"National Wills Index"

[stonechat]

I see that British Original are going to greatly increase their holdings on wills and are already calling this the National Wills index

It would be good

I know of at least one RO that has the local (archdeaconry) wills on on microfilm with no index, so it is pot luck

[andycand]

Hi

Link below lists the coverage but I'm not sure how big it is.

http://www.originsnetwork.com/NWIWelcome.aspx

Andy

[msallen]

Whilst I applaud th eintention, I note on the origins site that mention is made of the British Record Index.

I can't comment on other areas, but the BRS index for Lichfield diocese isn't much use as it was published from an index of all estates ever probated, not ones for which the paperwork is still extant. Thus there's a fair number (probably about 1/4 - 1/3 off the top of my head) listed there that don't actually exist any more - especially for earlier ones.

[Redroger]

Including of course the wills for Southwest England which were lost in the WW2 blitz.

[coombs]

Including of course the wills for Southwest England which were lost in the WW2 blitz.

Did those wills cover up to that time or were they from a specific time frame?

[stanmapstone]

Exeter Probate Registry was destroyed in 1942, resulting in the loss of wills proved in the dioceses of Bath and Wells and Exeter. However Somerset Record Society have produced two volumes of Somerset Wills taken from the notebooks of  Alfred James Monday, which are held in the Somerset Record Office.

Stan

[Redroger]

Potentially very useful Stan, thanks. Expect they are not now available until September due to the proposed move?