Problem searching https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/

[Zaphod99]

If I search on 'Jones' in 1964 I am taken to a page starting with the letter 'G'.  It is page 463.  How can I page forward?

There are many such wrong hits. If I search on 'Johnson' in 1964 I am taken to a page starting with the letter 'M'.  It is page 253.

Zaph

[mazi]

If I search “jones” and 1964 I get 114 pages starting with Ada,  can’t understand why yours is different.

You are searching wills and probate 1858-1996 ?

Mike

[arthurk]

I quite often find that the first page of results seems not to be relevant, but the main bulk of the pages are. Without checking the odd ones, I suspect it's because there's someone there with a double-barrelled name or an alias, and the index has been compiled so as to include any foreseeable search terms.

Strangely, when I searched for Jones 1964 just now, my first page was 253, starting with Maynard (which you say you got for Johnson), and 121 pages in all.

However, you can jump through the pages using the numbers just above the page image. I picked 7 at random, and it took me to Jones, A. (I know alphabetically that should be before what it's showing as page 1, but you'd need to ask them to explain that rather than me.)

[Zaphod99]

Arthur, that is odd that we see differently to Mazi. 

What browser are you each using?  I'm using Chrome.  Version 91.0.4472.164 (Official Build) (64-bit).

Update:. I still get the same wrong results using a different browser and Android.  I've reported this to their support line, but does anyone else have suggestions or similar problems?


Zaph

[mazi]

How weird, today I am getting the same as you and arthurk, if however I click on previous year or next year then 1962 and 1966 are correct.

Baker works ok, as does Smith, you could report it and see what they say.

Mike

[arthurk]

If anyone needs to know, I'm using Firefox 91.0.

As for the results set, as long as I get the full range for the surname I'm looking for, I'm not too bothered about a few random pages added at the start.

However, if you have a subscription, it's often a lot easier to search the index at Ancestry or FindMyPast, as they allow you to search more than one year at a time and specify a forename or location. They have named the index as follows:

Ancestry: "England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995"

FindMyPast: "England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1858-2019"

Having found the entry in one of those, you'd still need to go back to the government site to place an order.

[Zaphod99]

Arthur, my problem is the opposite. I search for Jones, it opens on Maynard, and I can't see anyway of getting to any earlier pages.

Zaph

[ShaunJ]

I search for Jones, it opens on Maynard, and I can't see anyway of getting to any earlier pages.

Go forward to page 2

[BumbleB]

How very strange - that also happened when I checked, but it works.  I also tried JAMES in 1964 and was directed to MAYNARD, but page 3 took me to JAMES (page 2 was JAQUES).