Genealogy Chat

I received a death certificate for my gt-gt-grandfather who died in 1916 and I learned that he fractured his skull in a fall down the steps leading to the platform at Blackfriars railway station. Consequently there was an inquest held into his death, which was recorded as being accidental. Is inquest information available through the PRO or should I be looking elsewhere? Concerning wills, I feel sure he would have made a will, however is there a 100 year rule on looking at will information, as there is with censuses? Have tried the DocumentsOnline site already but no joy. Thanks Andy.

Sorry I don't know, but I would be interested to find out so i've put you back to the top.

Sorry I don't know, but I would be interested to find out so i've put you back to the top.

Hi, Many inquests and coroner's reports are "lost." However, an excellent source is local newspapers which often report accidents and inquests. There are wills indexes, available in larger libraries and record offices. The ones in Birmingham begin around 1838 and finish in the mid 1850s. Hope this helps, Gwynne

Hi again, Ooops. Too early in the morning - I meant 1950s. Sorry, Gwynne

Hello, Andrew I have sent you an email with this info on. but will post it here as well. You may find info for wills at York District Probate Registry, Postal and search Dept, York they need full name and address date of death £5.00 a copy and £5.00 grant of probate. If the will was not proved you will loose your money. www(.)courtservice(.)gov(.)uk for more info. Inquest papers if you know where the death took place you can approach the Coroners office in that district and ask for a copy of the inquest papers. You must be able to supply the name, date of death and any info that will help locate the file. I paid £7.70 for copy inquest papers from Birmingham. please don't forget the SAE. Hope this helps Shirley

Thanks for your e-mail, Shirley. I'll follow up your advice. Thanks for your reply as well, Gwynne. Andy.

Is it too late to hand this one over to Claims Direct?!!!?

Can't hurt to approach them!

I take it most wills dont need to be proved so the likelihod of finding average person's will is quite small? It would be a good way to work forward from all those relatives you find on the 1901 census.

Anyone had success tracing a will for ancestors 1900 onwards?

Yes , I have had success with finding wills after 1900. Even simple wills will have a grant of probate, or if no will there will be Letters of administration to enable someone to deal with estate of deceased. This website explains all www(.)courtservice(.)gov(.)uk/cms/3734_3736(.)htm

Still a bit confused about wills. Why do some wills need probate and others not? And is it the case that if a will hasn't been proved it will not be possible to obtain a copy? Is it more likely for a will to have had probate....or not? Very grateful for any illumination here! Thanks

Vanessa A will has to have probate when the estate value is over a certain amount otherwise a letter of administation is required.

I may have confused you a little with terminology there : There are 2 types of Grant of Representation 1. Probate - issued to one or more executors named in the will. 2. Letters of Administration (with will) - issued when there is no executor named or executor unable/unwilling. 3 Letters of Administration - issued when the deceased has not made a will or where will is not valid. A grant is required by organisations as authorisation that they can release funds/transfer shares/trasnfer property. It is true a grant may not always be required for a small estate : e.g an organsation (maybe bank) may release a certain amount of money without seeing a grant. all info on court service website. So I am guessing that if all you leave is your jewellery and £10 from under the mattress then there is no need for a grant. Therefore probably only record of will would be wherever the deceased left it.

Thanks very much for your replies. Have now sent off for a search for my g grandfather's will and am hoping for a positive result!

Sorry to ask another question - must be a bit fick. In a nutshell then - the only time you will obtain a will from the Registry office is when a "Letter of Administration [with Will]: is granted to someone other than an executor when the deceased left a valid Will" If Probate, or a letter of administration (where the deceased did not leave a will) was issued then the Registry will not hold the will and it will only be wherever teh deceased put it. Do Probate and the second example of 'letter of adminstration' still provide quite a bit of info for the family historian to go on? Thanks for your patience Richard