Hi everyone, I have just joined this mailing list in a last ditch hope there is someone out there who can figure out how I might progress with this frustrating bit of my husband's family history. I am sorry for the length of the message but am giving all I know to explain the nature of the problem: In December 1894 William James WARWOOD (b. 1849 Swanscombe, Kent d. 1935 Gravesend, Kent) was listed as a passenger arriving in Melbourne on the ship 'Orient'. There is no information on the sheet as to where he was heading after arriving in Melbourne (Ref Passenger List 'Orient' Dec 1894 Fishe No. B.590 Page 9). In fact he had travelled to Australia to claim an inheritance left to his wife Diana (SIMS) WARWOOD by a relative of hers who had died leaving his entire estate to Diana. The estate was said to included many thousands of acres (or hectares) of land used for cattle. The relative (obviously a male) was possibly Diana's Uncle but this is not certain. The land may have been in the lower Diamantina region. This suggestion re location of the estate comes from William's grandson (my husband's father) who said that his grandfather William James Warwood told him this some 25 years after the event (i.e. in 1920). The grandson lived with his grandparents after the death of his mother so heard the 'story' many times as a child (he was born in 1911). That there was an inheritance is not in doubt. Having claimed the proceeds of the will, William James WARWOOD returned to England and he and his family subsequently lived in very different financial circumstances to that they had had prior to the inheritance. William and Diana owned and operated more than 22 public houses in Kent after 1895 when William returned from Australia. In addition William and Diana gave significant sums of money to other members of the family and bought pubs for several of William's brothers. Before receiving this inheritance William was a Waterman in Kent. Diana's father was an unskilled agricultural labourer. They lived a modest life in rented housing before 1894. So the problem is this: I have researched all of Diana's known siblings and ancestors and I cannot find a 'missing uncle' who might have travelled to Australia and made good. I have also fully researched the Warwood family and it was not one of them either. There are SIMS descendents (of one of Diana's Uncle's) who also came to Australia (and settled in South Australia) in the 1880's and they too 'remember' the relative who had a big estate (and helped the Sims families out with some land) and also that advertisements were put in papers looking for the 'beneficiary' of the estate. Unfortunately they don't know where the estate was either. These Sims settled in Glencoe but have no idea whether the estate was in that area or somewhere entirely different. The story told to my father-in-law was that the relative who left the estate to Diana had come to Australia for the gold rush and had been successful and bought land. It was also said that he had several Aboriginal 'wives' at the time he died. Also that he might have been for a time a 'minor bushranger' - but I can find no evidence for that yet either. What I need to solve the mystery is of course the probate records but I don't have a name of the 'relative' who left his estate to Diana so have no idea under what name to research to find the probate records. I have no idea when the relative actually died either though logically it was sometime between 1892 - 1894 and certainly before August 1894 given the number of moths that would have been involved in getting the information to England of the inheritance and the time it would have taken for William to travel by ship to claim it Diana's maiden name was SIMS and her mother's maiden name was MUNNS. Her grandmother (on her father's side) was a SELLWOOD who was a descendent of the couple who started Christ Church Hospital and school (some might remember the recent programme where the American rock star went to Christ's School and took a group of kids and trained them to do a rock performance - the children all wear long black gowns!). As a descendent of the couple (John WEST & his wife) all descendents are entitled to a pension from the John West Charity if they fall upon hard times. This applies even today. Does anyone know of a way to search probate records for the Beneficiaries of a Will rather than the name of the person who left the Will? Does anyone know how I could access the probate records from South Australia where I live? Does anyone have any suggestions on how else I might establish who the person was who left his estate to Diana? I would be grateful for any suggestions or help it is possible to get. Regards, Lis Warwood South Australia.

