Proving Jane Middleton of Somerset only Next of Kin in 1872 to Thomas Chichester who died 1838 in Guyana?

Question

From the England & Wales National Probate Calendar entry below I know that my 3rd great grand uncle Thomas Chichester (who is mentioned in Where to find Will of Giles Chichester from 1820s, probably in Somerset or Guyana?) left Effects under £450 and on:

19 February [1872]. Administration of the effects of Thomas Chichester late of Plantation Ruimveld in the County of Lunemary in the Colony of British Guiana Planter a Bachelor who died 25 December 1838 at Plantation Ruimveld was granted at the Principal Registry to Jane Middleton of Stogumber in the County of Somerset Widow the Sister and only Next of Kin.

The grant of administration 34 years after the death seems unusual, and I suspect that there may have been no will found.

At the time of Thomas' death both of his brothers (Giles and Jared) were already deceased.

At the time administration was granted, both of Thomas' sisters were still alive:

• Jane of Stogumber, Somerset (widow of William Middleton)
• Priscilla of Old Cleeve, Somerset (widow of William Browning)

Consequently, I am thinking that there must have been some additional documents involved to prove that Jane was Thomas' "only Next of Kin".

Does anyone know the likely nature of that documentation and where it might now be found?

I am hoping that it is something that may have been kept separate from the pre-1858 Somerset Wills that were destroyed by German bombing in 1942.

Answer 1

The concept of next of kin has no definition in English law except in terms of the relatively recent Mental Health Act. So I would suggest some caution before attaching too much importance to this use of "only".

I understand letters of administration would have been used if there was no will, or if the named executors of the will had died or were not able to act. It's intriguing as to what would cause his sister to tidy up this loose end, apparently excluding her sister, 34 years after his death. Did anyone else die around the same time to make it convenient/ necessary to sort this out? Who was looking after or using Thomas' assets in the meantime? Or perhaps she needed the money.....