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  • Applying for a copy of a Will

    From Jenny M Benson@21:1/5 to All on Thu Jul 14 23:30:29 2022
    A man died in 1852, leaving a Will. Probate was granted that year by
    the Consistory Court of Chester but Administration of the estate was not completed. The National Probate Calendar has an entry showing this and
    that Administration (with Will) was granted in 1887.

    I tried to order a copy of this Will online by using the Government's
    Probate Search Service website but not matter how much or how little information provided the search is unsuccessful.

    Is there any way round this to order online, or must I go through the
    faff of downloading the requisite form, ordering by post with a cheque
    (I just about remember when we used to use those!) and waiting for maybe
    4 weeks?
    --
    Jenny M Benson
    Wrexham, UK

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  • From Charles Ellson@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Fri Jul 15 00:52:06 2022
    On Thu, 14 Jul 2022 23:30:29 +0100, Jenny M Benson
    <[email protected]> wrote:

    A man died in 1852, leaving a Will. Probate was granted that year by
    the Consistory Court of Chester but Administration of the estate was not >completed. The National Probate Calendar has an entry showing this and
    that Administration (with Will) was granted in 1887.

    I tried to order a copy of this Will online by using the Government's
    Probate Search Service website but not matter how much or how little >information provided the search is unsuccessful.

    Is there any way round this to order online, or must I go through the
    faff of downloading the requisite form, ordering by post with a cheque
    (I just about remember when we used to use those!) and waiting for maybe
    4 weeks?

    His name, death date etc. ?
    Has the index page got any manuscript notes beside the entry?

    Have you got as far as seeing the Administration document?
    Does it merely refer to the original will rather than having an
    accompanying copy?

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  • From tahiri@21:1/5 to Jenny M Benson on Fri Jul 15 11:03:35 2022
    On 14/07/2022 23:30, Jenny M Benson wrote:
    A man died in 1852, leaving a Will.  Probate was granted that year by
    the Consistory Court of Chester but Administration of the estate was not completed.  The National Probate Calendar has an entry showing this and
    that Administration (with Will) was granted in 1887.

    I tried to order a copy of this Will online by using the Government's
    Probate Search Service website but not matter how much or how little information provided the search is unsuccessful.

    Is there any way round this to order online, or must I go through the
    faff of downloading the requisite form, ordering by post with a cheque
    (I just about remember when we used to use those!) and waiting for maybe
    4 weeks?

    The probatesearch website has been 'erratic' (I am being tactful) since
    it's last revamp. However you do not need to find your 'admon with will'
    on their site if you have the details from any of the other sites which
    have copies of the probate calendars. Just search for any old name to
    get to their order form and then fill in all the details. If they can't
    find it then send them a screenshot of the entry on FMP, or wherever you
    got the details, and they should miraculously find it. One improvement
    is that in the list of your orders on the site they now have a 'contact
    us' icon on every entry. So if they produce just the grant and no will
    for example (just had one of those) you email straight back and they add
    it to the list.
    Good luck.
    (If you have not logged in to their site since the revamp you will need
    a new password. They didn't transfer the old ones.)

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  • From Peter Johnson@21:1/5 to [email protected] on Fri Jul 15 16:08:32 2022
    On Fri, 15 Jul 2022 11:03:35 +0100, tahiri
    <[email protected]> wrote:



    The probatesearch website has been 'erratic' (I am being tactful) since
    it's last revamp.

    When I asked why it was necessary to go through the Advanced Search
    dialogue for every search, even if you didn't want to perdorm an
    Advanced Search, I was quite surprised to get a reply, which told me
    that it is a feature. I didn't get a reply to my reply saying in that
    case is isn't a very useful feature most of the time.
    (I didn't get any replies to messages that said while the old site
    wasn't perfect, it was useable, but that the new one is rubbish.)

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  • From Jenny M Benson@21:1/5 to tahiri on Mon Jul 18 19:46:49 2022
    On 15/07/2022 11:03, tahiri wrote:
    The probatesearch website has been 'erratic' (I am being tactful) since
    it's last revamp.

    Your solution to applying for the document I wanted was spot on. Pity
    HM Gov are nowhere near as efficient. The documents they supplied
    related to a person with a difference forename who died in a different
    county over 65 years later and whose Probate was granted over 30 years
    after my man's!

    --
    Jenny M Benson
    Wrexham, UK

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  • From tahiri@21:1/5 to Jenny M Benson on Mon Jul 18 21:17:12 2022
    On 18/07/2022 19:46, Jenny M Benson wrote:
    On 15/07/2022 11:03, tahiri wrote:
    The probatesearch website has been 'erratic' (I am being tactful)
    since it's last revamp.

    Your solution to applying for the document I wanted was spot on.  Pity
    HM Gov are nowhere near as efficient.  The documents they supplied
    related to a person with a difference forename who died in a different
    county over 65 years later and whose Probate was granted over 30 years
    after my man's!

    I said the 'contact us' icon would be useful! Since the last ones I
    ordered still say 'documents pending' I expect I shall be using it
    myself before long.

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