FindmyPast adds English and Welsh death and probate records

The following records have been added to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):

Greater London Burial Index
Were your ancestors buried in Greater London? Over 45,000 new records covering 10 parishes across the region have been added to the index and are now available to search. The records in this collection date all the way back to 1399 and will reveal the date and location of your ancestor's burial as well as their occupation, address, denomination and age at death.

Middlesex Monumental Inscriptions
A further 3,400 records from the parishes of Harefield St Mary the Virgin and Sunbury St Mary have been added to the collection. Middlesex Monumental Inscriptions spans the years 1485 to 2014 and includes transcripts for each entry. Transcripts may include your ancestor's age at death, death year, burial location and inscription. Inscriptions can reveal the names of relatives as well as other biographical details.

Dorset Memorial Inscriptions
Over 13,000 additional records from 35 burial sites across Dorset are now available to search.Each record contains a transcript of an original inscription taken from gravestones, tombs, monuments and even stained glass windows. The information contained in each record may vary considerably depending on a number of factors such as weathering or the type of memorial.

England & Wales Government Probate Death Index 1960-2019
Find a probate record from 1960 to 2019 with the England & Wales government probate index containing more than 14 million records. You can now search the government probate index on Findmypast. The index will give you a person’s death date, probate date, residence, next of kin and more.

British & Irish Newspaper Update
This week we have added 182,823 brand new pages including six brand new London titles to our collection. This week's new additions span the first half of the nineteenth century and include the world’s first ever evening newspaper, the Star (London). Our most recent update also includes the Statesman (London) and the Express (London). The Statesman (London) was a daily title owned by Robert Wardell, but the newspaper went out of print in 1824 when Wardell sailed to Australia to found the country’s first ever independent newspaper, The Australian. Also now available to search is the Express (London), printed by William Anselm Jones in the mid-1800s, the British Press, a daily newspaper published in London in the early 1800s, and the Press (London), a Saturday paper from the mid-1800s.

Further details and links at https://www.findmypast.co.uk/blog/new/new-uk-burials-monumental-inscriptions-and-more

Chris

Order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. My next Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs course starts 4 November 2019 - see https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Find a Will drops price of historic wills

Thanks to Chalfont Research via Twitter (@ChalfontR) for the following:

"Anyone noticed that the cost of downloading wills from the probate service has gone down from £10 to £1.50? #genealogy #result"

It's true. The following is the new section on how to pay in the Find a Will site at https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk, which permits you to order copies of English and Welsh wills post-1858:

How to pay for your copy grant or will

The fee for each copy request is £1.50 to download (the £1.50 charge is required by law for the release of public documents. You will receive a copy of the grant of representation and the will if there is one. You can pay online using a debit or credit card.

If you are unable to pay with a credit or debit card, then you can download form PA1S from https://www.gov.uk/wills-probate-inheritance/searching-for-probate-records. The form will have an address to send it to together with your cheque. This service will take 4 weeks

Have fun!

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

FamilySearch adds English and Welsh National Probate Calendar

FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org) has added a new database:

England and Wales, National Index of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1957
https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2451051

This collection is the National Probate Calendar for England and Wales, it is an index to wills and administrations from 1858-1957.

The National Probate Calendar is the English and Welsh equivalent of Scotland's Calendars of Confirmations and Inventories, with the confirmation process down south known as 'probate'.

FamilySearch's index is free to search, but to view an image for further details you will need to visit a LDS family history centre, or affiliate centre.

UPDATE: Thanks to David Wharton via The GENES Blog facebook page, for the following important additional point:

"And they have also indexed the Executors or Administrators, incorrectly described as Beneficiaries [although they might also be one]. They give the deceased's name and the probate date, so it is then easy to go to the official site probatesearch.service.gov.uk to see the index. For 1858 to 1925 you can see the actual registered copy of the will at a Family Search Library."

Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Welsh probate documents now searchable on Ancestry

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has recently added the following collection:

Wales, Wills and Probate, 1513-1858
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/search/collections/waleswills/
Source: Wills proved in the Welsh Ecclesiastical courts before 1858, Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru: The National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales.


About Wales, Wills and Probate, 1513-1858

Historical Context

Wills before 1858 were generally proved in the church courts, of which there was a hierarchy extending from an individual parish up to the Archbishop of Canterbury. The ministers of some parishes had a right to prove the wills of those of their parishioners who had property solely in their parish - known as a peculiar jurisdiction. This could be 'inhibited' by the Dean or Bishop at certain times.

The more important churches within the dioceses, and the cathedrals, often held their own courts. Courts of Dean and Chapters, and of the Prebends, of Cathedrals are numerous - their jurisdictions were over the places from which their revenues derived. In addition, Rural Deans supervised a group of parishes (normally not less than 12, and not including peculiars), and in some parts of the country had authority to prove wills within that area.

A larger number of parishes was headed by an archdeacon, and there would be one or more archdeaconries in a diocese, headed by a Bishop. The archdeaconry courts would normally grant probate for persons with property in their area of jurisdiction. The bishop's court (or consistory court) would grant probate for any person having property in more than one archdeaconry within the diocese. The dioceses in the south of England with the Channel Islands and Wales, formed the Province of Canterbury, of which the Archbishop of Canterbury was the head. His Prerogative Court of Canterbury proved the wills of those with property in more than one diocese or peculiar in the Province. In the north of England, the Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of York acted in the same way for northern dioceses.

Canterbury claimed overall jurisdiction in probate matters when persons had property in both Provinces or had died abroad. (However, this did not always happen in practice.)

Wills in England and Wales

Wills could be written for males beginning at age 14 and females at age 12. In 1837 the age was changed to 21 for both men and women, although in the case of women, these were primarily unmarried or widowed women, since a woman’s property by law was the property of her husband until 1882.

What can I find in these records?

