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[[England]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Essex]] | |||
The following article is about probate records in the county of Essex. For general information about English probate records, click [[England Probate Records|here]]. | |||
== Description == | |||
''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''' section below has a link to an article about probates after 1857. | |||
== Getting Started == | == Getting Started == | ||
Follow these steps to look for a probate record before 1858:<br> | |||
#Discover when and where your ancestor died. If you don’t know, use the approximate date and place where they lived. <br> | |||
#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> | |||
== Court Jurisdictions by Parish<br> == | |||
Here are links to an alphabetical list of Essex parishes containing a prioritized list of courts with jurisdiction over each. To see which courts to search for probates of persons living in or owning property in particular parish, click on the letter the parish name begins with. | |||
{| width="472" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" border="0" | |||
|- | |||
| | |||
| [[Essex Probate Jurisdictions|A]] | |||
| [[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, 'B' Parishes|B]] | |||
| [[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, 'C' Parishes|C]] | |||
| [[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes D-F|D-F]] | |||
| [[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, 'G' Parishes|G]] | |||
| [[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes H-K|H-K]] | |||
| [[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, 'L' Parishes|L]] | |||
| [[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes M-N|M-N]] | |||
| [[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes O-R|O-R]] | |||
| [[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, 'S' Parishes|S]] | |||
| [[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes T-V|T-V]] | |||
| [[Essex Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes W-Z|W-Z]] | |||
|} | |||
== Essex Probate Courts == | == Essex Probate Courts == | ||
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*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral]] | *[[Court of the Peculiar of the Dean and Chapter of St Paul's Cathedral]] | ||
In addition, the [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]] had jurisdiction over the whole of England and specifically in the following cases.<br> | In addition, the [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]] had jurisdiction over the whole of England and specifically in the following cases.<br> | ||
*Wealthy individuals<br> | *Wealthy individuals<br> | ||
*People who owned property in more than one county<br> | *People who owned property in more than one county<br> | ||
*Military and naval personnel<br> | *Military and naval personnel<br> | ||
*People who lived or owned property outside England<br> | *People who lived or owned property outside England<br> | ||
=== Appeals Courts === | === Appeals Courts === | ||
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The [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]] also served as an appeals court. | The [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]] also served as an appeals court. | ||
== Some Explanatory Notes on the Courts in Essex<br> == | == Some Explanatory Notes on the Courts in Essex<br> == | ||
Probate records for the first eight courts listed above are located at the [http://www.essexcc.gov.uk/vip8/ecc/ECCWebsite/dis/guc.jsp?channelOid=13813&guideOid=14783&guideContentOid=14819 Essex Record Office]. The additional four courts' records are located in Greater London-based record offices (click links to view). | Probate records for the first eight courts listed above are located at the [http://www.essexcc.gov.uk/vip8/ecc/ECCWebsite/dis/guc.jsp?channelOid=13813&guideOid=14783&guideContentOid=14819 Essex Record Office]. The additional four courts' records are located in Greater London-based record offices (click links to view). | ||
Records and indexes for each court are also available in the collection of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Search the [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp Family History Library Catalog] for the title of the court or the court as an author. | Records and indexes for each court are also available in the collection of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Search the [http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Library/FHLC/frameset_fhlc.asp Family History Library Catalog] for the title of the court or the court as an author. <br> | ||
<br> | |||
== Probate Indexes == | == Probate Indexes == | ||
Before | Before looking for a will, you should search an index. | ||
=== Online Indexes === | === Online Indexes === | ||
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The following two online sites contain significant portions of Essex wills: | The following two online sites contain significant portions of Essex wills: | ||
*These indexes overall, are transcriptions to most Essex county wills of the various probate court jurisdictions at | *These indexes overall, are transcriptions to most Essex county wills of the various probate court jurisdictions at | ||
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Other printed indexes are found listed on the court pages. '''Click on the court name links above.''' | Other printed indexes are found listed on the court pages. '''Click on the court name links above.''' | ||
<br> | == Estate Duty Records<br> == | ||
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> | |||
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> | |||
== Probates After 1857 == | == Probates After 1857 == | ||
Beginning in 1858, the government took over the settlement of estates and all wills are now probated through the Principal Probate Registry system. For more information, go to [[Principal Probate Registry]].<br> | Beginning in 1858, the government took over the settlement of estates and all wills are now probated through the Principal Probate Registry system. For more information, go to [[Principal Probate Registry]].<br> | ||
[[Category:Essex]] | [[Category:Essex]] | ||