Barber died in 2008 aged just 58. At first sight his case seems ordinary enough, but as the team moves into action, his family history becomes murkier. Every piece of documentation seems to raise more questions. But when his estate is revealed to be worth a hefty 400,000 pounds, the pressure mounts to locate his descendants and find out how he came to be so wealthy. Meanwhile, Derek Rodbard of Heirtrace is attempting to track down the descendants of Holocaust victim Gustaf Kestner. As Derek strives to find the rightful inheritors, he discovers that some of Gustaf's heirs may have escaped war-torn Europe thanks to a remarkable escape network set up by Nicholas Winton, an English stockbroker based in Prague. But how many made it through? And have any survived to finally reclaim Gustaf's estate?

Featuring the case of a man who thought he had no-one to leave his money to, and the story of a high-profile anti-apartheid activist with an unclaimed estate of 250,000 pounds. Brian Gibbs died aged 69 leaving an estate worth 17,000 pounds. Believing he had no relations he hadn't even bothered to write a will. However, as the team at Fraser and Fraser swings into action it pieces together a vast family tree. So why did Brian lose touch with his family? The shocking discovery of a tragic suicide provides a possible explanation. Meanwhile heir hunter Hector Birchwood is investigating the compelling case of Ethel de Keyser. Leaving Lithuania for South Africa in 1926, Ethel became an anti-apartheid activist after the imprisonment of her brother. As Hector delves deeper, his attempt to find anyone entitled to inherit her substantial estate forces him to uncover the brutal world of South Africa's apartheid regime, and the appalling events of the Sharpeville Massacre.

The heir hunters come into contact with one of the biggest killers of the 20th century and discover the fascinating story of a local sporting hero. With minimal resources, Tony Pledger at Fraser and Fraser is looking into the case of Russell Wemyss, an 81-year-old with Scottish origins, who spent most of his life in Tyneside. But as Tony investigates he discovers how a terrible global pandemic had the power to devastate families. David Milchard is on the trail of Brian Lloyd, who died of a heart attack aged just 51. It looks like a good case, and it gets a whole lot more interesting when his unclaimed estate suddenly grows from 80,000 pounds to a potential 250,000 pounds. But will the team strike gold? Or will the Treasury have the last laugh? Meanwhile, Bob Smith is on his dream case. A football fanatic, he's researching the case of Trevor Haydon. With an unclaimed estate of 140,000 pounds, it turns out that Trevor's father was a pro footballer and local superstar in the 1920s. And as Bob hunts high and low for potential heirs, he finds that silky footballing skills run in the family.

In this episode the team tells the tale of a family that stands to lose everything and sheds light on one of the worst shipping disasters of the 20th century. Beryl Evans died in 2008 leaving an unclaimed estate of 100,000 pounds. Born in 1927, she'd lived and worked in the Welsh Borders all her life in a cottage that had been family-owned for centuries. But with no apparent heirs, it looks as if the Inland Revenue will snap up Beryl's estate. As the team at Fraser and Fraser desperately tries to track down any blood relatives, some unexpected family secrets are revealed. Back in 2003, Ernest Pythian died at the grand old age of 94. Born in 1909, he'd been adopted, had married his childhood sweetheart and led a seemingly conventional life. But as the team at Hoopers begins to search for potential heirs, a dramatic tale of emigrants seeking a new beginning on distant shores and of lives tragically lost in a shocking maritime disaster begins to emerge.

Bachelor William Harman died in 2008, leaving behind a considerable estate of 90,000 pounds. But as Fraser and Fraser starts hunting down heirs, a mix-up over birth dates suddenly threatens to derail the entire investigation. With the team forced to play catch up, the trail leads them to South Africa, while closer to home the suggestion that William may have been an abandoned child proves a troubling discovery. Meanwhile, in the heart of Sussex, heir-hunting duo Lord and Lady Teviot are investigating the case of Cecil Higham. Separated from his brother at birth, Cecil served in the army during the Second World War, got married and apparently lived a relatively uneventful life. But as the Lord and Lady dig deeper, an extraordinary story emerges.

Joan Hack died in 2002 in Bangor, North Wales. After her husband's sudden death she became a virtual recluse with no brothers, sisters or children. As Fraser and Fraser do some detective work, the case leads the team through Scotland, Liverpool and even leafy West Sussex. But it soon becomes clear that rivals are ahead of the game. With time running out, can the team think on its feet and make the vital breakthrough that will help win the race? Over in Sheffield, the heir hunters are also on the case of Barbara Thompson, a free-spirited intellectual who spoke seven languages and travelled widely. When investigators discover that she owned property in a fashionable part of Paris, they soon become entangled in the intricacies of French law. And they're also faced with another perplexing question: just why did such a free-spirited traveller decide to return home at the end of her life?