There were seven dioceses or their equivalents in Wales. The following list shows the areas of probate jurisdiction and the dates of the wills included in the collection:

Diocese of Bangor: Anglesey, most of Caernarfonshire, most of Merioneth, parts of Denbighshire and Montgomeryshire Original wills 1576-1858 (majority dated 1635-1648, 1660-1858) Copy wills 1790, 1851-1858

Archdeaconry of Brecon: Breconshire, most of Radnorshire, and some parishes in Monmouthshire, Montgomeryshire and Herefordshire Original wills 1557-1857 (mainly 1609-1653, 1660-1857) Copy wills 1543-1858 (mainly 1570-1589, 1694-1858)

Diocese of Chester: four parishes in Flintshire and Holt in Denbighshire. Original wills 1521-1858 (mainly 1557-1650, 1660-1858)

Peculiar of Hawarden: parish of Hawarden Original wills 1554-1858 (mainly 1554-1641, 1660-1858)

Diocese of Llandaff: Monmouthshire and Glamorgan (except for Gower) Original 1568-1857 Copy wills 1695-1844

Diocese of St Asaph: most of Denbighshire, Flintshire and Montgomeryshire, and parts of Merioneth, Caernarfonshire and Shropshire Original 1557-1858 (mainly 1583-1649, 1660-1857) Copy wills 1548-1709 (mainly 1565-1648, 1660-1669, 1684-1709)

Diocese of St David’s: Pembrokeshire, Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire and part of Glamorgan (Gower) Original 1556-1858 (mainly 1564-1653, 1660-1858) Copy wills 1703-1858 (mainly 1703-1731, 1814-1858)

You may be able to find the following information (where available):

Name
Date will was proved
Place will was proved

Parts of this description have been taken from the National Library of Wales website. You can find out more about their collections on this page.


Chris

Pre-order Tracing Your Irish Family History on the Internet (2nd ed) for just £11.99 at https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Tracing-Your-Irish-Family-History-on-the-Internet-Paperback/p/16483. Details of my genealogical research service are available at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further news published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page, and on Twitter @genesblog.

Latest FindmyPast additions

Latest releases from FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk):

1939 Register
Over 64,000 additional 'open' records have been added to the 1939 Register. Since the Register was launched, Findmypast has matched more than four million 'closed records' to multiple data sources to correctly confirm the date and location of death for individuals recorded.

Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Case Files Of Chinese Immigrants, 1900-1923 Image Browse
Browse through more than 60,000 images of case files of Chinese immigrants arriving in Philadelphia. These images comprise the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) publication M1144: Case Files of Chinese Immigrants, 1895-1920, from District No. 4 (Philadelphia) of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Records will reveal a combination of your ancestor's name, age, birth place, occupation, ship name and arrival date.

Ireland, British Army Officers 1914-1918
Discover your military ancestor in this index of over 1,500 records obtained through the Our Heroes website. Our Heroes provides photographs and biographical notes of the officers of Irish regiments as well as Irish officers of British regiments who were killed in action or who were mentioned for distinguished conduct between August 1914 and July 1916.

South Lancashire Regiment Prisoners Of War 1914-1918
Discover your South Lancashire Regiment ancestor in this index of over 2,800 prisoners of war from 1914 to 1918. This collection has been obtained through the Warrington Museum & Art Gallery. Additional information about these records can be found on the source's website.

Worcestershire probate index 1600-1858
Over 11,000 additional records have been added to the Worcestershire probate index. There are four types of records in this index: grants of administration, administrations with will annexed, limited (where the entire estate of the deceased is not covered), and wills. The Bishop's Court had jurisdiction over all the probate in the diocese, which covered part of Warwickshire as well as Worcestershire, until 1858.

Further details and links at https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/findmypast-friday-2571907680.html

Chris

For my genealogy guide books, visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html, whilst details of my research service are at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further content is also published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BritishGENES.

Ancestry adds Wiltshire Wills and Probate 1530-1858 collection

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has released a new collection, entitled Wiltshire, England, Wills and Probate, 1530-1858., sourced from Wiltshire and Swindon History Centre, Chippenham, Wiltshire, England. The following records are contained in the dataset:

This Collection

P1 - Records of the Consistory Court of Sarum. This was the largest court, representing the Bishop's own probate jurisdiction in his diocese. This court was able to "inhibit" the operation of certain other probate courts (Berkshire, Sarum, Wilts Archdeaconries, and the sub-dean of Sarum), in effect dealing with cases which would have come before them for 6 months in every 3 years. The Court also had jurisdiction over the Bishopric peculiars of Berwick St James; Devizes St John and St Mary; West Lavington; Marlborough St Mary and St Peter; Preshute; Potterne; Stert and Trowbridge with Staverton.

P2 - Records of the Archdeaconry Court of Sarum. The Archdeacon of Sarum had jurisdiction over the southern part of Wiltshire, excluding peculiars. This court was "inhibited" for 6 months in every 3 years by the Consistory Court.

P3 - Records of the Archdeaconry Court of Wiltshire. The Archdeacon of Wiltshire had jurisdiction over the northern part of Wiltshire, excluding peculiars. This court was "inhibited" for 6 months in every 3 years by the Consistory Court.

P4 - Records of the court of the sub-dean of Sarum. The sub-dean's jurisdiction covered the five parishes in and near Salisbury, namely, St Thomas, St Edmund, St Martin, Stratford-sub-castle and Milford (the inhabitants of the latter, having no church of their own, used St Martin's). The court was "inhibited" by the Bishop for 6 months in every 3 years. There are almost no surviving records for the years 1589-1610.

P5 - Records of the Peculiar Court of the Dean of Sarum. The Dean's jurisdiction covered The Close, Salisbury, 8 Wiltshire parishes, 7 Berkshire parishes and 27 Dorset parishes. The Wiltshire parishes were: Baydon, Heytesbury, Hill Deverill, Horningsham, Knook, Mere, Ramsbury and Swallowcliffe. The Berkshire parishes were: Arborfield, Blewbury, Hurst, Ruscombe, Sandhurst, Sonning & Wokingham, with the Chapels of Upton and Aston Upthorpe. The Dorset parishes were: Alton Pancras, Anderston, Bere Hackett, Bere Regis with Winterborne Kingston, Bloxworth, Candlemarsh, Castletown, Charminster, Folke, Haydon, Hermitage, Holnest, Lillington, Long Burton, Mapperton, Nether Compton, North Wootton, Oborne, Over Compton, Ryme Intrinsica, Sherborne, Stockwood, Stratton, Thornford, Turner's Puddle & Winterborne Thompson. Clifton Maybank was also under the jurisdiction until 1824 when it was united with Bradford Abbas and came under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Bristol and the Archdeacon of Dorset. For 6 months in every 3 years the Dean also "inhibited" the Prebendaries of Salisbury Cathedral, the Dean and Canons of Windsor, the Warden of Savernake, and various peculiars. (Information from the Return of Courts granting Probates of Wills and Letters of Administration, 16 April 1829).

