From my own research, and from the Wills I have purchased over the years. Quite often, although not always, the most informative Wills are those of spinsters, childless widows or single men. They tend to spread their money and possessions around the family and friends.
I have found married people tend to leave their estate to a spouse and children, or for the benefit of them, very few possessions are itemised.
For example, my great grandfather's 1858 Will simply stated that his property and business, apart from household goods which he left to his second wife, should be auctioned and the money used to provide a home for his wife during her lifetime, and for the benefit of his children until they were twenty one, when they would receive it in equal shares. There was no indication of what he actually owned.
It was by pure chance that some years later I came across an advertisement for the auction, from that I discovered he owned twenty properties and who lived in them. It also described in detail his ten roomed house, the size of his business and the seven bedrooms and other rooms above it, also the land attached. Unfortunately none of it found it's way down to me.
By contrast, the Will of his widowed and childless sister was very detailed, it listed items of jewellery, a painting, furniture and other items and to whom they were bequeathed, also to whom the female beneficiaries were married.
In recent times, the Wills for which I have been Executrix, would give no indication to anyone interested, the true size of the estate. I was the sole legatee in both, one was small and didn’t have to go through Probate, the other, was mostly in our joint names, so passed to me automatically and is not listed in Probate.
