Wills - plain English required!

[Tsu]

Can somebody explain how I can see/order/buy a copy of a will?

I know the date of death (20 March 1914) , I know there was a will, I have the scan from the page of the Probate Register.  It says Adminsitration (with will)London 4 June, and then the name of the person who was (I assume) the adminsitrator.

How do I go about seeing a copy of the will?  I'm in London, so don't mind getting on a tube if necessary, but I can't make plain sense of the Probate web site.

Thanks in advance. 

[PrueM]

Hi Tsu

From http://www.justice.gov.uk/guidance/courts-and-tribunals/courts/probate/copies-of-grants-wills.htm:

"Once you know when and where a grant issued, you can have copies of the grant and the Will (if any). You may order copies in person at First Avenue House or any District Probate Registry and some Sub-Registries.

Or you can complete form PA1S and send it to:

Postal Searches and Copies Department
Leeds District Probate Registry
York House
York Place
Leeds
LS1 2BA"

Form PA1S is downloadable here:
http://hmctscourtfinder.justice.gov.uk/HMCTS/GetForm.do?court_forms_id=739

Cheers
Prue

[Tsu]

Is the information I have not a grant?  What is a grant?

Sorry to be thick.

[Ray T]

I think you'll find that its a "grant" of probate. In other words, it's a document which gives the person named the legal right/obligation to access the deceased persons assets and carry out the wishes expressed in the will; i.e. to administer it.

It's a little simpler if there is a will but probate can also be granted if there isn't a will and, presumably, the assets have to be distributed evenly between a persons lawful heirs - you must have watched Heir Hunters?

[Tsu]

Funnily enough, they show it when I'm at work so I have only seen it once.

I called and listened to a recorded message and I think I have the gist of it.  Luckily, Holborn is quite close, so it won't be an ordeal to attend.

Thanks for all your help.

[dawnsh]

Hi Tsu

If you can, go to Holborm and order over the counter, they don't do the one hour service anymore but will post it out to you.

Referring back to the calendar entry....

If a person dies with out leaving a will, letters of administration can be applied for, but all you'll get from the probate people is the 'grant'. It's an a4 piece of paper with the basic info on it, name, date of death, date of grant and who it was granted to.

generally, if the calendar says that probate is granted, there is a will. If there is a will, you can apply for a copy and the grant, this time the a4 papaer will have the dame, date of death date of grant, who it was granted to and you'll get the will as well.

The entry you refer to is a little unusual in that it's an adminsitration but there's also a will. Something must have 'gone wrong' for there to be both.

When you fill in the application form tick both boxes for the will and grant.

For anyone stumbling across this topic in the future, if the calendar says there is only an administration, don't apply for it. It will cost £6 (as of 2012) and all the info from the calendar is on it, nothing else.

Hope this helps.

Dawn

[Tsu]

Many thanks for that, Dawn.

[FraserandFraser]

We call it a Grant but it is one of  two things "Grant of Probate" for a will commonly called a Probate  or a "Grant of Letters of Administration" when some one dies with out a will commonly called an admon or admin ; both carry out the same function. A grant of letters of administration with will is a a little different to the norm.

 it is a grant proving that personal representatives have the authority to deal with an estate. Required when there is a will but either

• 1) no executors are appointed
• 2) executors are appointed have chosen not to (or are unable to) act.

or  so the Grant is just to appoing new executors

It is really not worth visiting the registry at the moment since the 1 hour service has been stopped you are best to right to them it takes about the same time and is easier. remember that you want to see both the Admon and the Will


hope this helps

 

[charwatkin]

So I originally found my record on another "search" site and it is shows up but on the Government site it does not. I have Henry Sykes died on Dec 11 Dec 1868 and his probate as 23 Jan 1869.  There is all sorts of detail. (Please be patient with me..... I am from the U.S.  )

Anyway, if I understand right, then this must mean that there was no Will but a "Grant" ------ BUT would there not be something "Official" or do I just go by what I find that is online?

Thank you!