P6 - Records of the Prebend of Bishopstone. This jurisdiction covered the parish of Bishopstone, North Wiltshire. The court was "inhibited" by the Dean of Sarum for 6 months in every 3 years.

P7 - Records of the Prebend of Chute and Chisenbury. This jurisdiction covered the parishes of Chute, Winterbourne Dauntsey and Chisenbury, Dorset. The Court was "inhibited" by the Dean of Sarum for 6 months in every 3 years.

P8 - Records of the Prebend of Coombe and Harnham. This jurisdiction covered the parishes of Coombe Bisset and Harnham Chapel, Wiltshire. The court was "inhibited" by the Dean of Sarum for 6 months in every 3 years.

P9 - Records of the Prebendal Court of Durnford. This jurisdiction covered the parish of Durnford, Wiltshire. The court was "inhibited" by the Dean of Sarum for 6 months in every 3 years.

P10 - Records of the Peculiar of the Prebend of Highworth. This jurisdiction covered the parish of Highworth with the chapels of South Marston, Sevenhampton and Broad Blunsden. The court was "inhibited" by the Dean of Sarum for 6 months in every 3 years.

P11 - Records of the Prebend of Burbage and Hurstbourne Tarrant. This jurisdiction covered the parish of Burbage, Wiltshire, but not the parish of Hurstbourne Tarrant, Hampshire. The court was "inhibited" by the Dean of Sarum for 6 months in every 3 years.

P12 - Records of the Prebend of Netheravon. This jurisdiction covered the parish of Netheravon, Wiltshire, including the hamlet of Chisenbury de la Foley. The court was "inhibited" by the Dean of Sarum for 6 months in every 3 years.

P13 - Records of the Prebend of Wilsford and Woodford. This jurisdiction covered the parishes of Wilsford (near Amesbury) and Woodford, Wiltshire. The court was "inhibited" by the Dean of Sarum for 6 months in every 3 years. Only 6 items date before 1628.

P14 - Records of the Prebend of Chardstock and Warnbrook. This jurisdiction covered the parishes of Chardstock, formerly in Dorset, but transferred to Devon in 1896, and Wambrook, formerly in Dorset, but transferred to Somerset in 1896. The court was "inhibited" by the Dean of Sarum for 6 months in every 3 years.

P15 - Records of the Prebend of Fordington and Writhlington. This jurisdiction covered the parish of Fordington, Dorset, but not that of Writhlington, Somerset. The court was "inhibited" by the Dean of Sarum for 6 months in every 3 years.

P16 - Records of the Peculiar of the Prebend of Lyme and Halstock. This jurisdiction covered the parishes of Lyme Regis and Halstock in Dorset. The court was "inhibited" for 6 months in every 3 years by the Dean of Sarum.

P17 - Records of the Prebendal Court of Netherbury. This jurisdiction covered the parishes of Netherbury and Beaminster, Dorset. It was "inhibited" for 6 months in every 3 years by the Dean of Sarum.

P18 - Records of the Prebendal Court of Preston and Sutton Poyntz. This jurisdiction covered the parishes of Preston and Sutton Poyntz, Dorset. The court was "inhibited" by the Dean of Sarum for 6 months in every 3 years.

P19 - Records of the Prebend of Yetminster and Grimstone. This jurisdiction covered the parish of Yetminster, Dorset. The court was "inhibited" by the Dean of Sarum for 6 months in every 3 years.

P20 - Records of the Prebend of Uffculme. This jurisdiction covered the parish of Uffculme, Devon. It was "inhibited" by the Dean of Sarum for 6 months in every 3 years. There are no records for the years 1554-1574 and 1576-1622. The earliest records are contained in a small register kept by John Toser, Prebendary of Uffculme, containing notes and memoranda relating to a variety of prebendal and personal matters. This volume, although repaired many years ago, remains very fragile.

P21 - Records of the Peculiar of the Lord Warden of Savernake Forest. Covers the parishes of Collingbourne Ducis, Great Bedwyn and Little Bedwyn. In some records, the official is described as the official of Sir Edward Seymour, within the parishes of Trowbridge, Collingbourne Ducis and Great Bedwyn. Collingbourne Ducis was "inhibited" by the Bishop for 6 months in every 3 years. The Bedwyns were "inhibited" by the Dean of Sarum for 6 months in every 3 years. After 1829 this court ceased: probate records from the Bedwyns will be found in the Dean's court (P5) and from Collingbourne Ducis in the Consistory Court (P1).

P22 - Records of the Peculiar of Trowbridge. At some time before 1717, Trowbridge became a Bishop's peculiar. After 1717, the probate work of this court was absorbed by the Bishop's Court, the Consistory Court of Salisbury, P1. No records survive after 1646.

P23 - Records of the Dean and Canons of Windsor. This jurisdiction covered the following parishes: Hungerford, Berkshire (including Charnham Street, Eddington, Hidden, Newtown & Sanden Fee); Wantage, Berkshire (including Charlton, Grove, Tulwick & West Lockinge); Shalbourne, part in Wiltshire, part in Berkshire (including Bagshot); Ogbourne St Andrew, Wiltshire (including Ogbourne Maizey and Rockley); and Ogbourne St George, Wiltshire. After 1840 this court was in abeyance in consequence of there being no official; the wills were proved in the Dean of Sarum's court (P5). There are several gaps in the series, notably for the years 1613-1639 and 1642-1667.

P24 - Records of the Dean and Chapter of Salisbury. This peculiar jurisdiction covered the parishes or chapelries of Stourpaine in Dorset, Bramshaw in Hampshire, and Bishops Cannings, Britford, Homington and Southbroom in Wiltshire.

P25 - Records of the Precentor or Chanter. This peculiar covered Westbury, Wiltshire, with the chapelries of Bratton and Dilton. A few records dealt with in the Dean's court remain in P5.

