Where can I see a will of a deceased person?

Question

Where can I see a will of a deceased person?

Answer 1

you need to go to the local probate registry and apply for a copy - they will charge you though!

Answer 2

If a will was entered for probate, the most likely place to look is the probate records in the county where the person died.  The next place to look would be the probate records in the county where the person owned real property.  The NEXT place to look would be the probate records of the country of  residence of the appointed executor or administrator of the estate (a real catch 22, generally you need to see the will to discover who the executor is)

Some older wills have been abstracted and posted online.  Some older wills have been destroyed in court house fires.  (I have both in my genealogy)

Good luck

Answer 3

Depends on who it is.

Answer 4

Here is the list of all the probate offices and towns which they deal with:

Controlling Probate Registry

Open to the public 9.30am.-4.00pm.

Mondays to Fridays



Local probate offices

Opening times will be sent with your application



  

Bangor

Bangor Probate Sub-Registry

Council Offices

Ffordd Gwynedd

Bangor

Gwynedd

LL57 1DT

Tel: [phone]



Rhyl, Wrexham          

Birmingham

Birmingham District Probate Registry

The Priory Courts

33, Bull Street

Birmingham

B4 6DU

Tel: [phone]



Coventry, Kidderminster, Northampton, Wolverhampton  

Bodmin

Bodmin Probate Sub-Registry

Market Street

Bodmin

Cornwall

PL31 2JW

Tel: [phone]



Plymouth, Truro  

Brighton

Brighton District Probate Registry

William Street

Brighton

BN2 2LG

Tel: [phone]



Chichester, Hastings, Horsham  

Bristol

Bristol District Probate Registry

Ground Floor

The Crescent Centre

Temple Back

Bristol, BS1 6EP

Tel: [phone]



Bath, Weston-Super-mare  

Cardiff

Probate Registry of Wales

PO Box 474

2, Park Street

Cardiff

CF10 1TB

Tel: [phone]



Bridgend, Newport, Pontypridd  

Carlisle

Carlisle Probate Sub-Registry

Courts of Justice

Earl Street

Carlisle

CA1 1DJ

Tel: [phone]



----------------None--------------  

Carmarthen

Carmarthen Probate Sub-Registry

14, King Street

Carmarthen

SA31 1BL

Tel: [phone]

(Old number Tel: [phone])



Aberystwyth, Haverfordwest, Swansea  

Chester

Chester Probate Sub-Registry

5th Floor

Hamilton House

Hamilton Place

Chester, CH1 2DA

Tel: [phone]



----------------None--------------  

Exeter

Exeter Probate Sub-Registry

2nd Floor

Exeter Crown & County Courts

Southernhay Gardens

Exeter

Devon EX1 1UH

Tel: [phone]

Barnstaple, Newton Abbot, Taunton, Yeovil  

Gloucester

Gloucester Probate Sub-Registry

2nd Floor

Combined Court Building

Kimbrose Way

Gloucester

GL1 2DG

Tel: [phone]



Cheltenham, Hereford, Worcester  

Ipswich

Ipswich District Probate Registry

Ground Floor

8 Arcade Street

Ipswich, Suffolk

IP1 1EJ

Tel: [phone]



Chelmsford, Colchester  

Lancaster

Lancaster Probate Sub-Registry

Mitre House

Church Street

Lancaster

LA1 1HE

Tel: [phone]



Barrow-in-Furness, Blackpool, Preston, St Helens  

Leeds

Leeds District Probate Registry

3rd Floor

Coronet House

Queen Street

Leeds, LS1 2BA

Tel: [phone]



----------------None--------------  

Leicester

Leicester Probate Sub-Registry

Crown Court Building

90 Wellington Street

Leicester

LE1 6HG

Tel: [phone]

Bedford  

Lincoln

Lincoln Probate Sub-Registry

360 High Street

Lincoln

LN5 7PS

Tel: [phone]



----------------None--------------  

Liverpool

Liverpool District Probate Registry

Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts

Derby Square

Liverpool

L2 1XA

Tel: [phone]

  

Southport  

London

Principal Registry of the Family Division Probate Department

First Avenue House

42-49, High Holborn

London WC1V 6NP

Tel: [phone]

Opening Times: 10.00 - 4.30 Monday to Friday.

  

Croydon, Edmonton, Harlow, Kingston, Luton, Southend-on-Sea, Woolwich  

Maidstone

Maidstone Probate Sub-Registry

The Law Courts

Barker Road

Maidstone

ME16 8EQ

Tel: [phone]

  

Canterbury, Tunbridge Wells  

Manchester

Manchester District Probate Registry

9th Floor

Astley House

23, Quay Street

Manchester

M3 4AT

Tel: [phone]

Bolton, Nelson, Oldham, Warrington, Wigan  

Middlesbrough

Middlesbrough Probate Sub - Registry

Combined Court Centre

Russell Street

Middlesbrough, Cleveland

TS1 2AE

Tel: [phone]

----------------None--------------  

Newcastle-Upon-Tyne

Newcastle District Probate Registry

2nd Floor

Plummer House

Croft Street

Newcastle upon Tyne

NE1 6NP

Tel: [phone]

Darlington  

Norwich

Norwich Probate Sub-Registry

Combined Court Building

Bishopgate

Norwich

NR3 1UR

Tel: [phone]

  

Kings Lynn, Lowestoft  

Nottingham

Nottingham Probate Sub-Registry

Butt d**e House

33 Park Row

Nottingham

NG1 6GR

Tel: [phone]

----------------None--------------  

Oxford

Oxford District Probate Registry

Oxford Combined Court Building

St. Aldates

Oxford

OX1 1LY

Tel: [phone]

Aylesbury, High Wycombe, Reading, Slough, Swindon  

Peterborough

Peterborough Probate Sub-Registry

1st Floor

Crown Building

Rivergate

Peterborough, PE1 1EJ

Tel: [phone]



Cambridge  

Sheffield

Sheffield Probate Sub-Registry

P.O. Box 832

The Law Courts

50, West Bar

Sheffield

S3 8YR

Tel: [phone]

----------------None--------------  

Stoke-on-Trent

Stoke on Trent Probate Sub-Registry

Combined Court Centre

Bethesda Street

Hanley

ST1 3BP

Tel: [phone]



Crewe, Shrewsbury, Stafford  

Winchester

Winchester District Probate Registry

4th Floor

Cromwell House

Andover Road

Winchester

Hampshire

SO23 7EW

Tel: [phone]



Basingstoke, Bournemouth, Dorchester, Guildford, Newport I-O-W, Portsmouth, Salisbury, Southampton  

York

York Probate Sub-Registry

First Floor, Castle Chambers,

Clifford Street

York

YO1 9RG

Tel: [phone]



Hull, Scarborough

Answer 5

Go to the Probate Court.

Answer 6

Wills have to be filed with the Probate Court in the decedent's county of residence. They are public documents and you can view them at the Clerk of the Probate Court's office. If you want a copy of the will and anything else attached to the estate, the Clerk of the Probate Court will provide them to you.  A will that was never filed has no legal bearing at all. It's just a piece of paper until the Court accepts it.