29,533
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Wills may be a means of tracing family links through Keep in mind that men who retired in India, and their families, could remain in India, or return to the UK (England, Scotland Wales, and Ireland), or relocate to, and eventually die, anywhere in the beneficaries namedworld, including Australia, New Zealand etc. This India List Areas close to the UK which were popular with retirees include [[http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/INDIA/2009-12/1261146747 postFrench|France]] says “I have a will from Bengal dated 1813 in which an ancestor of mine named his brother-in-law as a beneficiary. That is and the only clue I have to his wife's identity”Channel Islands including Jersey.
The following information is available on the FIBIS Search database.==External Links==*[http://www.searchawin1.fibis.org/frontiscom/bin/aps_browse_sourcesawclick.php?modemid=browse_components2114&id=153&s_id=139 Bengal Wills in the India Office Records201071 findmypast] 1780 to 1866 Complete, 1867-1909 surnames beginning ‘A’ only. *[http://www.search.fibisfamilysearch.org/frontiseng/binlibrary/aps_browse_sourcesfhlcatalog/supermainframeset.phpasp?modedisplay=browse_componentstitlehitlist&idcolumns=*%2C0%2C0&keyword=158+Probate+India&s_idprekeyword=139 Officers Wills +Probate+India Microfilms in the Family History Library] - a list obtained by a keyword search ('probate, India') of filmed India Office Recordsrecords in the [[LDS]] an index and extract from the IOR series L(Mormon) Family History Library Catalogue.*[http://AGwww.sog.org.uk/34learn/30help-getting-started-with-genealogy/30. The wills guide-five Society of only 37 officers are includedGenealogists: Guide Four: Probate Records] Edited and updated by Else Churchill and Geoff Swinfield 2015. They cover all three presidencies over the years 1831 to 1875*:[http://www.searchsog.fibisorg.orguk/frontisuploads/bin/aps_browse_sourcesGillian_Stevens_and_Chad_Hanna_-Wills_and_Where_to_Find_Them.php?mode=browse_components&id=13&s_id=30 Administration Act Bookspdf Wills and Where to find them in England and Wales] Administrations relating to India 1764 to 1857*by Gillian Stevens and Chad Hanna sog.org.uk [http://www.searchsog.fibisorg.orguk/frontislearn/binwho-do-you-think-you-are-2013-speakers-handouts/aps_browse_sources from upload] 2013.php?mode=browse_components&id=14'''Note''': some information may have changed, see 2015 link, but some information is still valid.*[http://catalogue.jerseyheritage.org Jersey Heritage: Archives &s_id=30 Limited Administration Act BooksCollections Online] relating Includes wills for persons with connections to India 1830 to 1839 ===Obtaining a copy . Download of a will===an image requires either an annual subscription, or pay per view.
If you want to obtain a copy of a will that you have found a reference for in FIBIS’s transcriptions, you will need to visit or contact the [[British Library]], or order a LDS film (refer below). This India List [http{{#widget://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/INDIA/2010-03/1267970970 post dated 3/2010] is in respect of obtaining a copy of a will from the [[British Library]].Google PlusOne|size=small|count=true
[http://www.fibis.org/membership.htm FIBIS members] can also take advantage of the FIBIS research service to obtain a photocopy of a microfilmed will from the [[British Library]] (and, indeed, details from other records ) where a reference has been found on the website. A search can also be made for wills, probates and inventories which may not yet be listed on the site. Members should contact the research co-ordinator - [mailto:research@fibis.org research@fibis.org] - for details of this service.}}
==External Links==
*[http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titlehitlist&columns=*%2C0%2C0&keyword=+Probate+India&prekeyword=+Probate+India Microfilms in the Family History Library] - a list obtained by a keyword search ('probate, India') of filmed India Office records in the [[LDS]] (Mormon) Family History Library Catalogue.
no edit summary
==FIBIS resources==
*[http://www.search.fibis.org/frontis/bin/aps_browse_sources.php?mode=browse_components&id=153&s_id=139 Bengal Wills in the India Office Records] 1780 to 1866 Complete, 1867-1909 surnames beginning ‘A’ only.
*[http://www.search.fibis.org/frontis/bin/aps_browse_sources.php?mode=browse_components&id=158&s_id=139 Officers Wills in the India Office Records] an index and extract from the IOR series L/AG/34/30/30. The wills of only 37 officers are included. They cover all three presidencies over the years 1831 to 1875
*[http://www.search.fibis.org/frontis/bin/aps_browse_sources.php?mode=browse_components&id=13&s_id=30 Administration Act Books] Administrations relating to India 1764 to 1857
*[http://www.search.fibis.org/frontis/bin/aps_browse_sources.php?mode=browse_components&id=14&s_id=30 Limited Administration Act Books] relating to India 1830 to 1839
*Sylvia Murphy, "Some Sources of Probate and Estate Records for India," ''FIBIS Journal'', No 8 (Autumn 2002). For details of how to access this article online, see [[FIBIS Journals]].