P26 - Probate records of the court of the Treasurer of the Cathedral Church of Salisbury. The jurisdiction covered the parishes of Alderbury with the chapelries of Pitton and Farley, Berwick Bassett, Calne, Calstone Wellington, Cherhill and Figheldean. Two entries for 1574 and 1599.

P27 - Records of the Royal Peculiar of Gillingham. This jurisdiction covered the parishes of Gillingham (including the chapelries of Milton on Stour and Bourton) and Motcombe, Dorset.

P28 - Records of the Peculiar of Castle Combe. This jurisdiction covered the parish of Castle Combe, Wiltshire. For later records, see the Archdeaconry of Wiltshire probate indexes. Some items (the latest of which was dated 1786) included in the original index have been missing for many years, and are not given in this index.

P29 - Records of the Peculiar Court of the Perpetual Vicar of Corsham.This jurisdiction covered the parishes of Corsham and Stratton St Margaret, Wiltshire. The place of residence of the deceased is frequently not given, but has been assumed to be Corsham (this is usually indicated by other evidence); only a small proportion of the wills (less than 3%) are from Stratton St Margaret. The earliest entries in the first register (1Reg) are later, 17th century, transcriptions. In addition to the three registers containing copies of wills, etc, there is a series of original, unbound wills, arranged alphabetically by surname, which partially overlap in date; many individuals therefore appear in both a register and the alphabetical series. The second register (2Reg) contains 54 marriage licence entries, as well as wills.

P30 - This series comprises probate records that were never sent to the General or District Probate Registries after 1857 but remained with the diocesan archives. Originally it numbered about 2000 items of almost entirely unproved wills and inventories but many documents have been placed into their appropriate series (P1-P29), in many instances being reunited with associated papers. Among the records is a series of copies of wills and inventories dated around 1540 from parishes in the archdeaconry of Sarum. A box containing unidentified fragments has not been indexed or digitised.

Full details are available at https://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=61333

Chris

For my genealogy guide books, visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html, whilst details of my research service are at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further content is also published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BritishGENES.

Surrey and New York collections join FindmyPast

This week's new FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk) additions:

Surrey Lay Subsidies 1524-1645
Search for your ancestors in over 16,000 early taxation records created from The National Archives' E 179 series, 'Exchequer: King's Remembrancer: Particulars of account and other records relating to lay and clerical taxation, National treasury records'. Lay subsidies are taxation records from the final years of the Tudor period and the early years of the Jacobean era. All the records come from Surrey in South East England.

Surrey Court Cases 1391-1835
Surrey Court Cases is an index of over 26,000 records covering four centuries of Surrey court cases. Each record consists of a transcript that will reveal the year of the case, the court it was head at and, in some cases, full texts comprising the names of others named in the court proceedings.
The records cover four Surrey Courts:

• Surrey Court of Star Chamber, 1485-1649 –dealt primarily with criminal cases and alleged violence such as sedition, illegal hunting, assault, fraud, public disorder, murder, and witchcraft.
• Surrey Exchequer Court, 1497-1835 – responsible for cases of equity and revenue. You will find land disputes, titles of land, manorial rights, tithes, debts, and wills in these records.
• Surrey Court of Requests, 1500-1624 – Due to the low cost and the speedy process of the Court of Requests, it was frequently used by the poor and servants of the king in matters of equity.
• Surrey Court of Chancery, 1391-1758 – also dealt with cases of equity, trusts, and land laws, as well as the estates of lunatics and guardianship of infants

Surrey & South London Wills & Probate Index, 1470-1856
Just under 2,000 records have been added to our collection of Surrey & South London Will Abstracts 1470-1856. The index consists of names taken from original will registers held at the London Metropolitan Archives. The registers contain the details taken down from office copies of the wills as the testator or their solicitor would have retained the original document.

New York State Death Index Browse
Browse 71 indices of deaths from the state of New York. Images are broken up by year and cover the years 1880 to 1955. Records will reveal where your ancestor died, their date of death, cause of death, age at death and certificate number.

New York City Marriage Announcements, 1833-1836
This collection of marriage announcements from New York City contains many notices from newspapers not readily available to the public. The two newspapers included are The Sun and the New York Transcript. This work has two main indexes: the Groom and the Bride. Each record contains the names of both the bride and groom, the name of the officiating minister, the marriage date, location and the newspaper the notice was
originally printed in. The collection is also available to browse.

New York State Religious Records 1716-1914 Image Browse
Browse 120 volumes of baptisms, marriages, and deaths from dozens of New York State churches of various denominations.

The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record
Another fascinating resource from NYG&B, The New York Genealogical and Biographical Record is the second oldest genealogical journal in the US and details the people and places of the Empire State from the 17th century onwards. We've added a further 85 images from Vol 148 No 3 in this latest update.

Further details at https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/findmypast-friday-november-3rd-2505574686.html
Chris

My next 5 week long Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs course commences Nov 6th 2017 - details at https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. For my genealogy guide books, visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html, whilst details of my research service are at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further content is also published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BritishGENES.

Thrift Genealogical Abstracts added to FindmyPast

Several Irish themed collections have been added to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.com) this week:

Thrift Genealogical Abstracts

Containing over 150,000 records, the Thrift genealogical abstracts were created by renowned genealogist, Gertrude Thrift, at the turn of the last century. Findmypast's exclusive access to Thrift's abstracts provides a vast amount of genealogical material dating back to the 1500s. Thrift transcribed and created detailed notes from military commission books, parish registers, exchequer bill books, prerogative grants, chancery bill books, freeman rolls, wills, and more. Many of the wills copied within this collection were lost during the fire at the Public Record Office of Ireland in Dublin in 1922.

Thrift also constructed comprehensive family trees for names such as Gennys, Read, Jagoe, Seymour, Rainsford, and Guinness. In the records, you will find twelve pages of the Guinness family tree, beginning with Richard and Elizabeth Guinness, the parents of the famous brewer Arthur Guinness. The tree traces multiple lines and each name includes an annotation of the person's birth and death dates, occupation, accomplishments, and marital status.


Crossle Genealogical Abstracts

The Crossle Genealogical abstracts were created in the 19th century by Dr Francis Crossle and his son Philip. Containing over 657,000 Irish records, this rich genealogical resource contains valuable copies of prerogative court wills from 1620 to 1804, which were destroyed in the fire at the Public Record Office in Dublin in 1922.

