London Probate Records: Difference between revisions

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For an explanation of probate records in England, click [[England Probate Records|here]].
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==Getting Started==
== London Probate Courts  ==


''Probate'' is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his or her heirs. Probate records include [[W genealogical glossary terms|wills]] and [[A genealogical glossary terms|administrations]]. This article is about probate records in London. See [[England Probate Records]] for a general description of probate records in England.
== Some Explanatory Notes on the London Court  ==


===1858 to the Present===
== Court Jurisdictions  ==


From 1858, the [[Principal Probate Registry|Principal Probate Registry]] has been the authority for proving Wills, and granting probate (to Executors in the case of valid wills) and administration of the estate (to Administrators where the deceased had died intestate). Click on the link to learn more.
Here is a list of London parishes beginning with letters A-G and the pre-1858 courts that had probate jurisdiction over them.  For parishes beginning with [[London Probate Jurisdictions Parishes H-R|H-R]] or [[London Probate Jurisdictions Parishes S-Z|S-Z]], click on the letter links.  


====Online Records====
{| cellspacing="0" cellpadding="5" width="95%" align="center" border="1"
|-
! style="background: #ffdead" width="15%" | PARISH
! style="background: #ffdead" width="40%" | PRIMARY COURT
! style="background: #ffdead" width="40%" | SECONDARY COURTS - IN SEARCH ORDER
|-
| All Hallows Barking
| Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division)
| 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)
3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


*'''1858-1957''' {{RecordSearch|2451051|England and Wales, National Index of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1957}} at FamilySearch - [[England and Wales, National Index of Wills and Administrations - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; index
|-
| All Hallows Bread Street with St John the Evangelist
| Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division)
Court of the Peculiar Jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Deaneries of the Arches, Croydon and Shoreham;  


===Before 1858===
Court of the Royal Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster


Before 1858, Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process. To search for a pre-1858 probate record in London, follow these steps:
| Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division)
Court of the Royal Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster


====Step 1. Search Indexes====
2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)


First search each index which you will find listed under the name of the particular probate court jurisdiction (see the "London Probate Courts" listed above) to help you more quickly find the will, writing down all details cited in the indexed entry. Here are some online indexes to probate records that include individuals who lived in London. Search these indexes first:
3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


*[http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=1704 London, England, Wills and Probate, 1507-1858] at Ancestry (£). Includes probate records from Consistory Court of London, Commissary Court of London, Archdeaconry Court of London, Archdeaconry Court of Middlesex, Peculiar Court of the Dean and Chapter of St Paul’s, Archdeaconry Court of Surrey, and Commissary Court of Bishop of Winchester.  These are only partial records. '''Much more in the complete collection that is not indexed.''' This group of Probate Records is listed on the Catalog through FamilySearch {{FSC|283866|item|disp=Probate records, 1374-1857}}
Court of the Peculiar Jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Deaneries of the Arches, Croydon and Shoreham


*[https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-Records/london-archdeaconry-court-of-london-wills-index-1700-1807 Archdeaconry Court of London Wills Index 1750-1800]
2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


*[https://search.lma.gov.uk/ Wills for London, Middlesex and Surrey before 1858] - Until 1858 wills and probate related matters were administered by the church. Most of the wills held by LMA (London Metropolitan Archives) pertain mostly to the ancient counties of Middlesex and Surrey, part of the City of London and part of the ancient county of Kent. For detailed contents of this collection, search the [https://search.lma.gov.uk/ London Metropolitan Archives] for Research Guide 6.
|-
*[https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-Records/surrey-and-south-london-wills-and-probate-index-1470-1856 Surrey & South London - Will Abstracts 1470-1856]. This extraordinary collection is one of the most valuable on British Origins. It contains fully indexed abstracts of every Surrey will known to still exist, over 28,000 of them, dating from the 15th to 19th centuries; nearly all the originals are held at the London Metropolitan Archives. The abstracts include all personal names (testator, beneficiaries, executors, witnesses, overseers, and others) with their relationships, place names, occupations, monetary and other bequests, and descriptions of lands. The indexes include the names of every person mentioned - over a half of a million names - places mentioned (many outside Surrey), subjects (eg occupations) mentioned in the wills, and of dates.
| All Hallows Staining
| Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division)
| 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)  
3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


