Probate to London Public Trustee 1916

[wilcoxon]

Can anyone help explain. Edwin married in 1901 he was single . He was last found in Hoylake with wife and two children .
Edwin Litherland Rutherford  62
Annie Louisa Rutherford  44
Mary Litherland Rutherford  9
Annie Patrick Rutherford  6

Edwin L died in 1916. There is Probate granted London.
Edwin Litherland Rutherford died 5 Sept 1916 of Litherland Pole, Hill Road, Heswall.
Probate 25 November London to the Public Trustee. Effects £4368 17s 2d

I cant find his wife`s death or any trace of his daughters. Why would his probate go to the trustees.
 
 

[rosie99]

This may help 

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/wills-and-probate/content/100511

[ShaunJ]

Annie Patrick Rutherford died in the Wirral in 1972.

[ShaunJ]

Annie Louisa Rutherford died in the Wirral in December 1945 aged 78. Address "Litherland", Castle Drive, Heswall. Daughter Annie Patrick Rutherford was the administratrix. 

[wilcoxon]

This may help 

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/wills-and-probate/content/100511

the link doesn't work _ page not found

[rosie99]

Strange it is working for me 

I found it by googling 'Probate to Public Trustee'

[wilcoxon]

Thanks, got it now from the first link, I was on my tablet before. So it seems Edwin may not have made a will , the daughters were too young, or there was an issue with his wife.

[mazi]

It says probate, so there is definitely a will.
It may be that he left substantial amounts to his children to be paid when they reach 21, rather than have his young wife to look after the money till the children were of age he thought the public trustee was a safer bet.

Mike

[Bookbox]

So it seems Edwin may not have made a will , the daughters were too young, or there was an issue with his wife.

The link posted above by rosie99 includes the following two possibilities (amongst others) ...

When and why would the public trustee be appointed?

In circumstances where there is no one willing and able to act as executor of a will who is over the age of 18, not bankrupt, and has no criminal convictions, it is possible for the public trustee to be appointed to act as executor.

It is also possible for the public trustee to be appointed as executor of an estate if the person who benefits is unable to manage their own finances or property.