Beneficiaries of a Will who may be or have been in Winnipeg

[TylerNZ]

Hi, I was hoping someone might be able to help me. I am trying to locate the beneficiaries of a Will of a former Canadian Mounted Police officer who died in New Zealand (which is where I am). He made bequests to two women in Winnipeg, who are mostly probably deceased themselves. These women are Annie Helen Dobson, nee Jacobsen, b 1930 in Denmark. Was last heard of in Canada in 1970 after she divorced her husband (Alex Dobson) and may have gone back to the name Jacobsen. The other is June Maxworthy, who I know nothing more about. I would like to locate the descendants of these two ladies, but first I need to find where they have ended up. Any help would be really, really appreciated as I don't have a lot of experience with researching in Canada.
Thanks
Fran

[DonM]

Who was he and what year did he die.

Don

[TylerNZ]

Hi Don,

His name was Alex Dobson. He died in 1998 in New Zealand, but his estate has not yet been settled. Any help you could give me in locating Annie Helen and June Maxworthy (both of Winnipeg whom were in Winnipeg at about that time) would be really really appreciated.

Fran

[RunKitty]

Looking in the Winnipeg Free Press paper....I see obits for Alex's wife Joan's parents Sidney Rogers in 1989 and Evelyn Rogers in 1979. 

When Sidney died, he was married to Bertha (must be second wife). 

1999 obit for Bertha Mae Rogers (nee Collard) mentions step daughter Joan Dobson of Christchurch NZ, several Collard nephews, niece L Bilous and family of Winnipeg and nieces J* Maxworthy and family of London England.   (the name you are looking for....I don't know if she is still living).   Obit says Bertha married Sidney Rogers in the 1950s. 

RK

[jamcat95]

Hi
I looked up if Alex and Annie Helen married in Denmark. They did, in Filip Parish, Copenhagen 1960:
https://www.sa.dk/ao-soegesider/da/billedviser?epid=17114721#149451,24718886 - nr 82


Ian

[josey]

nieces J* Maxworthy and family of London England.   (the name you are looking for....I don't know if she is still living).

There's a death in SW1 London in 2012 of a M A J* Maxworthy born 1933. Electoral registers have her living in Marylebone in 1957, 1963. However this lady seems to have married an O'Riordan in 1970 [maybe divorced as her death was registered in her maiden name].

[DonM]

Fran,

I searched the wills/probate records from the Manitoba archives and found nothing there except for Bertha's probate. These records also include the date of deaths.

Then I see from the marriage to Annie (thanks Josey) his residency was Toronto and he was born 1931 Christchurch. Matters not I guess but makes me wonder how long was he really in Manitoba.

However, did he have children with either and if so with which one and do you know for sure where they were born?

There is a tree on Ancestry that has the Maxworthy/O'Riordan with matching dates.  It might be worth sending the tree owner a message to see if this might her or if he know someone who might know this.

Don

[TylerNZ]

Thank you all so much, the London, England reference for Jean is a huge help. You guys have been amazing!. Don, Alex and Annie had no children, nor did Alex and his second wife Joan. I had no idea that Joan was from Canada also, and it seems from above that June was Joan's cousin. In relation to how long Alex was in Winnipeg, I don't know, but in 1970 he was living in Agnes Street, Winnipeg. This is the year that he and Annie divorced (in Copenhagen). Annie Helen returned to Canada immediately after the divorce .... I wonder if she went to Toronto and not to Winnipeg, perhaps Alex moved from Toronto to Winnipeg after the divorce for a new start???

Is there any easy way to search births, deaths and marriages in Canada?

Thank you all so much again.

Fran

[DonM]

Fran,

BMD's can be hard to find in Canada as each province has it own rules.  Manitoba for example:
Births 100 years
Marriages 80 years
Deaths 70 years

But you can find deaths right up to 2021 and divorces through the Queens Court which is online and searchable.  When a probate is filed the individuals date of death is included in the case #.

Don