Looking for will (in PCC per Death Duty Register)

[Alexander.]

I am trying to find a copy of the will of Mary Ann Butcher who died in Lambeth, Surrey in 1846.

There is an entry in the Death Duty Register index in 1847, which says the court was "PC" which I presume is the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. However I have been unable to find the will in the PCC registers either on Ancestry or TNA.

Wondered if it might be an administration, but those are usually indexed as such.

If no luck I'll plan to check the Death Duty Register itself, to see if that clarifies things, but it will be some time before I have chance to do so.

Any ideas on where to find this will?

Thanks

Alexander

[Watson]

It sounds as if it's an administration.  Do you have an IR27 reference from your search of the d.d. indexes?

[Alexander.]

The reference is IR27/280.

An administration might make sense, however she's in the death duty index with her listed as a testator, implying there is a will. The administrations appear in a separate section.

[Watson]

Yes, it's a will.  As you say, it is in PC, so I wonder why it can't be found in the indexes to PC wills. 

[Alexander.]

This one remains a mystery - I checked the Death Duty register today and Mary Ann Butcher was nowhere to be found in vol 1, f 180 - as stated in the index. I checked all the surrounding pages but could not find her.

Not sure where else to look for this will.

[jonw65]

Does it say N E after 180?
Maybe No Entry?

Though how can you index a no entry?

[jonw65]

It seems NE sometimes appears, meaning no entry, or not entered

From FamilySearch
Sometimes, estates valued under £1000 were omitted from the registers, duty was not charged, and the index entry is marked N.E. (not entered) in the indexes.

[jonw65]

Two more NE's on the same DDI page, perhaps a bit clearer. Particularly Mary Button. Also Sarah Butcher.

[Alexander.]

Good find, I wondered what those letters indicated. I'm guessing the will didn't survive then, and it may never have gone to probate. But it is strange that a volume and folio number is assigned if there is no note on that page.

This is also a little puzzling because Mary's estate may have been somewhat complicated.

Her husband Edward Butcher had a child with another woman in 1839, and although Mary and Edward were living together in 1841 I think they were living separately by 1846. Mary had no children.

Mary's mother left part of her estate to Mary, but by a codicil (in 1839) revokes Edward Butcher as executor and all legacies to him. All that Mary inherited was to be free of control of her husband Edward, and her mother's will states that after Mary's death her part to be distributed as if she was "intestate and unmarried".