Peter Martin died aged just 52 in Brighton. A bit of a loner, even Peter's neighbour knew very little about him. Racing against competitors, the team at Fraser and Fraser is soon piecing together his family history. But the case proves a tough one to crack and as time begins to run out, the investigators begin to worry that their estimation of the value of Peter's estate may prove to be wildly optimistic. Meanwhile, Hector Birchwood of Celtic Research is delving into the mysterious case of Arthur Aldrick. He died in 2005 aged 85, leaving behind an unclaimed estate worth a hefty 350,000 pounds. A distant heir is discovered, but that's just the beginning of the story. Intrigued, Arthur's heir is soon on the case and as she investigates his wartime record in the intelligence service, it begins to look as if he may have had an important role to play in cracking the Nazi's infamous Enigma code.

Ronald Armer died in 2008. A young man during the swinging 60s, he embraced the freewheeling spirit of the times. In later years he settled down to a quiet existence in the affluent Lake District, where property prices are some of the highest in the UK. Ronald's estate could be worth over 1 million pounds, but finding relations proves a real challenge and Fraser and Fraser soon learn that a rival is already ahead of the game. At the end of her life, the grandly titled Princess Olga von Dembinska lived in the affluent area of Westminster. But her tale proves to be an epic one involving the tragic twists and turns of Polish history, the cataclysmic events of the 19th and 20th century and a desperate attempt to reclaim a lost inheritance. As the Fraser team strives to find any relatives and determine the true size of her estate, will they be able to separate fantasy from reality?

Pearl Knight turns out to be a mystery lady. As documentation proves difficult to find and every avenue of investigation ends up a dead-end, the Fraser's team begins to wonder whether her marriage to Hugh is all it seems to be. Cyril Curtis died aged 80 in Great Yarmouth. A quiet and reclusive man, his life seemed unremarkable. Bus as the Hooper's team set about its work of tracing his heirs, a shadowy family secret is soon unearthed. But how will his descendants respond to the news that they not only stand to inherit a substantial sum of money... but also some unexpected additions to the family circle?

When bachelor Alan Twigg died aged just 68, he left behind a property and savings worth more than £500,000. Finding his heirs proves a real challenge until a vital clue leads the team at Fraser and Fraser into the glamorous world of transatlantic sea voyages and the luxurious liner Queen Elizabeth. But then the last-minute discovery of a secret threatens to scupper all their hard work. When Baron Carl Franz Eduard Von Eudeni died in 1994, he left an estate worth in excess of £200,000 but no family and no clues about his life. Initially, Hoopers' investigation focuses on Austria, but in a wholly unexpected twist it is soon revealed that the 'baron' was born the son of a street entertainer and grew up in the far-from-aristocratic surroundings of Shoreditch. As the investigation gathers pace, more startling revelations come to light, including the baron's real name, his colourful career as a 1950s holiday camp entertainer, his brush with a life-threatening illness, the source of his extraordinary talents and why he created multiple personalities.

Kenneth Wren lived all his life in Romford, and when he passed away aged 79 he appeared to have no remaining family. Despite having lived in sheltered accommodation for nearly 16 years, even his neighbours knew nothing about him. As the heir hunters at Fraser and Fraser set to work they discover that Kenneth was once part of a very large family struggling to survive the inter-war years. But why did he lose touch? And with such a big family, surely there must be at least one surviving heir? Fraser and Fraser is also on the case of Jan Olszewski. A Polish emigrant living in Halifax, Jan died in 1998 leaving an estate of 53,000 pounds. As the trail leads back to Poland, a tale emerges of wartime heroism, the systematic carving up of a country and the shocking truth behind the notorious Katyn massacre of 1940. But will the team succeed in tracking down Jan's family? And how will any heirs react to hearing that he survived the war and started a whole new life for himself in England?

Elfie Lee died aged 92 in 2005, leaving behind an unclaimed estate of 300,000 pounds but no immediate family. As they hunt for potential heirs, the team members at Fraser and Fraser are forced to spread the net far and wide. As the trail snakes its way through the Sudan, Algeria, Egypt and Zimbabwe, it becomes apparent that Elfie's story is inextricably linked to the spread of a communications system that revolutionised the 19th century and helped ensure the smooth running of the British Empire. Back in England, Suffolk based Mitchell and Co is investigating the extraordinary case of Dorothea Allen. A high-society millionairess who made her fortune from a massively successful corsetry business, she owned a huge mansion, exquisite furniture, lavish jewellery and the obligatory Rolls-Royce. But as investigators discover, Dorothea led an incredible double-life, and as the mystery deepens the team wonders what dark secrets could have led her to systematically destroy her own identity?

