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.