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[[England|<span id="fck_dom_range_temp_1260392189447_595" />England]]&nbsp;[[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Worcestershire]]
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The following article is about probate records in the county of Worcestershire. For general information about English probate records, click [[England Probate Records|here]].
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| link2=[[Worcestershire, England Genealogy|Worcestershire]]  
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== Description  ==
| link5=[[Worcestershire_Probate_Records|Probate Records]]
 
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''Probate'' is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his or her heirs. The term ''probate'' refers to a collection of documents, including [[W genealogical glossary terms|wills]], [[A genealogical glossary terms|administrations]] (also called admons), [[I genealogical glossary terms|inventories]], and [[A genealogical glossary terms|act books]]. The Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process until to 1858. This article explains about probates and how to get started to search for a will.
 
Beginning in 1858, authority over probate matters was taken from ecclesiastical courts and put under the civil authority of the Principal Probate Registry. The '''Probates After 1857'''&nbsp;section below has a link to an article about probates after 1857.
 
<br><br>


== Getting Started  ==
== Getting Started  ==


Follow these steps to look for a probate record before 1858:<br>
''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 Worcestershire. See [[England Probate Records]] for a general description of probate records in England.


#Discover when and where your ancestor died. If you don’t know, use the approximate date and place where they lived. <br>
=== 1858 to the Present  ===
#Go to the Court Jurisdictions section below.<br>
#Click a letter or span of letters for your place. This opens an article showing a table of places and the courts that had jurisdiction over them.<br>
#Follow the steps at the top of the table to search for a will.<br><br>


== Court Jurisdictions by Parish  ==
Beginning in 1858, the [[Principal Probate Registry|Principal Probate Registry]] had the authority for probating estates. Click on the link to learn more.


Before 1858, every town and parish in Worcestershire fell under the probate jurisdiction of a primary court and several secondary courts.&nbsp; When looking for the will of an ancestor, determine what courts had jurisdiction over the parish where your ancestor died or owned property, and search the courts in&nbsp;order.
==== Online Records ====


For a list of Worcestershire parishes&nbsp;and the pre-1858 courts that had probate jurisdiction over them, click on a letter link:
*'''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
*'''1858-1995''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/1904/ England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995] at Ancestry
*'''1858-2019''' [https://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-records/england-and-wales-government-probate-death-index-1858-2019 England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1858-2019] at Findmypast


{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="472" border="1"
=== Before 1858  ===
|-
| &nbsp;[[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with A|A]]&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with B|B]]&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with C|C]]&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with D through G|D-G]]&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with H through J|H-J]]&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with K through N|K-N]]&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with O through R|O-R]]&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with S|S]]&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with T through V|T-V]]&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with W through Z|W-Z]]
|}


<br>
Before 1858, Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process. To search for a pre-1858 probate record in Worcestershire, follow these steps:


== Worcestershire Probate Courts ==
==== Step 1. Search Indexes ====


Most of Worcestershire was under the pre-1858 probate jurisdiction of either the [[Court of the Bishop of Worcester (Episcopal Consistory)]] or the [[Court of the Bishop of Hereford (Episcopal Consistory)]].&nbsp; The majority of probate searches will be in the records of these two courts and their superior courts.&nbsp; However, the following smaller courts also had some pre-1858 jurisdiction within the county. Click on a court name to learn about records and indexes.
Here are some online indexes to probate records that include individuals who lived in Worcestershire. Search these indexes first:


*[[Court of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester]]  
*[https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/worcestershire-probate-index-1600-1858 Worcestershire Probate Index 1600-1858], at Findmypast.com.
*[[Court of the Peculiar of Evesham]]  
*[https://www.explorethepast.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/WillsfromPeculiarParishes.pdf Worcestershire Peculiars Wills Index] '''to 1840s''' - created by Worcestershire County Council
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Rector of Alvechurch or Allchurch]]  
*Fry, Edward Alexander. ''Calendar of Wills and Administrations in the Consistory Court of the Bishop of Worcester '''1451-1600'''.'' London: The British Record Society, Limited, 1904. Free online version at [http://books.google.com/books?id=ny8EAAAAIAAJ Google Books]  
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Rector of Bredon with Norton and Cutsdean]]  
*Fry, Edward Alexander. ''A Calendar of Wills and Administrations Registered in the Consistory Court of the Bishop of Worcester, Volume I, Part I: '''1451-1642'''.'' London: The British Record Society, Limited, 1899. Free online version at [http://books.google.com/books?id=7DUEAAAAIAAJ Google Books] [http://www.thegenealogist.co.uk/search/master/?master_event=Wills&person_event=Worcestershire&type=person&source=&search_type=person&fn=&phonetic_mode_fn=1&nickname_mode=&sn=Carter&phonetic_mode_sn=1&kw=&yr=&range=0&search=Search&page=2 TheGenealogist.co.uk pay website]  
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Rector of Fladbury]]  
*Fry, Edward Alexander. ''A Calendar of Wills and Administrations Preserved in the Consistory Court of the Bishop of Worcester, Volume II, Part I: '''1601-1614'''.'' London: The British Record Society, Limited, 1907. Free online version at [http://books.google.com/books?id=yjoEAAAAIAAJ Google Books]  
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Rector of Hanbury]]  
*Fry, Edward Alexander. ''A Calendar of Wills and Administrations Preserved in the Consistory Court of the Bishop of Worcester, Volume II, Part II: '''1614-1625'''.'' London: The British Record Society, Limited, 1907. Free online version at [http://books.google.com/books?id=Mz8EAAAAIAAJ Google Books]  
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Rector of Hartlebury]]
*[https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C12122 Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury] '''1384-1858,''' which was the highest court in England
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Rector of Ripple with Queenhill and Holdfast]]
*Family History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "Index of Episcopal Consistory Court of The Bishop Of Worcester 1661-1858". Salt Lake City, UT:  The British Reference Unit, FamilySearch Library, 1970.  {{FSC|255647|item|disp=Index of Probate Records of the Episcopal Consistory Court of The Bishop Of Worcester 1661-1858}}
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Rector of Tredington with Shipston upon Stour]]


In addition, the [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]] had jurisdiction over the whole of England and specifically in the following cases.<br>
<br>Did you find a reference to a probate record?


*Wealthy individuals<br>
*If ''yes'', go to '''Step 4''' below.
*People who owned property in more than one county<br>
*If ''no'', go to '''Step 2''' below.
*Military and naval personnel<br>
*People who lived or owned property outside England<br>


=== Appeals Courts ===
==== Step 2. Identify when and where your ancestor died ====


Any probate that was disputed and could not be settled by the county courts could be sent to these higher appeals courts:
Determine ''when'' your ancestor died. If you aren't sure, use an approximate date. 


*[[Court of Arches]]  
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:
*[[High Court of Delegates]]


The [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]] also served as an appeals court.<br>
*[https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/descriptions/index.jsp Vision of Britain]


<br>
The gazetteer will either tell you:


== Probate Indexes<br> ==
*A place is a parish, or
*What parish it is a part of, or
*What place it is near.


In addition of the indexes listed below, court-specific indexes will be found on the court pages.&nbsp; Click on a court name in the list above.  
If the latter, look that place up in the gazetteer and see if it is a parish.  


==== Worcestershire wills index, 1858-1928  ====
Once you have identified the parish, go to '''Step 3'''.