Liz you need to know the mane of the person making the will so that is out. If there were advertisements however have you tried the a2a site. It is an English site that sometimes lists all of these types of advertisements etc. just google for it. Carmel ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lis Warwood" <jimwarwo@tpg.com.au> To: <AUS-MELBOURNE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, March 05, 2006 11:56 AM Subject: [AUS-MELB] MYSTERY INHERITANCE Suggestions please > Hi everyone, > > I have just joined this mailing list in a last ditch hope there is > someone out there who can figure out how I might progress with this > frustrating bit of my husband's family history. I am sorry for the > length of the message but am giving all I know to explain the nature of > the problem: > > In December 1894 William James WARWOOD (b. 1849 Swanscombe, Kent d. 1935 > Gravesend, Kent) was listed as a passenger arriving in Melbourne on the > ship 'Orient'. There is no information on the sheet as to where he was > heading after arriving in Melbourne (Ref Passenger List 'Orient' Dec > 1894 Fishe No. B.590 Page 9). > > In fact he had travelled to Australia to claim an inheritance left to > his wife Diana (SIMS) WARWOOD by a relative of hers who had died leaving > his entire estate to Diana. The estate was said to included many > thousands of acres (or hectares) of land used for cattle. The relative > (obviously a male) was possibly Diana's Uncle but this is not certain. > The land may have been in the lower Diamantina region. > > This suggestion re location of the estate comes from William's grandson > (my husband's father) who said that his grandfather William James > Warwood told him this some 25 years after the event (i.e. in 1920). The > grandson lived with his grandparents after the death of his mother so > heard the 'story' many times as a child (he was born in 1911). > > That there was an inheritance is not in doubt. Having claimed the > proceeds of the will, William James WARWOOD returned to England and he > and his family subsequently lived in very different financial > circumstances to that they had had prior to the inheritance. William and > Diana owned and operated more than 22 public houses in Kent after 1895 > when William returned from Australia. In addition William and Diana gave > significant sums of money to other members of the family and bought pubs > for several of William's brothers. > > Before receiving this inheritance William was a Waterman in Kent. > Diana's father was an unskilled agricultural labourer. They lived a > modest life in rented housing before 1894. > > So the problem is this: > > I have researched all of Diana's known siblings and ancestors and I > cannot find a 'missing uncle' who might have travelled to Australia and > made good. I have also fully researched the Warwood family and it was > not one of them either. > > There are SIMS descendents (of one of Diana's Uncle's) who also came to > Australia (and settled in South Australia) in the 1880's and they too > 'remember' the relative who had a big estate (and helped the Sims > families out with some land) and also that advertisements were put in > papers looking for the 'beneficiary' of the estate. Unfortunately they > don't know where the estate was either. These Sims settled in Glencoe > but have no idea whether the estate was in that area or somewhere > entirely different. > > The story told to my father-in-law was that the relative who left the > estate to Diana had come to Australia for the gold rush and had been > successful and bought land. It was also said that he had several > Aboriginal 'wives' at the time he died. Also that he might have been for > a time a 'minor bushranger' - but I can find no evidence for that yet > either. > > What I need to solve the mystery is of course the probate records but I > don't have a name of the 'relative' who left his estate to Diana so have > no idea under what name to research to find the probate records. I have > no idea when the relative actually died either though logically it was > sometime between 1892 - 1894 and certainly before August 1894 given the > number of moths that would have been involved in getting the information > to England of the inheritance and the time it would have taken for > William to travel by ship to claim it > > Diana's maiden name was SIMS and her mother's maiden name was MUNNS. Her > grandmother (on her father's side) was a SELLWOOD who was a descendent > of the couple who started Christ Church Hospital and school (some might > remember the recent programme where the American rock star went to > Christ's School and took a group of kids and trained them to do a rock > performance - the children all wear long black gowns!). As a descendent > of the couple (John WEST & his wife) all descendents are entitled to a > pension from the John West Charity if they fall