Applying for wills

Has anyone ever got one?  If so how do you go about it?

I was talking to someone who mentioned she was an avid collector and they give a wealth of information but I've never got one myself.

For a start I hardly ever find anyone who left a will but I have one from the 1930's I could do to start with. 

I presume you start with an entry in the probate register which I have for this person, a daughter of Thomas H who was a widow with 3 children when she died.

Any thoughts and advice gratefully received

I know you can get older wills from the national archives

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/wills.htm

newer wills I think are got from probate office

https://www.gov.uk/search-will-probate

I am not sure if you can get any will or have to prove a connection etc

Thanks vron that is very useful.

Needless to say I have fallen at the first hurdle after reading this advice.

Before you start

Not all grants of representation contain a will. Check the type of grant when you search:
‘Probate’ or ‘Grant and Will’ – a will exists and will be provided
‘Admon with Will’ or ‘Grant and Will’ – a will exists and will be provided
‘Administration (Admon) or Grant’ – a will doesn’t exist and won’t be provided

Mine says "Administration"

All is not lost

I looked up her husband who died 2 years before and he has "probate" on his so have ordered it just as an experiment.

Very easy to do online and costs £10.00.  You have to register on the site - just e-mail add and password - and it tells you when the will will be available to view and download.

Says 12 March for mine so pretty fast.

I sent for one of those soldiers' wills when they became available on-line a couple of years ago.  Arrived by email, I think.

Can't really complain for what it cost, but all it said was "I leave all my possessions to my children".  Thassorl

Here's hoping you have better luck  

STG  

Have you tried this site, Tourmie,

https://probatesearch.service.gov.uk/#wills

Good luck

siamese

Thanks everyone

I'm hoping of course it will say the following or similar

"I leave my best chamberpot to my wife's long lost Uncle George or his descendants"

Some hope of that

Have found two more now that would have been better (closer relations) but will let you know how this one turns out.

Well I downloaded the first one yesterday but no mention of George or chamberpots

It left everything to wife and children, no bequests to anyone else.

The other two aren't George related families so I doubt he will pop up in those!

Oh, that is a shame.    

STG

I got the other two but nothing startling in either of them.  
One was just to wife and the other was £100 to youngest son and rest of the estate to be divided up between the other children.  Lot of children so wouldn't be much to go round - I expect the one with the £100 got the best deal.

Hasn't been good for me but still interesting to read the wills so would recommend the service and it was very easy to use.  

Over and out