Consistory Court of London

Return to the Middlesex Probate Records page.

Location of These Probate Records

The London Metropolitan Archives & Library

40 Northampton Road

London EC1R 0HB

ENGLAND 

Tel 020 7332 3820
Fax 020 7833 9136

E-Mail: ask.lma@corpoflondon.gov.uk

Website is available:

Opening Times: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9.30am - 4.45pm
Tuesday and Thursday 9.30am - 7.30pm

Saturday openings: 9.30am - 4.45pm

2009:

 January 10        May 9         September 12
January 24         June 13       September 26

February 14       June 27       October 10
February 28       July 11        October 24 
March 14           July 25        November 28
March 28           August 8     December 12
April 25             August 22 

Historical Background

Return to the Middlesex Probate Records page.

The Episcopal Consistory Court of the Bishop of London had jurisdiction over the whole diocese of London except the peculiars–including a concurrent jurisdiction with the smaller Archdeaconry courts of London and Middlesex, Colchester (Essex) and St Albans (Herts.). When a search of this courts’ probate records fails to provide the desired probate record, be sure to search the above Archdeaconry courts as well.

Starting Your Search in Indexes

1. First search each index (see below) to help you more quickly find the will, writing down each detail cited in the indexed entry.
2. Proceed then to the "Probate Records of This Court" (below) to determine what original probate records exist for this court.
3. Contact or visit The London Metropolitan Archives and Library, or, hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf. Officials may send upon request a list of record searchers.
4. Visit The Family History Library, or, one of its 4,500 satellite family history centers worldwide and search indexes (see the Family History Library's cataloged entries providing the microfilms so you can have them circulated to the center near you for searching the wills). The information obtained from the index[es] will help you  more quickly search the wills and admons which can also be circulated on microfilm via any family history .

Probate Indexes

The Consistory Court of London probate records have to some extent been indexed with the following ones:

Online indexes

The Metropolitan Archives and Library is currently compiling and posting online a will surname index covering wills and administrations from 1363 to 1857. Currently, it is only a (partial) index for this probate court covering much of Middlesex County and is available online.

Printed and Published Indexes

• A probate index for the Consistory Court of London from 1363 to 1700 has been compiled by the British Record Society in its extensive publications (vols 89 and 98). These publications are likely available in most major United States (especially university libraries) and United Kingdom Archives and libraries as well as in The Family History Library.
• A comprehensive will and admon index to most of London's (including Greater L.) probate courts for the years covering 1750-1858, is Dr David Wright's London Probate Index on CD and is on sale. He will perform "lookups" in his indexes for you for surnames covering from G-Z at a set fee.
  

Original Handwritten Indexes

Calendars and Indexes to Wills (1362 to 1858), and Index to probate registers (1514-1641), to this Probate court exist covering acts of Wills and Administrations (Admons). Calendars are a kind of index (of the first letter of each surname) to the probate records and admons (administrations).

The above calendars can be accessed by visiting The London Metropolitan Archives and Library. To view what precise probate records they hold before visiting [their archives], go to Access2Archives and use their search engine for determining availability of records in The LMA.

Microfilmed Indexes at the Family History Library

Calendars and Indexes of Wills and Admons (Administrations) to the Consistory Court fo the Bishop of London are available on microfilm at the Family History Library covering the years 1362-1857 and may be circulated to each of its satellite Family History Centers.

Searching for probates in this court.

CALENDAR AND INDEX OF WILLS vols 1-9

1362-1814

WILLS AND PROBATE ACTS 

1514-1640 

REGISTERED WILLS and ADMINISTRATIONS (ADMONS)

1520-1857

WILLS AND ADMONS  INDEX TO REGISTERS

1514-1640 vols 1-4

Strategies, Tips, Other?

See the above general countywide index online (see "online Indexes) or those available through the Family History Library's (see "Printed Indexes) many family history centers worldwide for an index to this court.

To view a list of parishes and their respective probate court jurisdiction, see the "Middlesex [1] and Their Probate Jurisdictions" on the main page for Middlesex Probate Records.

Starting Your Search in Indexes

1. First search each index (see below) to help you more quickly find the will, writing down each detail cited in the indexed entry.
2. Proceed to the "Probate Records of This Court" (below) to determine what original probate records exist for this court.
3. Contact or visit The Guildhall Library, or, hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf. Officials may send upon request a list of record searchers.
4. Visit The Family History Library, or, one of its 4,500 satellite family history centers worldwide and search indexes (see the Family History Library's cataloged entries providing the microfilms so you can have them circulated to the center near you for searching the wills). The information obtained from the index[es] will help you  more quickly search the wills and admons which can also be circulated on microfilm via any family history .