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Author Topic: Where to find wills of the wealthy?  (Read 330 times)
alllegs
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Where to find wills of the wealthy?
« on: Sunday 28 June 09 11:38 UTC (UK) »

Hi,

I am currently researchign the family tree of a colleague and have come across some wealthy ancestors (compared to all my ag labs anyway!).  I'm assuming a will would be a good find but I don't know where to start looking.

These are the details of the possible wills I'd like to uncover.

William Norman was born in St Dunstan, London in 1784, by the 1851 census he was a retired wine merchant and fund holder.

His son, also Wlliam Norman, born 1818, St Dunstan, London was a fund holder.

John Bannister, born Montford Hants in 1807 was a annutiant.

His daughter Mary Bertha Skinner (nee Bannister), born 1853 in Westminster, was an annutiant.

Her hubby, Harland Skinner, born 1856 in Peckham, was a fruiter in 1891 and by 1901 living on his own means

John Gingell, born 1810 in Epping was a Farmer of 200 acres employing 7 men and 4 boys and a baptist minister.

His son Frederick Gingell, born 1865, Loughton, Essex was a Dairy Farm manager.

Charles Arthur Lowndes, born 1853 in Sandbach was a cashier and accountant by 1901.

Any ideas would be greatfully received

Legs
xxxx
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Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
DUR-Bainbridge,Hodgson,Richardson,Walker,Thompson,Armory,Wynn,Humble,Dunn,Chapman,Herin
YKS-Bradley,Hellawell,Dransfield,Sanderson,Gledhill,Mallinson,Tyas,Thornton,Nobel,Brook,Senior,Bower,Kay,Hirst,Smith,Lockwood,Clayton,Rollinson,Swallow
NTHNTS-Hubbard,Line,Goate,Tyler,Weed,Warren,Brown,Hollowell,Bird,Kirby,Dolby,Gilbert,Wootton
NFK-Burton,Myhill,Fisher,Thompson
LNRK-Neilson,Dudson,Forrest,McNight,Paterson
WL-Williams
bearkat
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Census Info. is Crown Copyright, from www.national


Re: Where to find wills of the wealthy?
« Reply #1 on: Sunday 28 June 09 11:47 UTC (UK) »

The best place to start would be the PCC wills 1384 -1858 at the National Archives

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/wills.asp?WT.hp=Wills

Wills cost £3.50 to download.

If you don't have any joy there, then try the county records offices.

Hampshire Records Office can be searched:

http://calm.hants.gov.uk/DServe/





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Middx - VAUS, ROBERTS, EVERSFIELD, INMAN, STAR, HOLBECK, WYATT, BICKFORD, SMITH, REDWOOD
South Stoneham, Hants - SMALL, HAMMERTON, GRIST, FRYER, TRODD
Beaulieu/Boldre, Hants - WOODFORD, CROUTEAR, BECK, BENDELL, KEEPING, HARDING
Kent - BAYLY, BORERr, MITCHELL, PLANE, VERNON, FARRANCE, CHAPMAN, MEDHURST, LOMAX, WYATT
Devon - TOPE, BICKFORD, FOSTER
YKS - QUIRK, McGUIRE, BENN
Nott/Derbs - SLACK
Hert - BARNES
L'pool- PLUMBE
alllegs
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Re: Where to find wills of the wealthy?
« Reply #2 on: Sunday 28 June 09 11:50 UTC (UK) »

Thank you BearKat,

I'll have a look

Legs
xxxx
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Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
DUR-Bainbridge,Hodgson,Richardson,Walker,Thompson,Armory,Wynn,Humble,Dunn,Chapman,Herin
YKS-Bradley,Hellawell,Dransfield,Sanderson,Gledhill,Mallinson,Tyas,Thornton,Nobel,Brook,Senior,Bower,Kay,Hirst,Smith,Lockwood,Clayton,Rollinson,Swallow
NTHNTS-Hubbard,Line,Goate,Tyler,Weed,Warren,Brown,Hollowell,Bird,Kirby,Dolby,Gilbert,Wootton
NFK-Burton,Myhill,Fisher,Thompson
LNRK-Neilson,Dudson,Forrest,McNight,Paterson
WL-Williams
Little Nell
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Re: Where to find wills of the wealthy?
« Reply #3 on: Sunday 28 June 09 11:51 UTC (UK) »

Poor as well as wealthy people left wills.  Prior to 1858, all wills were proved in ecclesiastical courts and you need to check the catalogues of the local county record offices through to the records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury - the highest court.  The wills proved there are available to search and download from the National Archives Documents Online service for £3.50 each (if there is one there of course!).  

