srarching the registry of deeds

[Maggie J]

I know, from Wakefield register of deeds, that my ancestor John Tatham registered a memorial to his father, Joseph Tatham’s will in 1806, and that they lived at Withens at Cold Edge in Warley, Halifax, but I cannot find the will. I don’t know when or where either John or Joseph was born or their age at death so I can’t identify the correct family. I know there were a few Tatham families in the area buying and selling farms but I don’t think they are ‘my’ family.
As I have the name of the property I thought this might give me a clue so I have searched the registry of deeds for about 40 years previously (when I believe someone else owned the property) but I cannot find a record of the farm changing hands. I have thought about searching the land tax registers at Wakefield but am not sure what these will tell me. Can anyone suggest other records I could look at from this area in the late 18th century?

[J.R.Ellam]

For a will that early I would try the Borthwick institute of Historical Research which now part of the York University.

John

[Maggie J]

Thanks for your reply John, I did try that. They found a Joseph Tatham will of around the same time, from the index of deeds, which helped me eliminate one family. They said they could do a further search but I would have had to pay for it, which I didn't want to do at the time. I may decide to go ahead with that option soon as I would really like to move on with this branch of the family tree.
Just spotted the typo!
Maggie   

[J.R.Ellam]

Hi

It is a long time since I did any will research but if I recall the names are indexed in books which span a few years at a time and it would only take a few minutes to look for a name.
I think the books have been micro filmed and their are copies in some of the local history libraries and I think Huddersfield local history as a copy.

John

[Pinetree]

The index of Wills held at the Borthwick is now available to search online at Origins.net.  This is a pay to view site, 60 credits cost £6.50 (not sure how many views that gets you).

I understand the index can also be searched on a computer at the Borthwick but only when the Archive office is open.  I would offer to do a look up for you but unfortunately I have not been able to visit much recently but someone else may be planning a visit.

Pinetree

[Marmaduke 123]

You can get 72 hours unlimited access to Origins (British and Wills) for £7. Well worth doing periodically. They have the indexes to the early Yorkshire wills at the Borthwick, as well as lots of other useful things.

[Maggie J]

Thank you all for your replies. I think I will go back to the search for a will. I did not know about Origins so will certainly look at that. I have a theory about a possible family but no evidence so this site might help provide some.
Maggie

[BushInn1746]

I know, from Wakefield register of deeds, that my ancestor John Tatham registered a memorial to his father, Joseph Tatham’s will in 1806, and that they lived at Withens at Cold Edge in Warley, Halifax, but I cannot find the will. I don’t know when or where either John or Joseph was born or their age at death so I can’t identify the correct family. I know there were a few Tatham families in the area buying and selling farms but I don’t think they are ‘my’ family.
As I have the name of the property I thought this might give me a clue so I have searched the registry of deeds for about 40 years previously (when I believe someone else owned the property) but I cannot find a record of the farm changing hands. I have thought about searching the land tax registers at Wakefield but am not sure what these will tell me. Can anyone suggest other records I could look at from this area in the late 18th century?

Hello Maggie

Is this Deed Memorial Registration 1806 and the Will 1806?

Does the Deed registration say which Will Registry? Wills Proved at York had a number of Registries.

Here is one example (search 1800 -/+ 10 yrs, BUT ONLY ON THIS REGISTRY) ...

Prerogative & Exchequer Courts Of York Probate Index, 1688-1858
Joseph TATHAM, 1804, Carlton in Craven.

If you do decide to order it, the Probate bundle (a few pounds more) is always better (they sometimes give date of death etc and more accurate than the Register copy). On the colour PDF Will scans you can specify a white or a black border (the white border will save on black ink if you print the Will)

The YORK Wills (stored flat, not the Will bundles) at the Borthwick were scanned by one of the well known Pay per view sites (you might be able to see it online and save it at your local Library, or County Archive)?

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/results/world-records/prerogative-and-exchequer-courts-of-york-probate-index-1688-1858?firstname=joseph&firstname_variants=true&lastname=tatham&eventyear=1800&eventyear_offset=10


The Inland Revenue Registers YORK (Calendars) (Free, but large pdf downloads)

I am not sure if these (in the Inland Revenue IR series) are a complete YORK set of Calendar (Lists), or only over a certain value? Found these so far (links below).

You'll need the patience of a Saint to go through the YORK pdfs, because you get so far through (past the T), then they jump back to H, so every page needs a quick look for surnames starting T. You will also see the surname T is not in alphabetical order and they are separated into the different YORK Courts or Administration too.

Being in the IR Series, they might not be full lists?

IR 27/92 [YORK] 1796-1811 (TNA, Kew) http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2612229
IR 27/93 YORK 1805-1811 (TNA, Kew) http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2612230

If you register with TNA, their system usually keeps a list (a record of what you have looked at online).


If visiting TNA to see original documents you will need a READERS TICKET and formal PROOF of ID, who you are and where you live.


Some Probate Links
This site has many links regarding Wills, including Post Medieval
http://www.medievalgenealogy.org.uk/sources/probate.shtml


York Peculiars Probate Index, 1383-1883
https://search.findmypast.co.uk/results/world-records/york-peculiars-probate-index-1383-1883?_page=0&lastname=tatham


Mark

[Maggie J]

Hi Mark,
I have been going back through my records!
The Deed memorial of Joseph Tatham's will was registered by John Tatham in Wakefield in 1806. It says that the farm Withens is now in the occupancy of John Tatham and his undertenants and that he is Joseph Tatham's youngest son, (the best clue I think). It doesn't say what the will actually said or name any other beneficiaries or say where the will is. I don't know why only John registered the will and it is making it hard to be sure about which family this is. Joseph seems to have died between 1798 when he was named in the Land Tax records as the owner, and 1799 when the 'executers of Joseph Tatham' were listed.

I did get a copy of the other Joseph's will (Joseph and Margaret Roberts) about five years ago which was useful for elimination purposes. Perhaps there is more on line now. Thank you for the will searching tips and I will certainly have a look at those links.
 
Tatham is not such a common name but there were a lot of them around between Halifax and Carlton in Craven in the 18th and 19th centuries. A lot of them were farmers and they all seemed to call their children by the same names of John, Joseph, Benjamin with Mary and Hannah for the girls, making it hard to distinguish between them. I am sure most were related and I would love to see them all linked up but I think I will stick to my own branch of the family for the time being!
Thanks for all the help,
Maggie