Finding a will?

[sally75]

Hi Everyone

This is the first time I've had to find a will in my family history search, so I have no clue where to start.  I don't have a death cert for the person who's will I want, but I know they died in Stockton-on-Tees, or in or around Sedgefield in Durham.  He was a landowner, and I think his land must have been in Sedgefield.  BTW, his name was Robert Dent, and he died in 1857, and buried in Sedgefield.  So, where do I go from here?

Anyway help would be much appreciated!

Regards

Sally.

[kooky]

There is a death for Robert Dent June 1857 Stockton 10a [1,2,] 7.
Maybe you should get the death cert.

[lizdb]

I knew there was helpful info on getting wills on another thread! I have justlocated it, so will cut and paste the relevant bit here, if it works:


Those up to 1858 can be found on the National Archive website.You can pay £3-50 and download it if you find one.

The rest can be viewed in person at the Principal Probate Registry, 1st Avenue House, 42-49 High Holborn, London, WC1V 6NP and some indexes (not sure of the dates they hold) at the National Archives at Kew.

If you aren't able to get to either place,you have to apply by post(cost £5-but they do take ages!) to  York Probate Sub-Registry, Postal Applications, Duncombe Place, York, YO1 2EA



Yes! It did!

[behindthefrogs]

Those up to 1858 can be found on the National Archive website.You can pay £3-50 and download it if you find one.

If you aren't able to get to either place,you have to apply by post(cost £5-but they do take ages!) to  York Probate Sub-Registry, Postal Applications, Duncombe Place, York, YO1 2EA

No!

It is worth looking at ther National Archive Website because the online search is easy and free.  However both it and York only contain wills of people who owned property in more than one diocese.

The place  most likely to hold a pre 1858 will is the record office holding the records of the diocese in which he died (strictly the one in which he owned any property).  Check with the county record office of the parish in which he died to confirm where that is.

For Durham it is very simple and will be the county record office.  If not there it is most likely to be at York.

David

[lizdb]

I am sure that post 1858 wills (index of which can be viewed at Holborn and copies obtained from York ,who will search for you too if you cant do it yourself) are for ALL wills (and admons), certainly not just those for people who own property in more than one diocese. I have obtained numerous wills over the years through this method, and they certainly didnt! (MAny didnt own proprty at all!)

Pre 1858, yes, if National archive has nothing, then local record office is the next step. Sorry, I should have added that to the snippet I cut and pasted from someone elses thread!

[Teea]

Sally75

It's unfortunate that Robert Dent seems to have died at an awkward time!  It isn't necessary to know the exact date of his death, the year is near enough.  The grant of probate usually specifies the date and place of death anyway.

Probate of Robert Dent's Will would probably have been granted within 6 months or a year of his death. Until early in 1858 Probate would have been granted by the relevant Ecclesiastical (Consistory) Court - almost certainly Durham in this case.  [I believe the National Archive website only covers PCC Wills - i.e. probates granted by the Prerogative Court of Canterbury].

From 1858 the granting of Probate was transferred to the State and an annual alphabetical index is kept of all Grants of Probate and Administration. You will find a very informative article on the website of the Northumberland and Durham Family History Society at
http://www.ndfhs.org.uk/Articles/Wills/Wills1.html
There's also an interesting item at
http://www.dur.ac.uk/news/newsitem/?itemno=4535&rehref=%2Fnews%2Farchive%2F&resubj=%20Headlines

I have been fortunate enough to find that one of my local Record Offices has copies of all the Probate Indexes since 1858, so it might not be necessary to get to the Principal Probate Registry or apply to York, if you are in the UK.

Teea

[Berlin-Bob]

Hi Sally,

you'll find some more general information about wills in

Topic: RootsChat Topics: DICTIONARY of Genealogical Terms and Abbreviations
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,234766.0.html

Bob

[sally75]

Hi There

Many thanks to all for your information.  I'll get his death certificate, then move onto his will.  He was a land owner, and I'd love to know where he owned land (although I have an idea), hence the reason I'm going to a few lengths to find his will.  It'd be nice to know if he left anything to my 3 x great grandmother too (his daughter) - although I doubt it, knowing the times.

Thanks again.

Sally.