m (Text replacement - "http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/browse-refine.asp?CatID=6&searchType=browserefine&pagenumber=1&query=*&queryType=1" to "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/wills-or-administrations-before-1858/") |
m (Text replacement - " " to " ") |
||
| Line 26: | Line 26: | ||
====Step 1. Search Indexes==== | ====Step 1. Search Indexes==== | ||
Here are some | Here are some indexes to probate records that include individuals who lived in Berkshire. Search these indexes first: | ||
Before looking for a will, you should search an index. | Before looking for a will, you should search an index. | ||
| Line 33: | Line 33: | ||
*[https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/berkshire-probate-index Berkshire Probate Index] at Findmypast, index ($) | *[https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-Records/berkshire-probate-index Berkshire Probate Index] at Findmypast, index ($) | ||
*[http://www.origins.net/help/aboutNWI-procoll.aspx Berkshire Wills and Administrations 1508-1710]. Part of the National Wills Index. | *[http://www.origins.net/help/aboutNWI-procoll.aspx Berkshire Wills and Administrations 1508-1710]. Part of the National Wills Index. | ||
*[http://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/heritage/index.php Berkshire wills in Wiltshire] This index is in Wiltshire, but has over 11,000 probate records in this online court index! | *[http://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/heritage/index.php Berkshire wills in Wiltshire] This index is in Wiltshire, but has over 11,000 probate records in this online court index! | ||
*[http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/BRKwills/ Hungerford and | *[http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/BRKwills/ Hungerford and Wantage]. This is a collection of about 1000 abstracts of probate documents relating to people residing in the neighbourhood of the towns of Hungerford and Wantage in Berkshire. Since Hungerford is on the County boundary there is some spread into Wiltshire and to a lesser extent into Hampshire and Oxfordshire. | ||
*[https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/wills-or-administrations-before-1858/ Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills (1384-1858)] | *[https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/wills-or-administrations-before-1858/ Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills (1384-1858)] | ||
*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/show?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fcatalog-search-api%3A8080%2Fwww-catalogapi-webservice%2Fitem%2F1928673 Berkshire Archdeaconry Probate Records 1480-1652] Contents: v. 15. Part 1, Index to personal names -- v. 16. Part 2, Index to place names -- v. 17. Part 3, Index to occupations | *[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/show?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fcatalog-search-api%3A8080%2Fwww-catalogapi-webservice%2Fitem%2F1928673 Berkshire Archdeaconry Probate Records 1480-1652] Contents: v. 15. Part 1, Index to personal names -- v. 16. Part 2, Index to place names -- v. 17. Part 3, Index to occupations | ||
*Court of the Archdeacon of Berkshire | *Court of the Archdeacon of Berkshire An index to the surnames, other than those of testators ... occurring in the registered wills of the Archdeaconry of Berks ... : registers A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I & 19 and parts of register J (pp. 1-578) & register M (pp. 1-245), ca. {{FHL|392490|title-id|disp=A.D. 1480-1710}} | ||
*Index to wills proved and administrations granted in the Court of the Archdeacon of Berks, {{FHL|208103|title-id|disp=1508 to 1652}} The link takes you to a book version of the index. | *Index to wills proved and administrations granted in the Court of the Archdeacon of Berks, {{FHL|208103|title-id|disp=1508 to 1652}} The link takes you to a book version of the index. The book has been microfilmed several times but the copy on the Family History Library microfilm number 88088 has additional comments in it. | ||
*Archdeaconry of Berkshire. Court Index of Wills and administrations, {{FHL|278280|title-id|disp=}} Wills, {{FHL|200522|title-id|disp=1525-1857}} Archdeacon of Berkshire | *Archdeaconry of Berkshire. Court Index of Wills and administrations, {{FHL|278280|title-id|disp=}} Wills, {{FHL|200522|title-id|disp=1525-1857}} Archdeacon of Berkshire | ||
*Index of the probate records of the Court of the Archdeacon of Berkshire | *Index of the probate records of the Court of the Archdeacon of Berkshire : {{FHL|341898|title-id|disp=volume 2, 1653-1710}} | ||
Here is a list of Berkshire parishes with peculiar jurisdictions for probating wills at a more local level: | Here is a list of Berkshire parishes with peculiar jurisdictions for probating wills at a more local level: | ||
| Line 57: | Line 57: | ||
====Step 2. Identify when and where your ancestor died==== | ====Step 2. Identify when and where your ancestor died==== | ||
Determine ''when'' your ancestor died. | Determine ''when'' your ancestor died. If you aren't sure, use an approximate date. | ||
Determine ''where'' your ancestor died. It is easier to find a probate record if you know whether the place where your ancestor lived or died is a [[P genealogical glossary terms|parish]]. To learn whether it is a parish, look it up in a gazetteer. Here is a link to the 1872 ''Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales'' online: | Determine ''where'' your ancestor died. It is easier to find a probate record if you know whether the place where your ancestor lived or died is a [[P genealogical glossary terms|parish]]. To learn whether it is a parish, look it up in a gazetteer. Here is a link to the 1872 ''Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales'' online: | ||
| Line 75: | Line 75: | ||
====Step 3. Identify court jurisdictions by parish==== | ====Step 3. Identify court jurisdictions by parish==== | ||
Once you have identified the parish where your ancestor lived or died, learn which courts had jurisdiction over it then search indexes for those courts. Every town and parish in Berkshire fell under the probate jurisdiction of a primary court and several secondary courts. Most of the places in Berkshire were under the jurisdiction of the Court of the Archdeaconry of Berkshire. Click [[Berkshire Probate Jurisdictions|here]] to see an alphabetical list of Berkshire parishes | Once you have identified the parish where your ancestor lived or died, learn which courts had jurisdiction over it then search indexes for those courts. Every town and parish in Berkshire fell under the probate jurisdiction of a primary court and several secondary courts. Most of the places in Berkshire were under the jurisdiction of the Court of the Archdeaconry of Berkshire. Click [[Berkshire Probate Jurisdictions|here]] to see an alphabetical list of Berkshire parishes that were the exceptions, and the courts that had jurisdiction over them. | ||
====Step 4. Obtain a copy of the probate record==== | ====Step 4. Obtain a copy of the probate record==== | ||
| Line 87: | Line 87: | ||
==Berkshire Probate Courts== | ==Berkshire Probate Courts== | ||
Most of Berkshire was under the jurisdiction of the [[Court of the Archdeaconry of Berkshire]]. | Most of Berkshire was under the jurisdiction of the [[Court of the Archdeaconry of Berkshire]]. The majority of probate searches will be in the records of this court and its superior courts, which were the [[Court of the Bishop of Salisbury (Episcopal Consistory)]] until 1836 and the combined [[Courts of the Bishop (Episcopal Consistory) and Archdeaconry of Oxford]] from that time on. The courts should be searched in that order. | ||
However, the following courts also had some pre-1858 probate jurisdiction within | However, the following courts also had some pre-1858 probate jurisdiction within the county. Click on a court name to learn about records and indexes. | ||
*[[Court of the Bishop of Bristol (Episcopal Consistory)]] | *[[Court of the Bishop of Bristol (Episcopal Consistory)]] | ||
edits