Dear Marcelle, Just out of interest I looked at the NSW Probate Index which I have on fiche. He does not appear to be there. There are quite a few COLES entries, dozen or so, and you should find them on www.records.nsw.gov.au Sincerely, Bill > I'll do as you suggest. Last night I just couldn't look any more as I'd > gone > cross-eyed with exhaustion! The plot is thickening. If only I could find > things about him prior to 1900 but I've had no luck in 25 years of > searching.....grrr. >

Hi Bill Thanks for looking at the Probate Index. Charles died Intestate in Culcairn and the Public Trustee Administered what little he left behind. I have a copy of that document and as there was no mention of his wife receiving anything I wrote a letter asking about further information. I received a letter back asking me what interest I had in the matter, was I a Beneficiary. They also told me that for them to give me any info I would be required to pay them $198.00. I was flabbergasted. Had they said $50-70 I may have but I'm not paying them all that money when in the first instance, all the papers should have been together including any disbursements to his wife as next of kin. Needless to say I haven't bothered. Cheers, Marcelle