Dorset Wills.

[Paul Caswell]

Hi All,

I just took delivery of 'Dorset Wills and Administrations 1568 - 1799'

There are some wills in there I would be interested in ordering a copy of the original. Where might I be able to find them?

I've looked in A2A and NA and cant find any references.

It does mention 'All now preserved at the Probate Registry, Blandford' but the document is dated 1900 so I suppose they're at Dorset Records Office. Am I right?

If anyone wants a lookup, post here. It just contains name, place and date for each will.

Paul

Added: Just as an update, Angela has generously also volunteered to lookup wills for you. She holds lists of wills for a period later than mine so we kind of work well together in one thread.

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,307356.msg2845031.html#msg2845031

I would like to thank Angela for this work. Her input is as valued as mine on this thread.

ALSO: Please note this comment on one possible meaning of the "extra number" in the index reference I give you.

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,307356.msg3196788.html#msg3196788

[stockman fred]

I've found some of my Alner wills (from the Bere Regis area) in the Wiltshire records. I think Dorset is part of Salisbury diocese and so they have ended up at the new Wilts history centre. Several of my family's wills are already  online at the Wilts record office website and I think more are going online as the project progresses. This is off the top of my head so I'll see if I can add a more detailed post later.
Fred

[Paul Caswell]

Thanks Fred,

I've e-mailed Dorset records office to ask them. No answer yet.

Paul

[Lydart]

Hello Paul ... you could be useful !

Tell me, would the ordinary common or garden ag. lab. and his relatives have made wills, if they could even write ?   I'm talking 1700 - 1800 here ...   Would they have had anything to leave anyone, and wouldn't a mans wife or children just have inherited anything there was without a will ? 

[stockman fred]

Hi, the search page for the wills in the "Probate records of the Consistory Court of Salisbury" is at:

http://history.wiltshire.gov.uk/heritage/wills_search.php

There are more than a dozen for my family in Dorset and it seems that around a quarter of the collection have so far been digitally recorded for the website, thanks to the lottery funding.
Fred

[Paul Caswell]

Hello Paul ... you could be useful !

Tell me, would the ordinary common or garden ag. lab. and his relatives have made wills, if they could even write ?   I'm talking 1700 - 1800 here ...   Would they have had anything to leave anyone, and wouldn't a mans wife or children just have inherited anything there was without a will ? 

Hi Lydart,

Forgive me for not responding, my notifications seem a little iffy right now.

To be honest I am no guru on wills. I think the one I found was unusual because there was trouble with one of the sons so the father had to make a will to ensure he didn't get anything. I would guess low paid workers are unlikely to deposit wills but that doesn't mean they didn't make them. I really don't know but don't give up trying.

Paul

[Lydart]

Fred... THANK YOU for that site ... I've found lots of people on it that I believe I can link in ...

[Webby]

Hi Paul
Would you mind having a look for any RICE Wills in Dorset please. 

Regards
Webby

[Paul Caswell]

Gosh Webby! I am so sorry it took this long to reply. As I said earlier my notifications don't seem to be working.

Here's what I can find:

Rice, Reuben, Piddletown 35 1763
Rice, Reuben, Senr., Piddletown 8 1786

That's all I'm afraid.

If these are yours you can make contact with Dorset Records Office and ask them for copies. There is a charge but it is reasonable.

Paul