Good news from the WDYTYA show

[annswabey]

I asked at the Probate Service stand about future availability of an online National Probate Index. They are aiming to have it online in the next couple of years.

Also, asked about the Times online. Again, they will bring it up to the present in the next year or so.

The bad news is that the staff on the Ancestry stand told me that the "old search" will be removed. I filled in a comment sheet about the problems with the "new search", and they said that people should email them with their comments regarding the new search. Whether they will take any notice, of course, is another matter!

[Elaine ..Spain]

The bad news is that the staff on the Ancestry stand told me that the "old search" will be removed.

Noooooooooo! :(

[sally]

Oh for goodness sake, and I have only just given up using the new one as a hopelessly bad job

[Olde Crone Holden]

*licks pencil*

Dear Ancestry......

OC

[maggie_4_7]

:(

It makes you wonder doesn't it!

Who makes these decisions without doing any research on what their customers actually like and think.

They probably get paid buckets of money too for the rubbish job they do.

[annswabey]

The first person I spoke to on the stand actually said "You're the first person to complain about it".... The 2nd person was much more understanding!

What about the good news?!

[maggie_4_7]

Sorry was there some good news :p

I'm a glass half empty person...

... and my post is only as good as the last post I saw

*goes back and reads the first post properly*

[Olde Crone Holden]

Ann

I only believe in good news when it has actually happened - I haven't got over the DOVE project yet, after spending four years in excited anticipation!

OC

[annswabey]

I know what you mean OC but we live in hope!

[KiteRunner]

I had heard that they were working on putting the National Probate Calendar online before. It will be very good for people who don't have easy access to it like I do (well, up to 1968, anyway), but I bet you will have to search on name of testator, though I really hope I am wrong. I would love them to make it searchable on any name, i.e. by name of executor, because that is impossible to do with the microfiches / volumes.

[annswabey]

I don't think there is easy access, so you're lucky! Nowhere locally for me, and even at Kew, fiche only go up to 1943. Can't imagine it would be searchable by executor, though.