Scottish Wills

[Mitch in Notts]

Scottish Wills are online on Scotlandspeople to 1901.
From 1902 the National Archives of Scotland (NAS) state:

How to find testaments from 1902
From 1902, to search for the will and/or inventory of someone who died in Scotland or someone with Scottish connections who died outwith Scotland, you need to know:

the person's name, where they lived, and when they died.
There is an annual index of testaments, the Calendar of Confirmations. From 1901 to 1959 it takes the form of printed or typed volumes and from 1960 it is in the form of microfiche cards. The Calendar covers all of Scotland and gives details of the deceased, their place and date of death, and details of when and where their testament is recorded. The index is available in the Historical Search Room and the Mitchell Library, Glasgow, holds copies up to 1936. From 1985-1996 there is a computer index available in the NAS search rooms.



I have done a search on the NAS but can only find indexed wills for the war periods. I am seeking a will from a death in 1926. Does anyone know if the indexes are available anywhere other than Edinburgh or Scotland?

Thanks

Mitch

[Kerrywood]

In case it helps, I had a similar query when trying to find a Scottish will from 1920.

I emailed the NAS (enquiries(at)nas.gov.uk) with details of what I was seeking. They checked the Calendar of Confirmations and Inventories for me, up to 3 years after the date of death, and emailed me back with the result within 2 days. Had I needed a wider search, they would not have been able to do it. In those circumstances they recommend the use of a record agent.

This was two years ago. I don't know if the system has changed since then.

[Mitch in Notts]

Thanks for that Kerrywood - I will give that a try as I have exact details of death. So fingers crossed.

Mitch

[Mitch in Notts]

Is it Worth it??

I have been informed by NAS that Mr Russell didn`t leave a will.
They do though have an inventory of his possessions. (Which could be interesting with regard to his private museum!)
There is a (minimum) search & request fee of £15. This will be deducted from the estimate we send you. The £15 is non refundable.

Is it me or does £15 seem a lot for a list of possesions. Or have I just been spoilt having just sent off another £5 for a will from York?

Thanks for your opinions,

Mitch

[Kerrywood]

I guess it depends on your level of interest in Mr RUSSELL, and how close a relative he is.

Personally, I think inventories are totally fascinating. Earlier ones can give great insight into the way people lived their lives, though I have never obtained one for 1920.

One of my great-grandfathers died in Edinburgh in 1920, and I would love to have an inventory of his possessions. You've spurred me to look into this further now! :smile5:

[Mitch in Notts]

Thought I ought to finish this thread off.

The Inventry of Possesions ran to 4 pages - which was covered by the £15 (- though I had to pay a further £2 p&p).

Unfortunately the `inventry of possesions` was actually a list of his bank accounts and what was in them (very little) and not his actaul possesions as we think of them (or as seen on earlier inventories).
So I am no wiser as to what happened to his private musuem!

One of those cases of - if you didn`t ask for it you would always wonder about it!

Mitch

[Coromandel]

According to http://www. rootsweb.ancestry.com/~bifhsusa/ressco.html the Calendar of Confirmations and Inventories for 1876 to 1936 is available on microfiche at an LDS Family History Center: in that particular case the Los Angeles FHC, but presumably it could be obtained at other FHCs too?

[Mitch in Notts]

Thanks for that Coromandel.
Will add that to list of things I need to do!

Mitch