Crossle also provides a wealth of material for those tracing military ancestors including yearly Army returns from 1767 through to 1816 and is an excellent resource for those tracing their ancestors in Northern Ireland.


Betham Genealogical Abstracts

Explore abstracts and genealogical sketches created by herald Sir William Betham. Containing over 489,000 records, these notebooks are an excellent substitute for missing records and include abstracts of wills, reconstructed family trees and detailed pedigrees that can be searched by name, year, or keyword.


Cork, Pobble O'Keefe Census 1830-1852

Search over 4,000 records from seven local censuses - 1830, 1834, 1836, 1849, 1850, 1851, and 1852 - from the townland Pobble O'Keefe in Cork to discover who your ancestor was living with as well as their occupation, birth year and marital status.


Yorkshire Burials

More than 75,000 new Yorkshire burial records are now available to search and explore. Yorkshire burials covers the three historic Yorkshire counties as well as records from Quaker and Roman Catholic parishes and municipal cemeteries. The collection allows you to search records from ten Yorkshire archives and family histor
y societies that will reveal your ancestors age at death, birth year, burial date, and burial place.

Further details are available at https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/findmypast-friday-2498844701.html

Chris

My next 5 week long Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs course commences Nov 6th 2017 - details at https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. For my genealogy guide books, visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html, whilst details of my research service are at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further content is also published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BritishGENES.

FindmyPast adds Herefordshire records

Latest additions from FindmyPast (www.findmypast.com):

Herefordshire Baptisms
Herefordshire Baptisms contains over 229,000 transcripts of original parish baptism registers. The collection dates back to the early 1500s and covers more than 240 parishes across the county. Some of the records have been created by the Leintwardine History Society from original documents and the rest come from FamilySearch's International Genealogical Index.

Herefordshire Marriages
Search over 49,000 transcripts of Herefordshire Marriages spanning the years 1538 to 1936 to uncover the name of your ancestor's spouse and add another branch to your family tree. Herefordshire is found in the West Midlands of England and share borders with Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Shropshire and Wales. You will find records from more than 230 parishes across the county, including Bromyard, Kington, Leominster, Ledbury, and Ross-on-Wye.

Herefordshire Burials
Do you have family members buried Herefordshire? Search transcripts of original parish burial registers that span four centuries and cover 75 parishes across the county to find out. Each record will reveal where and when your ancestor was laid to rest as well as the names of their parent's and spouse.

Herefordshire Wills, 1517-1700
Herefordshire wills, 1517-1700 is a collection of more than 49,000 records produced by the British Record Society. This handwritten index was created from the original documents found in the Herefordshire Archive and Records Centre. The index is arranged in alphabetical order by surname and can be searched the by the first initial of the surname. In the cases where there is more than one volume for a surname, the volumes are numbered.

Further details at https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/findmypast-friday-september-15th-2485517307.html.

Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course commences Sept 11th 2017 - details at www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. For my genealogy guide books, visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html, whilst details of my research service are at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further content is also published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BritishGENES.

FindmyPast adds Buckinghamshire parish records

FindmyPast (www.findmypast.com) has added the following collections to its site:

Muster Rolls of The Marine Corps
Explore over 1.7 million muster rolls records from the United States Marine Corps spanning the late 1700s up to the end of the nineteenth century. The rolls record the details of men who were serving with the Corps and were chronologically arranged by month and then ordered by detachment or unit. The exception to this is the records pertaining to World War I when they were sorted in two subseries: by posts and stations and by mobile units.

Buckinghamshire Baptism Index
Search over 870,000 transcripts created from original records held at the Buckinghamshire Archives. Buckinghamshire is located in South East England and is one of the Home Counties.

Buckinghamshire Banns Index
The Buckinghamshire Banns Index contains over 101,000 records created from original parish registers and bishop's transcripts held by the Centre for Buckinghamshire Studies.

Buckinghamshire Marriage Index
Explore more than 485,000 transcripts to find out whether your ancestors were married in a Buckinghamshire parish church.

Buckinghamshire Burial Index
Were your ancestors buried in Buckinghamshire? Search over 662,000 transcripts created from original parish registers and bishop's transcripts held at the Buckinghamshire Archives to find out.

Ireland Calendars of Wills & Administrations 1858-1920
Search over 1 million Wills & Administration records to learn more about your Irish ancestor's will and estate. Ireland began publishing an annual will calendar beginning in 1858. This calendar typically contained a summary of the will and probate information including the name of the deceased, their address, occupation, beneficiaries, date of death and value of their estate.

British Newspapers
Over 2.3 million new articles and 7 brand new titles have been added to our collection of historic newspapers this month. New titles now available to search include:

• Tenby Observer
• Brechin Herald
• Milngavie and Bearsden Herald
• Alcester Chronicle
• Abergavenny Chronicle
• Ripley and Heanor News and Ilkeston Division Free Press
• Eastern Daily Press and the Colchester Gazette

Further details and links at https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/findmypast-friday-2474168057.html.

Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course commences Sept 11th 2017 - details at www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102. For my genealogy guide books, visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html, whilst details of my research service are at www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk. Further content is also published daily on The GENES Blog Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BritishGENES.

FindmyPast latest additions

The following collections have been added to FindmyPast (www.findmypast.com):

Dublin City Ordnance Survey Map 1847

Explore 33 fascinating Ordinance Survey maps covering Dublin at the height of the Great Famine. This large-scale government map, broken up into numerous sheets, displays the locations of all the streets, buildings, gardens, lanes, barracks, hospitals, churches and landmarks throughout the city. You can even see illustrations of the trees in St Steven's Green.


Ireland, Maps and Surveys 1558-1610

Delve through 68 beautifully illustrated early Irish maps digitised in full colour from the National Archives series State Papers Ireland. These m
aps were created during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I and assisted the English in the plantation of Ireland - a time when the English crown confiscated Irish lands and redistributed them to English planters or settlers. Most of the land confiscated had previously belonged to Gaelic leaders in Munster and Ulster.


Wiltshire Wills and Probate Index 1530-1881

Explore more than 130,000 Wiltshire Wills and Probate records in this free index. Each record consists of a transcript that will reveal your ancestor's occupation, if they left a will and when they left it.


