Great grandchildren?

[Sue from Southend]

I am in the middle of trying to untangle relationships in a detailed will from 1737. She makes bequests to her daughters, granddaughters and grandsons. She mentions John and Richard sons of her grandson, but she names at least one other great grandchild as a "granddaughter" and it got me wondering when the term "great grand ......" came into use.

I just wish that they were using it in 1737 as it's giving me a headache trying work out who they all are :rolleyes:

[Olde Crone]

Sue

I don't know the answer to your question, but I have the Will of my great great aunt, who died a spinster in 1960. She left money to 32 relations (!) most of whom she called nephews and nieces but in fact the relationships were much looser than that - I am called niece in the will but of course I was her great great niece.

OC

[Margaret in Burton]

My great aunt passed away very recently aged 100 but she always referred to me as her niece never great niece, I always called her Aunty Daisy never great aunt.

[Sue from Southend]

Oh, I had great aunts and didn't use the "great " when talking to them - I just thought that in a legal document, such as a Will, some of the names could be a little ambiguous without the qualifier. Obviously the legal profession don't think so if OC's relatively recent experience is anything to go by!

[Olde Crone]

Sue

Yes, it struck me as a bit vague too, especially as the main surnames were Green and Wood!

OC

[Sue from Southend]

Lol, OC. The will I'm looking at is for a Joan Fox - not too bad you'd think but then when you take into account that I can't find births or marriages for some of those named it becomes a lot harder.

[Mary from Italy]

Oh, I had great aunts and didn't use the "great " when talking to them - I just thought that in a legal document, such as a Will, some of the names could be a little ambiguous without the qualifier. Obviously the legal profession don't think so if OC's relatively recent experience is anything to go by!


I'm sure the legal profession do think so, but if the client refers to "my niece X", they aren't going to know any different, are they?