Copies of Wills from PRONI

[my-irish-family]

Hi there, I can see quite a few of my ancestors listed as having wills / probates etc on the will calendar but no image. Is there a way for me to contact PRONI to purchase a copy of the will in the hope it lists further information than what’s on the extract? There was an email address mentioned, if I wanted a search done - not sure if that’s the way to contact, or if there’s a form etc.

Also, I have dates of other relatives who died in the 70s and 80s that aren’t listed in the Will calendar but I’m hopeful they will have left a will, or something similar, as they had a lot of farmland which I know was inherited. Does a certain amount of time need to have passed from the ancestors death before I can request a search / copy? Any info gratefully appreciated!

Thanks
Lara

[Elwyn Soutter]

Yes you can e-mail PRONI and ask for copies of wills. They will quote you a fee and you have to pay in advance. Alternatively you could hire a researcher in the Belfast area to copy them for you.

PRONI has probate files up to around 2010 (after that they are still held by the Probate Office). The calendars (indexes) to post 1970 wills are not on-line but can be accessed in PRONI. They are on the shelves in one of the public reading rooms.  Again you could ask PRONI to search them or get a researcher to do the same.

[my-irish-family]

Thanks so much Elwyn!

I think, judging by the number I may need to search and request a copy of, it may be more beneficial to pay a researcher to do this.

I will have a wee search online to for someone who can do this.

Thanks again, very helpful indeed!

Lara

[Elwyn Soutter]

Researchers in the PRONI area: http://sgni.net

[my-irish-family]

Wonderful