Author Topic: FindMyPast Wiltshire wills index added today  (Read 3823 times)

Offline jillruss

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FindMyPast Wiltshire wills index added today
« on: Friday 07 July 17 16:05 BST (UK) »
Just wanted to remind or inform Rcers that, like Wiltshire Council's own wills website, the Wiltshire Wills Index added to FindMyPast today, includes quite a few Berkshire parishes which for some reason fell under that diocese at the time.

Places like Bray, Hurst, Hurley, Waltham St Lawrence and more. Probably best to search by place.
HELP!!!

 BATHSHEBA BOOTHROYD bn c. 1802 W. Yorks.

Baptism nowhere to be found. Possibly in a nonconformist church near ALMONDBURY or HUDDERSFIELD.

Offline Sloe Gin

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Re: FindMyPast Wiltshire wills index added today
« Reply #1 on: Saturday 08 July 17 15:41 BST (UK) »
The index is freely available without having to go to F M P.

https://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/heritage/

I've downloaded a few wills (mainly Wantage) from the Wiltshire Wills site, but it's currently unavailable.  I wish they would get it back up and running, it was very useful.

Quote
As of August 2015 the Wiltshire Wills website is not available while we pursue a replacement web front end. We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause. The index is still available, and if you then need a copy of a will please e-mail archives@wiltshire.gov.uk and a copy can be sent to you.
UK census content is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk  Transcriptions are my own.

Offline smudwhisk

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Re: FindMyPast Wiltshire wills index added today
« Reply #2 on: Saturday 08 July 17 16:18 BST (UK) »
The remaining Wills are apparently being digitised by Ancestry and due for release on the site later this year.  It is apparently part of the agreement to digitise the parish registers which have already been released.
(KENT) Lingwell, Rayment (BUCKS) Read, Hutchins (SRY) Costin, Westbrook (DOR) Gibbs, Goreing (DUR) Green (ESX) Rudland, Malden, Rouse, Boosey (FIFE) Foulis, Russell (NFK) Johnson, Farthing, Purdy, Barsham (GLOS) Collett, Morris, Freebury, May, Kirkman (HERTS) Winchester, Linford (NORTHANTS) Bird, Brimley, Chater, Wilford, Read, Chapman, Jeys, Marston, Lumley (WILTS) Arden, Whatley, Batson, Gleed, Greenhill (SOM) Coombs, Watkins (RUT) Stafford (BERKS) Sansom, Angel, Young, Stratton, Weeks, Day

Offline jillruss

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Re: FindMyPast Wiltshire wills index added today
« Reply #3 on: Saturday 08 July 17 20:44 BST (UK) »
What do you mean by "the remaining wills", Smudwhisk? I suppose the Berks Archivist can't stop Wiltshire Council making the wills available from those Berkshire parishes which fell into the Wiltshire purview? Though, knowing what his stance is on releasing Berks parish registers, I bet he'll give it a whirl!!!!
HELP!!!

 BATHSHEBA BOOTHROYD bn c. 1802 W. Yorks.

Baptism nowhere to be found. Possibly in a nonconformist church near ALMONDBURY or HUDDERSFIELD.


Offline smudwhisk

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Re: FindMyPast Wiltshire wills index added today
« Reply #4 on: Saturday 08 July 17 22:45 BST (UK) »
The remaining wills means those that haven't already been digitised by WSHC.  They are then all due on Ancestry.

The wills for Berkshire residents proven at Sarum should be included because the Sarum diocese records office hold them (ie WSHC) and not Berkshire so no the unreasonable Berkshire archivist is unlikely to have any say in the matter as he is the Berkshire Diocese archivist only.  The same applied to Warwickshire wills held at Lichfield appearing on FindMyPast with the Staffordshire parish registers while Warwickshire PRs are on Ancestry.
(KENT) Lingwell, Rayment (BUCKS) Read, Hutchins (SRY) Costin, Westbrook (DOR) Gibbs, Goreing (DUR) Green (ESX) Rudland, Malden, Rouse, Boosey (FIFE) Foulis, Russell (NFK) Johnson, Farthing, Purdy, Barsham (GLOS) Collett, Morris, Freebury, May, Kirkman (HERTS) Winchester, Linford (NORTHANTS) Bird, Brimley, Chater, Wilford, Read, Chapman, Jeys, Marston, Lumley (WILTS) Arden, Whatley, Batson, Gleed, Greenhill (SOM) Coombs, Watkins (RUT) Stafford (BERKS) Sansom, Angel, Young, Stratton, Weeks, Day

Offline newburychap

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Re: FindMyPast Wiltshire wills index added today
« Reply #5 on: Monday 10 July 17 14:57 BST (UK) »
The wills for Berkshire residents proven at Sarum should be included because the Sarum diocese records office hold them (ie WSHC) and not Berkshire so no the unreasonable Berkshire archivist is unlikely to have any say in the matter as he is the Berkshire Diocese archivist only.

