Help, I'm stuck!

[Tree genie]

I started looking at my family history about 2 & half years ago, shortly after my mother died. I have found out so much during that time, with some help from a cousin BUT I'm stuck here and wondered if you knowledgeable lot could give me some help?

I am trying to find out more about my 3x great grandfather, William Roberts c.1811-1814, in particular who his parents were and a property in the Dudley area.

I have William's marriage to Elizabeth Steel in St Mary, Lambeth, 1844, father Richard Roberts, Gent. deceased. Williams profession is given as Leather Dealer. On Censuses - 1851 - b1811 Birmingham - Traveller, 1861 - b1814 Deptford - Leather Merchant, 1871 - b1814 Eltham - Leather Seller.

We found the will of his grandson, Frederick Roberts b1880 (my great grandfather) written in 1921, executed 1933, in which he leaves a property in Dudley and land in Billericay (along with an oil painting & miniature of their great grandfather & mother - ooh, would I love to see these!) to his sister Jane Emma, called Jenny in the family.

I am assuming that, when their father died, William, and any possible siblings, moved away from the Birmingham area to London, hence the later change to where he states he was born, could be the area his siblings are living?

I have not ventured into property or the Birmingham area before. Where would I look for Richards will or find out about this property? Any ideas would be gratefully received.

Thanks for taking the time to read the above essay

[margaretmarch]

If you have the date of death you can get the will from the Probate Office. York is the one for the whole country but I use the Leicester sub-registry and they have searched the whole country listing and provided wills for £5 each.
Sometimes the Land registry can help with details of a property and if available they can give details of who owned it in the past. Look on their website www.landregistry.gov.uk.
I take you you have not found a birth record for William c1811?
Margaret

[margaretmarch]

Can you give the reference for the census entry in 1851 please?
Margaret

[KiteRunner]

No, Richard is supposed to have died before 1844 so York would not be able to search for probate - you would need to look on TNA in case it was a PCC will, or at the local record office for the area - hopefully their wills are indexed online, perhaps on A2A, but some don't have online indexes. Also you could search the Index to Death Duty Registers on findmypast for an entry but if you don't know what year he died it could take a lot of time (and credits) to do it that way.

[margaretmarch]

thanks for that Kiterunner didn't realise that wills were limited in York.
Margaret

[Tree genie]

Hello Margaret & Kate,

Thanks to both of you.

William in 1851 - Class: HO107; Piece: 1577; Folio: 184; Page: 17

I did buy a will via national archives before but it wasn't my Richard Roberts. :(

I did start to look on FMP as I have credits that won't last much longer but there is masses to sort through as I don't know even vaguely when he died.