A bit confused about finding a will ...

[Jan65]

... I've been reading the latest threads and have read the information on probate that Finbar has posted but am still confused.

A few years ago I wrote to the York address given in that information and was lucky enough to find the will that I was after.

Now I'm wanting to search for two more wills - a married couple - who died in 1934 and 1940 respectively, in Middlesbrough, which was then North Yorkshire. They were quite wealthy and I think would probably have left wills.

But having read the information, I'm now wondering if I understand it correctly. If probate wasn't needed, does that mean that writing to this address won't produce a will even if there IS a will - and if so then how do you go about finding it?

Apologies if this has been asked before!

Janice

[Neil Wilson]

Janice
I believe it is still York that you need to contact, see here (http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/1226.htm)
It explains the three types of grant of representation:
Probate
Letter of Administration [with Will]
Letter of Administration [no Will]
Good luck

[Geoffers]

Now I'm wanting to search for two more wills - a married couple - who died in 1934 and 1940 respectively, in Middlesbrough, which was then North Yorkshire. They were quite wealthy and I think would probably have left wills.


Bear in mind that you pay the Probate Service to look for you, the search period is limited and if nothing is found you have to pay for another search.

I think a better way is to look at the probate calendar yourself. It has been copied onto microfilm and is really easy to use. If you are in Britain, you'll find the calendar at most County Record Offices (give them a call first to check the coverage. If outside Britain, I understand that the calendar can be acessed via mormon church (LDS) record centres

It can take sometime (especially during war) for probate/admon to be granted so you may have to search for several years after a known date of death.

[Colin Moretti]

...
Now I'm wanting to search for two more wills - a married couple - who died in 1934 and 1940 respectively, in Middlesbrough, which was then North Yorkshire. They were quite wealthy and I think would probably have left wills.

But having read the information, I'm now wondering if I understand it correctly. If probate wasn't needed, ...

JaniceIf they were wealthy then a grant of probate/letters of administration will have been needed, only if the value of the estate is low is it not required (I've no idea what the figure was in the 1930s-40s, if my memory serves me well it was £5000 a few years ago).

Colin

[Jan65]

Thank you everyone for your replies and helping me sort out my confusion - it's clearer now.

I've maybe been a bit hasty but have sent off a letter to York asking for two searches and have paid my £10. If nothing comes of this then I will definitely go to my local records office, Teesside Archives, to have a look at the probate calendar. Wish I'd done this first really but got a bit carried away and enthusiastic! I first thought about looking for these two wills about four years ago but did nothing about it, but this weekend after finally deciding to go ahead, I couldn't bear to wait any longer! Silly old me. Must have more money than sense - if only that was true! Will let you know if anything is found.

Thanks again.

Janice

[Jan65]

Looks as though one will was found - unless a second one comes under separate cover tomorrow - that of the husband, who died first in 1934. His estate was worth almost £28,000 - so, two questions ... did that figure include the value of his house, which his wife continued to live in for another six years until her own death?

And the inevitable ... what is that figure worth in today's terms? I've looked on a couple of websites which compute this for you but don't really understand the results - the amounts vary from 1.2 million to 8.2 million, depending on what indicator you use. I suppose I want to know what that amount of money could have bought in 1934 so that I can compare it with today.

For anyone who is interested, this man was not a blood relative of mine, but his second wife was my 2xg grandmother. From very humble beginnings (I'm descended from the illegitimate baby she had when she was only 15!) she did rather well for herself in marrying this chap! I was hoping that his will would mention his step daughter (the illegitimate baby), as the rumour in my family was that he had bought her the house that she lived in. Unfortunately no mention in the will. Still, I learned several other very interesting things, such as it seems as though he employed his wife's niece as a servant!

[Neil Wilson]

Hi Janice
Nice update, I would stick with the value comparison of 8.2 million and think what you could buy with it if it was yours.

[Jan1954]

Have a read of this thread (http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41274&highlight=worth) - especially post #8 from Oates. :)

[Jan65]

Hi Janice
Nice update, I would stick with the value comparison of 8.2 million and think what you could buy with it if it was yours.

I'm not greedy Neil, the million would do me just fine! Janice

[Jan65]

Have a read of this thread (http://www.british-genealogy.com/forums/showthread.php?t=41274&highlight=worth) - especially post #8 from Oates. :)

Thank you Jan for this link, I can see I'm going to have to do a bit of reading to answer my question ... unless I just think well it must have been a lot of money! I don't think any of it came down my line, even with the rumour of the house being bought for the illegitimate baby (who was my great grandma). Sadly when she died in 1965, just after I was born, her eldest son (not his brother my grandad) sold the house lock stock and barrel, contents and all, very quickly, to a builder I understand. All gone. No documents, photos, nick nacks left. Nothing. I could weep.

Janice