Administration and Wills question.

[Margaret in Burton]

I have found some on Ancestry that I want to send for but am a little confused.

Some say the Will was proved and give the expected details but others say Probate was granted and who to or Administration.

Does the fact it says Probate mean there is a Will?

Will the ones that just say Administration give me anymore info than is in the index?

[kiterunner]

Yes, if it says probate it means there was a will.

If it just says Adminstration and doesn't say "with the will" or something similar, then all you will get is the letter of adminstration. I would hesitate to say it is never worth paying £5 for that, because I did once pay up and got some very interesting information indeed (an unexpected name in the list of next of kin), but I would think that you are very unlikely to get much of interest from it that isn't in the index entry. Probably only worth paying for if you are trying to solve a mystery!

[Margaret in Burton]

Thanks Kate

[Phoenix]

In the days when records were at Somerset House, I was told there was no point in ordering an Admon, as you would get no more info than appears in the index. I think that depends on period, though. You would get name, address, and possibly relationship to deceased of an administrator. So it might be worthwhile for the very recent admons, but not for the very old ones, where the indexes are very full.

[samesizedfeet]

THis is from the Probate Registry website and explains it all:

What is a Grant of Representation?

A grant of representation is a document issued by the Court which enables the person(s) named in it to deal with the assets and belongings ['estate'] of the deceased. It allows the money in banks, building societies etc. to be collected, property to be sold or transferred and debts to be paid. There are three types of grant of representation:

Probate: granted to the executors named in the Will
Letter of Administration [with Will]: granted to someone other than an executor when the deceased left a valid Will, and
Letters of Administration: granted when the deceased did not leave a Will.

All these documents give the same authority to administer the estate. .

[kiterunner]

The letter of administration which I got with names of next of kin was from 1923. The administrator was the guardian of the deceased's children, who were all minors, and the children's names were not listed in the National Probate Calendar entry but only in the letter of administration. But as I said, I would think that was a very unusual situation.

[Olde Crone]

I have an early admon - 1721, from memory - which led me to uncover some quite interesting information about the family.

The Admon was for the estate of an elderly man who had died 10 years previously and his (young) widow had hung onto everything and refused to administer the considerable estate.

The names of the people granted Admon were not, at first glance, family members, but they turned out to be married-in men! Whether you think this sort of info is worth £5 is up to you (I only paid £3, through Cheshire Wills site)

OC

[Margaret in Burton]

I have found this one on the pages for 1864.

A note has been hand written that Admin (will) passed in 1878.

Do I put 1878 on the form?

Sorry I've never sent for a will before. :o:o:o

http://i660.photobucket.com/albums/uu326/margharrison/WoodgateNathanielprobate-1.jpg

[kiterunner]

If you put 15 March 1864 I think it should be o.k.