Lancashire's unclaimed estates: the 15 names which could mean you are a long lost heir

If they do, it could mean that you're in for an unexpected windfall.

Every year hundreds of people in the UK die without a will, leaving behind their property, money and other possessions as unclaimed estates.

If a blood relative cannot be found, and the dead person’s assets are worth more than £500, their estate will pass to the Crown.

There are more than 7,500 such estates still lying heirless in England and Wales, potentially worth hundreds of millions.

Relatives of the deceased people have 30 years to make a claim to the Bona Vacantia division (BVD) of the Government Legal Department, which keeps the assets in limbo on behalf of the Crown.

The BVD is currently sitting on 15 unclaimed estates from people who died without an heir in Lancashire, or who are originally from Lancashire.

Anyone from nieces and nephews to cousins and grandchildren might be entitled to make a claim.

Lancashire names

Alan Allen, born on August 29, 1938 in Burnley. A widower who died in Sheffield on January 6, 1999.

Winifred Barratt (nee Bradshaw), born February 6, 1935 in Fleetwood, who died in Surrey on February 25, 2018.

Deborah Bibby, born on March 14, 1967 in Barnoldswick and died on February 25, 2020.

Marjorie Dorothy Branner, born on March 12, 1920 in Morecambe, widow of Leslie Brannen, and who died in Welwyn Garden City on October 18, 2004.

Percy Baynham Broadhead, born on January 21, 1940 in Preston and died on July 19, 2018 in Abergavenny.

John Henry Collins, born on March 13, 1925 in Fleetwood, a widower who died in Bristol on June 10, 2004.

Ian Joseph Dawson, born on June 28, 1944 in Burnley, son of Eleanor Dawson (Wallace), who died on November 4, 1998 in Sutton.

Margaret Hughes, born on December 22, 1953 in Kendal, a spinster who died on April 14, 2018 in Lancaster.

Agnes Maloney, born on June 17, 1892, in Broughton, Preston, who died in Manchester on April 23, 1993.

Patrick William O'Connor, born on June 18, 1927 in Preston, who died in Harrogate on December 13, 2000.

Derek Partington, born on November 1, 1933 in Blackpool and who died in Somerset on August 20, 2011.

Peter Wharton Rooke, born on August 11, 1945 in Carlisle, a widower who died in Barnoldswick on January 28, 2004.

Alvis Sheila Ryder-Brittain, born on November 19, 1937 in Lancashire, a spinster who died on January 15, 2014 in New Southgate, London.

Brian Walker, born on November 6, 1945 in Blackpool and who died on June 27, 2021 in Hackney, London.

Elizabeth White, born on December 26, 1927 in Lancashire, and who died on June 19, 2007 in Luton.

How to claim

The full list of unclaimed estates in England and Wales is here.

Anyone who thinks they have a claim can send in a family tree showing how they are related to the person who died, including the dates of birth, marriage and death of all those on the tree.

The BVD will then ask for extra documentary evidence if they think they may be entitled to a claim.