Price Cut For Ordering Wills

It is time to get online and order some wills of your British ancestors.  Why?  The cost of ordering post-1857 probate records via the British Government’s Find a Will service has been cut from £10 to just £1.50.  The price cut, which was introduced in a statutory instrument that became law on 22 July, will be in place for the next 12 months.  After that, the price cut is not guaranteed.

Find a Will allows you to search English and Welsh probate records from 1858 by surname and year of death.  Once you find your ancestor's record, you can then order a digital copy, which takes up to 10 working days to arrive.

I have always loved wills and probate records, some of which have included incredible detail about the people listed - their lives, relationships, belongings and values.  

Probate records confirm that the process of administering the bequests and instructions left in a will after a person died were carried out.  They list the names of the will’s executor/s, beneficiaries and witnesses – often the children, relatives or friends of the deceased.  They can even include comments and messages from the testator, illustrating the nature of their family relationships and they include a transcription of the will itself.  In addition, they include the address and occupation of the deceased and their date and place of death.
 Until 1857, probate was the responsibility of ecclesiastical courts run by the Church of England.
From 12 January 1858, a civil Court of Probate for England and Wales was established, with local registries across the country.  The current price cut is only for wills post-1857.