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Death Date - how will I know if there is a Will? A

ProfilePosted byOptionsPost Date

Anne

Anne Report 31 Jan 2007 21:29

The important thing is the date! If it was after 1857 you don't need to go to the area of his death. From that date there was started a national Probate Calendar. This list in alphabetical order for each year, all the wills that went to Probate. Copies of the Calendars are held at most large County Archives. If it was before 1857 it is much more complicated! You MAY be lucky and find a will refered to on A2A or the Documentsonline site. Anne

~Looby Loo~

~Looby Loo~ Report 31 Jan 2007 21:30

Hi all, I have a date of death but don't know if there was a will or anything. Does anyone know how I'd find out? I cannot get to the area he died. Any advice or help would be fantastic, thanks in advance. Lou

fraserbooks

fraserbooks Report 31 Jan 2007 21:35

It is worth trying the national archive site probate index. If you find a will you can download it for £3.50 Anne

~Looby Loo~

~Looby Loo~ Report 31 Jan 2007 21:36

Hi Anne, that's great. I wasn't aware of any such list so you've helped me loads. I have a rec office in my area so now I can go and look him up, thanks again. Lou

~Looby Loo~

~Looby Loo~ Report 31 Jan 2007 21:37

Hi Annie, that's also usefull, but does it mean if I can't find a will on that site that it's not there? is does it mean that it's not been listed yet. The date was 1967. thanks Lou

~Looby Loo~

~Looby Loo~ Report 31 Jan 2007 21:46

hi Anita, Access to Archives is what I think your talking about. I'm about to give it a go, Lou

Anita

Anita Report 31 Jan 2007 21:46

Hi there Hope you dont mind me asking but you mentioned a Documents online website which one is this? Your topic has helped me also so many thanks.

Anne

Anne Report 31 Jan 2007 21:54

You won't find reference to a 1967 will on line at all as far as I know! Documentsonline is part of The National Archives site I think. I just have them in my favourites so a bit vague about that. What you get on there is wills which were probated by the Consistory Court of Canterbury - the highest in the land. But thses are wills from BEFORE 1857 and then only those of some people. I think you had to be fairly 'upmarket' of own property in different counties to have the will proved there. I think the list is complete. Before 1857 'normal' wills were proved by local church courts and you should look for them in the County Record office where the person died. Anne

~Looby Loo~

~Looby Loo~ Report 31 Jan 2007 21:59

Hi Anne, thank you so much for the info, it's made things a bit clearer now for me, so thanks again for that. Lou