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A few hours at Holborn looking for wills

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  • A few hours at Holborn looking for wills

    Thanks to the suggestion of Annswabey I used a few hours between other stuff in London to visit high Holborn. Just in case anyone is thinking how to use their time I hope the following might be helpful:

    Late morning I had 45 minutes and then I would be able to return for an hour and a half in the middle afternoon.

    The building is easy to find within 300 yds of Chancery Lane tube.

    Entering there is a ex-ray m/c and a load of security people. Sent my bag through and walked through the security arch. No-one said a word. Too busy chatting.

    I entered the reading room, easy access on ground floor, to see that the reception desk was closed. It remained so throughout my two visits.
    I thus hunted around. Basically shelves on books organised by surname within year. I pulled some out and very quickly found what I wanted. I went to the desk and a helpful guy completed my form and checked the details from the book. I chose the 1 hour service (£5 per will). However in the time I was with him the cashier had closed up for 15 mins:(. Not to worry as I could return before 3pm, deadline for one hour service;).

    Same non communication entry at security upon my return I went to the cashier counter. The older man in front had pushed the call bell but had not heard it. After 2 minutes he tried it again. I heard a distant buzz. When eventually the guy turned up he gave the older man a mouthful about how it was only necessary to press he bell once. The older man apologised and explained that he hadn’t heard it. The cashier replied that he had! We had a laugh:D.

    Next to the original desk my form was taken and I was told my documents would be there in one hour.

    I used the hour to search the books for anyone of my surnames. You can cover much ground as there is space, the books are well organised, and very clear to read. I found one further entry that added to my knowledge (you might be luckier but my folks were poor!!). Many entries offer info on occupation, relations and location. Just reading random ones was interesting.
    Within an hour I had my four A4 pages stapled in my hands. Fascinating stuff with tons of details – a real eye opener.

    So I believe if you’re organised in two hours you could do all you need to. Then hop off elsewhere if you have the time.

    Well hope that helps someone plan there trip.

    Enjoy Nigel

  • #2
    Excellent, sounds like a good day's work. Glad you found what you were looking for.
    Jules

    I'anson of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire. Bannister of Lincolnshire. Burnett of Northumberland. Carter of Sussex and Hampshire. Goldring of Sussex and Hampshire. Fitzgerald of Goodness knows where. Smith of Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. Dixon of Lincolnshire. Payne of Hampshire

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    • #3
      Thanks for that - we'll know to persevere and not get put off by 'customer service'!!! It certainly beats sending to York for the will and waiting anything from 3 to 8 weeks for it!

      Anne

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      • #4
        As an aside you can request copies from ANY probate registry, no matter where the will was proved. I get mine from cardiff, it only took a couple of days the first time I did it longer the second!

        Also B'ham Library has a copy of EVERY will proved in Birmingham between 1858 and 1941 in the CARN section, so no need to pay at all. (handy for me as most of mine are Brummy thro and thro!)
        Clare

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        • #5
          Glad to hear you found an interesting will Nigel. I've never seen the Reception desk open on any of my visits over the last couple of years.

          Security disarmed me on a recent visit (I had a tiny penknife on my keyring & they made me leave my camera with them). They came into their own on my last visit though, I lost my phone, but they found it and had it safe waiting to be claimed.

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          • #6
            Pleased to hear you found it useful Nigel. You can certainly get a lot done there, very quickly.
            The National Archives, Kew – Research Service Offered
            Contact me via PM on Family Tree Forum or via my personal website - www.militaryandfamilyresearch.co.uk

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            • #7
              Glad you found it useful Nigele. I must admit I have had many happy days in High Holborn finding lots of wills. Some can surprise you no matter the poverty. I found a will of one of mine who died in a Northants workhouse leaving £33 to the Workhouse Master in 1912 and others from World War 1 era wondering if they had any connection to me or not!

              I have to say that no matter how often I go there is never enough time to do all I want. I always seem to find something to look up.

              Janet
              Last edited by Janet; 07-05-09, 15:55.

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              • #8
                Maiden aunts always seem to make useful wills, lots of small bequests and they give their nieces' married names.

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                • #9
                  Every trip to the Probate Office is a joy - last time I bought 12 wills, two of which were of outstanding importance for me.

                  One, from 1861, proved that OH's Newton great-great-grandparents were cousins and listed all the siblings and spouses, and gave a previous generation.

                  The other, the will of Robert Heath, provided the material for my article in the May edition of the magazine....
                  Elizabeth
                  Research Interests:
                  England:Purkis, Stilwell, Quintrell, White (Surrey - Guildford), Jeffcoat, Bond, Alexander, Lamb, Newton (Lincolnshire, Stalybridge, London)
                  Scotland:Richardson (Banffshire), Wishart (Kincardineshire), Johnston (Kincardineshire)

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                  • #10
                    On my will I have a gross value £100071. 14s. 10d and a net value £1721. 9s. 2d. It was 1916 and the guy left shares in a company, butchers business, numerous fields, a farm, .........

                    Please can anyone tell me what the gross and net represent?

                    Cheers

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                    • #11
                      Gross is the value of everything he owned, net is what's left when the debts and taxes have been paid.
                      Clare

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                      • #12
                        Tx Clare that is what I had assumed but that means he had serious borrowings against his assets. I had thought possibly the net was the unallocated cash - always hopefull

                        I don't know how I can find out more unless his children later have wills that relate to the same assets. My interest is that he left very specific things to each of his 6 children. Like a field or two to each daughter, the butchers shop to eldest son, the shares in a skin company to the three sons, various buildings, stables, .....

                        But clearly some of these assets could be easily liquidated and used to pay bank loans and mortgages. I wonder how they sorted it out. I know his eldest son carried on as a butcher and later in life as a dairyman.

                        At the end of the day £1700+ was still a fair sum of money in 1916 even divided 6 ways (plus odd bits for grandchildren).

                        What a complex web we weave.

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