upon hard times. This > applies even today. > > Does anyone know of a way to search probate records for the > Beneficiaries of a Will rather than the name of the person who left the > Will? > Does anyone know how I could access the probate records from South > Australia where I live? > Does anyone have any suggestions on how else I might establish who the > person was who left his estate to Diana? > > I would be grateful for any suggestions or help it is possible to get. > > Regards, > > Lis Warwood > South Australia. > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== AUS-MELBOURNE Mailing List ==== > ==================================================== > Virus warnings are not to be sent to the List! > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > >

So what about the State trustees would they have been around then? Regards, Ray. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lis Warwood" <jimwarwo@tpg.com.au> To: <AUS-MELBOURNE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, March 05, 2006 11:56 AM Subject: [AUS-MELB] MYSTERY INHERITANCE Suggestions please > Hi everyone, > > I have just joined this mailing list in a last ditch hope there is > someone out there who can figure out how I might progress with this > frustrating bit of my husband's family history. I am sorry for the > length of the message but am giving all I know to explain the nature of > the problem: > > In December 1894 William James WARWOOD (b. 1849 Swanscombe, Kent d. 1935 > Gravesend, Kent) was listed as a passenger arriving in Melbourne on the > ship 'Orient'. There is no information on the sheet as to where he was > heading after arriving in Melbourne (Ref Passenger List 'Orient' Dec > 1894 Fishe No. B.590 Page 9). > > In fact he had travelled to Australia to claim an inheritance left to > his wife Diana (SIMS) WARWOOD by a relative of hers who had died leaving > his entire estate to Diana. The estate was said to included many > thousands of acres (or hectares) of land used for cattle. The relative > (obviously a male) was possibly Diana's Uncle but this is not certain. > The land may have been in the lower Diamantina region. > > This suggestion re location of the estate comes from William's grandson > (my husband's father) who said that his grandfather William James > Warwood told him this some 25 years after the event (i.e. in 1920). The > grandson lived with his grandparents after the death of his mother so > heard the 'story' many times as a child (he was born in 1911). > > That there was an inheritance is not in doubt. Having claimed the > proceeds of the will, William James WARWOOD returned to England and he > and his family subsequently lived in very different financial > circumstances to that they had had prior to the inheritance. William and > Diana owned and operated more than 22 public houses in Kent after 1895 > when William returned from Australia. In addition William and Diana gave > significant sums of money to other members of the family and bought pubs > for several of William's brothers. > > Before receiving this inheritance William was a Waterman in Kent. > Diana's father was an unskilled agricultural labourer. They lived a > modest life in rented housing before 1894. > > So the problem is this: > > I have researched all of Diana's known siblings and ancestors and I > cannot find a 'missing uncle' who might have travelled to Australia and > made good. I have also fully researched the Warwood family and it was > not one of them either. > > There are SIMS descendents (of one of Diana's Uncle's) who also came to > Australia (and settled in South Australia) in the 1880's and they too > 'remember' the relative who had a big estate (and helped the Sims > families out with some land) and also that advertisements were put in > papers looking for the 'beneficiary' of the estate. Unfortunately they > don't know where the estate was either. These Sims settled in Glencoe > but have no idea whether the estate was in that area or somewhere > entirely different. > > The story told to my father-in-law was that the relative who left the > estate to Diana had come to Australia for the gold rush and had been > successful and bought land. It was also said that he had several > Aboriginal 'wives' at the time he died. Also that he might have been for > a time a 'minor bushranger' - but I can find no evidence for that yet > either. > > What I need to solve the mystery is of course the probate records but I > don't have a name of the 'relative' who left his estate to Diana so have > no idea under what name to research to find the probate records. I have > no idea when the relative actually died either though logically it was > sometime between 1892 - 1894 and certainly before August 1894 given the > number of moths that would have been involved in getting the information > to England of the inheritance and the time it would have taken for > William