*[http://www.history.ac.uk/gh/invent.htm Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section Indexes to Probate Inventories of the Peculiar Court of the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral] - The probate inventories of the Peculiar Court of the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's date from 1660 to 1725. They are arranged in yearly (mostly) and half-yearly bundles. Within each bundle they are arranged chronologically by the date they were exhibited in the court. There are 77 bundles now numbered as Guildhall Library Ms 19504/1-77.  There is no online index.
|-
| All Hallows the Great and All Hallows the Less
| Court of the Archdeaconry of London
| 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)  
3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


*[http://www.history.ac.uk/gh/probate.htm Probate Records (wills and administrations) at Guildhall Library]
|-
| All Hallows, Lombard Street
| Court of the Peculiar Jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Deaneries of the Arches, Croydon and Shoreham
| Court of the Peculiar Jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Deaneries of the Arches, Croydon and Shoreham
2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


*[https://search.lma.gov.uk/SCRIPTS/MWIMAIN.DLL/282903328/2/6/7829?RECORD&UNION=Y&URLMARKER=STARTREQUEST Diocese of London Consistory Court Wills index] - This index contains 31,000 entries of wills and letters of administration (granting authority to an executor when a person died intestate) compiled from the London Diocesan Court registers (DL/C/354-416). Near complete coverage is provided for the years 1514-1858 (please note there are no registers for the years 1521-1539 and 1642-1670).
|-
| All Hallows, London Wall
| Court of the Archdeaconry of London  
| 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)  
3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


*[https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C12122 Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills (1384-1858)].
|-
| Audley Street, North
| Court of the Archdeaconry of Middlesex
| 2 - Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (Essex and Hertfordshire Division)
3 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)  


*[http://search.lma.gov.uk/LMA_DOC/CLA_002.PDF Rolled Inventories in Court of Orphans (Common Serjeant) 1500s-1700s]. Inventories of freemen of London, often names relatives, number of orphans, etc.
4 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


*[https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/265847-indexes-to-the-ancient-testamentary-records-of-westminster-1228-1700?offset=1 ''Indexes to the Ancient Testamentary Records of Westminster''] (1913) by Arthur Meredyth Burke. The extant testamentary records of Westminster indexed in this book consist of the testamentary records of the Peculiar Court, 1504-1700, the Westminster wills and administrations preserved amongst the records of the Consistory Court of London, 1540-1556, and the miscellaneous testamentary records preserved in the Muniment Chamber of Westminster Abbey, 1228-1700.
|-
| Ball’s Pond
| Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division)  
| 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)
3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


''Also check indexed abstracts:''
|-
| Barnard's Inn
| Search the courts of the surrounding parishes
| .
|-
| Bedfont
| Court of the Archdeaconry of Middlesex
| 2 - Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (Essex and Hertfordshire Division)
3 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)


*[https://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/Wills/Wills1 Commissary Court of London Will Abstracts Volume 26 (1629-1634)] - free.
4 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


*[https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-Records/london-and-middlesex-will-abstracts-1700-1704 London & Middlesex Will Abstracts 1700-1704] at Origins.net (£). Includes 2042 abstracts of original wills proved in the Archdeaconry Court of Middlesex, Archdeaconry Court of London, Commissary Court of London, Consistory Court of London and Peculiar Court of the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral.
|-
| Bridewell
| Search the courts of the surrounding parishes
| .
|-
| Brompton
| Court of the Archdeaconry of Middlesex  
| 2 - Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (Essex and Hertfordshire Division)
3 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)


Did you find a reference to a probate record?
4 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


*If ''yes'', go to '''Step 4''' below.
|-
*If ''no'', go to '''Step 2''' below.<br>
| Brompton, West
| Court of the Archdeaconry of Middlesex
| 2 - Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (Essex and Hertfordshire Division)
3 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)


