Genealogy Chat

you could try and get in touch with the land registry. the house would havebeen transferred into a new name and I imagine the person would need to provide proof that it was only him that it belonged too before they'd do that. if they can say it transferred on X day then chances are the will was proved at probate just before that and it will give you a better timescale to look for the will

Thanks for all the tips I'll follow up on them. Small prob at this point in time The misses had a major major op 3 weeks ago, so have to look after her for time being, but come new year Should be back to norm and I can start running round the country again.

Oooh, Peter! Sounds to me as if your MIL has been done out of her share of a house! I repeat, Wills are public documents, available to anyone who wishes to look at them - to avoid exactly the situation you are describing, i.e. someone benefitting from an estate when they have no right to. (That's fraud, with a capital F). It may all be too late of course, but you could write to the person who refused to show the Will and demand to see it. If there was a house involved as you say, the Land Registry would not change the name on the Deeds without sight of a Will and it would still be in the original owners name. Cor, I wouldn't let this go, it would drive me mad till I found out the truth.Do let us know how you get on.

ya see original message only 40 or so years ago

Hi, if you know plenty of detail, you can write to the York Registry and send them a fiver to get a copy, if it exists! Look at National Archives/documents on line web site for details. On line downloads of wills are only up to about 1858 - I assume yours is later. In that case, you either go to London to look it up or send to York for it.

Marjorie I do not know if it exists I'm doing a favour for the mother in law (love her) Her nan (The person in question re will) left property But her oldest son said it was all his and would not show the will to any one. The rest of the family took it as read and thou niffed off made no effort to find out if it was true. Now more out of curiosity than any hope of some cash. Mum- law whould like to find out. My fault realy as I was trying to find out about a house that the rellys owned and it was this one that was in the will.

Wills may be proved a considerable time after the death of the testator: often when the person who would have been the principal beneficiary dies. Not everyone leaves a will. Probate does not need to be granted on every estate. There are plenty of cases where a will is expected, but is never proved, especially if the testator did not leave clear instructions to his executors as to the existence of the will. (I've told my executors where mine is kept and they've forgotten!) Brenda

Peter A Will is a public document and in theory is available to anyone who wants to see it, so there is no period of closure. If the Will has been probated (in other words, the money and so on has been distributed) it will not remain in the hands of a Solicitor, although he may have a copy. It was quite usual up to about 20 years ago, to publish people's Wills in the local and national newspapers, if you know the area in which the person died, you could try that. How do you know that this Will exists, if you don't mind me asking? Marjorie

I have been trying to find a (pos) will. There's nothing in probate. If it dose exists How long be for it can be on public record. This one was writen about 40 years ago. I have exausted most lines of enquiery. I think it might be in private hands or pos a lawyer if its any were.