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/wills.asp?WT.hp=Wills

After 1858, you would need to search the National Probate Calendars for the entries and then send off for a copy of the grant (if there is one) which costs £5.00.

http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/infoabout/civil/probate/index.htm

This research guidance from TNA is helpful.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/familyhistory/wills/?WT.lp=-33504

Also check the Time online database (if possible) and the London Gazette (http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk) for the person's name: you can sometimes find out dates of death, executors and when the will was proved, which can be very useful if sending away for a copy of the probate grant post 1858.

Good luck.

Nell

Oh, snap  Smiley
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All census information: Crown Copyright www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
alllegs
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Re: Where to find wills of the wealthy?
« Reply #4 on: Sunday 28 June 09 12:04 UTC (UK) »

Ohhh have found 1 early one on the national archives website for Daniel Gingell, father and grandfather of John and Frederick Gingell - very exciting!

Will check the other sites now

Thanks again
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Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
DUR-Bainbridge,Hodgson,Richardson,Walker,Thompson,Armory,Wynn,Humble,Dunn,Chapman,Herin
YKS-Bradley,Hellawell,Dransfield,Sanderson,Gledhill,Mallinson,Tyas,Thornton,Nobel,Brook,Senior,Bower,Kay,Hirst,Smith,Lockwood,Clayton,Rollinson,Swallow
NTHNTS-Hubbard,Line,Goate,Tyler,Weed,Warren,Brown,Hollowell,Bird,Kirby,Dolby,Gilbert,Wootton
NFK-Burton,Myhill,Fisher,Thompson
LNRK-Neilson,Dudson,Forrest,McNight,Paterson
WL-Williams
old rowley
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first steps


Re: Where to find wills of the wealthy?
« Reply #5 on: Sunday 28 June 09 12:11 UTC (UK) »

Legs,

Have you looked at the Gingell genealogy site yet?  Your colleague's line of Gingells can be traced back to 1600/1640 and orginiated from Wiltshire. Have a look at www.gingell.com both John and Frederick come up when you do a search for them on the site. It does not say anything about wills but has information on birth's, marriage's and deaths for this family.

old rowley
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Claxton- East London & Essex
Cuthbert- Mile End East London
Edwards - East London & Essex
Goll- Norfolk
Harris-Mile End East London
Hurr - Suffolk
Law- Bethnal Green East London
Moll- East London
Robinson- Bethnal Green East London
Tait- Argyll & Glasgow
Thompson Shoreditch East london
Watson- Glasgow
Wood- Bethnal Green East London

Local history interest; Noak Hill & Harold Hill Essex

census information crown cop
alllegs
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Posts: 1753



Re: Where to find wills of the wealthy?
« Reply #6 on: Sunday 28 June 09 12:16 UTC (UK) »

Wow, I'd not found that as yet.

Thank you Old Rowley  Smiley
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Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
DUR-Bainbridge,Hodgson,Richardson,Walker,Thompson,Armory,Wynn,Humble,Dunn,Chapman,Herin
YKS-Bradley,Hellawell,Dransfield,Sanderson,Gledhill,Mallinson,Tyas,Thornton,Nobel,Brook,Senior,Bower,Kay,Hirst,Smith,Lockwood,Clayton,Rollinson,Swallow
NTHNTS-Hubbard,Line,Goate,Tyler,Weed,Warren,Brown,Hollowell,Bird,Kirby,Dolby,Gilbert,Wootton
NFK-Burton,Myhill,Fisher,Thompson
LNRK-Neilson,Dudson,Forrest,McNight,Paterson
WL-Williams
stonechat
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Re: Where to find wills of the wealthy?
« Reply #7 on: Monday 29 June 09 13:36 UTC (UK) »

