'Heir hunters' being used in Legacy inquiry

Tributes have been left outside Legacy Independent Funeral Directors on Hessle Road in Hull

Heir hunters have been working to track down the families of people whose ashes were found in a former funeral home.

Humberside Police removed 35 bodies and a quantity of ashes from Legacy Independent Funeral Directors on Hessle Road, Hull, in March 2024 following a report of "concern for care of the deceased". Two people remain on bail.

Speaking on the first anniversary of the incident, Tracey Meyerhoft, from Hull City Council, said heir hunters, working alongside a recovery response group, were still to speak to 25 families who had yet to come forward.

A remembrance service will be held at Hull Minster later for families directly affected by the investigation.

The second funeral of 89-year-old Jessie Stockdale was one of the ways Hull Minster supported families affected by the Legacy inquiry.

Heir hunters are researchers specialising in locating family members of those who have died.

The recovery response group, made up of staff from Hull and East Riding councils and other agencies, was established last year when the scale of the incident became clear.

Some of its roles included supporting families, organising second funerals and tracing relatives linked to 163 sets of ashes.

It is also planning permanent memorial gardens to offer a final resting place for some of the ashes.

Angela Dearing, from East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said the anniversary was a "really significant and important milestone".

She said that "upwards of 60 staff" had been involved in the recovery team, often working alongside their day job.

Ms Meyerhoft said work to trace the remaining families was continuing.

"We are still searching for people so that we can repatriate the ashes," she said.

"It has been a real concerted effort, largely with our bereavement services across Hull and the East Riding but we have had to seek some support from external agencies, such as heir hunters, who have extensive sources to try and locate people.

"Supporting the families remains at the heart of everything."

'Restore dignity'

Many of the families "continue to bear the distress and grief caused by the revelations", according to the Right Reverend Dr Eleanor Sanderson, Bishop of Hull, who will lead the remembrance service.

The invitation-only event is for families directly affected by the investigation, due to the 400-seat capacity of the minster.

Bishop Sanderson said she hoped the service would "restore and uphold the dignity of those affected".

The venue has played a key role in supporting families. It has held a number of remembrance services and also hosted the second funeral of 89-year-old Jessie Stockdale, whose body was one of the 35 found.

Some families say the support at monthly vigils helps them "come to terms with this dreadful situation".

A group of affected families said small monthly vigils, organised by the community of Hessle Road, had "given us strength".

The Hull 35 Group said: "It has been a very tough year for us all and we are still processing emotions and dealing with the lasting effects on our lives."

In January, Humberside Police announced it had handed a file to the Crown Prosecution Service containing 13,000 exhibits. The CPS is considering whether to bring charges.

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