London Marriage Licences 1521-1869

Search thousands of London Marriage records spanning 348 years of the city's history to determine whether your ancestor's were married by licence. The records are presented in a Portable Document Format (PDF). You can search the whole text of the document with the full text option. This will allow you to search by name, parish, or even other facts such as occupation or father's name. Records will typically reveal your ancestor's occupation, marital status, father's name, previous spouse's name (if widowed) and corresponding details for their intended spouse.


Further details are available at https://blog.findmypast.co.uk/findmypast-friday-2454309522.html

Chris

My next 5 week Scottish Research Online course commences Sept 11th 2017 - details at https://www.pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=102.
For details on my Scottish & Irish genealogy guide books, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.
For my genealogy research service, please visit http://www.ScotlandsGreatestStory.co.uk.

Free National Archives of Ireland records sets added to FindmyPast

FindmyPast (www.findmypast.co.uk) has added a further set of records from the National Archives of Ireland (www.nationalarchives.ie), which will be free to access. The following datasets are now available, with their descriptions as given on the site - brace yourself if you're Irish, you're going to be busy...!

Valuation Office Books, 1848–1860

This collection houses several types of manuscript records from the Valuation Office in Ireland: field books, house books, quarto books, rent books, survey books, and tenure books. All of these books helped to inform the publication of Griffith’s Valuation, which was a comprehensive assessment of the rental value of Irish lands and property from the mid-1820s to the mid-1850s. The assessment of land and buildings in Ireland was intended to aid in the re-evaluating of local taxes, which were at that time unevenly applied.

These records were compiled in three waves, each with its own distinct parameters for assessment, prior to the publication of Griffith’s Valuation. These three methods for assessment produced different records. During the first valuation, house books would list the names of occupiers while field books recorded details solely related to soil quality. The nature of these two books changed slightly by the third valuation where both were including information on occupiers.

While the house and field books were by far the most prolific, other manuscript records were also compiled. Tenure books detailed the landlord and lease information, including the lessor’s name. Rent books recorded rents paid and quarto books covered towns.


Ireland, Original Will Registers 1858-1920

The Ireland, Original Will Registers 1858-1920 come from the will books created by the district courts and held by the National Archives of Ireland. The collection includes wills from Northern Ireland until 1917. Prior to 1847, the Church of Ireland was the testamentary authority in Ireland. Wills were proved in the ecclesiastical courts of the Church. However, after The Probate Act was passed in 1847, the power to grant probate and to issue letters of administration was given to twelve registries in Ireland: The Principal Registry in Dublin and eleven District Registries – Armagh, Ballina, Belfast, Cavan, Cork, Kilkenny, Limerick, Londonderry, Mullingar, Tuam, and Waterford.

Principal and District Registries jurisdictions

The jurisdictions of the courts stretched across multiple county lines and different parishes within the same county could be within the jurisdiction of different courts. Below we have listed each probate district and the county it covered.

Armagh – Armagh, Fermanagh, Monaghan, and Tyrone
Ballina – Sligo and Mayo
Belfast – Antrim and Down
Cavan – Cavan, Leitrim, and Longford
Cork – Cork and Kerry.
Dublin (Principal) – Dublin, Kildare, Meath, and Wicklow (The Principal Registry also had authority over large estates outside of the listed counties.)
Kilkenny – Carlow, Laois (Queen’s), and Kilkenny
Limerick – Clare, Kerry, Limerick, and Tipperary
Londonderry – Donegal, Londonderry (Derry), and Tyrone
Mullingar – Leinster and Offaly (King’s)
Tuam – Roscommon and Galway
Waterford – Tipperary, Waterford, and Wexford


Ireland, Catholic Qualification & Convert Rolls 1701-1845

Under the Penal laws, Catholics and Protestant dissenters in Ireland were deemed to be treasonous by default. Catholics were not allowed to hold public office, intermarry with anyone from the Church of Ireland, hold firearms, serve in the armed forces, inherit property, study abroad, vote, or become members of Parliament or the legal profession.

Under these conditions, those who had most to lose, mainly the middle classes and Catholic aristocracy, considered taking drastic action. By swearing an oath before a court pledging allegiance to the British Crown, certain privileges could be retained. However, many chose the drastic action of converting to the established religion, at least in name, thus qualifying them for full rights under the law.

Conversion to the established church also had to be sworn in a court of law, which means that in both the qualification and convert rolls you will find people listed by the court they appeared before. The courts listed are generally the local county town Assizes, although conversions then had to be lodged in Chancery. The procedure for conversion was to renounce Catholicism in front of a clergyman and congregation in open service. The convert would then receive a certificate from the diocesan bishop, which was then enrolled in Chancery. Before 1782, the diocesan bishop’s certificate was mandatory, however, following 1782, conversion was deemed complete as long as the individual converting received the sacrament from a minister of the Church of Ireland, took the oath before said minister, and filed a certificate to that effect in Chancery.

The convert rolls themselves were destroyed in the Four Courts fire of 1922, but luckily, they had been calendared and recorded elsewhere. The calendars are in two volumes: volume 1 covers the years 1789 to 1838 and volume 2 from 1800 to 1838. Most people enrolled in Dublin.

While most of the converts were men, there are about 1,500 women named in the rolls. You will also find names that are not of Irish origin as naturalised citizens were likewise subject to the Penal Laws. In fact, the names of naturalised Irish citizens take up the majority of the later records that occurred after the Catholic emancipation, which removed the restrictions on Irish Catholics.

The qualification rolls make up the majority of the records and arose as a result of the various Catholic Relief Acts from 1778, which lifted many of the Penal Laws around land ownership. But to avail themselves of these new rights, Catholics and Dissenters had to appear before a court and swear allegiance to the British monarch. So just like conversions, these oaths were sworn in front of a judge of one of the various courts (usually Assize), following which such petitioners were judged to have qualified to avail themselves of these rights.


