Sheffield Wills

[BushInn1746]

I have just discovered my father died in Sheffield in 1986 but does not appear to have had any next of kin at that time as a non-relative was the 'Informant'.  He had been estranged from the family for many years.

These are a few hints, I am not a Lawyer, so not exhaustive.

Did the death go to a Public Notice in the local newspaper and the relevant Gazette edition?

If a person dies with no Will and no apparent relatives it usually goes to the Crown?
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/bona-vacantia

But if he left no estate. In this situation I am not sure if anyone becomes responsible for any funeral bill and any costs, paid at the time.

[BushInn1746]

I have just discovered my father died in Sheffield in 1986 but does not appear to have had any next of kin at that time as a non-relative was the 'Informant'.  He had been estranged from the family for many years.
 ...

Hi

There is currently a strict order who is Next of Kin in England and the Probate Wills gov.uk site sets this out and when it applies.

Also bear in mind Sheffield is only one place in England, if he married he could also have married in any town, or any place outside of his residence town, also the England & Wales Register does not cover other Countries and Crown Dependency in the UK and he could also have married anywhere in the World where he was entitled to marry.


This is a Family History Forum.

CAB / Government Depts are some of the place/s to take your queries.

[BushInn1746]

Also about a decade ago the Probate Registry was only interested when a Will exceeded a certain value?

A few years ago a certain Building Society had their own Rules, permitting a relation to Swear an Oath and deal with the Intestate's finances?

Anyone reading the above, check on the applicable Law current at the time. THIS IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE, but may assist family historians regarding the possible absence of a record.

[Mary Crane]

Many thanks to both Rosie and Bushinn.
My reason for looking for this information was to try to discover if my father had remarried or was in a relationship with someone and so on. I have checked out marriage records but nothing there.

 It very much looks as though at the end he was living alone.

I have had no luck with the electoral rolls as there don't seem to be any for that period or at least not easily accessible ones. 
I have also checked the Wills & Probate but his name does not appear on that listing.

I am wondering if the person who is the Informant on the death certificate was possibly a friend who arranged for what little possessions he had to be disposed of and as he was cremated and probably no funeral the costs would have not been too high.

I suspect I shall never know what happened to him in his later years.

Thanks again

[BushInn1746]

He died at what was presumably his home (Coningsbury House, Sandygate Grove, Sheffield). I think this was a rented apartment.  The 'Informant' was a Ronald Peck of Crimicar Lane Sheffield.  As far as I can find out, Ronald Peck had been a Headmaster at a local school.  As he was about the same age as my father born 1913 (my father was born in 1910) he has since died.
 ...

Hello

Mr Peck may simply be a caller, who alerted someone (after no reply) and then advised he must Register the Death? It is a very serious matter if you come across a dead body or human remains, you can be in serious trouble if you leave it, for someone else to find and report.

Do you mean Coningsby House, Sandygate Grove, Sheffield.

Looks like the block is currently managed by Johnnie Johnson Housing? It seems that Sheffield City Council Housing applicants can bid, to rent a property there as Tenants. They may be able to say whether Sheffield City Council or someone else once owned the block around the year of death.
 
Link to their PDF
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwjV_JyMoIrYAhWDWBQKHQgjBXsQFggcMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.jjhousing.co.uk%2Fall-properties%2Fproperty%2Fconingsby-house-253%2F%3Fpid%3D253%26ps_page%3D4%26pdfview%3D1&usg=AOvVaw172QAC4iJWOl7QqcjHnS06

(Some UK Councils have sold off some or all of their properties to private companies).

Some Council Housing Departments kept their old property files on microfiche, if you have a Number and if you want to find out about your Father, they might still have a record?

Where he is buried or cremated will hold a record and it might give the Funeral Director (F.D.), some F.D. keep correspondence.

Some people die, with only their current week's Pension.

Some funerals might be termed or known as 'Council Funeral' or 'Pauper's Funeral' or 'Public Health Funeral'?

Very occasionally, someone makes an appeal for total strangers to attend one, due to the expectation that nobody will turn up.

"Last updated: 31 May 2017. Every year, local Councils around the UK carry out thousands of public health funerals, to cremate or bury people who have died alone, in poverty, or unclaimed by their relatives."
Very sad.