A question...

[closetofheroes.livejournal.com]

Does anyone have any idea who Bertie's next of kin would be? No parents, so children, so whom? His sister? One of his uncles - if so, which?

This is in aid of a FIC - any theories greatly appreciated!

Comments

[toodlepipsigner.livejournal.com]

I don't know much about English law but in America the default beneficiary would be his sister.

[toodlepipsigner.livejournal.com]

Er, that is to say, his next of kin...

[jestana.livejournal.com]

I kind of like the idea of his money being held in trust for his nieces.

[sunsetsinthewes.livejournal.com]

In the case of money, probably his sister and nieces. In the case of, "quick, he's dying in the hospital!", I like to think it would probably fall to his aunts.

[closetofheroes.livejournal.com]

That's sort of what I thought too, only it would it be his aunts, directly? I mean, Dahlia and Agatha are blood relations, it's true, but in a crisis of some sort, would they be contacted directly, or would it be their husbands who'd receive the news?

Also there's Uncle Willoughby. Though I have a feeling he didn't live all that far into the series, did he?

And which aunt? The eldest one? The one with the eldest husband? Gosh, this is confusing.

[longlongwaytogo.livejournal.com]

Didn't they have a part in bringing him up? I think that by the 20s/30s they would be contacted directly or as a household rather than to the man of the house.

[closetofheroes.livejournal.com]

Just digging about to remind myself who Bertie's relatives were, and found that he had a bunch of blood-relations I forgot about.

Uncle Willoughby Wooster, who I think died

Uncle Henry Wooster, who died and was survived by Emily Wooster and his two sons Claude and Eustace Wooster

Uncle George Wooster (Lord Yaxley, married to Maude)

Sister Mrs. Scholfield and (presumably) a husband with daughters

And of course there's Aunt Agatha, married to Lord Worplesdon and step mother to Florence Craye and Edwin

and Aunt Dahlia, married to Tom Travers with son Bonzo and daughter Angela.

So many relatives!?!?! I'm guessing his next of kin would be his eldest living uncle - uncle Tom - does that sound right and legal and all that sort of thing???

[dragonsquill.livejournal.com]

I'd rather assumed Mrs. Scholfield's husband was deceased, since Bertie considered having her and his nieces come live with him. But then, Bertie lacks in logic, and I suppose she'd have been likely to move back to England if she was widowed, wouldn't she? Ah, Wodehouse, how your disinterest in constancy in canon keeps me amused.

[closetofheroes.livejournal.com]

Quite so - sometimes I wonder why I try so hard to get things write, knowing that Plum wouldn't have let such concerns stand in his way!

[pro-prodigy.livejournal.com]

Keep in mind that his sister is supposed to be in India...i think (don't remember if i read that in a book or in a fic), so even if she was next of kin they most likely would not be able to properly contact her in time if Bertie was in a dire situation. If less dire and a month or two could be lent, she could theoretically be sent for.

Uncle Willoughby is dead. That's where Bertie inherited his wealth from.

Was Willoughby related to Bertie's father? 'Cause that makes sense that Bertie was his dependent and consequently inherited his fortune.

[closetofheroes.livejournal.com]

Well, I'm thinking more in terms of who would be notified and who would be a beneficiary if he died. In a war, for instance.

I don't remember reading about Willoughby's death, but I thought I heard that somewhere. And er... he's a blood relation according to Wikipedia. Where the evidence is I don't know, but I agree it does make sense. George was definitely Aunt Agatha's brother, and Aunt Agatha (and Dahlia) are definitely sisters of Bertie's late and unnamed father. Big family.

[pro-prodigy.livejournal.com]

Mmph, now i'm just uber curious as to what your story's about. When exactly should we be expecting this fic?

[closetofheroes.livejournal.com]

Ah. Well, when it will emerge I can't say, since I've been hacking away at the thing forever. But it's set just post second world war, and it takes the form of something of a reunion between Jeeves and Bertie. Rather a grim fic, but not totally filled with despair or anything.

I've got so damn much in the pipeline, I never know what to focus on. I get bored of one, and switch to another. The result is nothing seems to get finished. But I'm working on it.

Thanks for your uber-curiousity!

[blackletter]

Well, I'm thinking more in terms of who would be notified and who would be a beneficiary if he died. In a war, for instance.

This has certainly got my attention. Even knowing nothing else about the fic I'm looking forward to it.

[wemblee.livejournal.com]

Wow. I didn't even realize Bertie had a sister! The things I learn from indeedsir. :)

[giddybiscuit.livejournal.com]

His blood uncles are Henry (who is the loony), George (Lord Yaxley) and Willoughby Wooster, from whom he inherited his wealth.

Then there's uncles by marriage: Tom Travers. Aunt Agatha was married to Spenser Gregson and then Percy Craye.

So, the head of the family would be George, but if Bertie had to nominate anyone I think he'd pick Aunt Dahlia.

[adina-atl.livejournal.com]

At the time I think it would be oldest male (blood) relative, so that would be Lord Yaxley. Uncle Willoughby was the trustee for the money Bertie inherited, apparently from his parents, so if he's still alive it might be him.

[closetofheroes.livejournal.com]

Aha. You've just ironed out all the facts and presented me with the information I now feel I should already have known. Very Jeeves-like. Thank you, you're a marvel.

[backfrommars.livejournal.com]

Pardon a newbie for throwing in her two cents, but I find this an interesting question. (Not to mention, I'm now dying to see whatever story this is for!)

I'm not an expert, but I think next of kin would likely depend on the circumstances and location. If Bertie was a soldier, he would have designated a next of kin when he joined up and that name would be in his file, meaning it would be someone he chose himself. In that case, it would probably be either his sister (or his brother-in-law as executor) or his aunt Dahlia (or her husband Tom).

If he was injured or killed under some other circumstance, in the lack of any designated heir, his estate would likely go to his sister or nieces or possibly revert back to the Woosters as a whole, leaving Lord Yaxley to provide for his nephew's sister and her family.

As to who would be contacted in a quick-get-to-the-hospital way, if Bertie was injured while staying with either Dahlia or Agatha, where the community was aware of their kinship (as well as the two ladies' dominant personalities), then possibly they would be the ones contacted (though likely not able to legally make any drastic decision concerning his care - for a long time women couldn't even sign surgical consent forms for their own children, and even had to ask their husband's permission to have certain operations themselves). Otherwise, it would be one of the male Woosters, probably Lord Yaxley as the titular head of the family.