David Luty died in Leeds in 2008. Unmarried and with no children, he'd worked all his life as an accountant for the Yorkshire Electricity Board. Initially the only record the team at Fraser and Fraser had was name and date of death. By using a mix of experience and inspired hunches, a family tree soon begins to emerge. But with the threat of rivals on the case and with his estate estimated to be worth 50,000 pounds or more, the team is forced to take some calculated risks. But will the gamble pay-off? Over at Celtic Research Saul Marks is investigating the case of Sylvia Casson, who died in 2008 at the venerable age of 97. As Saul probes deeper in to her case, he uncovers a compelling story of a family forced to flee Russian persecution in the 1880s, and of a young girl defying the Blitz and Nazi 'terror weapons'. But just as Saul seems close to cracking the case, an unexpected development threatens to undo all his hard work

Peter Greatrex died aged just 57, having spent nearly all his life in Birmingham working for Severn Trent Water. As Fraser and Fraser dig deeper they soon uncover a complex web of family connections and the moving story of a child separated from her dad for more than 30 years. Julia Dick-Larkam died a lonely widow in 1998, aged 83. To all intents and purposes, Julia's maiden name was Marklove, but it soon transpires that she was actually given a whole new identity by the Coram Foundation, a remarkable charity founded in the 18th century dedicated to the care of unwanted and abandoned babies. As the Fraser and Fraser team investigates further, it unearths the terrible hardships that led Thomas Coram to set up his foundling hospital and traces the extraordinary success of England's oldest children's charity. By why was Julia abandoned by her mother back in 1915? And as the team tracks down her heirs, how will they respond to discovering that they had an aunt they never even knew existed?

Albert Crook died in February 2008, aged 69. He never married, had no children and had worked nearly all his life as a farm labourer in Cheshire. By all rights, his estate should be a small one, but Fraser and Fraser soon hears rumours of 100,000 pounds in assets and a mysterious suitcase full of cash. With such a prize on offer, the pressure is on to find Albert's rightful heirs and discover just how a lowly paid labourer could amass that kind of wealth. Hoopers has to unravel the perplexing case of who owns a Victorian school site worth 800,000 pounds. With the school planning to move out, the site should revert to the heirs of the original benefactors - Victorian philanthropists, Reverend Charles Belli and Octavius Coope. But finding the heirs means delving back through a 100-year-long trail of wills, and even seeking a High Court ruling. If things don't go well, the heirs won't receive a penny and the school's plan to move into a new home will be in tatters.

Ronald Millar died aged 80. After a shocking incident four years before his death, Ronald became a recluse, his only contact with the outside world coming through volunteers who helped him with shopping. But he left behind an estate worth 30,000 pounds and the Fraser team is soon in a race against time to find any descendants. At Heirtrace in Suffolk, Derek Rodbard is working to trace the descendants of people killed during the Holocaust - the systematic genocide of the Jews by the Nazis. Focusing on Ernst Hornung, a Jewish professional who was killed leaving a still-unpaid life insurance policy, he soon discovers a son, Otto. But for Otto, the money is of secondary importance. As Derek delves deeper, a tale emerges of incredible courage and tenacity, of a family determined to maintain its unity despite being torn apart by events, and of a Swedish diplomat's extraordinary efforts to save the lives of 100,000 people.

Roy Read left an unclaimed estate of around 200,000 pounds. Having spent his semi-retirement as a driver for Age Concern, he had given a lot to the community. Yet he died alone, with no family to care for him. As Fraser and Fraser investigates, Roy's family tree proves almost impossible to follow, with every avenue a dead-end. But when it suddenly emerges that Roy could be the illegitimate son of a milkman, the investigation takes on a whole new character. Over at the offices of Celtic Research, Hector Birchwood is delving into the case of Kenneth Yale. He died aged 79 in a Glasgow hospital after having led an apparently unremarkable life. But as Hector explores further, it becomes clear that the Yale family has a skeleton in its closet and someone is about to have to come to terms with a startling discovery.

Christopher Bett died leaving an estate worth 100,000 pounds. As he was adopted after his mother died, his adoptive parents are legally seen as his blood relatives. Soon it is all hands to the pump for Fraser and Fraser, as the race to track down surviving heirs picks up pace. But competitors are dogging their every move and, as Christopher's family tree takes shape, an already overstretched team is forced to spread the net even wider. Next stop Australia. Meanwhile, in the sleepy Sussex town of Burgess Hill, heir hunters Lord and Lady Teviot investigate the tale of Daisy Hart. She died in 1996 leaving an estate of 12,000 pounds and, after some intense sleuthing, Lord Teviot begins to believe that Daisy may have been an illegitimate child 'given away' by her natural mother. As the investigation progresses, it sheds light on an age in which illegitimacy was seen as a sin and leads to a bittersweet discovery for Daisy's family.

