Shropshire Probate Records: Difference between revisions

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[[England]] [[Image:Gotoarrow.png]] [[Shropshire|Shropshire]] 
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| link2=[[Shropshire, England Genealogy|Shropshire]]
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| link5=[[Shropshire_Probate_Records|Probate Records]]
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== Getting Started  ==
== 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 Shropshire. For a general description of England probate records, click [[England Probate Records|here]].  
''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 Shropshire. See [[England Probate Records]] for a general description of probate records in England.  


=== 1858 to the Present  ===
=== 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.  
Beginning in 1858, the [[Principal Probate Registry|Principal Probate Registry]] had the authority for probating estates. Click on the link to learn more.
 
==== Online Records ====
 
*'''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($); index
*'''1858-2019''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/england-and-wales-government-probate-death-index-1858-2019 England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1858-2019] at Findmypast($); index


=== Before 1858  ===
=== Before 1858  ===
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Here are some online indexes to probate records that include individuals who lived in Shropshire. Search these indexes first:  
Here are some online indexes to probate records that include individuals who lived in Shropshire. Search these indexes first:  


*[http://www.familyhistoryonline.net/database/SussexFHGprobate.shtml http://www.familyhistoryonline.net/database/SussexFHGprobate.shtml] -- 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. The information recorded includes name, date and place.  
Start with:
*The [http://sussexrecordsociety.org/home2.asp?an=&ap= Sussex Record Society] has published four volumes of indexes to Sussex wills, and these can be viewed on their [http://sussexrecordsociety.org/bwills1.asp?an=&ap= website]. They are arranged by parish then by surname. 
 
*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/wills.asp?WT.hp=Wills Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills (1384-1858)].
*'''1521-1860''' {{RecordSearch|3491898|England, Staffordshire, Dioceses Of Lichfield and Coventry Wills and Probate, 1521-1860}} — [[England, Staffordshire, Dioceses Of Lichfield and Coventry Wills and Probate - FamilySearch Historical Records|How to Use this Collection]]; indexes & images; ''Also at [http://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-Records/staffordshire-dioceses-of-lichfield-and-coventry-wills-and-probate-1521-1860 Findmypast], ($)''.
 
*'''1570-1790''' [https://www.staffsnameindexes.org.uk/default.aspx?Index=C Lichfield and Coventry Wills Index]. This court covers the northern half of Shropshire.
 
<br>The following are links to records in the FamilySearch Library catalog.
 
* {{FSC|309060|item|disp=Registered wills and original wills, administrations and inventories, 1494-1860, and, act books, 1532-1638 for Diocese of Lichfield Episcopal Consistory Court}}. {{FSC|309060|title-id|disp=}}These include calendars--chronological records of the court's proceedings--not technically name indexes.
* {{FSC|293346|item|disp=Original wills, administrations and inventories for the Diocese of Hereford, 1517-1858}} {{FSC|293346|title-id|disp=}}. The Diocese of Hereford covers the some of the western and almost all the southern part of the county of Shropshire.
* {{FSC|693522|item|disp=Mynegai i ewyllysiau Llanelwy St. Asaph probate index, 1660-1858}}. {{FSC|385951|title-id|disp=}} St Asaph's Diocese&nbsp;covers the Shropshire parishes of Halton,&nbsp;Kinnerley, Knockin, Llanyblodwel, Llanmynech, Melverley, Morton,&nbsp;Oswestry, St. Martins, Selattyn, Trefonen, Whittington.
* {{FSC|385951|item|disp=Abstracts and indexes of original wills, Consistory Court, St. Asaph's Diocese, Wales, 1557-1833}}. {{FSC|385951|title-id|disp=}} St Asaph's Diocese&nbsp;covers the Shropshire parishes of Halton,&nbsp;Kinnerley, Knockin, Llanyblodwel, Llanmynech, Melverley, Morton,&nbsp;Oswestry, St. Martins, Selattyn, Trefonen, Whittington.
* {{FSC|434319|item|disp=Shropshire probates in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, calendar/index 1700-1749}}. {{FSC|434319|title-id|disp=}}
A general will index for the Diocese of Lichfield exists online, a scanned edition of P.W. Phillimore's publication by the British Record Society in 1892, [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Calendars_of_Wills_Administrations_in_th/4zYEAAAAIAAJ?hl=en Calendars of Wills & Administrations in the Consistory Court of the Bishop of Lichfield]. This single index consolidates most Staffordshire wills of the various probate court jurisdictions from 1514-1652 for the Diocese of Lichfield and to 1790 for Staffordshire smaller peculiar courts. [http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=4zYEAAAAIAAJ]  


Did you find a reference to a probate record?  
Did you find a reference to a probate record?  
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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:  
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]
*[https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/ Vision of Britain]


The gazetteer will either tell you:  
The gazetteer will either tell you:  
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==== Step 3. Identify court jurisdictions by parish  ====
==== 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 Shropshire 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.
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 Shropshire fell under the probate jurisdiction of a primary court and several secondary courts. For a list of Shropshire parishes and the pre-1858 ecclesiastical courts that had probate jurisdiction over them, click on a letter link for the name of a parish:  
 