to travel by ship to claim it > > Diana's maiden name was SIMS and her mother's maiden name was MUNNS. Her > grandmother (on her father's side) was a SELLWOOD who was a descendent > of the couple who started Christ Church Hospital and school (some might > remember the recent programme where the American rock star went to > Christ's School and took a group of kids and trained them to do a rock > performance - the children all wear long black gowns!). As a descendent > of the couple (John WEST & his wife) all descendents are entitled to a > pension from the John West Charity if they fall upon hard times. This > applies even today. > > Does anyone know of a way to search probate records for the > Beneficiaries of a Will rather than the name of the person who left the > Will? > Does anyone know how I could access the probate records from South > Australia where I live? > Does anyone have any suggestions on how else I might establish who the > person was who left his estate to Diana? > > I would be grateful for any suggestions or help it is possible to get. > > Regards, > > Lis Warwood > South Australia. > > > > > > > > > > > > ==== AUS-MELBOURNE Mailing List ==== > ==================================================== > Virus warnings are not to be sent to the List! > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx

Hi Lis Have you thought about looking for the newspaper ads seeking the benficiaries ? Tedious thought I know, but some indexes are now on-line. It must have been advertised in England. What about ads for the sale of the property ? I guess you have searched the SA Deaths in 1893/4 for the names you have SIMS, MUNNS etc. What about Queensland and NSW ? "The diamantina" could be there too ? What about trying the Winton Historical Society - they might have old newspapers etc, report of death of owner of large property ? Good luck, let us know if you make any progress Diane ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lis Warwood" <jimwarwo@tpg.com.au> To: <AUS-MELBOURNE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, March 05, 2006 11:56 AM Subject: MYSTERY INHERITANCE Suggestions please > Hi everyone, > > I have just joined this mailing list in a last ditch hope there is > someone out there who can figure out how I might progress with this > frustrating bit of my husband's family history. I am sorry for the > length of the message but am giving all I know to explain the nature of > the problem: > > In December 1894 William James WARWOOD (b. 1849 Swanscombe, Kent d. 1935 > Gravesend, Kent) was listed as a passenger arriving in Melbourne on the > ship 'Orient'. There is no information on the sheet as to where he was > heading after arriving in Melbourne (Ref Passenger List 'Orient' Dec > 1894 Fishe No. B.590 Page 9). > > In fact he had travelled to Australia to claim an inheritance left to > his wife Diana (SIMS) WARWOOD by a relative of hers who had died leaving > his entire estate to Diana. The estate was said to included many > thousands of acres (or hectares) of land used for cattle. The relative > (obviously a male) was possibly Diana's Uncle but this is not certain. > The land may have been in the lower Diamantina region. > > This suggestion re location of the estate comes from William's grandson > (my husband's father) who said that his grandfather William James > Warwood told him this some 25 years after the event (i.e. in 1920). The > grandson lived with his grandparents after the death of his mother so > heard the 'story' many times as a child (he was born in 1911). > > That there was an inheritance is not in doubt. Having claimed the > proceeds of the will, William James WARWOOD returned to England and he > and his family subsequently lived in very different financial > circumstances to that they had had prior to the inheritance. William and > Diana owned and operated more than 22 public houses in Kent after 1895 > when William returned from Australia. In addition William and Diana gave > significant sums of money to other members of the family and bought pubs > for several of William's brothers. > > Before receiving this inheritance William was a Waterman in Kent. > Diana's father was an unskilled agricultural labourer. They lived a > modest life in rented housing before 1894. > > So the problem is this: > > I have researched all of Diana's known siblings and ancestors and I > cannot find a 'missing uncle' who might have travelled to Australia and > made good. I have also fully researched the Warwood family and it was > not one of them either. > > There are SIMS descendents (of one of Diana's Uncle's) who also came to > Australia (and settled in South Australia) in the 1880's and they too > 'remember' the relative who had a big estate (and helped the Sims > families out with some land) and also that advertisements were put in > papers looking for the 'beneficiary' of the estate. Unfortunately