Also if it was pre 1858, it could be at the London Metropolitan Archives

Look at 'London Signatures' on their website here   
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NOTE I have moved my website to http://www.cotswan.com
stonechat
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Re: Where to find wills of the wealthy?
« Reply #8 on: Monday 29 June 09 13:37 UTC (UK) »

Also for pre 1858 in Cheshire
look here

http://www.cheshire.gov.uk/Recordoffice/Wills/
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Douglas, Varnden, Joy(i)ce Surrey, Clarke Northants/Hunts, Pullen Worcs/Herefords, Holmes Birmingham/USA/Canada/Australia, Jackson Cheshire/Yorkshire, Lomas Cheshire, Lee Yorkshire, Cocks Lancashire, Leah Cheshire, Cook Yorkshire, Catlow Lancashire

NOTE I have moved my website to http://www.cotswan.com
alllegs
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Re: Where to find wills of the wealthy?
« Reply #9 on: Tuesday 30 June 09 19:34 UTC (UK) »

Ta muchly Stonechat, will save them for the weekend as have a manic week at work - Ofsted - argh!
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Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
DUR-Bainbridge,Hodgson,Richardson,Walker,Thompson,Armory,Wynn,Humble,Dunn,Chapman,Herin
YKS-Bradley,Hellawell,Dransfield,Sanderson,Gledhill,Mallinson,Tyas,Thornton,Nobel,Brook,Senior,Bower,Kay,Hirst,Smith,Lockwood,Clayton,Rollinson,Swallow
NTHNTS-Hubbard,Line,Goate,Tyler,Weed,Warren,Brown,Hollowell,Bird,Kirby,Dolby,Gilbert,Wootton
NFK-Burton,Myhill,Fisher,Thompson
LNRK-Neilson,Dudson,Forrest,McNight,Paterson
WL-Williams
behindthefrogs
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Re: Where to find wills of the wealthy?
« Reply #10 on: Tuesday 30 June 09 20:40 UTC (UK) »

You also need to be aware that wills of people who owned property spread over but only in the north of England were proved by the Archbishops Court at York.

Wills which were proved more locally were originally in the County Record  Office of the church where the bishop or archdeacon had his church.  Although some have been moved to a more appropriate local record office.  The real problem is that some 10% of parishes were before about 1836 "peculiars" and did not always report to the obvious church dignitary.  You thus need to check the history of the parish in which your ancestor lived.

Your local library will probably have a copy of The Phillimore Atlas and Index of Parish Registers.  The coloured maps in this give a clear indication of where wills are likely to be found even though the Atlas doesn't provide this information directly.

David
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Census Info is Crown Copyright from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
stonechat
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Re: Where to find wills of the wealthy?
« Reply #11 on: Wednesday 01 July 09 05:23 UTC (UK) »

I have a small inexpensive booklet that gives the exact details - If I find it I will post it here
However there are some online indexes which are what we have to go on most of the time

Bob
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Douglas, Varnden, Joy(i)ce Surrey, Clarke Northants/Hunts, Pullen Worcs/Herefords, Holmes Birmingham/USA/Canada/Australia, Jackson Cheshire/Yorkshire, Lomas Cheshire, Lee Yorkshire, Cocks Lancashire, Leah Cheshire, Cook Yorkshire, Catlow Lancashire

NOTE I have moved my website to http://www.cotswan.com
alllegs
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Re: Where to find wills of the wealthy?
« Reply #12 on: Friday 03 July 09 16:47 UTC (UK) »

Thank you David and Bob

Legs
xxx
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Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
DUR-Bainbridge,Hodgson,Richardson,Walker,Thompson,Armory,Wynn,Humble,Dunn,Chapman,Herin
YKS-Bradley,Hellawell,Dransfield,Sanderson,Gledhill,Mallinson,Tyas,Thornton,Nobel,Brook,Senior,Bower,Kay,Hirst,Smith,Lockwood,Clayton,Rollinson,Swallow
NTHNTS-Hubbard,Line,Goate,Tyler,Weed,Warren,Brown,Hollowell,Bird,Kirby,Dolby,Gilbert,Wootton
NFK-Burton,Myhill,Fisher,Thompson
LNRK-Neilson,Dudson,Forrest,McNight,Paterson
WL-Williams
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