Wills for East Sussex

[jonw65]

Thanks, Liz.
Hope it will be helpful. I would still say though that the first port of call should be The Keep website, which is really excellent!
John

[Pheno]

Just bookmarking this as will find it useful I hope.

Jonw65 are you a member of SFHG?  You seem quite interested in Sussex and know you have helped me before.

Pheno

[Liz_in_Sussex]

Hope it will be helpful. I would still say though that the first port of call should be The Keep website, which is really excellent!

Absolutely agree! 

[jonw65]

Jonw65 are you a member of SFHG? 

Hi Pheno
Sadly, no. But everyone should be aware of the wonderful resources the SFHG have. Which I am sure could be of great help to many.
John

[MattD30]

Hi Matt
Yes, that's the secret. The last number, far right, is the number of the original will.
The number may be written on the will - and/or there may be a huge number on the image as with this one, bottom right!
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6D39-VTC?i=15&cat=685691

That is Richard LIngham of Iden, original will number 11 for 1679, indexed on FamilySearch here
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRL3-M89?i=460&cat=498353

John

Hi John

Many thanks that's brilliant and very useful. I've bookmarked the links you sent for the index and added a note to my wills list. I already think I have found two of the wills I am looking for so it is already proving a useful tool.

Thanks again
Matt

[MattD30]

Microfilm 1885591
Wills proved Lewes/South Malling/Battle, up to the Commonwealth period. Also Administrations.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRLS-R17?i=4&cat=498353

Date wise is in bits and pieces, gets going here
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRLS-5JN?i=13&cat=498353

Thus you will need the name index to the index!
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRL3-SGQ?i=196&cat=498353

A few supplements including some unregistered Lewes wills
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRLS-RGM?i=240&cat=498353

Do explore it all.

Now the big one. Giving away more secrets 
Lewes wills from 1660
Alphabetical. For those who struggle to find them on the LDS films, It gives the number of the original will. I rarely use it myself, of course
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRL3-SN5?i=254&cat=498353

If there is no original will number then I guess, theoretically, it shouldn't survive (you would need the register copy) but you should check (found one once!)
John

Hi again John

Those links are definitely very useful so many thanks again for sharing them, so far I have found most of the wills I have been looking for with the exception of a few. I was wondering what the date coverage on this was. Does it cover wills proved in the 16th century for example?

Also is there an index or a list of parishes covered by the wills in these courts? A lot of my ancestors were from West Sussex but some lived on the border and so may have wills proved in East Sussex.

Do you know if there is a similar index or method for looking up inventories on FamilySearch by the way?

Again many thanks for sharing this and for your tips.

Best wishes
Matt

[jonw65]

Hi Matt
For the 16th century wills you need that book on the start of the film, which begins with Archdeaconry of Lewes Wills,  Book A1 1541-49
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRLS-5JN?i=13&cat=498353

So these are register copy wills that we can't see at home on FamilySearch, but they are on there, locked up, Register copy wills, v. A1-A3 1541-1559 Film 97231 DGS 7904065

As we can see from on film 1885593, early original wills, there aren't very many in A1 that survive.

Now, important news. You can download that whole book via FamilySearch Books
I have shrunk the link, you may need to sign in again?
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01pj6/

Sixth from left at bottom, click on print or download files (Download: FL107458_TN-212898.pdf)

I'm afraid I don't know of any index of inventories other than by searching The Keep.
John

[MattD30]

Hi Matt
For the 16th century wills you need that book on the start of the film, which begins with Archdeaconry of Lewes Wills,  Book A1 1541-49
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DRLS-5JN?i=13&cat=498353

So these are register copy wills that we can't see at home on FamilySearch, but they are on there, locked up, Register copy wills, v. A1-A3 1541-1559 Film 97231 DGS 7904065

As we can see from on film 1885593, early original wills, there aren't very many in A1 that survive.

Now, important news. You can download that whole book via FamilySearch Books
I have shrunk the link, you may need to sign in again?
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01pj6/

Sixth from left at bottom, click on print or download files (Download: FL107458_TN-212898.pdf)

I'm afraid I don't know of any index of inventories other than by searching The Keep.
John

Hi John

Thanks for that. These links and indexes are extremely useful and I'm trying to go through them checking on all my Sussex ancestral families - which is a lot!

Now an odd question. I've noticed that on the top right hand corner of the pages in the index it says Orig.will (year +). So I presume this index refers to the original wills?

All the will references I have found come from the East Sussex Record Office catalogue website and all refer to the registered copies of the wills. The originals are sometimes actually easier to read than the registered copies and I've actually been unable to find some of the registered copies so having an index to take me directly to the original is fantastic.

Do you know if the original wills would have a different reference and can this be worked out via the index?

Many many thanks again

Matt

[jonw65]

Hi Matt
Yes that last column number is the number of the original will for any particular year. They may be written on the wills and/or there may be a card with the will that has the number.
But they are also indexing the register copies of those wills on that film. With probably the same reference, more or less, as is on The Keep.

As far as I know The Keep website doesn't index original wills per se, though it does have some unregistered wills. (In contrast, the Essex RO website indexes the originals and provides images, but not the register copies)
But I am not really sure that there is a reference for each original will?

You could have a read through/download this, but it probably won't help a lot!
Register of pre-1858 probates; volume 35, Sussex
https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/195110-register-of-pre-1858-probates-v-35?offset=14

Now if we could see the originals of the PCC wills at home it would be good
Berkshire Wills Index - I did not know this was online, no idea at all
https://www.berkshirerecordoffice.org.uk/wills-index

John