1. There is no Berkshire Diocese - the Berkshire Record Office is the archive for the Archdeaconry of Berkshire.

2. The 'unreasonable Berkshire archivist' is a pretty reasonable chap (and, coincidently, not the same chap who was the subject of much ire a few years back).  I am sure Berks PRs will appear online just as soon as someone comes up with the cash to digitise them - so far it seems that Ancestry and FindMyPast have shown no interest (small county, small returns). Meanwhile FindMyPast have increasing numbers of BFHS transcribed records and FamilySearch has had most of the pre-1837 registers indexed for decades.

'Berkshire' wills are held by the WSRO because a sizeable chunk of Wiltshire Archdeaconry around Hurst was transfered to Berkshire in 1840ish - prior to which the residents were, of course, Wiltshire residents and hence had their wills go through probate in the Wiltshire Archdeaconry court. Strictly speaking these are not Berkshire wills at all.

They joined most of the pre-existing Berkshire in moving to the newly created Diocese of Oxford. Prior to this the Bishops court of Sarum (Salisbury) had jurisdiction over probate above that of the Archdeaconry - so some wills from all over Berkshire would go through that court. Similarly the Diocesan court in Oxford would have granted probate on some Berkshire wills for a few years (until probate was transferred to the civil courts in the late 1850s). Above the diocesan courts was the Archbishop of Canterbury's court - hence the numerous Berkshire wills proven there.

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Offline jillruss

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Re: FindMyPast Wiltshire wills index added today
« Reply #6 on: Monday 10 July 17 16:50 BST (UK) »


 The 'unreasonable Berkshire archivist' is a pretty reasonable chap (and, coincidently, not the same chap who was the subject of much ire a few years back).

On the thread about Berks PRs possibly becoming available on FindMyPast (they are heralding some additional Berks PRs some time this summer), I was led to believe that the current archivist is as adamant as was the former holder of that post that Berks PRs would not be appearing online in a digitised form any time soon. If I have maligned the chap, I willingly apologise.

 I am sure Berks PRs will appear online just as soon as someone comes up with the cash to digitise them - so far it seems that Ancestry and FindMyPast have shown no interest (small county, small returns). Meanwhile FindMyPast have increasing numbers of BFHS transcribed records and FamilySearch has had most of the pre-1837 registers indexed for decades.

This is my opinion as well - that they are awaiting a good offer. I know there are a lot of transcribed Berks PRs on FindMyPast but the digitised images are so much better and there are also quite a few still missing from Family Search and FindMyPast.

HELP!!!

 BATHSHEBA BOOTHROYD bn c. 1802 W. Yorks.

Baptism nowhere to be found. Possibly in a nonconformist church near ALMONDBURY or HUDDERSFIELD.

Offline smudwhisk

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Re: FindMyPast Wiltshire wills index added today
« Reply #7 on: Monday 10 July 17 18:19 BST (UK) »
'Berkshire' wills are held by the WSRO because a sizeable chunk of Wiltshire Archdeaconry around Hurst was transfered to Berkshire in 1840ish - prior to which the residents were, of course, Wiltshire residents and hence had their wills go through probate in the Wiltshire Archdeaconry court. Strictly speaking these are not Berkshire wills at all.

My understanding is that Sarum was a higher court than the Archdeaconry of Berkshire and depending on the value and location of the estate, it would have had to be proven at Sarum.  The court above Sarum being the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.  This would explain why some Shrivenham residents' wills were proven at Sarum and some in the Berkshire Court.  You see it amongst a lot of counties in the country, where the consistory courts which were higher than archdeaconry courts were located in one county but covered residents from other counties.

As for the current Berkshire incumbent, well I've been told by some people very active in the genealogy "world" in the area that he does hold the same attitude as his predecessor regarding digitisation, or at least did the other year (and there hasn't been a change of archivist since that time).  If he has softened his attitude which eventually may lead to the records being digitised, then good but I shall believe it when I see it.

