Missing will/administration bond?

[cristeen]

I am revisiting my husbands ancestors who were Steavensons from Berwick upon Tweed. John Steavenson was baptised 1758 at Berwick and died 4th Feb 1831 at Berwick. I can't find any trace of a will or administration bond etc. His wife Ann (nee Langhorn) survived him, dying in 1834 I believe.
I have found wills from his father (also John will 1780), both his older brothers, Joseph (distiller Wardour Street Soho & Shantock Hall Bovingdon will 1831) and Robert (MD Newcastle will 1828) and three of his four sisters Dorothy (spinster will 1813), Ann (spinster Barnes Lodge, Kings Langley Herts will 1829) and Jane Lafont (widow Barnes Lodge will 1853)
I find it hard to believe that John didn't leave a will, he was wealthy & a prominent member of society. I have searched all the usual places for trace of a record with no luck.
Any help on this would be appreciated.
TIA Christine

[coombs]

Could be they came to a private arrangement? Even those with some money, tradesmen did not always leave a will.

Maybe John left a will that never was proved.

[aghadowey]

Have you looked to see if there was some sort of settlement of an estate when the wife died?

[cristeen]

Could be they came to a private arrangement? Even those with some money, tradesmen did not always leave a will.

Maybe John left a will that never was proved.

This is possible, John's son was a solicitor along with various other relatives. His father left him property in Berwick, shares in fisheries and boats plus £200, the will stipulated that the property must not be sold but passed on to John's heirs. Of course that doesn't mean it wasn't sold! His eldest son went bankrupt in 1830 so maybe he sold some property to help him out. I am just surprised to find no trace given his background

[cristeen]

Have you looked to see if there was some sort of settlement of an estate when the wife died?

I am fairly sure wife Ann died in Newcastle in 1835 but haven't found any probate/administration records for her either
I'm being nosey really, wanting to see how the children were provided for.

[melba_schmelba]

Have you checked Prerogative Court of York wills, or Prerogative Court of Canterbury administrations (the indexes for the former I think are on findmypast, the latter not online as far as I know).

[cristeen]

Have you checked Prerogative Court of York wills, or Prerogative Court of Canterbury administrations (the indexes for the former I think are on findmypast, the latter not online as far as I know).

Thanks for the suggestion. I have checked these via FindMyPast & Ancestry. I have also searched NE Inheritance database where I found wills for several ancestors (John 1780, the father & Robert 1828, John's brother; among others). The PC Canterbury has most of John's siblings wills, Joseph 1831, Dorothy 1813, Ann 1829, Jane Lafont 1853 & Eliza Padget 18??
Hence my surprise to find nothing for John or his wife Ann
I have also checked voting registers/polls to see if any of John's children had property that entitled them to vote in Berwick, nothing

[melba_schmelba]

Have you checked Prerogative Court of York wills, or Prerogative Court of Canterbury administrations (the indexes for the former I think are on findmypast, the latter not online as far as I know).

Thanks for the suggestion. I have checked these via FindMyPast & Ancestry. I have also searched NE Inheritance database where I found wills for several ancestors (John 1780, the father & Robert 1828, John's brother; among others). The PC Canterbury has most of John's siblings wills, Joseph 1831, Dorothy 1813, Ann 1829, Jane Lafont 1853 & Eliza Padget 18??
Hence my surprise to find nothing for John or his wife Ann
I have also checked voting registers/polls to see if any of John's children had property that entitled them to vote in Berwick, nothing

Are you sure the more modern PCC administrations are online? I think the ancestry ones may only cover the 16th-17th centuries and were originally in printed book indexes. The other possibility is that he was a bankrupt, but even then they often left administrations.

[melba_schmelba]

OK, I found the answer , the Society of Genealogists have a private index to PCC admons from 1750-1800 which can be accessed online if you are a SOG member. But after that, I think you need to go to the microfilms at the National Archives, probably ordered by year, and surname letter.

http://www.sog.org.uk/learn/help-getting-started-with-genealogy/guide-five/