"The index is arranged in alphabetical order of surname followed by the forename. Then the date of probate is cited, thus leading one to the register concerned, together with the relevant page number. It will be noted that there is some slight variation in style of the date of probate quoted. This is because this index was compiled from the existing indexes in each register and the amount of detail in each varied slightly, particularly in the first few volumes." -- from foreword.<br>[http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=1172760&disp=Worcestershire+wills+index%2C+1858%2D192%20%20&columns=*,0,0 CD-ROM no. 1671] at The Family History Library.
==== Step 3. Identify court jurisdictions by parish  ====


==== Peculiar Courts  ====
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 Worcestershire fell under the probate jurisdiction of a primary court and several secondary courts. Click on a link below for the letter the parish begins with to determine the courts having probate jurisdiction over that parish:


These records can cover just one parish or many parishes, covering pre-1858 probate records.&nbsp; The following is an index to these Worcestershire Peculiar Probate Court records.&nbsp; <br>
{| width="472" border="1" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"
|-
|  [[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with A|A]] 
|  [[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with B|B]] 
|  [[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with C|C]] 
|  [[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with D through G|D-G]] 
|  [[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with H through J|H-J]] 
|  [[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with K through N|K-N]] 
|  [[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with O through R|O-R]] 
|  [[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with S|S]] 
|  [[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with T through V|T-V]] 
|  [[Worcestershire Probate Jurisdictions for Parishes Beginning with W through Z|W-Z]]
|}


*Index to Wills Proved in Peculiars 1712-1788 [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=topicdetails&subject=989948&subject_disp=England%2C+Worcester%2C+Fladbury+%2D+Probate+records+%2D+Indexes&columns=*,0,0] Contents: Fladbury, 1721-1775 -- Ripple, 1721-1729 -- Hanbury, 1720-1769 -- Bredon, 1717-1772 -- Tredington with Shipston (upon Stour), 1717-1788 -- Hartlebury, 1720-1784 -- Allchurch [i.e., Alvechurch], 1718-1773 -- Stratford, 1718-1773 -- Hampton, 1712-1760.
<br>


Some of the Peculiar Courts have indexed and unindexed portions of the records.&nbsp; The following follows this:
==== Step 4. Obtain a copy of the probate record  ====


*Wills and administrations, 1441-1788 of the Court of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester which covers Berrow, Kempsey, Norton near Kempsey, St Michael In Bedwardine and College Precincts, Stoulton, and Tibberton. [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titlefilmnotes&columns=*%2C0%2C0&titleno=369980&disp=Wills+and+administrations++]
Once you have found an index reference to a probate, obtain a copy of the record. Do so by one of these methods:  


Not all the peculiar court records are indexed and need to be located differently. The following links can help in finding these unindexed peculiar probate records.<br>
*{{FSC|478918|subject_id|disp=Worcestershire 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>
*Visit or contact the record office that has the original records in its collection.


*Wills for the Peculiar Court of Bredon, 1668-1791 which covers the parishes of Bredon, Norton (Bredons Norton) and Cutsdean. [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=39891&disp=Wills+for+the+Peculiar+Court+of+Bredon%2%20%20&columns=*,0,0]
== Worcestershire Probate Courts  ==
*Wills and administrations for the Peculiar Court of Fladbury, 1662-1795 This covers the parish of Fladbury and its chapelries of Stock and Bradley, Throckmorton and Wyre Piddle. [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=39176&disp=Wills+and+administrations+for+the+Peculi%20%20&columns=*,0,0]
*Wills for the Peculiar Court of Ripple, 1663-1771 which covers the parishes of Holdfast, Queenhill and Ripple [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=39632&disp=Wills+for+the+Peculiar+Court+of+Ripple%2%20%20&columns=*,0,0]


== Estate Duty Records<br> ==
Most of Worcestershire was under the pre-1858 probate jurisdiction of either the [[Court of the Bishop of Worcester (Episcopal Consistory)]] or the [[Court of the Bishop of Hereford (Episcopal Consistory)]].  The majority of probate searches will be in the records of these two courts and their superior courts.  However, the following smaller courts also had some pre-1858 jurisdiction within the county. Click on a court name to learn about records and indexes.