This is my opinion as well - that they are awaiting a good offer. I know there are a lot of transcribed Berks PRs on FindMyPast but the digitised images are so much better and there are also quite a few still missing from Family Search and FindMyPast.[/color][/color]

I think you'll find that they need to approach the companies, the companies don't approach them.  That is my understanding from what I've read. If the Berkshire Archivist is waiting for such a good offer, he may be waiting for a while.  That said, the approach to digitisation between Ancestry and Findmypast is different, Ancestry apparently hire temporary staff to digitise the records at the records offices and FindMyPast expect the records offices to digitise them themselves using volunteers usually.  I suspect the difference also comes down to how much money they earn from the records being viewed on the different sites depending on the company's initial outlay.  While there are of course other companies that do host the records, their subscriber base is much smaller and they won't make as much money from the arrangement.  In the case of Familysearch of course, they only provide free access anyway albeit usually at their centres.
(KENT) Lingwell, Rayment (BUCKS) Read, Hutchins (SRY) Costin, Westbrook (DOR) Gibbs, Goreing (DUR) Green (ESX) Rudland, Malden, Rouse, Boosey (FIFE) Foulis, Russell (NFK) Johnson, Farthing, Purdy, Barsham (GLOS) Collett, Morris, Freebury, May, Kirkman (HERTS) Winchester, Linford (NORTHANTS) Bird, Brimley, Chater, Wilford, Read, Chapman, Jeys, Marston, Lumley (WILTS) Arden, Whatley, Batson, Gleed, Greenhill (SOM) Coombs, Watkins (RUT) Stafford (BERKS) Sansom, Angel, Young, Stratton, Weeks, Day

Offline newburychap

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Re: FindMyPast Wiltshire wills index added today
« Reply #8 on: Monday 10 July 17 20:42 BST (UK) »
My understanding is that Sarum was a higher court than the Archdeaconry of Berkshire and depending on the value and location of the estate, it would have had to be proven at Sarum.  The court above Sarum being the Prerogative Court of Canterbury.  This would explain why some Shrivenham residents' wills were proven at Sarum and some in the Berkshire Court.  You see it amongst a lot of counties in the country, where the consistory courts which were higher than archdeaconry courts were located in one county but covered residents from other counties.
Yes - but most of the 'Berkshire' wills at the WSRO are Wiltshire Archdeaconry wills from the Hurst area. I think the Bishop's court also stepped in and took over all archdeaconry probate every few years - as a fund raising exercise. There was also a snob value in using a higher court - which is why so many went to the PCC (Salisbury was not prestigious enough) - though it was also easier to get to London.

As for the current Berkshire incumbent, well I've been told by some people very active in the genealogy "world" in the area that he does hold the same attitude as his predecessor regarding digitisation, or at least did the other year (and there hasn't been a change of archivist since that time).  If he has softened his attitude which eventually may lead to the records being digitised, then good but I shall believe it when I see it.
I'm pretty sure that he would listen to any proposal and be open to the PRs being digitised, providing he doesn't have to staff it and the diocese is happy about it. His attitude is that he doesn't expect this to happen any time soon.

This is my opinion as well - that they are awaiting a good offer. I know there are a lot of transcribed Berks PRs on FindMyPast but the digitised images are so much better and there are also quite a few still missing from Family Search and FindMyPast.[/color][/color]

The original is always the best, if not always the most readable. There are quite a few missing from the BRO too - there will never be 100% coverage.

I think you'll find that they need to approach the companies, the companies don't approach them.  That is my understanding from what I've read. If the Berkshire Archivist is waiting for such a good offer, he may be waiting for a while.  That said, the approach to digitisation between Ancestry and Findmypast is different, Ancestry apparently hire temporary staff to digitise the records at the records offices and FindMyPast expect the records offices to digitise them themselves using volunteers usually.  I suspect the difference also comes down to how much money they earn from the records being viewed on the different sites depending on the company's initial outlay.  While there are of course other companies that do host the records, their subscriber base is much smaller and they won't make as much money from the arrangement.  In the case of Familysearch of course, they only provide free access anyway albeit usually at their centres.
There is no way the archivist is going to go out of his way to get the records online - he is too busy coping with cuts on cuts, laying off staff, and still trying to get the day job done. Given the relatively small number of records involved it is unlikely that the BRO would benefit financially in any significant manner. I suspect it will be many years before archive funding rises back to the levels where they can think of doing the nice as well as the essential.

If I ever win the lottery I'll have a word with him!
Latest project - www.westberkshirewarmemorials.org.uk
Currently researching:<br /> Newbury pubs  & inns - the buildings, breweries and publican families.
Member of Newbury District Field Club - www.ndfc.org.uk