Page 204 - Canadian Dominion Directory 1871 - Partie 1-fusionné
P. 204

ever  proved  the  prinred  will  and
                             leian Oxford Library, and  there are
                              quite a number  of  Welsli genealogy  administration  calendars  at Somer-
                              records to be  found  in  the Harleian  set House and  at District Registries
                              manuscripts which are in the British  list  them.
                              Museum.
                                                                 Wills  prior  to  1858 present  more
                                A very good WeIsh section is aIso  dii3cultv as their provinn was in  the
                              availabli: at:
                                                               hands  if the ~h&ch. 1f-a  man had
                                                               property in  two or more diocese his
                                The  Society  of  Genealogists.
                                                               will wouId have to be proved  in one
                                   37 Harrington Gardens.
                                                               of  the archbishop's courts either the
                                   London  S.W,7, England.
                                                               Prerogative  Court  of Canterbury or
                                                               the  Prerogative  Court  of  York  and
                              A letter to the Secretary will  always  if  property  was  held  in  both  the
                                                               provinces  of  York  and  Canterbury
                              produce a courteous reply.
                                Welsh  wills  are now  available  at  the proof would be found at Canter-
                              the  Bishoprics,  namely  at  Bangor,  bury.
                                                                 In cases where  property  was held
                              Llanduff, St. Asaph  (now deposited
                              at Bangor)  and St. Davids at Caer-  in  only  one  Archdeaconry  the
                              marthen.
                                                               executors could prove his will in that
                                The Public Record Ofiice in Lon-  Archdeaconry, but there was no bar
                              don  contains  the  Equity  Records,  to its king proved in a higher court
                              Comrnon  Law  Records,  including  and  this  alternative  was  frequently
                              the  Fines  and  Recoveries  of  the  adopted because of  the reluctance in
                              time  of  Henry  VI11 to William  IV  having  family  affairs  dealt  with
                              Jail  Files  for  the  period  and  the  locally.
                              Plea  Roles  from  1485 onwards and
                                                                 An  excellent  publication  dealing
                              in addition  a  number  of  miscellan-  with  the  whereabouts  oE  wills  is
                              eous or general  records.
                                                               ' Wills  and  Their Whereabouts ' by
                                It is  true  to  say that  the genuine  Anthony  J. Camp.
                              inquirer into Welsh  genealogy has a
                              far greater  chance  of  success if  he  Wills, Scotland - Scottish Wills were
                              understands  Welsh,  as much  of  the  proved  before  the  Commissariat
                              old  material  has  never  been  trans-  Courts  and  1514 is  the  date  of  the
                              lated  into English.
                                                               earliest  entry.  The  wills  have  al1
                                                               been  indexed.  An  enquiry  with
                              Wills - A will  can be  a  most  valu-  regard  to  a Scottish will  should  be
                              able  document  and  it  can  equally  sent  to  H.M.  Registrar  General,
                              be  a  most  frustrating  one.  At  its  New Registrar House, Ed inburgh.
                              best it will give a great deal of  infor-
                              mation with  regard  to the testator's  Widward Islands -
                              family  together  with  some  interest-  Dominica. Records date from  1860.
                              ing  bits  of  history  which  would   Information  may  be  obtained
                              probably  not  be  found  anywhere   from  the  Registrar  General.
                              ëlse.                             Grenada. Records of  marriages date
                                Since 1858 WiIls and Administra-   from  1841 and  births  and  deaths
                              tions in England  and Wales present   from  1866.  Applications  with
                              no difficulty because  from that time   regard  to these should  be  sent to
                              onward  they  have  been  proved    the  Registrar  General.  Records
                              either  in  the  Principal  Registry  at   prior  to these dates,  and  some do
                              Somerset  Nouse  or  at  one  of  the   exist,  are  retained  by  the  clergy
                              District  Probate  Registries.  Wher-   of  the various denorninations, the
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