Archdeaconry Court Wills

[MattD30]

Is there anyone who can obtains copies of some Wills proved in the Archdeaconry of Canterbury for me or let me know where I can obtain copies (and the cost)?

[Zacktyr]

Hi MattD,

I don't know where you are located so this option may or may not be easy for you to access:  All LDS Family History Centres that have computer internet access (which is just about all of them now, I believe), have all of the Archdeaconry and Consistory Court Wills (images) available for free through their proprietary FHC portal.  These are the original Wills and so do not necessarily jive with the index available at
http://www.kentarchaeology.ac/ekwills_a/index.html
insofar as page/folio and volume numbers are concerned.  But, being the original Wills they are arranged by date alphabetically by first letter of surname, in most cases. 

If you do go for this option, be prepared to be patient finding the Wills you need as none of the images are indexed but are grouped together by year only.

Also, have you tried
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mrawson/
under the heading Probate Records to see if an extract or abstract of the Wills you are after have been submitted to the site.

Lastly, what names and places are you looking for?  I have a lot of Wills in my own family research and could check for you to see if I already have one that is applicable to your search.

Regards,
Susan

[MattD30]

Hi Susan

Thanks for the message. I'm in Watford,so the nearest LDS centre for me in Hyde Park, London. I must admit I didn't know you could access the images on their computers but I haven't used a LDS centre for years now. Do you know if the material can be accessed via their website?

I will try the link you suggested and see what that brings up.

You asked about names and I am afraid there are a lot, but in case you have anything here is the list of names:

Back[e], Billinghurst, Catlet/Catlett/Catlott, Clerk/Clark, Deal[e], Dod[d],
Ladd[e]/Lad[e], Norwood, Oldfield, Raynor, Rigden.

[MattD30]

I forgot to mention these names:

Knowler, Chapman, and Packman/Packnam

[Zacktyr]

Hi,

Unfortunately, in order to access the Wills, as well as many Kent parish registers, Land Tax Assessments and Quarter Sessions (all for Kent), one has to physically attend at a fully computerized Family History Centre.  The way everything is set up now for Kent is via a LAN Desk system linked through to the LDS servers.  Many of the other records such as the parish registers for Cornwall were, the last time I accessed them, available via the FamilySearch website under the "Browse by Collection" list at the bottom of the home page "United Kingdom and Ireland" link.

If you take a look there, you will see what is available for Kent under each of the collections but you won't be able to get past the index listing for each category.

I have Dod[d], Back[e], Knowler, Chapman, Packman, Rigden and Raynor in my direct and collateral lines, so if you could be a bit more specific on these names I can take a look to see what I have that might help.


Regards,
Susan

[MattD30]

Hi,

Unfortunately, in order to access the Wills, as well as many Kent parish registers, Land Tax Assessments and Quarter Sessions (all for Kent), one has to physically attend at a fully computerized Family History Centre.  The way everything is set up now for Kent is via a LAN Desk system linked through to the LDS servers.  Many of the other records such as the parish registers for Cornwall were, the last time I accessed them, available via the FamilySearch website under the "Browse by Collection" list at the bottom of the home page "United Kingdom and Ireland" link.

If you take a look there, you will see what is available for Kent under each of the collections but you won't be able to get past the index listing for each category.

I have Dod[d], Back[e], Knowler, Chapman, Packman, Rigden and Raynor in my direct and collateral lines, so if you could be a bit more specific on these names I can take a look to see what I have that might help.


Regards,
Susan

Hi again Susan, thanks fot the message. Looks like I will have to pop up to London again although I will have to try and order any films etc I want before I go.

I will send you full details regarding my interests in those names in another message.

Matt

[smudwhisk]

I'm in Watford,so the nearest LDS centre for me in Hyde Park, London. I must admit I didn't know you could access the images on their computers but I haven't used a LDS centre for years now.

I think you'll find it's currently based out of Kew due to building work at the Hyde Park centre.

[MattD30]

I'm in Watford,so the nearest LDS centre for me in Hyde Park, London. I must admit I didn't know you could access the images on their computers but I haven't used a LDS centre for years now.

I think you'll find it's currently based out of Kew due to building work at the Hyde Park centre.

Do you think they would have the filmed records at Kew or would they still need to be ordered?

[smudwhisk]

http://www.londonfhc.org/

They would appear to have the films at Kew, at least that saves £7.50 per film ordering charge!