The mystery child of a BBC editor stands to inherit hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of property and belongings after he died with no previously known next of kin after heir hunters tracked down a teen believed to be the offspring of the star.
Alexander Thomson was a former BBC World Service East Africa and Far East editor and died last year aged 71-years-old after battling lung cancer.
The news star had been unmarried and had no known next of kin – and also didn’t have a will.
But detectives from a heir hunting company called Finders International have tracked down a 15-year-old girl in Indonesia who they believe to be the daughter of Alexander – tracking her down after discovering a photograph of her in the late BBC executive’s home.
According to the MailOnline, the unnamed teen now stands to inherit a three-bedroomed house in Kent, deeds to a 60ft boat, and numerous antiques and Chinese artefacts believed to be worth tens of thousands of pounds.
The Mail claims: “researchers from London-based Finders International along with experts they hired in Indonesia found Mr Thomson had a daughter with a woman he is believed to have married in the country.”
Danny Curran, managing director of Finders International, spoke to BBC Radio Kent about the discovery.
He said: “We were able to get access to the property to do an investigation and we found, in a very innocent-looking, ordinary-looking house on South Eastern Road in Ramsgate.
“We had a look round, had a look at all the information and this guy it transpired was a former BBC World Service East Africa and Far East editor. So he had all these bizarre artefacts in his house.
“We started to build up a picture of information about him from his possession and from asking around, and it transpired that he did have a niece and nephew who'd normally inherit.
“But we also found evidence of some kind of ceremony, potentially a marriage, in Indonesia, and there were photographs of what looked like a younger Indonesian person.
“So we thought OK, well we need to look into this aspect and see what's going on here, as if he does have estranged children, or children he'd not seen for many years, they would still be entitled under the intestacy laws.”
Among the fortune the teen is due to inherit is a three-bedroomed house that was bought in 2007 for £235,000 – which could now be worth more.
A 19th century Guangxu emperor vase worth £20,000 is among a collection of artefacts and antiques that will now be awarded to the child.
While a Chinese Perenakan style footstool, also from the 19th century, worth £2,000.
The teen also will become owner of a 60ft boat which is almost 100 years old – having been launched as the world’s largest lifeboat in 1923.
Alexanders estate is estimated to be worth £400,000 in total and is set to go to his daughter after his estate was previously due to be distributed to a niece and nephew.
Explaining the family connections further, Danny continued to BBC Radio Kent: “Only one of Alexander's two sisters had children and at first glance the sizeable estate was destined to be inherited by his only niece and nephew.
“However, deeper and more forensic research by our team eventually revealed a young daughter in Asia.”
He added: “As a leading heir hunter one part of our job is to find relatives entitled to inherit an estate when the deceased has died intestate, with no will and with no known next of kin.
“We are thrilled that we traced Alexander's daughter, who will rightly inherit his estate. We are sure that this is what Alexander would have wanted.”
