Calendar of Wills, Hampshire

[v.wells]

Which would be the nearest Probate Registry Office closest to Alton, Hampshire - would it be Ipswish or London First Avenue House? As I can't go in person I would like to view the calendar of wills for 1968/69 in order to obtain a copy of the Will. It would have been a simple will without extensive monetary grants. I am just hoping for next of kin listed somewhere on it.

All your thoughts appreciated

[Jan1954]

Go for Holborn, Vanessa

[oxon57]

Why Alton?
Is that where the person died (in which case it's neither here nor there, because it's a National calendar) or is that where the person who is looking it up for you lives?

If the latter - how are they travelling, by train or by car?
If by train, then, yes, I would go to London (Holborn).
If by car, nobody in their right mind takes a car into central London if they can avoid it, and the local office at Winchester (no trains there from Alton) is a heck of a lot nearer than London, so worth trying if it's more convenient...
but if using Winchester, do ring first and check that they have the years required, local offices do not have the lot, so it may be necessary to go to Holborn anyway.

[v.wells]

Thanks Jan. That would be First Avenue House I can't wait to write to them about this will and am trying (probably in vain) to circumvent the occasion by trotting down yet another path. Reading all this Will jargon is like reading Martian to me. I am bemused why the English gov't make searching for these things so difficult and hard to understand.

I am now discovering I need a 6th house in England - a London house - I hope I win the lottery soon!

[v.wells]

Why Alton?
Is that where the person died (in which case it's neither here nor there, because it's a National calendar) or is that where the person who is looking it up for you lives?

If the latter - how are they travelling, by train or by car?
If by train, then, yes, I would go to London (Holborn).
If by car, nobody in their right mind takes a car into central London if they can avoid it, and the local office at Winchester (no trains there from Alton) is a heck of a lot nearer than London, so worth trying if it's more convenient...
but if using Winchester, do ring first and check that they have the years required, local offices do not have the lot, so it may be necessary to go to Holborn anyway.

Oxon57
I was sort of hoping I could find some kind soul to go in person and Alton is where the person died and hopefully buried there. Anyway I can't ask anyone to go to Holborn (I'm not that unkind!) so I will either have to phone really early my time or write to them which, as it is approaching Xmas, a bit of a crunch. Thanks I'll think on the Winchester angle as the Hampshire Record Office Dserver appears to have broken for several days now. I have sent emails to them to ask for their help

[Jan1954]

... so I will either have to phone really early my time or write to them ...

You will need to write to them, Vanessa - they do not accept telephone requests.

Enjoy your lie-in....

[v.wells]

Winchester is MUCH closer (I had to googlemap it) so I will make an effort at that office.Thanks Oxon57

You just saved me money - I can now get rid of my 6th house in London!

[v.wells]

You will need to write to them, Vanessa - they do not accept telephone requests.

Enjoy your lie-in....

Well that at least saves some pennies in phone calls

[oxon57]

Before I go to bed, let us just make sure we don't have any confusion here.

I'll think on the Winchester angle as the Hampshire Record Office Dserver appears to have broken for several days now.

Hampshire Record Office has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the District Probate Registry at Winchester.

I will either have to phone really early my time or write to them

As Jan says, they do not not accept "telephone requests". You can, as I suggested, ring Winchester to check that they hold the years required, but not to ask for a search.
However, if you are writing to ask for a search rather than visiting in person, then you do not write to Holborn, nor do you write to Winchester, you write to York - click the "What if I cannot get to First Avenue House or a Registry?" link on the page that Jan linked to for the address etc.

[v.wells]

Oxon, yes I understood to ring Winchester to see if they hold the years and then either get my contact to visit in person and if not able to do that, at least I would have the reference numbers to write to Winchester or York with. Thank you, I think I got it(maybe)