For Relatives

How ATS war records solved a case

Posted in Case Histories, For Family Historians, For Relatives

Sometimes the details on birth, marriage and death certificates present genealogists with a baffling puzzle of varying dates and changing names. In cases like these, it’s important to remember that a few missing pieces of information hidden in a different data set may be all it takes to get your investigation back on track. Here, Sam Watkin reports on a case that could not have been solved without the information held in military service records.

The empty housing scandal

Posted in For Relatives

A small but significant proportion of the UK’s 200,000 unoccupied dwellings are empty as a direct result of an intestacy. Through the process of locating relatives entitled to inherit from an intestacy, Anglia Research plays a role in bringing some of these empty houses back into use. So when production company Two Four approached us to take part in The Empty Housing Scandal we were happy to take part. Richard Turvey reports.

Inheritances that open doors

Posted in Case Histories, For Relatives

Two years ago, when Susan Cook received a phone call about a possible inheritance, she signed an agreement with Anglia Research and then promptly forgot about it as day-to-day worries took over. In this article, Eileen Butcher reports on a life-changing case.

A Christmas letter from the Western Front

Posted in For Family Historians, For Relatives

The photograph above is one of many iconic images of the Christmas truce of 1914. It shows two members of the London Rifle Brigade (left and centre) posing with a group of German soldiers. Here, researcher Cherrill Theobald presents a letter written by an eye-witness to the event – her great uncle Oswald Tilley, who was himself a member of the London Rifle Brigade.

Why your will might be invalid

Posted in For Relatives, For Solicitors

Historically, people instructed their solicitor to draft their will. However, in recent years more and more of us are turning to DIY wills – including template packs that can be bought in high street stationery stores. In this article, our legal and compliance executive Rosie Kelly examines why some wills fail to comply with legal requirements and are ruled invalid.