Locating a Will

[Titanicfan]

Hi all, I'm trying to locate a will for my 4x Great Grandfather around 1841. He lived in Blean in Kent so would the will - if it exists - definitely be proved in Canterbury?

[Vance Mead]

I think both consistory and archdeaconry court wills will be located at the Centre for Kentish Studies at County Hall, Maidstone. What was his name?

[Titanicfan]

Hi Vance, his name is William KENNETT and he and his wife Elizabeth lived at St Thomas' Hill in the parish of St Dunstan in the Blean.

[Vance Mead]

It looks like there were quite a lot of them, a dozen William Kennets or Kennetts in Kent:

http://www.kentarchaeology.ac/ekwills_a/series/ekp_p2/ekp_p2n_kem.htm

Also a few more in the PCC at Documents Online. None at Blean though.

[Titanicfan]

Thank you for the info, Vance. I think I might have found his will! They lived only a couple of miles from Faversham so I think that entry might well be the right one and it is around the right time as well. I have many, many more KENNETTs to locate so this info. will prove very useful. :)

[jeeb]

Hi all, I'm trying to locate a will for my 4x Great Grandfather around 1841. He lived in Blean in Kent so would the will - if it exists - definitely be proved in Canterbury?

Hi,
Pre 1858 most Wills were proved by Ecclesiastical Courts in the their county of origin. In Kent most Wills would have been proved at the Archdeaconry Courts of Canterbury (ADC)

Wills proved at the Preogative Court of Canterbury (PCC) in London were from mainly wealthier people from Southern England and Wales who generally left large estates and often with property in more than one county.

Jeremy

[peejayess]

Although there are no Kennetts listed at present this developing site I stumbled upon (over 950 wills viewable "on-line") may be of use to other researchers:

Will Transcriptions on line with search facilities on surname or location. There is also a linked certificate exchange site. Both sites are free.

http://www.willtranscriptions.co.uk/index.htm

Regards

Pete