A Canadian woman inherited a large sum of money from a stranger she had never heard of, uncovering a surprising family connection after the death of retired flight attendant.
Raymond Barry Howson, who lived in Twickenham, England, passed away at the age of 85 without a will or known next of kin, Cheshire Live reported.
Lorraine Gesell, a Canadian who has only been to the UK once, received a phone call to say she was the #beneficiary of Brit Raymond Barry's £400k #estate - she'd never heard of him 👉🏽 https://t.co/h33RKt1f5b - @dailystar pic.twitter.com/Np2buwiTC4
— Finders International (@findersprobate) January 20, 2025
Born in Altrincham, Raymond never married or had children, leaving his estate unclaimed.
Finders International, a probate genealogy firm, was enlisted to trace his heirs, ultimately identifying 47 beneficiaries across the globe, including Lorraine Gesell, whose mother had emigrated from England to Canada in 1951.
Lorraine Gesell initially doubted the legitimacy of the inheritance, fearing it might be a scam. However, Finders International provided detailed evidence of her extended family tree, confirming that her maternal grandfather was the brother of Raymond's mother.
Lorraine is now among the heirs sharing the £400,000 (nearly $500,000) estate, which includes assets like Raymond's two-bedroom flat in Twickenham.
The estate, divided among the identified beneficiaries in the UK, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, prevents the assets from reverting to the UK Treasury under Bona Vacantia laws.
Lorraine plans to use her inheritance for home improvements and is grateful for the genealogists' efforts.
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