A HUGE ESTATE

Hokitika Guardian, 6 June 1930, Page 6

A HUGE ESTATE

CLAIMS BY NEW ZEALANDERS

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON. June 6

The revival of interest in the Jennings' millions, caused by the discovery of documents in a ..safe .deposit in .Melbourne, is reported Irom Auckland. This is heightened by tin* lad that there is a brunch of the Jennings family in Wellington, Mr J. S. Jennigs, ol Westland Road. He was a son of Samuel Jennings, who was a son of Keberi Jennings, one of the three Birpiingham iron masters who I,dd the' foundations of the fortune which now amounts in some filtytliree million pounds.

Mr Jennings explained that the attempt io get the fortunes out ol chancery was no new move. Fifty years ago In* had actively assisted his father in England to go into the family history, and he bad even gone the length of preparing a genealogical tree. Unfortunately, when a great dm! of data had been accumulated. t,he.- solicitors, who had been handling the case for them, wont bankrupt, and disappeared. ; . - .

“It is difficult -to-get money out of chancery,”- said Mr; Jennings, “but as a result of the joint e.llprbs ol the various descendants..,of flu 1 ; family, something may yet bo accomplished.” The' ancient document at: -Melbourne was found in a -,‘safe. .deposit vault alter being • theredTi years. The fortune. built ill) since. nearly 200 years ago by Birmingham Ironmasters, lias world-wide- eininiants.. including Mr Edward Howell. Greenland, Auckland, and .Mr Win. Howell, of Sydney, bis lirollier;- also .Mrs Joseph llackett, Melbourne. Mr llackett searched for vears for the died ol assignment ol the (ifty-tliree millions,- and it lias now turned up among papers at a Victorian estate in the vault. It is 101 years old. Mr Edward Howeli believes the deed genuine, enabling him to claim through bis mother, who was E lizabeth Jennings before her marriage to Simeon Howell in 1839 She was born in Suffolk, in. 1817, and was a grand niece of William Jennigs. The-latter was a bachelor and left no direct descendant, but he had two brothers and one sister. A certain birth certificate is missing and a big reward was years ago, offered for it. .. ...