National Probate Calendar for 1859

[helvissa]

The Probate Calendar on Ancestry starts in 1861, and I'm looking for the will of someone who died in 1859 (so they're not on Archives either!). I've found their burial (12th Feb 1859 in Lambeth Norwood), but I'm having trouble finding their death certificate, so I can't really order that first in order to find their address and get their will.

Is the National Probate Calendar readily available in libraries? I'm faffing about with Birmingham Central Library's catalogue and they've got lots of probate but doesn't look like they've got the national one.

(sorry, I've possibly posted this in the wrong place!)

[andycand]

Hi

You could ask the Birmingham Probate Registry whether they keep the calenders that far back and if not who they pass them on to.

http://www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/HMCSCourtFinder/Search.do?court_id=57

Andy

[helvissa]

Good idea. Thing is, I'm looking for someone who lived in London. Basically, he's living in London in 1851, and is buried (or least, it's pretty likely to be him) in 1859. He had lived in Lambeth, and was buried in Norwood Cemetery, but his 'residence' is given as Gravesend in Kent.

I suppose another route would be a visit to the cemetery, but I wasn't sure how many of those older graves are left, especially with legible inscriptions!

Would I be seriously irritating the York probate people if I sent them £5 and asked them to look for William Clement, died Feb 1859 in London or Kent? I suppose that might be enough info for them but I don't want to be *that person*, if you see what I mean! If it is sufficient info though I shall duly post them a cheque!

[hartryyrtrah]

The Probate Calendar is bassed on when probate was given not when the person died, so it is still worth checking as it can take some time to get probate.

[andycand]

Hi

The calender is national so even if he died in London if there was probate he should be in it.

Andy

[helvissa]

hartryyrtrah: I've had a look on the Ancestry thingy for William Clement died 1859 - two come up, but neither are apparently my fella, so if there was a will, probate must've been 1859 or 1860. I'm fairly sure there will be a will though as he part-owned The Observer and Bell's Life in London with his two half-brothers (which is why I'm interested in reading the will, if I'm honest!). I think they'd sold some of their interests by 1857 though,

andycand: oh, ok, I shall ring them up and find out - thanks!

[LizzieW]

Have you tried your main library?  The National Probate Calendar is available on microfiche at my library.  Unfortunately, I can't go and have a look for you as the library is closed until about the New Year for renovation or something, and although the local library is open, it doesn't have the microfiche.

Lizzie

[helvissa]

I think I might give Bham Central a tinkle and see if they have it - they seem to have vast quantities of stuff on their catalogue about wills but it's one of these imprecise google-style searches whcih people are so obsessed wtih these days, even though you can't control it as you would a google search! *grumble*

Thank you for offering to look, anyway.

I think I've just discovered something else about this chap anyway - he remarried a few months after the 1851 census and had at least one more child. Of course, that probably would've been apparent from the will, but now I know...

[carol8353]

The probate calendars on Ancestry is a work in progress,they say on their website " Our collection covers 80 years from 1861 to 1941. We currently do not have the books for the years 1858-1860 and there are some gaps for the years 1863, 1868, 1873, 1876, 1877, 1883, 1888, 1899-1903 and 1910-1911. However, we hope to add records for these years as soon as possible."

Not sure when they will have the rest of the years................but maybe one day you'll be lucky 

Carol