Obtaining Post-1858 Wills the Cheap Way

[Peter Goodey]

I've never felt the need to investigate it myself because I've been quite happy with using HMCS but it's come to my attention that the Mormon Family History Library has copy wills from 1858-1899 on film.

When searching the catalogue, use a search on Author = Great Britain. Principal Probate Registry

1020 of the Principal Probate Registry films are in permanent stock at their London Family History Centre. This means no hiring fee and no wait for them to come in. Elsewhere you would presumably have to order in the usual way.

The London Centre does not seem to have wills from the District Registries although they can be ordered.

I don't think I'll be using the service myself but some others may be interested.

[arthurk]

Another possibility which could be useful to some is that some district probate registries have deposited wills in their local record office. For example, Lincolnshire Archives has volumes of office copies of some of the post-1858 wills proved in Lincoln. I'm not sure of the exact dates involved, and as I've not used them myself I don't know if they're on film or the original paper records.

An important proviso here: the archives will not provide copies of these. So they're fine if you're happy to read and make notes - and of course it all depends on how easily you can get to a record office which might hold the wills you're interested in.

Arthur