====Step 2. Identify when and where your ancestor died====
4 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


Determine ''when'' your ancestor died. If you aren't sure, use an approximate date. 
|-
| Burleigh Street
| Court of the Archdeaconry of Middlesex
| 2 - Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (Essex and Hertfordshire Division)
3 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)


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:
4 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


*[https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/ Vision of Britain]
|-
| Chester Square
| Court of the Archdeaconry of Middlesex
| 2 - Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (Essex and Hertfordshire Division)
3 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)


The gazetteer will either tell you:
4 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


*A place is a parish, or
|-
*What parish it is a part of, or
| Christ Church, Newgate Street with St Leonard, Foster Lane
*What place it is near.
| Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division)
| 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)
3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


If the latter, look that place up in the gazetteer and see if it is a parish.
|-
| City Road St Matthew
| Court of the Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral
| 2 - Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (Essex and Hertfordshire Division)
3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


Once you have identified the parish, go to '''Step 3'''.
|-
| Close of the Collegiate Church of St Peter
| Search the courts of the surrounding parishes
| .
|-
| Curtain Road
| Court of the Archdeaconry of London
| 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)
3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


====Step 3. Identify court jurisdictions by parish====
|-
| Dalston [St Philip]
| Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division)
| 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)
3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


Prior to the year 1858, every town and parish in London fell under the probate jurisdiction of a primary court and several secondary courts. Identify the parish in which your ancestor lived or died. This enables you to learn which court[s] had jurisdiction over the parish so that you may then search for indexes and the actual probate records (i.e. wills) for those courts. Click on a link below for the letter the parish begins with. When you find the name of the parish, click the right-hand column[s] court links to obtain and search the original probate records of the pertinent probate court[s]:
|-
| DeBeauvoir Town
| Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division)  
| 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)
3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


{| width="400" cellspacing="2" cellpadding="1" border="1"
|-
|-
| [[London Probate Jurisdictions Parishes A-F|A-F]]
| Endell Street
| [[London Probate Jurisdictions Parishes G-R|G-R]]
| Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division)
| [[London Probate Jurisdictions Parishes S through St. Clement|S-St C]]
| 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)
| [[London Probate Jurisdictions Parishes St D-H|St D-H]]
3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury
| [[London Probate Jurisdictions Parishes St I-S|St I-S]]
| [[London Probate Jurisdictions Parishes St T-Z|St T-Z]]
|}


<br>
|-
| Finsbury St Paul
| Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division)
| 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)
3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury


This list does not include parishes in the county of Middlesex.  For those parishes, go to [[Middlesex Probate Records|Middlesex Probate Records]].
|-
 
| Furnival's Inn
====Step 4. Obtain a copy of the probate record====
| Search the courts of the surrounding parishes  
 
| .
Once you have found an index reference to a probate, obtain a copy of the record. Do so by one of these methods:
|-
 
| Glasshouse Yard
*{{FSC|England, London - Probate records|subject|subject-id=133148703|disp=London England Probate Records}}(*) at FamilySearch Catalog - some images may only be available at a [https://www.familysearch.org/centers/locations/ FamilySearch Center or FamilySearch Affiliate Library.]<br>
| Search the courts of the surrounding parishes
*Visit or contact the record office that has the original records in its collection.
| .
 
|}
==London Probate Courts==
 
The following courts had some probate jurisdiction over London before 1858.
 
*[[Court of Husting]]
*[[Court of the Archdeaconry of London]]
*[[The Court of Arches of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
*[[Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)]]
*[[Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division)]]
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster (Abbey)]]
*[[Court of the Deanery of the Arches of London, Croydon, Shoreham (Peculiar of the Archbishop of Canterbury)]]
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral]]
*[[Royal Peculiar Court of St Katherine's by the Tower]]
*[[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
 
==Historical Background==
 
Probate records of the City of London commence from as early as 1374 up to 1857. There are several probate court jurisdictions for the City of London, some of which hold extensive probate record coverage for the city  and there are a few smaller court jurisdictions which only pertain to a small handful of parishes.
 
