Genealogy Chat

Hiya,please can some-one tell me the contents of a will.what would be mentioned or said.
cheers "E"

What’s in a will?

Wills need to set out who you want to get what in clear and unambiguous language. They should list gifts of specific items or amounts (if you are leaving a property to someone, say if the mortgage is to go with the property or be paid off from other money), and set out how anything that is left over ("the residue") is to be shared. It should also cancel earlier wills, appoint your executors, and appoint guardians for your children (if necessary).

I found the above by googling...hope it helps.

Sam x

Hi, did you want to know what you'd find in one if you could see it? If so, there's loads of info in them!
I sent for my gr-gr-grandfathers and got for example:
Full name, exact address; names of other children I didn't know about, property owned, names of trustees, items of furniture, jewellery et etc.
From this I found his old house, still in existence, a line of living relatives from the second daughter I didn't know he had and even a possible identity of a brooch my mother has!!
All for £5 and a 3week wait from the will place in York, worth the wait and every penny I think.
Good luck!

Just looking at what I found on my ancestor's will . . . this is 1772, though!

He stated where he was from, and asked that his body should be buried in a particular churchyard. Various sums of money were bequeathed to children and a grandchild, and he also named one of his son in laws. He also named two children as his executors (I am guessing they were the two eldest, but I'm not sure) and identified two pieces of land which he owned and wanted his children to sell, and also stated that the children were to pay any debts that he owed. One son was left two Bibles and all of his father's clothes!

Sometimes you also find interesting conditions in wills - this man I mentioned directed the son to pay one of the daughters and a grandson a sum of money each, and also noted that any person who had a problem with the money/gifts he had left would receive one shilling instead of the original item or amount of money.

There will probably be the names of a witness (or two, or even three), the date the will was made and the date it was proved as well.

so sorry every-one,i had actually forgot that i had made this thread,thank-you for all you messages and help.....luv Gwen xx