Changes

The [[British Library]] webpage [https://web.archive.org/web/20180825042415/http://www.bl.uk/reshelp/findhelpregion/asia/india/indiaofficerecordsfamilyhistory/willsandadministrations/willsadmin.html Wills and Administration] (now archived) lists sources in the [[India Office Records]].

Note that if you are searching for a person who lived outside of Calcutta and the other capitalsThe records include Wills, up-countryprobates, in the Mofussil, they will probably be found in the records administrations and inventories of estates of the District Courts, not the Supreme Courts. The District Court records start from 1865, as explained persons who died in this [http:India and Burma '''IOR/L/www.nationalarchives.gov.ukAG/a2a34/29''' which include* Bengal wills '''IOR/records.aspx?cat=059-iorlag_4&cid=1-65#1-65 summary of L/AG/34 contents]. This Rootsweb India List [http:/29/4-184''' Calcutta Supreme/High Court* Madras wills and administrations '''IOR/archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.comL/thAG/read34/INDIA29/2009185-10340''' Madras Supreme/1256029313 thread] advises that the only information available in relation to wills proved in District Courts are the summaries of grants made which are contained in the District High Court Calendars of Probate. Unlike * Bombay wills proved in the Supreme Courts at Calcutta, Madras and administrations '''IOR/L/AG/34/29/341-380''' Bombay, copies of the actual wills were not sent to the India Office in London. It is not currently known (October 2009) whether Regional State Archives in India would be likely to still hold the probated wills. Details of some of the State Archives may be found in [[Indian Libraries and Archives]].Supreme/High Court

Some wills proved in England relate to persons These records, with links to India or, indeed, those who have actually died in India. Maybe property was held at home and abroad and, thereforeimages, are available for download on 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.nationalarchivesawin1.gov.ukcom/documentsonline/willsdeathdutiesawclick.asp National Archivesphp?mid=2114&id=201071 findmypast]website.

==FIBIS resources==*Sylvia MurphyNote 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, "Some Sources not the Supreme Courts. The record series is '''IOR/L/AG/34/31'''. The District Court records start from 1865. 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 Estate 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, but are available on [[FamilySearch]] digitised microfilm, refer below. 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, read the National Archives guide [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/wills-or-administrations-before-1858/ Wills or administrations before 1858]. Both Ancestry and [[findmypast]] contain databases relating to wills prior to 1858. In Ancestry the databases are located in the collection Wills, Probates, Land, Tax & Criminal, while in findmypast the databases are located in Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records for India/Wills & probate. Note that the Ancestry images, which are done in grey-scales are considered much clearer to read than the National Archives images,which are available only in black and white.<ref> Link no longer accessible. AdrianB38. "Need help in deciphering handwriting on will" ''FIBIS JournalWho Do You Think You Are? Forum''February 07, 2017.<nowiki>http://www.whodoyouthinkyouaremagazine.com/forum/topic14597.html#p51110</nowiki></ref> For the period from 1858, No 8 [http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=1904 England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Autumn 2002Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1966, 1973-1995] is available through Ancestry.co.uk. For details Note there are a few gaps in records. [[Findmypast]] also has two related datasets of how 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 access order a copy of a will or grant mentioned in this article collection, you can do so for a fee, online from [https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#calendar Find a will: GOV.UK], where you can search for the will or probate of any person in the UK who died between 1858 and 1996, and then order a copy online. Currently (March 2016) the website is a “Beta” (not 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. 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 world, including Australia, New Zealand etc. Areas close to the UK which were popular with retirees include [[French|France]] and the Channel Islands including Jersey. ==Also see==*[[British Army#Soldiers’ wills|British Army - Soldiers’ wills]] ==External links==*[http://www.awin1.com/awclick.php?mid=2114&id=201071 findmypast] Pay website.*[https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/results?count=20&query=%2Bkeywords%3AProbate%20%2Bkeywords%3AIndia&page=1&availability=Online Digitised FamilySearch microfilms - a list obtained by a keyword search (probate India)] of filmed India Office records in the [[LDS]] (Mormon) FamilySearch catalogue. Also see [[FamilySearch Centres]].**Note in particular [https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/159352 Calendars of probate, 1865-1936] India. District Courts*[https://web.archive.org/web/20210120164645/http://www.sog.org.uk/learn/help-getting-started-with-genealogy/guide-five/ Society of Genealogists: Guide Four: Probate Records] Edited and updated by Else Churchill and Geoff Swinfield, latest update 2020, now archived:[https://web.archive.org/web/20200715051014/http://www.sog.org.uk/uploads/Gillian_Stevens_and_Chad_Hanna_-Wills_and_Where_to_Find_Them.pdf Wills and Where to find them in England and Wales] by Gillian Stevens and Chad Hanna sog.org.uk. now archived, [https://web.archive.org/web/20210225135221/http://www.sog.org.uk/learn/who-do-you-think-you-are-2013-speakers-handouts/ from upload] 2013, now archived. '''Note''': some information may have changed, see 2020 link, but some information is still valid.*[http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/content/help/index.aspx?r=554&407 Wills & Testaments] ScotlandsPeople scotlandspeople.gov.uk. Free to search, pay to view. Scottish wills.*[FIBIS Journalshttp://www.willcalendars.nationalarchives.ie/search/cwa/home.jsp Calendars of Wills and Administrations 1858 – 1920]National Archives of Ireland. Irish wills. Free records.*[http://catalogue.jerseyheritage.org Jersey Heritage: Archives & Collections Online]Includes wills for persons with connections to India, as Jersey was popular with retirees from India. Download of an image requires either an annual subscription, or pay per view.

The following information is available on the FIBIS Search database.*[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&idReferences=13&s_id=30 Administration Act Books] Administrations relating to India 1830 to 1857*[http://www.search.fibis.org/frontis/bin<references/aps_browse_sources.php?mode=browse_components&id=14&s_id=30 Limited Administration Act Books] relating to India 1830 to 1839>