Starting in 1796, a tax or death duty was payable on estates over a certain value. Estate duty abstracts may add considerable information not found elsewhere. Estate duty indexes may help locate a will. For more information, go to [[Estate Duty Records]].<br>
*[[Court of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester]]
 
*[[Court of the Peculiar of Evesham]]
== Probates&nbsp;After 1857  ==
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Rector of Alvechurch or Allchurch]]
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Rector of Bredon with Norton and Cutsdean]]  
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Rector of Fladbury]]
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Rector of Hanbury]]
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Rector of Hartlebury]]
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Rector of Ripple with Queenhill and Holdfast]]
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Rector of Tredington with Shipston upon Stour]]
*[[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]


Beginning in 1858, the government took over the&nbsp;settlement of estates and all&nbsp;wills are now probated through the Principal Probate Registry system. For more information, go to [[Principal Probate Registry]].<br>
<br>  


[[Category:Worcestershire]]
[[Category:Worcestershire Probate Records|Probate]]

Latest revision as of 17:12, 1 February 2024

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Getting Started

Probate is the legal court process by which the estate of a deceased person is distributed to his or her heirs. Probate records include wills and administrations. This article is about probate records in Worcestershire. See England Probate Records for a general description of probate records in England.

1858 to the Present

Beginning in 1858, the Principal Probate Registry had the authority for probating estates. Click on the link to learn more.

Online Records

Before 1858

Before 1858, Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process. To search for a pre-1858 probate record in Worcestershire, follow these steps:

Step 1. Search Indexes

Here are some online indexes to probate records that include individuals who lived in Worcestershire. Search these indexes first:

  • Worcestershire Probate Index 1600-1858, at Findmypast.com.
  • Worcestershire Peculiars Wills Index to 1840s - created by Worcestershire County Council
  • Fry, Edward Alexander. Calendar of Wills and Administrations in the Consistory Court of the Bishop of Worcester 1451-1600. London: The British Record Society, Limited, 1904. Free online version at Google Books
  • Fry, Edward Alexander. A Calendar of Wills and Administrations Registered in the Consistory Court of the Bishop of Worcester, Volume I, Part I: 1451-1642. London: The British Record Society, Limited, 1899. Free online version at Google Books TheGenealogist.co.uk pay website
  • Fry, Edward Alexander. A Calendar of Wills and Administrations Preserved in the Consistory Court of the Bishop of Worcester, Volume II, Part I: 1601-1614. London: The British Record Society, Limited, 1907. Free online version at Google Books
  • Fry, Edward Alexander. A Calendar of Wills and Administrations Preserved in the Consistory Court of the Bishop of Worcester, Volume II, Part II: 1614-1625. London: The British Record Society, Limited, 1907. Free online version at Google Books
  • Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury 1384-1858, which was the highest court in England
  • Family History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. "Index of Episcopal Consistory Court of The Bishop Of Worcester 1661-1858". Salt Lake City, UT: The British Reference Unit, FamilySearch Library, 1970. Index of Probate Records of the Episcopal Consistory Court of The Bishop Of Worcester 1661-1858


Did you find a reference to a probate record?

  • If yes, go to Step 4 below.
  • If no, go to Step 2 below.

Step 2. Identify when and where 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 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:

The gazetteer will either tell you:

  • A place is a parish, or
  • What parish it is a part of, or
  • What place it is near.

If the latter, look that place up in the gazetteer and see if it is a parish.

Once you have identified the parish, go to Step 3.

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 Worcestershire fell under the probate jurisdiction of a primary court and several secondary courts. Click on a link below for the letter the parish begins with to determine the courts having probate jurisdiction over that parish:

A B C D-G H-J K-N O-R S T-V W-Z


Step 4. Obtain a copy of the probate record

Once you have found an index reference to a probate, obtain a copy of the record. Do so by one of these methods:

Worcestershire Probate Courts

Most of Worcestershire was under the pre-1858 probate jurisdiction of either the Court of the Bishop of Worcester (Episcopal Consistory) or the Court of the Bishop of Hereford (Episcopal Consistory). The majority of probate searches will be in the records of these two courts and their superior courts. However, the following smaller courts also had some pre-1858 jurisdiction within the county. Click on a court name to learn about records and indexes.


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