Missing will/administration bond?

[Bookbox]

But after that, I think you need to go to the microfilms at the National Archives, probably ordered by year, and surname letter.

Unfortunately they are not ordered by surname letter. First you go to the paper indexes on the open shelves (PROB 12), which will give you the month the grant was issued and the folio number. You need both these before tackling the microfilms.

[melba_schmelba]

But after that, I think you need to go to the microfilms at the National Archives, probably ordered by year, and surname letter.

Unfortunately they are not ordered by surname letter. First you go to the paper indexes on the open shelves (PROB 12), which will give you the month the grant was issued and the folio number. You need both these before tackling the microfilms.

Oh, thanks for the clarification . So are the indexes per year?

[Bookbox]

Yes, annual lists, alpha-sorted by initial letter but not alphabetical.

[cristeen]

Thank you for the suggestions melba & bookbox. I have double checked the indices for York & Canterbury & can't find anything for John or Ann using surname variants and no year range in case probate took a lot longer than usual. I am unlikely to get to the NA in person

[melba_schmelba]

Thank you for the suggestions melba & bookbox. I have double checked the indices for York & Canterbury & can't find anything for John or Ann using surname variants and no year range in case probate took a lot longer than usual. I am unlikely to get to the NA in person

You could ask if someone wouldn't mind checking for you who regularly visits the NA (within reason, within a short range of searching). Otherwise there are researcher directories, where you can pay someone to look. It does seem strange really that none of the main companies have got round to scanning them, I wonder if they are even aware they exist!?

[Bookbox]

It does seem strange really that none of the main companies have got round to scanning them

Possibly in the pipeline, I'm told. Can't say more.

[smudwhisk]

Thank you for the suggestions melba & bookbox. I have double checked the indices for York & Canterbury & can't find anything for John or Ann using surname variants and no year range in case probate took a lot longer than usual. I am unlikely to get to the NA in person

If you are able to visit an LDS Family History Centre (they aren't viewable over the web), they have digitised copies of indexes for Administrations from the PCC - see https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/295797?availability=Family%20History%20Library.  There aren't any films listed for Administrations pre 1840s in that collection, but they may be under a different collection as I've definitely seen one for the 1600s.