Book Review
Tracing Your Kent Ancestors
Family Tree, 06 June 2016 - How to find your Kent ancestors
Historian and genealogist Dr David Wright presents expert advice on tracing Kent ancestors, through a rich variety of resources, some of which date back to the twelfth century.
One of the great joys of genealogical and historical research in Kent, and most especially in the eastern half (Diocese of Canterbury), is the extraordinary series of probate records which are probably equalled by no other English county in either variety or quantity. The wills themselves cover 1393-1858, are fully indexed, and will be the basis of any family tree. But beyond these, several other classes of material including:
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PROBATE ACCOUNTS
The probate accounts give details of how estates were wound up, the expenses incurred by executors and administrators, the names of debtors and creditors, whether relatives or strangers, and sometimes funeral costs and associated sundry items - in all, an intimate picture of the entire process surrounding an individual's death and the winding up of his affairs.
The entire group of about 11,000 accounts is indexed in British Record Society Volume 112, the original material being held at the county archives in Maidstone with films at Canterbury Cathedral Archives. Findmypast has also included them.
The probate accounts give details of how estates were wound up, the expenses incurred by executors and administrators, the names of debtors and creditors, whether relatives or strangers, and sometimes funeral costs and associated sundry items - in all, an intimate picture of the entire process surrounding an individual's death and the winding up of his affairs.
The entire group of about 11,000 accounts is indexed in British Record Society Volume 112, the original material being held at the county archives in Maidstone with films at Canterbury Cathedral Archives. Findmypast has also included them.
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PROBATE INVENTORIES Of perhaps even more compelling interest are the probate inventories. Prior t |