Looking for a will from 1844

[-Glen-]

Hello,

Does anybody know how I may go about finding my 5X Great Grandfather's will?

(Michael Comerford, Bookseller & Stationer of 114 High Street, Portsmouth and died 1844)

Thanks in advance for any help,
Glen

[KGarrad]

Have you read the advice given at The National Archives?

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/wills.htm

[BumbleB]

Pre-1858 wills would have been deposited with the Diocese office.  I would suggest that you contact Hampshire Record Office.  According to their website they have catalogued 110,000 wills and copies can be ordered.

[Little Nell]

There is no will listed in HRO catalogue for Michael Comerford, so if he left one it was not proved in Winchester.

I don't see one listed in TNA catalogue either.  Maybe he didn't leave one?  Not everyone did. 

Nell

[-Glen-]

Dear All,

Thank you kindly for your responses.

I found a newspaper extract online, which was an advert for any claims against him, placed by a local Solicitor's firm. It also mentions his wife as Executrix of his will, so he had one, but I suppose it possibly hasn't survived.

Thanks again,
Glen

[silaswall]

Have you checked for a Will for his wife? In probate records on Ancestry I found an entry that was linked for a couple. If she died later might be worth a try.

[-Glen-]

Neither of them appear on Ancestry unfortunately. His wife Sophia died ten years later, in 1854.
I assume I'll need to try searching locally, for both wills.

Kind regards,
Glen

[Little Nell]

The Hampshire Record Office catalogue that I searched should include any will proved at Winchester,which covers most of Hampshire.  Neither Michael nor Sophia's names appear in it as having left a will.

I suppose Sophia must have been administering his affairs.  There are occasions when testaments are not submitted for probate.  I have copies of wills which don't appear in any calendar - one was quite complicated while the other was very simple.    However, both documents did end up in the archives.

Nell