The Fraser and Fraser team is aiming to track down the heirs of Irene Shepard, an 87-year-old who died leaving an estate in the region of 200,000 pounds. However, finding any surviving heirs proves a tricky task and every time the team thinks it has found a hot lead, the trail runs cold. With the clock ticking down and rivals chasing the same prize, Fraser and Fraser pours ever more resources into the case. But will the gamble prove a costly failure? Johnny Hubbard spent most of his adult life sleeping rough. But when he died aged 74, he left behind an estate of 35,000 pounds. As the team at heir hunting experts Hoopers investigates, it uncovers a harrowing story. Born and raised in Islington, it appears that Johnny had a troubled upbringing overshadowed by a violent father. With every new development the team adds to the picture of a brutal life, and then comes the discovery of a tragic incident that just might explain why Johnny spent more than 40 years on the streets and gained the nickname 'Tramp Hubbard'.

Anthony Williams died aged 82 in his run-down Dunstable home. An intensely private man in later life, he was once an RAF serviceman. When it comes to tracing his heirs, Fraser and Fraser has its work cut out, not least because Williams is the third most common surname in the country. As the investigation moves forward it's revealed that Anthony's sister is still alive. Why did the pair lose touch, and how will she react to the news of his death? The extraordinary case of Joyce Hanafy takes the team into a different world. Joyce died in 2006 in a nondescript nursing home in Wandsworth, London, yet she owned a million-pound property in Putney. The team is soon immersed in a world of glamour, professional modelling and even wartime espionage. As one revelation follows another, Neil Fraser is forced to head for the backstreets of Cairo.

Hilda Watkinson died in 2008. A widow, everyone knew her as Babs. After her husband died, she sold their high street flat so the team at Fraser and Fraser feels that hunting down her heirs could be a lucrative move. Babs was one of ten children, and as the family tree grows rapidly, more potential heirs appear. Does the team have the resources and energy to sign them up before the competition moves in? As the chase hots up the team is stretched to breaking point. Elsewhere, independent heir hunter Cat Whiteaway is on the case of Bertha Clarke, a widow who died leaving an unclaimed estate worth 21,000 pounds. As Cat works her way through the records, she discovers that Bertha may have been an illegitimate child. Soon the investigation leads into the notorious infirmaries and workhouses of London's impoverished East End, where many young mothers were forced to make the most agonising decision of their lives.

When bachelor Gordon Stewart was found dead in his Aylesbury home, the house was filled from floor to ceiling with rubbish. What events in his life led him to such a lonely end? As Fraser and Fraser investigators set to work, they discover evidence of family tragedies and maybe even murder. As the case gets more complicated, the heir hunters' worst fears look set to be realised. Meanwhile, in leafy Sussex, heir hunter Lady Teviot probes into the case of Joan Mansfield. A British national born in India, Joan ended her days in Calgary, Canada, leaving no will, but an estate worth 30,000 pounds. It appears that Joan was part of a large family and spent her early life in colonial India. What was it that forced her to up sticks, lose contact with her brothers and sisters, and forge a new life for herself in Canada?

Retired bingo hall manager William Toms died in 2008. At first sight his story is straightforward, but as the team at Fraser and Fraser sets to work, the case becomes complicated. As evidence of multiple marriages, numerous stepchildren, adultery and divorce emerges, the plot resembles a complicated romantic novel. Just when the team seems to have everything sorted, the investigators make an unexpected discovery. Meanwhile, over at the offices of Hoopers, Senior Case Manager Kevin Edmonson investigates the extraordinary case of Mary Loraine. A virtual recluse, she died over 30 years ago when fire swept through her Brighton home. As her story unfolds, it becomes more bizarre, involving a famous actress mother and a forgotten fortune. There's even a wartime connection with the Special Operations Executive, a clandestine organisation dedicated to helping resistance movements on mainland Europe. Who stands to inherit her 100,000 pounds estate? The discovery of a son born in Cairo could be a vital breakthrough.

Vincent McGarry died in East London leaving behind an estate worth an estimated 150,000 pounds. A telecommunications engineer, he also spent 22 years in the army, achieving the rank of sergeant and earning the prestigious British Empire Medal. Yet as Fraser and Fraser delves into his family's history, the team discovers a tale of suicide, serial bigamy and numerous half-brothers and sisters about to meet each other for the first time. At Celtic Research in Powys, Wales, Peter Birchwood examines the case of Peter Sharpe, a man who died at the relatively young age of 57. As the heir hunter investigates, he makes the surprising discovery that Peter's brother lives a mere 10 miles away but is unaware of the death. Why did family members lose touch with each other, and what memories are stirred up by the knowledge of Peter's untimely death?