Ireland Merchant Navy Crew Lists 1863-1921

These are the records of the Irish merchant navy held by the National Archives of Ireland. Every year, each ship registered in Ireland had to submit a report to the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen (RGSS), which was responsible for keeping the records for the Merchant Navy. The records are extensive and provided detailed information regarding each crew member. Crew members were not only from Ireland but also from around the world. You will find natives of Norway, Russia, Sweden, America and Germany, to name a few. The records are fully indexed and can be searched easily by name. Prior to this indexing, you would have needed to know the name of the ship your ancestor worked on and the port of registration in order to find your ancestor’s name.

The Ireland Merchant Navy Crew Lists includes thousands of records for female crew members. For family historians, it can be difficult to find early employment records for female ancestors since traditionally women worked in the home. Ships began to employ women as stewardesses in the later part of the nineteenth century. As services on board ships expanded, women were employed as laundresses, matrons, hairdressers, catering personnel and shop assistants. Maritime career opportunities were restricted because women did not receive additional maritime training beyond their assigned roles. Today, women still only make up a small percentage of the maritime work force.



These same records will be freely available also shortly via www.genealogy.nationalarchives.ie

(With thanks to Claire Santry for the original announcement via http://www.irishgenealogynews.com/2016/09/national-archives-of-ireland-releases.html)

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including A Beginner's Guide to British and Irish Genealogy, A Decade of Irish Centenaries: Researching Ireland 1912-1923, Discover Scottish Church Records (2nd edition), Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.

5 week course from Northumberland and Durham Family History Society

Northumberland and Durham Family History Society (www.ndfhs.org.uk) is running a five week long family history course from September 14th - October 12th at its Library and Research Centre, Percy House, Newcastle, England. The price is £35.

From the society's website:

The aim of the course is to enable you to:

• learn how to extract information from the basic records;
• develop the skills to enable you to link one record to another to help advance your knowledge of your ancestors;
• understand how to record the information accrued through your research;
• build your family tree.

Dates:
14th September 2016 (Week 1)
Introduction to the course; Civil Registration

21st September 2016 (Week 2)
Parish Registers

28th September 2016 (Week 3)
Census Returns 1841-1911

5th October 2016 (Week 4)
Trade Directories, Electoral Registers, and Newspapers

12th October 2016 (Week 5)
Wills

Timetable:
10.30 am to 12.30 pm—Instruction as above
1.00 pm to 2.00 pm—Using the Society’s Percy House facilities with support
Course Fee: £35.00 payable by cheque to “NDFHS”


To make a booking:
Please contact The Librarian by email: librarian@ndfhs.org.uk by phone: 0191 261 2159 or 0191 284 1678

(With thanks to News Post leader at http://www.newspostleader.co.uk/news/local/society-offers-family-history-course-1-8094908)

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including A Decade of Irish Centenaries: Researching Ireland 1912-1923, Discover Scottish Church Records (2nd edition), Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.

Ancestry updates National Probate Index

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has updated its England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations) database to include coverage from 1973-1995, adding to the already existent coverage for 1858-1966. The collection can be searched at http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=1904.

Don't forget that calendar entries for England and Wales can also be searched at https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk, where copies of wills or administrations can be ordered at a price of £10 per record. Once paid for you will have 31 days to download the record, though you may have to wait a few days for the record to become available for digital download following your order.

For equivalent Scottish calendar entries, visit Ancestry's Scotland, National Probate Index (Calendar of Confirmations and Inventories), 1876-1936 database at http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=60558.

For Ireland, see my page on Irish probate at http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/ireland-probate-calendars.html.

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including A Decade of Irish Centenaries: Researching Ireland 1912-1923, Discover Scottish Church Records (2nd edition), Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.

National Archives of Ireland places Seán MacDiarmada's will online

The National Archives of Ireland (www.nationalarchives.ie) has placed the last will of Seán MacDiarmada online as its document of the month for June. The document was written in Kilmainham Gaol (pictured below) on May 12th 1916, just prior to his execution for his role as one of the seven leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising.

The document can be viewed online at http://www.nationalarchives.ie/digital-resources/documents-of-the-month/2016-2/june-document-of-the-month/.

A comprehensive summary of post-1858 surviving Irish wills, inventories and probate calendars is available on this blog in a dedicated accessible from the top menu, or directly via http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/ireland-probate-calendars.html.

Don't forget also that my book A Decade of Centenaries: Researching Ireland 1912-1923 can also help to locate additional resources for family history research within one of Ireland's most tumultuous periods. See http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html for details on how to access copies worldwide or in ebook format.

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including A Decade of Irish Centenaries: Researching Ireland 1912-1923, Discover Scottish Church Records (2nd edition), Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.

Further additions to The Original Record

Latest additions to The Original Record website (www.theoriginalrecord.com):

1621
Foreigners in London: St Martin le Grand
'The howseholders being strangers within the libertie of St Martin's le Grand, London.' State Papers Domestic James I cxxxi 104.

1826
Masters of Ships at Belize
Shipping Information published in the Honduras Gazette and Commercial Advertiser, listing movements of vessels in Belize harbour: also including occasional news from Port Omoa and Truxillo, and ships travelling to and from Honduras arriving in and departing from Britain, and spoken to at sea. 1 July to 30 December 1826.

1853
Members of the London & County Joint Stock Banking Company
Inland Revenue copy of the return under 7 & 8 Vic. cap. 32 listing persons of whom the company or partnership consists: giving name, residence and occupation. 23 February 1853

1885
Men-at-the-Bar
Joseph Foster's Hand-List of Men-at-the-Bar gives a paragraph biography of men who had been called to the bar and were alive in 1885. After the full name (surname first, in capitals) there is a short statement of occupation or practice; a student at which inn of court; when called to the bar; father's name and then address; when born; if married, and, if so, wife's name (and her father's name) is often given. At the foot, in small type, is present residence, as of 1885.

1910
Members of Durham University
The alphabetical list of all living members of Durham University, issued in 1910, was compiled from the Admission Book and University Register. It gives surname, initials, degree, college, and date. Those marked with an asterisk were Members of Convocation. In the case of graduates in Arts, Theology (except in the case of Bachelors of Divinity) and Civil Law, the dates refer to the year in which the examination for the degree of B.A. was passed; in the case of Bachelors of Divinity who were not Graduates in Arts, of Licentiates in Theology, of Civil Engineers, and of Licentiates in Medicine, to the year in which each passed the Final Examination. In the case of Hygiene, Science, and Music, to the year in which the Examination for B.Hy., B.Sc., or B.Mus. was passed; and in the case of Graduates in Medicine to the year in which the Examination for the degree of M.B. was passed, except in the case of practitioners, when the date refers to the year in which the examination for the degree specified was passed. In cases where no date is given the degree is Ad Eundem, unless it is marked honorary. The abbreviations are: Arms., Armstrong College, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; Codr., Codrington College, Barbados; Cos., Bishop Cosin's Hall; F. Bay, Fourah Bay, Sierra Leone; Hatf., Bishop Hatfield's Hall; Med., College of Medicine, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; St. Chad's, St Chad's Hall; St. John's, St John's Hall; Univ., University College.