they > don't know where the estate was either. These Sims settled in Glencoe > but have no idea whether the estate was in that area or somewhere > entirely different. > > The story told to my father-in-law was that the relative who left the > estate to Diana had come to Australia for the gold rush and had been > successful and bought land. It was also said that he had several > Aboriginal 'wives' at the time he died. Also that he might have been for > a time a 'minor bushranger' - but I can find no evidence for that yet > either. > > What I need to solve the mystery is of course the probate records but I > don't have a name of the 'relative' who left his estate to Diana so have > no idea under what name to research to find the probate records. I have > no idea when the relative actually died either though logically it was > sometime between 1892 - 1894 and certainly before August 1894 given the > number of moths that would have been involved in getting the information > to England of the inheritance and the time it would have taken for > William to travel by ship to claim it > > Diana's maiden name was SIMS and her mother's maiden name was MUNNS. Her > grandmother (on her father's side) was a SELLWOOD who was a descendent > of the couple who started Christ Church Hospital and school (some might > remember the recent programme where the American rock star went to > Christ's School and took a group of kids and trained them to do a rock > performance - the children all wear long black gowns!). As a descendent > of the couple (John WEST & his wife) all descendents are entitled to a > pension from the John West Charity if they fall upon hard times. This > applies even today. > > Does anyone know of a way to search probate records for the > Beneficiaries of a Will rather than the name of the person who left the > Will? > Does anyone know how I could access the probate records from South > Australia where I live? > Does anyone have any suggestions on how else I might establish who the > person was who left his estate to Diana? > > I would be grateful for any suggestions or help it is possible to get. > > Regards, > > Lis Warwood > South Australia. > > > > > > > > > > > ______________________________

Hi Lisa, My suggestion would be to make a list of all Diana's parents siblings including their spouses. Then gradually eliminate any who actually had children (They are highly unlikely to leave an estate to a niece if they have offspring themselves.) Then follow the movements of the remainder via their last known address at time of death & check the probate for each.(Hoping for your sake that they were not prolific breeders as were many of that era.) Of course there is also the possibility of a close family friend being the "uncle" I know in my own case an elderly employer of my father , known to me as "Uncle"gave me a valuable book that was left to him as he had no other family. (I was only 2 years old at the time & still have the book, thanks to my parents ,who kept it safely for me) It just wasn't done then to call adults by their Christian names. Best of luck, Coral ----- Original Message ----- From: "Diane Cole" <dicole@tech2u.com.au> To: <AUS-MELBOURNE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, March 05, 2006 3:17 PM Subject: [AUS-MELB] Re: MYSTERY INHERITANCE Suggestions please > Hi Lis > > Have you thought about looking for the newspaper ads seeking the > benficiaries ? Tedious thought I know, but some indexes are now on-line. It > must have been advertised in England. What about ads for the sale of the > property ? > > I guess you have searched the SA Deaths in 1893/4 for the names you have > SIMS, MUNNS etc. What about Queensland and NSW ? "The diamantina" could be > there too ? > > What about trying the Winton Historical Society - they might have old > newspapers etc, report of death of owner of large property ? > > Good luck, let us know if you make any progress > > Diane > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Lis Warwood" <jimwarwo@tpg.com.au> > To: <AUS-MELBOURNE-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Sunday, March 05, 2006 11:56 AM > Subject: MYSTERY INHERITANCE Suggestions please > > > > Hi everyone, > > > > I have just joined this mailing list in a last ditch hope there is > > someone out there who can figure out how I might progress with this > > frustrating bit of my husband's family history. I am sorry for the > > length of the message but am giving all I know to explain the nature of > > the problem: > > > > In December 1894 William James WARWOOD (b. 1849 Swanscombe, Kent d. 1935 > > Gravesend, Kent) was listed as a passenger arriving in Melbourne on the > > ship 'Orient'. There is no information on the sheet as to where he was > > heading after arriving in Melbourne (Ref Passenger List 'Orient' Dec > > 1894 Fishe No. B.590 Page 9). > > > > In fact he had travelled to Australia to claim