IRL-CORK-L Archives

From: "michael cronin" <>
Subject: Wills
Date: Sat, 19 Oct 2002 14:36:49 +1300

I have made some posts on this subject before but need to correct some
mistakes, I have also had some recent success in this area. These notes
apply to wills for which probate was granted between 1858 and 1897.

For a person with property in Cork probate would be granted at either the
Cork district registry or the principal registry in Dublin. The originals of
all wills were held at the PRO in Dublin, most were destroyed in the 1922
fire. Wills probated in the Cork district registry were copied into a book
before the original was sent to Dublin, this book has survived, no such book
exists for Dublin and so most Dublin wills have been lost.

To find a will you should first check the index "Calendar of the grants of
probate and letters of administration made in the principal registry and in
the several district registries, 1858-1920" this has been filmed by the
Family History Library, comprises 46 microfilm reels starting with FHL
BRITISH Film 100965. The first three films in the series are an index to the
calendar which you should use if you have no idea when a death may have
taken place.

The calendar entry gives the date of probate, date of death, place of death
(sometimes), names of executors, and value of the estate.

The next step is to find a copy of the will itself. Previously I had said
you would need to that in Dublin, I was wrong ! The LDS have filmed the Cork
district will books (1858-97), the series comprises 14 microfilm reels
starting with FHL BRITISH Film 100929. There is an index at the start of
each film but there are no page numbers and so the index is useless, You
will need to go through the whole film until you find the right will.

These notes and some links are on my web site
http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/hanson/probate.html

Michael

This thread:

• Wills by "michael cronin" <>