===Obtaining a copy of a will===
To obtain a copy of a will indexed in the above FIBIS resources you have the following options:
* Copies of British India Office Wills & Probate 1774-1948 are available from [http://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?mid=2114&id=201071 findmypast]
* Contact the [[British Library]]
* Order a LDS film (refer below) See [[Family History Centres]]. However, for most people findmypast would be more convenient.
* [http://www.fibis.org/membership.htm FIBIS members] can also take advantage of the FIBIS research service to obtain a photocopy of a microfilmed will from the [[British Library]] (and, indeed, details from other records ) where a reference has been found on the website. A search can also be made for wills, probates and inventories which may not yet be listed online. Members should contact the research co-ordinator - [mailto:research@fibis.org research@fibis.org] - for details of this service.
==Records==
The [[British Library]] webpage [http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelpregion/asia/india/indiaofficerecordsfamilyhistory/willsandadministrations/willsadmin.html Wills and Administration] lists sources in the [[India Office Records]].
The records include [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=059-iorlag_4&cid=1-60#1-60 Wills, probates, administrations and inventories of estates of persons who died in India and Burma '''IOR/L/AG/34/29'''] which include*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=059-iorlag_4&cid=1-60-2#1-60-2 Bengal wills '''IOR/L/AG/34/29/4-184'''] Calcutta Supreme/High Court*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=059-iorlag_4&cid=1-60-3#1-60-3 Madras wills and administrations '''IOR/L/AG/34/29/185-340'''] Madras Supreme/High Court*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=059-iorlag_4&cid=1-60-4#1-60-4 Bombay wills and administrations '''IOR/L/AG/34/29/341-380'''] Bombay Supreme/High Court These records, with images, are available for download on the [http://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?mid=2114&id=201071 findmypast] website. Note that if you are searching for a person who lived outside of Calcutta and the other capitals, up-country, in the Mofussil, they will probably be found in the records of the District Courts, not the Supreme Courts. The District Court records start from 1865, as explained in this [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/a2a/records.aspx?cat=059-iorlag_4&cid=1-65#1-65 summary of L/AG/34 contents]. This Rootsweb India List [http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/INDIA/2009-10/1256029313 thread] advises that the The only information available in relation to wills proved in District Courts are the summaries of grants made which are contained in the District Court Calendars of Probate. Unlike wills proved in the Supreme Courts at Calcutta, Madras and Bombay, copies of the actual wills were not sent to the India Office in London. These records do NOT appear to have been digitised by FindMy Past. At this point (December 2009) it appears most likely that the Indian Courts, rather than Regional State Archives in India would be most likely to hold the probated wills, if copies still exist. Details of both these sources may be found in [[Indian Libraries and Archives]].
Some wills proved in England relate to persons with links to India or, indeed, those who have actually died in India. Maybe property was held at home and abroad and, therefore, the will was proved in both places. Where this happened before 1858 a will held in the British Library may also be mirrored in the Documents Online section of the National Archives website – from where it can be downloaded at nominal cost. [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/willsdeathduties.asp National Archives].
[http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=1904 England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1861-1941] is now available through Ancestry.co.uk. Note there are a few gaps inrecordsin records. [[Findmypast]] also has two related datasets of these Index records called "Probate Calendars Of England & Wales 1858-1959" and "Probate Calendars Of England & Wales 1858-1959 - Browse", located under Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records/ Wills & probate. <br>If you wish to order a copy of a will or grant mentioned in this collection, you can do so for a fee , online from the Principal Probate Registry or any district probate registry. Read how to do this in the [httphttps://wwwprobatesearch.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/cms/1176#calendar Find a will: GOV.htm Guide to obtaining UK], where you can search for the will or probate records from of any person in the UK who died between 1858 in England and Wales] by Her Majesty’s Courts Service 1996, and then order a copy online. Currently (HMCSMarch 2016) part of the Ministry of Justice website is a “Beta” (MoJnot finalized)version, and the Search appears inadequate. It is recommended that you find details from findmypast or Ancestry, then use the details to locate the record on GOV.UK, from where you can complete the details for an online request for the will.
==FIBIS resourcesAlso see==*Sylvia Murphy, "Some Sources of Probate and Estate Records for India," ''FIBIS Journal'', No 8 (Autumn 2002). For details of how to access this article online, see [[FIBIS JournalsBritish Army#Soldiers’ wills|British Army - Soldiers’ wills]].
[[Category:Records]]
[[Category:Research methods]]