an inheritance left to > > his wife Diana (SIMS) WARWOOD by a relative of hers who had died leaving > > his entire estate to Diana. The estate was said to included many > > thousands of acres (or hectares) of land used for cattle. The relative > > (obviously a male) was possibly Diana's Uncle but this is not certain. > > The land may have been in the lower Diamantina region. > > > > This suggestion re location of the estate comes from William's grandson > > (my husband's father) who said that his grandfather William James > > Warwood told him this some 25 years after the event (i.e. in 1920). The > > grandson lived with his grandparents after the death of his mother so > > heard the 'story' many times as a child (he was born in 1911). > > > > That there was an inheritance is not in doubt. Having claimed the > > proceeds of the will, William James WARWOOD returned to England and he > > and his family subsequently lived in very different financial > > circumstances to that they had had prior to the inheritance. William and > > Diana owned and operated more than 22 public houses in Kent after 1895 > > when William returned from Australia. In addition William and Diana gave > > significant sums of money to other members of the family and bought pubs > > for several of William's brothers. > > > > Before receiving this inheritance William was a Waterman in Kent. > > Diana's father was an unskilled agricultural labourer. They lived a > > modest life in rented housing before 1894. > > > > So the problem is this: > > > > I have researched all of Diana's known siblings and ancestors and I > > cannot find a 'missing uncle' who might have travelled to Australia and > > made good. I have also fully researched the Warwood family and it was > > not one of them either. > > > > There are SIMS descendents (of one of Diana's Uncle's) who also came to > > Australia (and settled in South Australia) in the 1880's and they too > > 'remember' the relative who had a big estate (and helped the Sims > > families out with some land) and also that advertisements were put in > > papers looking for the 'beneficiary' of the estate. Unfortunately they > > don't know where the estate was either. These Sims settled in Glencoe > > but have no idea whether the estate was in that area or somewhere > > entirely different. > > > > The story told to my father-in-law was that the relative who left the > > estate to Diana had come to Australia for the gold rush and had been > > successful and bought land. It was also said that he had several > > Aboriginal 'wives' at the time he died. Also that he might have been for > > a time a 'minor bushranger' - but I can find no evidence for that yet > > either. > > > > What I need to solve the mystery is of course the probate records but I > > don't have a name of the 'relative' who left his estate to Diana so have > > no idea under what name to research to find the probate records. I have > > no idea when the relative actually died either though logically it was > > sometime between 1892 - 1894 and certainly before August 1894 given the > > number of moths that would have been involved in getting the information > > to England of the inheritance and the time it would have taken for > > William to travel by ship to claim it > > > > Diana's maiden name was SIMS and her mother's maiden name was MUNNS. Her > > grandmother (on her father's side) was a SELLWOOD who was a descendent > > of the couple who started Christ Church Hospital and school (some might > > remember the recent programme where the American rock star went to > > Christ's School and took a group of kids and trained them to do a rock > > performance - the children all wear long black gowns!). As a descendent > > of the couple (John WEST & his wife) all descendents are entitled to a > > pension from the John West Charity if they fall upon hard times. This > > applies even today. > > > > Does anyone know of a way to search probate records for the > > Beneficiaries of a Will rather than the name of the person who left the > > Will? > > Does anyone know how I could access the probate records from South > > Australia where I live? > > Does anyone have any suggestions on how else I might establish who the > > person was who left his estate to Diana? > > > > I would be grateful for any suggestions or help it is possible to get. > > > > Regards, > > > > Lis Warwood > > South Australia. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ______________________________ > > > ==== AUS-MELBOURNE Mailing List ==== > ==================================================== > Virus warnings are not to be sent to the List! > > ============================== > New! Family Tree Maker 2005. Build your tree and search for your ancestors at the same time. Share your tree with family and friends. Learn more: http://landing.ancestry.com/familytreemaker/2005/tour.aspx?sourceid=14599&targetid=5429 > > >