Genealogy Chat

Both Lancashire and Cheshire have a fantastic Wills on line ordering servbice. The last ones I sent for from Cheshire promised ten working days and were delivered in three! Olde Crone

Last month we had a talk about wills at my local FHS. The advice is: if you want a will fast, if at all possible, go to Holborn. The firm that actually houses the wills has a brilliant retreival system. It can produce any will within an hour. The logjam occurs with the court service putting their stamp on the paper! Ordering from Holborn has in the past taken about a week to a fortnight, but I've heard tales of much longer delays when ordered from York. I am told that they have no standard to strive for (you know, the 'We endeavour to send all wills out within five working days') so that they can be penalised if they fail the target. What is really cruel is that the storage company devised their own index which could be put on the internet. All systems were nearly go, when it was realised that such a project should have been put out to tender..... so goodness knows when a halfway decent scheme will replace the antiquated system we currently have to put up with.

Does anyone know if you can go direct to the York office and get copies (1930s)? It's a bit too far for me to go to Holborn christine

Janet, Thank you for that information, I live about 40 miles from London But don't mind a day out. I will wait for the 3 to come back from york, see what leads if any I get from them before I embark on my Journey up town. Weater will be a little better then as well. Thanks again, Diane.

Thank you for this information. Something else I never knew. Just looked at the probate office site. You learn something new every day and you are never too old to learn.Thanks again Irene

Have just seen your comments. Yes I have done a lot through Holborn and I would automatically send for wills from there. I agree I live not too far from there. I was last up there about 8 months ago and it took 3 days for a will to be sent to me. I often just pick them up on the same day. But you have to order before 4pm and I ordered at 4.30 which was why mine was sent to me. If you google London Holborn Probate address you will get the Tel No and can give them a ring although I realise it is a bit late for your present ones but worth trying for the next lot. These wills are only from about 1858 onwards. Pre 1858 are usually with the relevant County Record Offices and I have many of these from Northants CRO. Sometimes you can be lucky and pick them up from The National Archives(TNA) online Sorry did not see your replies until now. Heather looks as though she has answered your queries. PS In Holborn you can read the actual wills from about 1858 to about 1896 but I did not have any that early! Also have to remember to look ion the early years at both Wills and Administrations as they are separated out. Janet

Heather, Thanks for that. I might ring Holborn and see what would be the best Days to go up and have a little look. In the mean time i will just have to wait for the 3 from york. Fingers crossed i might get them a little sooner. Diane.

Copied this from the homepage here: I assume its after 1858. Dont help much really, does it! But just re read Janets and she seems to have got them there - so perhaps she can tell you. Perhaps if you actually know the dates - from the index - you can get them from Holborn? Whereas Ive only had a rough idea so have sent to York? Wills after 1858 All wills proved and grants of administration made after 12 January 1858 are in annual indexes at First Avenue House (42-49 High Holborn, London, WC1V 6NP, 0207 7936 7000). Wills and administrations were indexed separately up to 1870, and then all in the same in the same annual index thereafter. Copies of the indexes up to 1943 can be found elsewhere on microfiche- ask at your local record office or Mormon Family History Centre. If you need the death record of someone who is likely to have left a will or administration, it is generally much easier to search the probate indexes (which are annual, and give a fair amount of detail, including date of death), than the General Registration death indexes (which are indexed quarterly each year and give little detail). The indexes up to 1892 state the relationship (if any) of the administrators to the deceased. Postal searches cost £5 for a four year search and a copy of the will, with £3 for each extra four year period you want searched. Postal searches can be made through the Postal Searches and Copies Department, The Probate Registry, Castle Chambers, Clifford Street, York, YO1 9RG. Don’t forget that wills could be proved several years after someone died: sometimes a married person’s will would not be proved until the surviving partner died.

Heather, Call me Dim but nice Lol So let me get this right. If i go to London armed with all information on my Dead Relli's I can get copys of ther will's there and then. No ordering involved. Diane

I understood you had to make a trip to the London office - that they no longer handle postal requests?

Janet, Are you saying that both Holborn and York hold the same information as each other. And if thats the case i can send for any feather wills to eather or . Diane.

Maybe there are more people looking for wills since the new WDYTYA programmes on TV Also sending to the main London Probate Office, Holborn may have been quicker than the smaller Probate Office in York. There will obviously be less staff at the smaller one in York than at the big one in London. I have always obtained Wills through London Holborn very quickly. Janet

I have been thinking about this all night. I sent off for 3 wills (York) 2 weeks ago. been told expect to wait 6 weeks for them to arrive. WHY so long. ? I put name, death date and address on 2 out of 3 so no great search involved Is there a skeleton staff or do they all work part time. Also been told that if nothing found you loose your money. Great, wait 6 weeks then possibility of SORRY NO WILL NO REFUND. Sorry to whinge about this but 6 weeks I feel is a little excessive. Diane.

Please see below.