The Wills of Our Ancestors: A Guide for Family & Local Historians
“Almost every book on English research highlights the need to examine the wills of our ancestors. . . . [this book] gives us an easy to read detailed guide.” —FGS Forum

What are wills, and how can they be used for family and local history research? How can you interpret them and get as much insight from them as possible? Wills are key documents for exploring the lives of our ancestors, their circumstances, and the world they knew. This practical handbook is the essential guide to understanding wills.

Wills expert Stuart Raymond traces the history and purpose of probate records and guides readers through the many pitfalls and possibilities these fascinating documents present. He describes the process of probate, gives a detailed account of the content of the various different types of record, and advises readers on how they can be used to throw light into the past, offering factual evidence that no genealogist or local historian can afford to ignore.

In a series of concise, fact-filled chapters, Raymond explains how wills came into being, who made them and how they were made, how the probate system operates, how wills and inventories can be found, and how much can be learned from them. In addition to covering probate records in England and Wales, he includes the Channel Islands, Ireland, the Isle of Man and Scotland.

This introduction is aimed primarily at family historians who are interested in the wills of particular individuals who are seeking proof of descent and local historians who are interested in the wealth of local historical information that can be gathered from them.
1114065701
The Wills of Our Ancestors: A Guide for Family & Local Historians
“Almost every book on English research highlights the need to examine the wills of our ancestors. . . . [this book] gives us an easy to read detailed guide.” —FGS Forum

What are wills, and how can they be used for family and local history research? How can you interpret them and get as much insight from them as possible? Wills are key documents for exploring the lives of our ancestors, their circumstances, and the world they knew. This practical handbook is the essential guide to understanding wills.

Wills expert Stuart Raymond traces the history and purpose of probate records and guides readers through the many pitfalls and possibilities these fascinating documents present. He describes the process of probate, gives a detailed account of the content of the various different types of record, and advises readers on how they can be used to throw light into the past, offering factual evidence that no genealogist or local historian can afford to ignore.

In a series of concise, fact-filled chapters, Raymond explains how wills came into being, who made them and how they were made, how the probate system operates, how wills and inventories can be found, and how much can be learned from them. In addition to covering probate records in England and Wales, he includes the Channel Islands, Ireland, the Isle of Man and Scotland.

This introduction is aimed primarily at family historians who are interested in the wills of particular individuals who are seeking proof of descent and local historians who are interested in the wealth of local historical information that can be gathered from them.
9.99 In Stock
The Wills of Our Ancestors: A Guide for Family & Local Historians

The Wills of Our Ancestors: A Guide for Family & Local Historians

by Stuart A. Raymond
The Wills of Our Ancestors: A Guide for Family & Local Historians

The Wills of Our Ancestors: A Guide for Family & Local Historians

by Stuart A. Raymond

eBook

$9.99 

Available on Compatible NOOK devices, the free NOOK App and in My Digital Library.
WANT A NOOK?  Explore Now

Related collections and offers

LEND ME® See Details

Overview

“Almost every book on English research highlights the need to examine the wills of our ancestors. . . . [this book] gives us an easy to read detailed guide.” —FGS Forum

What are wills, and how can they be used for family and local history research? How can you interpret them and get as much insight from them as possible? Wills are key documents for exploring the lives of our ancestors, their circumstances, and the world they knew. This practical handbook is the essential guide to understanding wills.

Wills expert Stuart Raymond traces the history and purpose of probate records and guides readers through the many pitfalls and possibilities these fascinating documents present. He describes the process of probate, gives a detailed account of the content of the various different types of record, and advises readers on how they can be used to throw light into the past, offering factual evidence that no genealogist or local historian can afford to ignore.

In a series of concise, fact-filled chapters, Raymond explains how wills came into being, who made them and how they were made, how the probate system operates, how wills and inventories can be found, and how much can be learned from them. In addition to covering probate records in England and Wales, he includes the Channel Islands, Ireland, the Isle of Man and Scotland.

This introduction is aimed primarily at family historians who are interested in the wills of particular individuals who are seeking proof of descent and local historians who are interested in the wealth of local historical information that can be gathered from them.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781781594759
Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Limited
Publication date: 01/31/2020
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 208
File size: 10 MB

About the Author

Stuart Raymond is a genealogical bibliographer, publisher and bookseller, an experienced family historian, and an expert on the history of wills and other probate records. He is also a prolific author of genealogical handbooks, web directories and library guides.

Table of Contents

Dickens on Wills: Affection - or Hatred? vii

Acknowledgements viii

Introduction 1

The Value of Probate Records 1

The Survival of Wills 2

The Origin of Wills 3

Probate Law 5

Some Limitations and Biases 8

Reconstructing Historical Communities: a Case Study 9

Some other Topics for Study 14

Chapter 1 Who Made Wills? And Why Did They Make Them? 16

Chapter 2 What Happened after Death? The Process of Probate 21

Probate Courts 21

Executors and Administrators 26

Chapter 3 What Can I Find in a Will? 31

Personal Documents 31

Testators 32

Dates 32

Religious Clauses 33

The Process of Inheritance 37

Signatures, Witnesses and Probate 43

Goods in Wills 43

Chapter 4 What Can I Find in a Probate Inventory? 45

The History of Inventories 45

Appraisers and their Work 46

Contents of Inventories 49

Chapter 5 What Can I Find in Other Probate Records? 59

Litigation 59

Act Books 63

Commissions 63

Administration Bonds 64

Probate Accounts 65

Chapter 6 Where and How Can I Find Probate Records? 72

Indexes and Catalogues 72

Prerogative Court Archives: Canterbury and York 77

Other Probate Courts 80

Digitization 81

Search Strategies 82

Chapter 7 Post-1858 Wills 84

Chapter 8 Probate Records outside of England and Wales: the Channel Islands, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Scotland 91

Introduction 91

Channel Islands 91

Ireland 92

Isle of Man 95

Scotland 96

Chapter 9 Where Can I Find Other Sources of Probate Information? 100

Estate Records 100

Death Duty Registers 101

Bank of England Will Extracts 104

Navy Office Wills 104

Soldiers' Wills 105

Roman Catholic Wills 105

The British in India 106

Other Small Collections 106

Further Reading 108

Appendix 1 Summary List of pre-1858 Probate Courts in England and Wales 131

Appendix 2 Handwriting and Latin 161

Appendix 3 Some Terms used in Probate Records 163

Appendix 4 Latin Glossary 179

Appendix 5 Legislation Affecting Probate 184

Subject Index 189

Place Name Index 195

Personal Name Index 198

From the B&N Reads Blog

Customer Reviews