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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Topic started by: whitej on Thursday 20 September 18 14:14 BST (UK)

Title: Letter of Admin 1885
Post by: whitej on Thursday 20 September 18 14:14 BST (UK)
I found my relative in Probate Calendar, London, England. He died in Nov 1884 and the calendar entry is dated March 1885.

Deceased did not leave a will. Letter of admin granted to executor as deceased's father living in S Africa.

If I get a copy of Letter of admin will it show who inherited the £353 estate left behind? Thanks.
Title: Re: Letter of Admin 1885
Post by: bibliotaphist on Thursday 20 September 18 14:29 BST (UK)
I have been told (and I've seen it suggested several times here on Rootschat) that unlike a Will, a letter of Administration generally won't contain any more useful information than what's already printed in the National Probate Calendar entry, and that it almost certainly isn't worth paying the £10 fee to get a copy.

I've never tried ordering one myself to test this, so I don't know for certain that this is true.
Title: Re: Letter of Admin 1885
Post by: whitej on Thursday 20 September 18 14:33 BST (UK)
thanks Paul. I must admit that is what I thought. Maybe once the LOA was granted the executor shared it out or complied with father's wishes.
Title: Re: Letter of Admin 1885
Post by: lizdb on Thursday 20 September 18 14:58 BST (UK)
As there is no Will there is no legal record of the deceased wishes.
 The Administrator will have to sort out the estate and it will go to next of kin (I believe there is an official list of who next of kin is - ie spouse, if there isn't one then children, if there aren't any then nephews and nieces etc I don't actually know the correct order).
That is why it is always recommended one makes a Will - to make sure your wishes are carried out.
Title: Re: Letter of Admin 1885
Post by: whitej on Thursday 20 September 18 15:04 BST (UK)
thanks.

His wife was dead and they had no children. Surviving family were both parents and two/three sisters.
Title: Re: Letter of Admin 1885
Post by: lizdb on Thursday 20 September 18 15:14 BST (UK)
I don't actually know the correct order, but the person granted Administration would have been made aware of it. 
Im sure someone on here will know what it is or where it can be found!
Title: Re: Letter of Admin 1885
Post by: stanmapstone on Thursday 20 September 18 15:32 BST (UK)
I don't actually know the correct order,

See https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/family/death-and-wills/who-can-inherit-if-there-is-no-will-the-rules-of-intestacy/

Stan
Title: Re: Letter of Admin 1885
Post by: Brentor boy on Thursday 20 September 18 15:38 BST (UK)
I stand to be corrected but I think the order of precedence is:- spouse, children/ grand children, parents, siblings and then the more remote relatives. If no relatives can be traced it goes to the Government Treasury unless the deceased lived in Duchy of Cornwall property, when goes to Prince Charles (Duke of Cornwall)
Title: Re: Letter of Admin 1885
Post by: stanmapstone on Thursday 20 September 18 15:48 BST (UK)
Another site https://www.graysons.co.uk/wills-estates-trusts/intestacy-rules/

Stan
Title: Re: Letter of Admin 1885
Post by: whitej on Friday 21 September 18 15:17 BST (UK)
thank you all.
Title: Re: Letter of Admin 1885
Post by: dawnsh on Friday 21 September 18 17:45 BST (UK)
Over the years, the amount of information in the calendars has decreased.

There is no advantage to getting the 1885 grant but more recent grants show the executors name and address when the calendars don't, which might be beneficial but costly at £10 a pop