Bedfordshire Probate Records: Difference between revisions

Bedfordshire Probate Records (view source)

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 ''[[England]]&nbsp;[[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Bedfordshire|Bedfordshire]]''
-The following article is about probate records in the county of Bedfordshire. For general information about English probate records, click [[England Probate Records|here]].
+<br>
+== 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 [[W genealogical glossary terms|wills]] and [[A genealogical glossary terms|administrations]]. This article is about probate records in Bedfordshire. For a general description of England probate records, click [[England Probate Records|here]].
+=== 1858 to the Present  ===
+Beginning in 1858, the [[Principal Probate Registry|Principal Probate Registry]] had the authority for probating estates. Click on the link to learn more.
-<br>
+=== Before 1858  ===
+Before 1858, Church of England ecclesiastical courts had authority for this process. To search for a pre-1858 probate record in Bedfordshire, follow these steps:
+==== Step 1. Search Indexes  ====
+Here are some online indexes to probate records that include individuals who lived in Bedfordshire. Search these indexes first:
+*[http://www.familyhistoryonline.net/database/SussexFHGprobate.shtml http://www.familyhistoryonline.net/database/SussexFHGprobate.shtml]&nbsp;-- compiled by the Sussex Family History Group which has transcribed the names of 12,300 individuals found in Sussex wills, including testators, executors, beneficiaries or witnesses.&nbsp;The information recorded includes name, date&nbsp;and place.
+*The [http://sussexrecordsociety.org/home2.asp?an=&ap= Sussex Record Society] has&nbsp;published four volumes of indexes to Sussex wills, and these&nbsp;can be viewed on&nbsp;their [http://sussexrecordsociety.org/bwills1.asp?an=&ap= website]. They are arranged by parish then by surname.&nbsp;
+*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/wills.asp?WT.hp=Wills Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills (1384-1858)].
+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.&nbsp;If you aren't sure, use an approximate date.&nbsp;
+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:
+*[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/descriptions/index.jsp Vision of Britain]
-== Description  ==
+The gazetteer will either tell you:
-''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.
+*A place is a parish, or
+*What parish it is a part of, or
+*What place it is near.
-Beginning in 1858, authority over probate matters was taken from ecclesiastical courts and put under the civil authority of the Principal Probate Registry. <br>
+If the latter, look that place up in the gazetteer and see if it is a parish.
-== Getting Started  ==
+Once you have identified the parish, go to '''Step 3'''.
-Follow these steps to look for a probate record before 1858:<br>
+==== Step 3. Identify court jurisdictions by parish  ====
-#Discover when and where your ancestor died. If you don’t know, use the approximate date and place where they lived. <br>
+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 Bedfordshire 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.
-#Go to the "Court Jurisdictions by Parish" 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  ==
+<br>
 ==== Majority of the County  ====
@@ Line 65: / Line 95: @@
 == Probate Indexes  ==
-*Index of Bedfordshire probate records, 1484-1858 This includes   [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=703748&disp=Index+of+Bedfordshire+probate+records%2C%20%20&columns=*,0,0 indexes] for the Court of the Archdeacon of Bedford, the Peculiar Court of Biggleswade and the Peculiar Court of Leighton Buzzard
+*Index of Bedfordshire probate records, 1484-1858 This includes [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=703748&disp=Index+of+Bedfordshire+probate+records%2C%20%20&columns=*,0,0 indexes] for the Court of the Archdeacon of Bedford, the Peculiar Court of Biggleswade and the Peculiar Court of Leighton Buzzard
 *Court of the Archdeaconry of Bedfordshire. FHL films [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=221664&disp=Probate+records%20%20&columns=*,0,0 88007-88009]
 *[http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=116542&disp=English+wills%2C+1498%2D1526%20%20&columns=*,0,0 English wills, 1498-1526] which are transcribed and many from the Archdeacon of Bedford
@@ Line 72: / Line 102: @@
 *Index of Bedfordshire probate records,[http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=703748&disp=Index+of+Bedfordshire+probate+records%2C%20%20&columns=*,0,0 1484-1858] The Peculiar Court of Leighton Buzzard
 *Wills and administrations, 1624-1858 See FHL fims [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titlefilmnotes&columns=*%2C0%2C0&titleno=291040&disp=Wills+and+administrations++ 95109 and 95100]
-*Prebendal Court (Leighton-Buzzard) [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=252871&disp=Probate+records%20%20&columns=*,0,0 Probate records, 1537-1842 Index 1736-1846 ]
+*Prebendal Court (Leighton-Buzzard) [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=252871&disp=Probate+records%20%20&columns=*,0,0 Probate records, 1537-1842 Index 1736-1846]
-*Index of Bedfordshire probate records, [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=703748&disp=Index+of+Bedfordshire+probate+records%2C%20%20&columns=*,0,0 1484-1858 ] The Peculiar Court of Biggleswade
+*Index of Bedfordshire probate records, [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=703748&disp=Index+of+Bedfordshire+probate+records%2C%20%20&columns=*,0,0 1484-1858 ]The Peculiar Court of Biggleswade
-* [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=4791&disp=Index+to+records+of+Lincoln+Peculiar+Cou%20%20&columns=*,0,0 Index] to records of Lincoln Peculiar Courts with Peculiar of Biggleswade
+*[http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=4791&disp=Index+to+records+of+Lincoln+Peculiar+Cou%20%20&columns=*,0,0 Index] to records of Lincoln Peculiar Courts with Peculiar of Biggleswade
 *Probate records for the Commissary Court of Lincoln for the Archdeaconry of Huntingdon, [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titlefilmnotes&columns=*%2C0%2C0&titleno=374857&disp=Probate+records+for+the+Commissary+Court++ 1559-1857, 1559-1857] The Act books contain some Admon Grants from the Peculiar Court of Biggleswade
-*Some transcripts of Bedfordshire Wills at Lambeth and Lincoln [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=124544&disp=The+Publications+of+the+Bedfordshire+His%20%20&columns=*,0,0 1387-1570 v. 14 ]
+*Some transcripts of Bedfordshire Wills at Lambeth and Lincoln [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=124544&disp=The+Publications+of+the+Bedfordshire+His%20%20&columns=*,0,0 1387-1570 v. 14]
 *Bedfordshire wills [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=132268&disp=Bedfordshire+wills+1601%2D1652+at+probat%20%20&columns=*,0,0 1601-1652] at probate registry Lincoln, England, all name index
 *Everton and Swineshead parishes have some references in the following court record Probate records for the Commissary Court of Lincoln for the Archdeaconry of Huntingdon, [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=374857&disp=Probate+records+for+the+Commissary+Court%20%20&columns=*,0,0 1559-1857, 1559-1857 ]<br>