GENEALOGYBITSANDPIECES-L Archives

From: "Sally Rolls Pavia" <>
Subject: [Genealogy Bits and Pieces] 1 Million Wills Online Boost Family History Research! ... offered by DocumentsOnline for a small fee if you find the one uou want
Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2004 08:43:53 -0700

William Shakespeare's will containing three of only six surviving copies of
his signature is among over 1 million wills belonging to The National
Archives, London, now available online at www.DocumentsOnline.pro.gov.uk

But it's not only the wills of the rich and famous which are included.
DocumentsOnline contains more than 1 million probate copies of wills of men
and women from all walks of life - from servants and plumbers, to royalty
and magistrates. Making these wills available online is a fantastic boost
for family historians the world over.

TV personality Tony Robinson said: "This is a fantastic resource that can
bring history so much closer to us. I've no doubt it will turn into a cult
website. We can now all be historical researchers in the comfort of our own
homes."

DocumentsOnline contains digital images of more than 1 million probate
copies of wills spanning 6 centuries of British history from 1384 to 1858.

Among these you will find the will of Napoleon, who in his will, asked his
son to adopt his motto "everything for the French people". Other famous
original wills on the website include those of Jane Austen, Sir Christopher
Wren and Horatio Nelson, whose will includes a personal diary. Putting these
wills online is part of an ongoing drive by The National Archives in London
to widen access worldwide to its vast collection of records. With
DocumentsOnline, Internet users can search and download digital images of
original documents for a small fee.

Mark Pearsall, Family History Specialist at The National Archives, said:
Wills are one of the most important resources for family and local history
research: a will may provide names of spouses, sons, daughters and
grandchildren, help to clarify family relationships or indicate the place of
burial."

The National Archives' Chief Executive, Sarah Tyacke, said: "The launch of
DocumentsOnline is an integral part of The National Archives' overall
strategy to open up access to our most popular documents to the widest
possible audience. As wills are one of the most popular useful resources for
family history research, I hope this website will encourage more people to
explore their family history."

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Sally Rolls Pavia
Sun City, AZ

"We are not makers of history. We are made by history."
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