We have previously seen that wills in Scotland have not the same evidential value as in other parts of Great Britain, that Irish wills can be practically all found in Dublin, and that in London, Somerset House is the depository where wills proved since 1858 have been kept, as well as those proved in the Court of Canterbury, these latter being not altogether restricted to testators who lived in that district. They date from 1383.
There remain, however, the different wills proved in various parts of the country; where exactly shall the searcher look for these?
The year 1858 was indeed an epoch-making year in this respect, for not only was the enactment carried into force that future wills should be deposited in Somerset House, but the old Diocesan Courts, where (as has been previously stated) country wills were mainly kept, were superseded by the District Registries. There nearly all the wills formerly in the old Diocesan Courts are now preserved.
The following are the names of these, and practically all wills not deposited in Somerset House, in Edinburgh, or in Dublin should be procurable in one or other of these Registries:—
Blandford, Bangor, Bristol, Bury St. Edmunds, Canterbury, Carlisle, Carmarthen, Chester, Chichester, Derby, Durham, Exeter, Gloucester, Hereford, Ipswich, Lancaster, Lewes, Lichfield, Lincoln, Liverpool, Llandaff, Manchester, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Northampton, Norwich, Nottingham, Oxford, Peterborough, St. Asaph’s, Salisbury, Taunton, Wakefield, Wells, Winchester, Worcester, York.
The last-named District Registry, that of York, is not exclusively confined to wills of those who lived in the district; the others almost universally are.
Each Registry, as a rule, comprises several of the suppressed Diocesan and Minor Courts. They all date from early times, the latest being those of Winchester and Wells, which contain no wills before 1660, and the earliest that of Bury St. Edmunds, where the wills date from 1354.
When noting the contents of a will, the pedigree-hunter should put down all particulars, even what at first sight might appear trivial, as small items sometimes lead to great discoveries. The names of the witnesses to a will, for instance, should never be omitted.
Of course, it is not necessary to copy a document in full, but its contents should be noted somewhat in this way—
Will of John Browne, of . Proved in . (Give names of Court and date.)
Legatees.—(Here note names of all legatees, their addresses, if given, and especially note particulars of any relationships mentioned, all details of property devised, also any other points of importance, if such occur in the will.)
Signed.—(Signature and date to be given here.)
Witnesses.—(Names of witnesses here.)
If there is a codicil, the contents, date of signature, and names of witnesses to it should also be given.
The contents of all deeds, leases, and other documents should, as far as this is practicable, be noted in a somewhat similar manner.