John Jenkins 34 years to adminster will?

[roycymru]

Has anyone any idea why it would have taken 34 years to administer a will and why it would be administered in London rather than Carmarthenshire? I recently came across this entry by accident for someone in my family tree. I had missed it before as I was expecting any administration to have taken much closer to when John Jenkins died.

Jenkins, John of the "New Inn" Pontyeats Llanelly Carmarthenshire, inn keeper died 24 December 1867. Administration London, 5 June 1901 to Hannah Rees (wife of John Rees). Effects £137 11s.

John Jenkins was the first wife of Hannah (nee Stone), who married John Rees after John Jenkins died. Hannad died 17 Oct 1901. I have the will of Hannah (dated 29 Oct 1901), who bequeaths the leasehold of New Inn, Pontyates, to her second husband.

[mazi]

I think, if hannah was granted administration in 1901 then john jenkins did not leave a will.
a will gets a grant of probate, an intestacy an administration.
my guess would be that she just carried on running the inn, got married again and it was not untill she thought her days were numbered that she decided to put things on a proper basis so that she could pass things on to her second husband.

I am hoping the date for her will ,after she died?, is the date probate was granted,

mazi

[roycymru]

Thanks for your reply, this makes sense. I may try and get a full copy of the probate as it may have more info. Hannah and John Rees lived there until 1891. New Inn is not listed in the 1901 census, but is again in 1911, however on neither occasion is it listed as a pub, as non of the occupiers are publicans. However, having said that in Hannah's 1901 will it is detailed as a public house, a cottage and a smith shop. In 1901 and 1911 Hannah and John's daughter Mary Jane  is living there under her married surname of Thomas with her husband and children.

I am not sure what exactly happened to the leasehold after her death as in Hannah's will she stipulated that this passed onto her husband John "on condition the said John Rees does not remarry", which he ignores as he remarries quite soon after her death (family history says to their house keeper, so Hannah probably already has suspicions!). If Hannah's will was followed, on his remarrying, the Leasehold property was to be divided equally between her 4 children Mary Jane, Elizabeth, Walter and Charles.