Genealogy Chat

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I corresponded with a distant Cousin several years ago and we exchanged our information etc. He gave the impression that he did not want to develop any sort of regular correspondence etc, so we stopped writing after a couple of letters each. I recently came across his letters and wondered how he had got on in the intervening years and whether we could exchange what else we had found. Sadly, I learned that he had passed away about 5 years ago. I was told that he had traced the family back to the Battle of Agincourt, and had left his Research to an Archive. I tried the local Archivist to no avail and I am wondering how I would go about to see a copy of his Will to determine where the Family Tree is located.

Hi Grampa As long as his Will went to Probate, it will be a public document. You can obtain a copy from any Probate registry (your local one will be in the phone book) or the York Probate Registry who deal with a lot of the postal applications. I think the fee is £5. They will need his full name and approximate date of death. If his Will did not go to Probate (for example, it was a low value estate mainly left to his family), then the only way you are going to get to see it is if you can find another member of his family who will provide you with a copy. It only becomes a public document once it has gone to Probate. Tina

Grandpa Jim you may have to go to a main probate office as most of the wills are in them like London, Bristol or Plymouth. I also know copies where transfered to Exeter and they have wills from 1855 to 1966 so if it is not these dates you will have to go to a main office

Thank you both. I will see what I can do.