1912
Estates of the Deceased
Notices re claims on estates of the deceased, mostly pursuant to 22 & 23 Vic. c.35, An Act to Further Amend the Law of Property and to Relieve Trustees, also known as the Law of Property Amendment Act. These notices usually give the full name and final address of the deceased, date of death, where the will was proved or administration granted, and the full names of the executors or administrators. Also included in this index are some other similar notices relating to claims on such estates. October 1912.

1927
Members Joining the Cyclists' Touring Club
Each month in the Cyclists' Touring Club Gazette was printed a list of candidates for membership, area by area, giving surname, initial(s), and full postal address. (F.) indicates that the candidate was joining the club under the Family Membership Scheme; (J.) joining under the Juvenile Membership Scheme. In addition, candidates for Affiliated Membership are listed under individual cycling clubs.

(With thanks to The Original Record)

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including A Decade of Irish Centenaries: Researching Ireland 1912-1923, Discover Scottish Church Records (2nd edition), Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.

Australian Northern Territory probate index 1911-1994

If youyr ancestors emigrated to the Northern Territory in Australia, the following new release on Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) might be of some assistance:

Northern Territory, Australia, Probate Index, 1911-1994
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=60748

This index spans the years 1911 to 1994 and is organized first by year range, then alphabetically by surname and given name. Details provided for each deceased person can include:

* Name
* Address
* Occupation
* Administrator
* Date of Order
* Grant Type
* Reference Number


Source - Probate Index. Genealogical Society of the Northern Territory Inc.

Chris

My next Scotland 1750-1850: Beyond the OPRs course starts Monday 17th May - see http://pharostutors.com/details.php?coursenumber=302. For details on my genealogy guide books, including A Decade of Irish Centenaries: Researching Ireland 1912-1923, Discover Scottish Church Records (2nd edition), Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html.

Irish wills calendar 1858-1920 accessible via Ancestry

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has added a third party database, entitled Ireland, Calendar of Wills and Administrations, 1858-1920, at http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=70826. This is a search screen for the same National Archives of Ireland hosted collection that can also be accessed at http://www.willcalendars.nationalarchives.ie/search/cwa/home.jsp.

For later probate calendars in the Republic of Ireland, and for info on Northern Irish holdings, visit my page on Irish probate at http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/ireland-probate-calendars.html.

Chris


For details on my genealogy guide books, including A Decade of Irish Centenaries: Researching Ireland 1912-1923, Discover Scottish Church Records (2nd edition), Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html. My Pinterest account is at https://www.pinterest.com/chrismpaton/.

Yorkshire record sets added to Ancestry

Ancestry (www.ancestry.co.uk) has added three new record sets for Yorkshire, England:

Yorkshire, England, Quarter Session Records, 1637-1914
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=6065

Quarter Sessions were so-called because they met four times each year. The court was presided over by the Justices of the Peace, the most important officers in local government. They had both a civil and a criminal jurisdiction, and before 1888 they also had an administrative function. Civil cases usually appear in the court’s order books and criminal cases in the indictment books. The West Riding Quarter Sessions was a peripatetic court which moved around the county. Cases for Wakefield, Halifax, Huddersfield and Bradford were heard at the West Riding Quarter Sessions. Leeds, as a large town, had its own Court of Quarter Sessions which was separate from the main county court. Due to boundary changes, some areas now covered by Leeds Metropolitan District will have been heard in the West Riding Quarter Sessions.

Source: West Riding Quarter Sessions, Indictment Books, West Yorkshire Archive Service, Wakefield, England.


West Yorkshire, Roman Catholic Oath Records, 1714-1787, 1829
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=8632

This collection contains lists and certificates of Roman Catholics failing to take the oaths of abjuration, allegiance and supremacy which were a part of an act passed by parliament in 1715.

Source: Roman Catholic Oath Records. West Yorkshire Archive Service, Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, and Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England.


Yorkshire, England, Probate Records, 1521-1858
http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=5246

This database contains a collection of wills, letters of administration, and inventories from Yorkshire, England, for the years 1521 through 1858. Prior to the 1857 Court of Probate Act, which took effect in January 1858, wills were proved in ecclesiastical courts.

Source: West Yorkshire Wills and Probate. Archdeaconry of Richmond: Probate Records. RD/AP1. West Yorkshire Archive Service, Morley, Leeds, England.

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including A Decade of Irish Centenaries: Researching Ireland 1912-1923, Discover Scottish Church Records (2nd edition), Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html. My Pinterest account is at https://www.pinterest.com/chrismpaton/.

Northamptonshire Archives Early Wills Project blog

Thanks to Francis Howcutt of the Federation of Family History Societies in England (www.ffhs.org.uk) for flagging up an interesting blog entitled Northamptonshire Archives Early Wills Project: Conservation of 28 volumes of Tudor and Stuart Wills.

The blog's purpose is outlined as follows:

This blog is a chronicle of The Early Wills Project to conserve 28 volumes of Tudor and Stuart Wills held by Northamptonshire Archives Service. The work is being carried out by Book and Paper Conservator Alison Faden and began in December 2013.

Although the blog has not been updated since the middle of 2014, it does provide some excellent background content to the project, as well as many well illustrated posts - well worth a read at https://northamptonshireearlywillsproject.wordpress.com.

(With thanks to Francis Howcutt - original story at http://www.ffhs.org.uk/news/news160103.php)

Chris

For details on my genealogy guide books, including my recently released Discover Irish Land Records and Down and Out in Scotland: Researching Ancestral Crisis, please visit http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/p/my-books.html. My Pinterest account is at https://www.pinterest.com/chrismpaton/.