Before 1858, every town and parish in Shropshire was under the probate jurisdiction of a primary ecclesiastical court and several secondary ecclesiastical courts.&nbsp;
 
For a list of Shropshire parishes and the pre-1858 ecclesiastical courts that had probate jurisdiction over them, click on a letter link for the name of a parish:  


{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="272" border="1"
{| cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1" width="272" border="1"
|-
|-
| &nbsp;[[Shropshire Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes A|A]]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Shropshire Probate Jurisdictions, Parishes A|A]]    
| &nbsp;[[Shropshire Probate Jurisdictions Parishes B through E|B-E]]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Shropshire Probate Jurisdictions Parishes B through E|B-E]]    
| &nbsp;[[Shropshire Probate Jurisdictions Parishes F through P|F-L]]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Shropshire Probate Jurisdictions Parishes F through P|F-L]]    
| &nbsp;[[Shropshire Probate Jurisdictions Parishes M through P|M-P]]&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
| &nbsp;[[Shropshire Probate Jurisdictions Parishes M through P|M-P]]    
| &nbsp;[[Shropshire Probate Jurisdictions Parishes Q through Z|Q-Z]]
| &nbsp;[[Shropshire Probate Jurisdictions Parishes Q through Z|Q-Z]]
|}
|}
<br>
==== Step 4. Obtain a copy of the probate record  ====


Search the courts in the order given. Search indexes first.&nbsp; To find indexes, click on a court name above or go to the '''Probate Indexes''' section below. <br>
Once you have found an index reference to a probate, obtain a copy of the record. Do so by one of these methods:


<br>
*{{FSC|England, Shropshire - Probate records|subject|subject-id=1563615120|disp=Shropshire 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.


== Shropshire Probate Courts  ==
== Shropshire Probate Courts  ==
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*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Manor of Ellesmere]]  
*[[Court of the Peculiar of the Manor of Ellesmere]]  
*[[Court of the Royal Peculiar of Bridgnorth]]  
*[[Court of the Royal Peculiar of Bridgnorth]]  
*[[Court of the Royal Peculiar of St Mary Shrewsbury]]<br>
*[[Court of the Royal Peculiar of St Mary Shrewsbury]]
 
*[[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]]
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>
*Interregnum, 1649-1660, because the Prerogative Court was the only court.
*Property in more than one diocese in the Province of Canterbury.
*Property in both the Province of Canterbury and Province of York.
*People who died outside England, including British citizens and others who held property in England.
 
=== Appeals Courts  ===
 
Any probate that was disputed and could not be settled by the county courts could be sent to these higher appeals courts:
 
*[[Court of Arches]]
*[[High Court of Delegates]]
 
The [[Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury]] also served as an appeals court.<br>
 
<br>
 
<br>
 
== Indexes to Probate Records  ==
 
Registered wills and original wills, administrations and inventories, 1494-1860, and, act books, 1532-1638 for Diocese of Lichfield Episcopal Consistory Court [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=309060&disp=Registered+wills+and+original+wills%2C+a%20%20&columns=*,0,0] These are calendars
 
Original wills, administrations and inventories for the Diocese of Hereford, 1517-1858 [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=293346&disp=Original+wills%2C+administrations+and+in%20%20&columns=*,0,0]
 
This covers the some of the western and almost all the southern part of the county of Shropshire.
 
Mynegai i ewyllysiau Llanelwy St. Asaph probate index, 1660-1858 [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=385951&disp=Abstracts+and+indexes+of+original+wills%%20%20&columns=*,0,0]
 
Abstracts and indexes of original wills, Consistory Court, St. Asaph's Diocese, Wales, 1557-1833 [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=385951&disp=Abstracts+and+indexes+of+original+wills%%20%20&columns=*,0,0]
 
St Asaph's Diocese&nbsp;covers the parishes of Halston,&nbsp;Kinnerley, Knockin, Llanyblodwel, Llanmynech, Melverley, Morton,&nbsp;Oswestry, St. Martin, Selattyn, Trefonan, Whittington which are in Shropshire, England.
 
Shropshire probates in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, calendar/index 1700-1749 [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=434319&disp=Shropshire+probates+in+the+Prerogative+C%20%20&columns=*,0,0]
 
A general will index for the Diocese of Lichfield exists online, a scanned edition of P.W. Phillimore's publicationby the British Record Society in 1892,Calendars of wills administrations in the Consistory court of the bishop of Lichfield. This single index consolidates most Staffordshire wills of the various probate court jurisdictions from 1514-1652 for the Diocese of Lichfield and to 1790 for Staffordshire smaller peculiar courts. [http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&id=4zYEAAAAIAAJ]
 
== 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>
 
<br>
 
== &nbsp;Probates After 1857  ==


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>


[[Category:Shropshire]]
[[Category:Shropshire Probate Records]]
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