If you know in which parish your ancestor may have died or lived, go to the "London Parishes and Their Probate Jurisdictions" section (below) and search by parish name in order to determine the correct or most likely probate court to search, first.  
 
Next, see the above links to each London probate court jurisdictions in order to obtain further information for researching in the prime probate court for a will.
 
If a search in the most likely probate court jurisidiction proves unsuccessful, then search the next court as listed in ranked order, i.e. "no. 2", and etc.
 
In practice, most Londoners sent their wills to the [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury|Prerogative Court of Canterbury]] and the [[Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)|Consistory Court of London]] from the mid 1700s to 1857.  
 
==Websites==
 
*[https://search.lma.gov.uk/rg_pdf_creator/index.php?research_guide=27 Wills for London, Middlesex and Surrey Before 1858] (London Metropolitan Archives Information Leaflet)
 
{{Template:Pros-Lond}}  


{{London}}
<br>


[[Category:London Probate Records]]
== Post-1858 Probate Records ==

Revision as of 14:33, 26 March 2009

For an explanation of probate records in England, click here.

London Probate Courts[edit | edit source]

Some Explanatory Notes on the London Court[edit | edit source]

Court Jurisdictions[edit | edit source]

Here is a list of London parishes beginning with letters A-G and the pre-1858 courts that had probate jurisdiction over them.  For parishes beginning with H-R or S-Z, click on the letter links.

PARISH PRIMARY COURT SECONDARY COURTS - IN SEARCH ORDER
All Hallows Barking Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division) 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)

3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

All Hallows Bread Street with St John the Evangelist Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division)

Court of the Peculiar Jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Deaneries of the Arches, Croydon and Shoreham;

Court of the Royal Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster

Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division)

Court of the Royal Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster

2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)

3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

Court of the Peculiar Jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Deaneries of the Arches, Croydon and Shoreham

2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

All Hallows Staining Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division) 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)

3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

All Hallows the Great and All Hallows the Less Court of the Archdeaconry of London 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)

3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

All Hallows, Lombard Street Court of the Peculiar Jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Deaneries of the Arches, Croydon and Shoreham Court of the Peculiar Jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Deaneries of the Arches, Croydon and Shoreham

2 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

All Hallows, London Wall Court of the Archdeaconry of London 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)

3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

Audley Street, North Court of the Archdeaconry of Middlesex 2 - Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (Essex and Hertfordshire Division)

3 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)

4 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

Ball’s Pond Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division) 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)

3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

Barnard's Inn Search the courts of the surrounding parishes .
Bedfont Court of the Archdeaconry of Middlesex 2 - Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (Essex and Hertfordshire Division)

3 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)

4 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

Bridewell Search the courts of the surrounding parishes .
Brompton Court of the Archdeaconry of Middlesex 2 - Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (Essex and Hertfordshire Division)

3 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)

4 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

Brompton, West Court of the Archdeaconry of Middlesex 2 - Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (Essex and Hertfordshire Division)

3 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)

4 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

Burleigh Street Court of the Archdeaconry of Middlesex 2 - Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (Essex and Hertfordshire Division)

3 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)

4 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

Chester Square Court of the Archdeaconry of Middlesex 2 - Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (Essex and Hertfordshire Division)

3 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)

4 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

Christ Church, Newgate Street with St Leonard, Foster Lane Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division) 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)

3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

City Road St Matthew Court of the Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral 2 - Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (Essex and Hertfordshire Division)

3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

Close of the Collegiate Church of St Peter Search the courts of the surrounding parishes .
Curtain Road Court of the Archdeaconry of London 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)

3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

Dalston [St Philip] Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division) 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)

3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

DeBeauvoir Town Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division) 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)

3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

Endell Street Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division) 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)

3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

Finsbury St Paul Court of the Commissary of the Bishop of London (London Division) 2 - Court of the Bishop of London (Episcopal Consistory)

3 - Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury

Furnival's Inn Search the courts of the surrounding parishes .
Glasshouse Yard Search the courts of the surrounding parishes .


Post-1858 Probate Records[edit | edit source]

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