Grandfather Smallweed

Much of this afternoon was spent on the administration required to access the funds from Mum’s estate. An hour was spent in Barclay’s Bank in Lymington. Before then, Ian, who had driven me, pointed out that I had erroneously entered Lloyd’s Bank. We then had to find Barclay’s. Next, I had to wait for the one available advisor who asked me for I.D. I had no satisfactory photographic evidence and my NatWest Visa card wasn’t acceptable. Furthermore I should be dealing with the bank’s bereavement team. The only three comparatively local branches capable of this were located at Southampton, Ringwood, and Bournemouth.

The very helpful staff member took all my details, filled in a form, scanned this and the grant application document, e-mailed these to the bereavement team, and gave me the direct line number to phone them. I did that when we returned home and was informed that Mum’s account would be freed and I would be sent confirmation of this with the final balance.

I then telephoned the Premium Bond offices to free our mother’s funds in their account. I will be sent forms to complete for this.

Later, I scanned the next three of Charles Keeping’s illustrations to ‘Bleak House’.

‘The Sol’s Arms’

‘ ‘My dear friend,’ says Grandfather Smallweed’

‘Miss Flite’

This evening we all dined on Jackie’s smoked haddock; creamy mashed potato; piquant cauliflower cheese; crunchy carrots and tender runner beans, with which the Culinary Queen drank M & S rosé and I drank more of the Tulga.

81 comments

  1. The process is almost over, Derrick. I remember when Dad’s funds were released and everything was in the hands of the right people, it was a relief but there was a feeling final closure. It was more difficult than his death in some ways. Have a good sleep while I head out on this gloomy wet day to take care of the koalas.

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          1. No. We keep them from being to human friendly, otherwise we put them at risk when they’re real released. The local zoo have koalas bred in captivity for other zoos etc, so they allow stroking under supervision of staff.

  2. It’s amazing how tiresome this process is and I wouldn’t imagine that your mother’s affairs were very complicated. Luckily you found someone helpful at the bank.

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  10. I wonder if the image of Grandfather Smallweed captures how you felt with all the red tape. 😏
    It looks like the end is in sight, and at least the staff member was helpful.

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  24. I’m pleased for you Derrick, that you are finally wrappiing up the administration and affairs of your Mum’s estate.

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  25. Grandfather Smallweed looks like he’s been dealing with red tape! 😉 🙂 I wonder if his red tape was as long as his hands are apart! 😉 😛 Oh, now I think of your friend Tom and the photo of him on stage with hands apart…I wondered if he was trying to get people to sing or clap along.
    So glad things are moving in the right direction for you all. It’s a godsend to find people who know what to do and will help. Hang in there…hopefully it will all be complete soon.
    Miss Flite looks fancy! 🙂
    (((HUGS)))

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  30. Now I’m glad that when Bill’s Mum passed we found she had kept all her money in a sock at the end of the bed. Didn’t want the council housing man finding out she had a couple of dollars spare and putting her rent up.
    My eye fell on this word in Dicken’s text” “supposititious”. That’s a new one for me. Definition: “substituted for the real thing; not genuine”. Perhaps you were feeling the Derrick Executor was a little supposititious by the end of Derrick K Knight’s experience with the banks.

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