Probate/Administration Question

[Bo the Bodger]

Yesterday (28 Oct) I was in London with two teenger girls to entertain - so I sent the hubby off with them to the Cartoon museum followed by the London transport musuem (WW1 buses) whilst I went an entertained myself at First Avenue House and the Temple Church.

It was my first visit to First Avenue House - which is why I didn't offer to do anything as I didn't know what I was meant to do! :o Anyway fellow searchers there were very helpful with the mechanics of ordering etc but I still have a query.

I had the actual date of death for three people but even after searching for 10 years I couldn't find any entries for them. They were all professional people: a Dr in 1924, a Diplomat in 1929 and a retired Army officer in 1952 and I have all three death certificates. Is it my bad searching or might there be some other reason?

As an aside there was a very "spooky co-incidence" during my search as I came upon the entry for another cousin who I wasn't even looking for. He had come through WW1 with honours and I had seen his medal card with his home address in 1921. But there was the entry Died 28 October 1926 at sea - St Mary's Barracks Gambia.

[Phoenix]

I've been chatting to an it chap today... who hasn't backed up his own home computer. Making a will is something people often leave to the very last minute, and often until it's too late.

Not every estate would need to go to probate anyway if it was small, straight forward and there was no tax liability likely.

[Jill on the A272]

Bo - we could have had a mini-meet, I was there too but only for about half an hour. (Brown trousers/green cardi/bobbed hair - that was me)

My mums cousin, a Coroner, left no will I can only assume that care home fees swallowed up so much of his estate that is was below £5000 and did not go to probate.

[Bo the Bodger]

Not every estate would need to go to probate anyway if it was small, straight forward and there was no tax liability likely.

How small is small Phoenix? In two cases they both had houses - one in St Leonards (that I cruised past a few weeks ago - fairly sizeable even if only half of it was his). I was really hoping that these two wills would put a crack in their respective brick walls. Seems as if I've hit another one! :D

[Bo the Bodger]

Bo - we could have had a mini-meet, I was there too but only for about half an hour. (Brown trousers/green cardi/bobbed hair - that was me)

I was there between 1 ish and 2.15ish. Were you the lady who was suggesting that the ledger stands could do with being higher?! I had a bright green rain coat on and a pink cord handbag (don't ask!:o)

[Jill on the A272]

No Bo, by that time I was in the V&A. By the way I've popped your Temple pic in the wiki, thankks for that.

I found a will once that was granted probate 5 years after the date of death.

[Gwyn in Kent]

I've seen a Will where probate was 13 years after death. ... but when would one stop searching?

[KiteRunner]

It depends how desperate you are, I suppose! I know that in the 19th century some people managed to give everything away before they died to avoid death duties, and so didn't need to leave a will, but not sure if something similar could have happened in the 20th century?