Wills and Testament

Another major source for family historians are wills. Until 1858, wills were proved in ecclesiastical courts. From 1858 onwards the responsibility for granting probate passed to the civil courts and all wills in England and Wales after this are recorded in annual indexes.

Wills can be invaluable and as well as giving genealogical details they can also provide fascinating insights into the lives and possessions of their authors. [MORE]

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