Judge Finds Family Tree A “Monkey Puzzle”

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27985, 4 June 1956, Page 11

Judge Finds Family Tree A “Monkey Puzzle”

(Rec. 10 p.m.) LONDON, June 2. The tangled life of Patrick Rafferty, or Browne, made Mr Justice Harman’s head whir] in the Chancery Court yesterday.

Patrick Henry Patrick Rafferty Browne, of Manchester, a former music hall artist—died in 1952 at the age of 92, leaving £6OOO to be divided between his children and grand-children.

In the Chancery Court yesterday five counsel represented 19 claimants who were either legitimate or illegitimate children or grand-children some called Browne, others called Rafferty —and one man said to be no relation, but who had been treated as a son. The Judge said: “This is an astonishing family. You don’t know which side the blanket was turned.” Patrick was thought to have been

married first in 1882. Eight children were born in 10 years. No marriage certificate was found.

In that time he had a daughter by his wife’s sister: “One does not know if he lived with both sisters together ” said the Judge.

There were two children by his second marriage to his first wife’s sister. His last was born when he was 70—to a housekeeper. Counsel said he would hand in a a copy of the family tree.

The Judge commented: “This is a monkey puzzle of unconnected branches.”

He ruled that all the 19 claimants were entitled to a share in the estate. “It is like the tortoise said to the dodo—everybody gets a prize in the end,” he said.'