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Heir Hunters

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sheri

master brummie
I really like this programme - out of curiosity I was wondering if it has helped anyone with their family history.
Sheri
 
ITV ran a similar programme many years ago. Subsequent to one of their programmes, I discovered an entry on the web to the effect that the makers were seeking a next of kin for my erstwhile next door neighbour, a plumber who had died without issue. I often wondered whether they ever found anyone. :rolleyes:

Maurice :cool:
 
I had contact with about seven of the firms concerned in the business about 5 months ago. They were trying to find heirs to my ex-wife, who had just died.Some of them seemed ok,pleasant, and glad for any help,but one in particular I found really obnoxious. He had a snooty air about him that expected everyone to help him and had done hardly any research himself. I don't reckon his firm will last very long. When i mentioned this to one of the other "hunters" they didn't recognise his telephone number so he was probably a sort of golddigger trying his luck. The last one i spoke to , who seemed to be the most knowledgable and also had done all his research before contacting me just to check there was nothing he had missed, seemed to think it was a dead end. I think that in many cases, unless it is an estate of over £200,000, there has to be someone traceable through the parents (not grandparents) to make it worth their while. i knew who i thought was likely to have been her grandfather (having done a little explore myself), but they weren't particularly interested in hearing about him (sergeant in the army in 1901)
Mike
 
Be wary of the people who settle up the estate of a recently deceased person. They work on commission based on the value of the estate. We have had one overestimate the house by £70,000 .Just check everything they do carefully.
I wish someone would knock on the door and give me money, at the moment it seems one way traffic in the opposite direction.
 
I do enjoy the programme though sometimes forget to watch it on iplayer as I am usually at work when it's on:( I always hope they will come up with one of my long lost family.........some chance:D:D
 
You never know Wendy...your day may come.:)
As an aside, I would like to say,there are members on this forum who have helped me with family history.:)
 
I like these type of programmes but do find myself thinking, if only i had their resources. Some of these have indeed spent a lot of money building their records archive, do you think i could get a job as night watchman, i would keep a very close eye on everything :D


bren
 
I think with your skill at research they would give you a job.........in fact with Shera and a few others maybe you should go into competition. Start a business!!
 
I noticed that as well Carolina; it says they are revised repeats in the Radio Times. I think that I read somwhere that it included further 'follow-up' after the end of the original programme, which should be interesting. Just have to remember to set the recorder for it!
 
Thanks for posting that Carolina - I missed a few of them so I am glad to hear they are being repeated :peaceful:
 
Pollypops sometimes apart for the normal soaps etc on TV theres not much I am interested in, but Heir Hunters is one of them, I am not sure whether I have seen them all, I dont think I have. Also, Come Dine With Me from Monday to Friday is from Birmingham and for some of the forum members there is a new comedy show set in a cafe in Weston Super Mare on Sky1 which they might like.
 
This Thursday (3rd May), one of the featured estates is that of a man who worked in Birmingham Jewellery district. One to watch with interest, I think.....
 
We seem to have done well for Birmingham on this series. Again today another one, with someone working at Gaskell and Chambers.
 
I love to watch Heir Hunters (and would love to be one) but I don't get chance of a morning because of being at work, so I'm really grateful for iPlayer !! I decided to watch one this week and thought just for a bit of practise, I would stop the programme and see what I could find out about the person beforehand..in this case the name was unusual as in Garry Szymanski, so it was fairly easy to follow..I'm going to have another go next time I get chance to watch and pick a name that's not so easy...it gives an already great programme a new angle for me.
 
lindyloo thats a good idea it keeps the old grey matter working. Didnt know though we had so many rich people in Brum :friendly_wink:
 
Thanks carolina, :encouragement: it certainly does..
I didnt realise either..just a shame that they don't actually become rich till they've passed on and more of a shame is that they depart this life alone..
 
Lindyloos it makes you realise to not lose contact with family. The one the other days I thought was not good when 2 brothers dont see each other for many many years and the surviving one visit neighbours to find out about his deceased brother. Its no good when they have passed away.
 
Now that's something I hadn't thought of doing Lindyloo, should be easy as I record it, so can stop and start watching it at random - could be an interesting weekend!!
Sue
 
To carolina's comment, family history can help so much in bringing families together. I made contact with two cousins who I visited after making contact and sadly they both passed away quite soon after. I am so pleased I took the time to visit.
I find the program quite sad when people have family yet die alone... I suppose it is difficult when families split and the younger generation have no idea these family members existed.
 
Wendy on my mother's side there was 13 of them, I would love to be in touch with my cousins especially as I am doing our family tree. Its hard knowing where to find them. Its good that we now have emails and skype.
 
I so agree with you Wendy, one of my cousins who was only a year older than me, died nearly 2 years ago, although I spoke about her often I hadnt seen her since we were teenagers, nearly 50 years ago. So sad.Lynne.
 
Wendy, that is one of the reasons I have included my ex-husbands family in my private tree, the girls see him and his mom, but their grandad left their gran and they know nothing of him as all contact was lost, but there is enough to give them a brief family history, so at least they will know who their relatives were.
As I have said before, my dad must have lots of unknown rels out there somewhere, his grandad was one of 8 and at least half of them came to Birmingham, but just can't get anywhere with tracing them, except for the Australian one.
Sue
 
I love heir Hunters but I've been wondering if any relatives come forward from the names they give in the middle of the programme - those they can 't trace at all. Curious!!
Sheri
 
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