Author Topic: Probate Registry Offices  (Read 2269 times)

Offline Tickettyboo

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Probate Registry Offices
« on: Wednesday 22 August 18 12:57 BST (UK) »
I've only ever been to two, Liverpool and Newcastle. Last visit was in about 2014.
In both of these , there were pcs in the main area that you could use to find details in the Probate Calendars. I know the govt Find a Will site lets you search but doesn't give a lot of detail. The Probate office systems seemed to cover all of England & Wales (at least up to 2014) and gave the same sort of detail we got in the printed calendars - address of deceased, name and address of who ever carried out their probate/admin. I am sure of this as I searched the pcs in the Newcastle one and took photos of the results on the screen for a probate entry dated 2012:-)

Does anyone know if the same facilities still exist (and are being updated) in any of the Probate Registry offices? or is the only option now to search the website and fork out £10 to get that detail?

Thanks

Boo




Offline CaroleW

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Re: Probate Registry Offices
« Reply #1 on: Wednesday 22 August 18 18:07 BST (UK) »
Have you rung any of the Probate Registry Offices to ask them?
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Offline Tickettyboo

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Re: Probate Registry Offices
« Reply #2 on: Wednesday 22 August 18 18:23 BST (UK) »
Have you rung any of the Probate Registry Offices to ask them?

No. Having recently gone through doing probate in England from a few hundred miles away (we are in Scotland) and having to ring the Probate Office, I know its often difficult to get through as they are so busy. Given how stressful doing probate can be, I don't feel I should tie up the phone line when people who really need to talk to them may not be able to get through.

On the rare occasion I have consulted the calendars on site its been a very quick exchange with the staff, ring the bell say I want to consult the calendar, they let me in and I say I know what to do, so they just let me get on with it.

Boo

Offline CaroleW

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Re: Probate Registry Offices
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 22 August 18 18:50 BST (UK) »
I can’t be certain about the interpretation - but there was a press release dated 27.12.2014 announcing the release of 41 million wills (launch of the website) and it mentions people no longer having to visit the probate registry to search the archives in person.  It doesn’t say they can’t
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Offline carol8353

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Re: Probate Registry Offices
« Reply #4 on: Wednesday 22 August 18 20:40 BST (UK) »
I do know that the one in Holborn actually closed down and you had to use their website to do look ups and order from.
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Offline Tickettyboo

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Re: Probate Registry Offices
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 23 August 18 09:30 BST (UK) »
I do know that the one in Holborn actually closed down and you had to use their website to do look ups and order from.

Was that one a main registry? I thought they may withdraw the search, but to close the office is weird! Where would people go to swear the oath? Or do they have to go to a solicitor to get the oath notarised and sealed to then mail to the English registry? Which is what we did, as it was cheaper than travelling from Scotland which would also have involved an overnight stay.

Boo

Online rosie99

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Re: Probate Registry Offices
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 23 August 18 09:33 BST (UK) »
The Holborn one still appears on the list
http://www.probateforms.info/probate-registries/
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Online rosie99

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Re: Probate Registry Offices
« Reply #7 on: Thursday 23 August 18 09:39 BST (UK) »
Now the index is online I can't see that there would be any point in them manning offices just for index look ups when it is so readily available from home.   

As for the detail given on the website I would imagine that names and addresses of those carrying out the probate would not be given due to data protection. 
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Offline carol8353

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Re: Probate Registry Offices
« Reply #8 on: Thursday 23 August 18 09:39 BST (UK) »
The Holborn one still appears on the list
http://www.probateforms.info/probate-registries/

It may still be used as an actual probate office,but you can no longer peruse through the probate books and get a copy in minutes for 50p!
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