THE WILL-SEARCHER IN ENGLAND
We have previously seen that wills in Scotland have not the same
evidential value as in other parts of Great Britain, that Irish wills
can be practically all found in Dublin, and that in London, Somerset
House is the depository where wills proved since 1858 have been kept,
as well as those proved in the Court of Canterbury, these latter being
not altogether restricted to testators who lived in that district. They
date from 1383.
There remain, however, the different wills proved in various parts of
the country; where exactly shall the searcher look for these?
The year 1858 was indeed an epoch-making year in this respect, for not
only was the enactment carried into force that future wills should be
deposited in Somerset House, but the old Diocesan Courts, where (as has
been previously stated) country wills were mainly kept, were superseded
by the District Registries. There nearly all the wills formerly in the
old Diocesan Courts are now preserved.
The following are the names of these, and practically all wills not
deposited in Somerset House, in Edinburgh, or in Dublin should be
procurable in one or other of these Registries:--
Blandford, Bangor, Bristol, Bury St. Edmunds, Canterbury, Carlisle,
Carmarthen, Chester, Chichester, Derby, Durham, Exeter, Gloucester,
Hereford, Ipswich, Lancaster, Lewes, Lichfield, Lincoln, Liverpool,
Llandaff, Manchester, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Northampton, Norwich,
Nottingham, Oxford, Peterborough, St. Asaph’s, Salisbury, Taunton,
Wakefield, Wells, Winchester, Worcester, York.
The last-named District Registry, that of York, is not exclusively
confined to wills of those who lived in the district; the others almost
universally are.
Each Registry, as a rule, comprises several of the suppressed Diocesan
and Minor Courts. They all date from early times, the latest being
those of Winchester and Wells, which contain no wills before 1660, and
the earliest that of Bury St. Edmunds, where the wills date from 1354.
When noting the contents of a will, the pedigree-hunter should put
down all particulars, even what at first sight might appear trivial,
as small items sometimes lead to great discoveries. The names of the
witnesses to a will, for instance, should never be omitted.
Of course, it is not necessary to copy a document in full, but its
contents should be noted somewhat in this way--
Will of John Browne, of. Proved in. (Give names of Court and date.)
_Legatees._--(Here note names of all legatees, their addresses,
if given, and _especially_ note particulars of any relationships
mentioned, all details of property devised, also any other points of
importance, if such occur in the will.)
_Signed._--(Signature and date to be given here.)
_Witnesses._--(Names of witnesses here.)
If there is a codicil, the contents, date of signature, and names of
witnesses to _it_ should also be given.
The contents of all deeds, leases, and other documents should, as far
as this is practicable, be noted in a somewhat similar manner.