Consistory Court of London

Return to the Middlesex Probate Records page.

Location of These Probate Records
The London Metropolitan Archives &amp; Library

40 Northampton Road

London EC1R 0HB

ENGLAND

Tel 020 7332 3820 Fax 020 7833 9136

E-Mail: ask.lma@corpoflondon.gov.uk

Website is available:

Opening Times: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9.30am - 4.45pm Tuesday and Thursday 9.30am - 7.30pm

Saturday openings: 9.30am - 4.45pm

2009:

January 10       May 9         September 12 January 24         June 13       September 26

February 14      June 27       October 10 February 28       July 11        October 24 March 14           July 25        November 28 March 28           August 8     December 12 April 25             August 22

Historical Background
Return to the Middlesex Probate Records page.

The Episcopal Consistory Court of the Bishop of London had jurisdiction over the whole diocese of London except the peculiars–including a concurrent jurisdiction with the smaller Archdeaconry courts of London and Middlesex, Colchester (Essex) and St Albans (Herts.). When a search of this courts’ probate records fails to provide the desired probate record, be sure to search the above Archdeaconry courts as well.

Starting Your Search in Indexes
1. First search each index (see below) to help you more quickly find the will, writing down each detail cited in the indexed entry. 2. Proceed then to the "Probate Records of This Court" (below) to determine what original probate records exist for this court. 3. Contact or visit The London Metropolitan Archives and Library, or, hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf. Officials may send upon request a list of record searchers. 4. Visit The Family History Library, or, one of its 4,500 satellite family history centers worldwide and search indexes (see the Family History Library's cataloged entries providing the microfilms so you can have them circulated to the center near you for searching the wills). The information obtained from the index[es] will help you more quickly search the wills and admons which can also be circulated on microfilm via any family history.

Probate Indexes
The Consistory Court of London probate records have to some extent been indexed with the following ones:

Online indexes
The Metropolitan Archives and Library is currently compiling and posting online a will surname index covering wills and administrations from 1363 to 1857. Currently, it is only a (partial) index for this probate court covering much of Middlesex County and is available online.

Printed and Published Indexes

 * A probate index for the Consistory Court of London from 1363 to 1700 has been compiled by the British Record Society in its extensive publications (vols 89 and 98). These publications are likely available in most major United States (especially university libraries) and United Kingdom Archives and libraries as well as in The Family History Library.
 * A comprehensive will and admon index to most of London's (including Greater L.) probate courts for the years covering 1750-1858, is Dr David Wright's London Probate Index on CD and is on sale. He will perform "lookups" in his indexes for you for surnames covering from G-Z at a set fee.

Original Handwritten Indexes
Calendars and Indexes to Wills (1362 to 1858), and Index to probate registers (1514-1641), to this Probate court exist covering acts of Wills and Administrations (Admons). Calendars are a kind of index (of the first letter of each surname) to the probate records and admons (administrations).

The above calendars can be accessed by visiting The London Metropolitan Archives and Library. To view what precise probate records they hold before visiting [their archives], go to Access2Archives and use their search engine for determining availability of records in The LMA.

Microfilmed Indexes at the Family History Library
Calendars and Indexes of Wills and Admons (Administrations) to the Consistory Court fo the Bishop of London are available on microfilm at the Family History Library covering the years 1362-1857 and may be circulated to each of its satellite Family History Centers.

== Searching for probates in this court. ==

CALENDAR WILLS AND ADMINISTRATIONS (ADMONS) 1368-1781

ORIGINAL WILLS

1524-1718

REGISTERED WILLS

1368-1807

PROBATE &amp; ADMON ACTS

1563-1790

EXAMINATION &amp; DEPOSITION BOOKS

1632-1692

"INSTANCE" BOOK 1636-1648

ASSIGNATION BOOKS

1635-1781

CAVEAT BOOKS (mainly testamentary)

1675-1821

Strategies, Tips, Other?
See the above general countywide index online (see "online Indexes) or those available through the Family History Library's (see "Printed Indexes) many family history centers worldwide for an index to this court.

To view a list of parishes and their respective probate court jurisdiction, see the "Middlesex and Their Probate Jurisdictions" on the main page for Middlesex Probate Records.

Starting Your Search in Indexes
1. First search each index (see below) to help you more quickly find the will, writing down each detail cited in the indexed entry. 2. Proceed to the "Probate Records of This Court" (below) to determine what original probate records exist for this court. 3. Contact or visit The Guildhall Library, or, hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf. Officials may send upon request a list of record searchers. 4. Visit The Family History Library, or, one of its 4,500 satellite family history centers worldwide and search indexes (see the Family History Library's cataloged entries providing the microfilms so you can have them circulated to the center near you for searching the wills). The information obtained from the index[es] will help you more quickly search the wills and admons which can also be circulated on microfilm via any family history.

Probate Indexes
The Archdeaconry Court of London probate records have to some extent been indexed with the following ones:

Online indexes
A general will index (partial) for this probate court covering much of Middlesex County is available online but at cost.

Printed and Published Indexes
The Metropolitan Archives and Library compiled and published a complete surname index covering wills and administrations from 1363 to 1786:


 * A probate index for the Archdeaconry Court fo London from 1363 to 1700 has been compiled by the British Record Society in its extensive publications (vols 89 and 98). These publications are likely available in most major United States (especially university libraries) and United Kingdom Archives and libraries as well as including The Family History Library.
 * A comprehensive will and admon index to most of London's (including Greater L.) probate courts for the years covering 1750-1858, is Dr David Wright's London Probate Index on CD and is on sale. He will perform "lookups" in his indexes for you for surnames covering from G-Z at a set fee.

Original Handwritten Indexes
Calendars to this Probate court exist covering acts of Wills and Administrations (Admons) exist from 1368-1786. Calendars are a kind of index (of the first letter of each surname) to the probate records and admons (administrations).

In addition to the calendars, a majority of the original (unregistered) wills and the registered wills are alphabetically arranged at The Guildhall Library and are likewise organized on the microfilmed probates for this court at the Family History Library. Visit The Guildhall Library or the Family History Library Catalog under Middlesex, England to determine availability of records.

Microfilmed Indexes at the Family History Library
Indexes of Wills and Admons (Administrations) are available on microfilm at the Family History Library covering the years 1368-1781 and may be circulated to each of its satellite Family History Centers (see Court of the Archdeaconry of London), or go to this Family History Library Catalog page.

== Searching for probates in this court. ==

CALENDAR WILLS AND ADMINISTRATIONS (ADMONS) 1368-1781

ORIGINAL WILLS

1524-1718

REGISTERED WILLS

1368-1807

PROBATE &amp; ADMON ACTS

1563-1790

EXAMINATION &amp; DEPOSITION BOOKS

1632-1692

"INSTANCE" BOOK 1636-1648

ASSIGNATION BOOKS

1635-1781

CAVEAT BOOKS (mainly testamentary)

1675-1821

Strategies, Tips, Other?
See the above general countywide index online (see "online Indexes) or those available through the Family History Library's (see "Printed Indexes) many family history centers worldwide for an index to this court.

To view a list of parishes and their respective probate court jurisdiction, see the "Middlesex and Their Probate Jurisdictions" on the main page for Middlesex Probate Records.