Wills and Probate 1858 - 1996

[ElizabethHerts]

https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/?advancedSearch=True&IsGrantSearch=True#wills

Could be addicitive.

[kiterunner]

Thanks for that, Elizabeth.

Something I noticed after I had done a few unsuccessful searches was that there are separate tabs at the top for 1996 - present and 1858-1996, but if you are on the wrong tab you will just get "no matches", not a message telling you that the year you entered is out of range.

There doesn't seem to be an advanced search facility for 1858-1996, just surname and year, although there is an advanced search for 1996 onwards. You will get back a page or set of pages from the National Probate Calendar which you have to browse through to see whether there is an entry for the person you are looking for. In the early years, note that there may be pages for Wills and separate pages for Administrations.

And if you are looking for someone who died in the year 1996, you need to use the "1996 to present" tab, not the 1858-1996 one, although you might think it was included in both. They should change the second one to 1858-1995.

I can't see why they have included "Folio Number" in the fields to fill in when ordering a will, since it isn't shown in the calendar?

[kiterunner]

If you don't find the entry you are looking for, try searching the National Probate Calendar on ancestry (up to 1966), because there do seem to be some omissions from the new index. It seems to be particularly confused by people who died before 1858 (yes, they can still be included if probate hadn't been granted before the new system was introduced.)

National Probate Calendar on ancestry (http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=1904)

And I see it still says "any person in the UK" on the new website although it only includes England and Wales.

[kiterunner]

Something else I have found now - although the year that you enter is labelled "year of death", it actually searches for year of probate, so if you don't find the entry you are looking for, you should keep going through the next few years in case it took a while for probate / administration to be granted.

[Phoenix]

Much better than Ancestry's copy, because it has all the annotations, not just some of them.

[Mary from Italy]

Ooh, excellent!

[Mary from Italy]

How annoying that the year of death field is still compulsory, though.

[Mary from Italy]

Oh, I'm just looking at some of the later entries (1979), and the names of the executor/administrator aren't given. What a pity - it makes it much harder to identify people. Anyone know which years that applies to?

[Phoenix]

1968

[Mary from Italy]

Do you mean that executors/administrators' aren't named in the calendar from 1968 to date?

[Phoenix]

Yes. Earliest probates are like mini biographies, but info decreases over time, till you get very little indeed.

[Mary from Italy]

Thanks, how annoying :mad:

[ElizabethHerts]

For the Registry is PRFD the Principal Registry or is that covered by London?

[Phoenix]

Checked Mum's will, and that says London - but doesn't really help as I went to a local satellite office, rather than to Holborn.

Presumably, you put whatever is written in the index?

[ElizabethHerts]

Phoenix, I want to order an 1861 will which was proved at the Principal Registry.
However, the drop-down list gives London and another choice is PRFD. The words Principal Registry don't appear.

https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Calendar?surname=Harding&yearOfDeath=1861&page=2&advancedSearch=False&isGrantSearch=False&isCalendarSearch=True&isSoldierWillSearch=False#calendar

[Phoenix]

In which case, yes I'd go for PRFD. It has been known by various names over time, so I'm sure they could find it.

(I do wonder whether this is the system that has been in place for years and always worked perfectly well in the past, or a new provider.)

[ElizabethHerts]

Thanks, Phoenix. I looked for an explanation on the site but couldn't find it.

[Tom Tom]

https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/?advancedSearch=True&IsGrantSearch=True#wills

Could be addicitive.

...and expensive!

[Tom Tom]

I have tried to fill in the details to order a will, but when I put in the Folio number, there isn't enough space in the box for the letter at the end of the numbers.
Anyone got any ideas?

[kiterunner]

I've just seen this on the BBC news - not sure why they are reporting it as though it went live today?

[tenterfieldjulie]

Tried Bowen 1858 to 1863, 1920 Nothing, decided to try Jones nothing, tried Smith nothing .. think there might be a problem with the system.

[kiterunner]

Are you on the wrong tab, Julie? See post #2 on this thread.

[Ann from Sussex]

Only a little thing but annoying if you have lots of pages to trawl through: the 'next page/previous page link is at the top of each page. It should be at the bottom so you can just click straight on. I have used the feedback link to point that out to them.

[ElizabethHerts]

This morning I have already received 10 e-mails reminding me that the will I ordered won't be viewable in a couple of days on the website and to download it if I haven't already!

I wonder how many more e-mails are to come!

[Mary from Italy]

Yes, aren't they irritating! I've had 3 for the same will, although it clearly shows on the site that I downloaded it immediately.

[ElizabethHerts]

Mary, it's annoying. At least I haven't had any more now.

[ElizabethHerts]

Tomorrow is the last day I can view the will. :d

In the past five minutes I have received 9 e-mails reminding me of the fact.

[Just Gillian]

Thanks for this Elizabeth!


I can't see why they have included "Folio Number" in the fields to fill in when ordering a will, since it isn't shown in the calendar?

I'm just about to order a 1931 administration. Can I just leave the folio field blank or should I be able to find it somewhere else?

[kiterunner]

I would have said leave it blank, but I was reading something recently where they had claimed that it had to be filled in. I think it was in a "Lost Cousins" newsletter.

Yes, found it:
http://lostcousins.com/newsletters/latejan15news.htm#Wills

I don't know of anywhere else to find the folio number if it isn't on the calendar, and I have never given a folio number when ordering copies in the post. So hopefully you don't need it - but I would hate to get the blame if you lose money by ordering without it!

[Just Gillian]

Thanks Kate.

This is actually one you looked up for me years ago, prior to the calendar going online. I only wanted it as there is a slight chance the relationship of the administrator will be given.

I think I'll take the gamble (I won't hold you responsible lol) and will report back.

I shall, of course, object in the strongest possible terms if they penalise me for the lack of a folio number!

[Mary from Italy]

I ordered a will from them recently without giving a folio number, and it arrived safely.

[Just Gillian]

Oh good!Thanks Mary.