Royal Peculiar Court of St Katherine's by the Tower
England 
Middlesex Probate Records London Probate Records Royal Peculiar Court of St Katherine's by the Tower
Contents
Step By Step
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 "Records" (below) to determine what probate records exist for this court.
3. Contact or visit the Principal Probate Registry or, hire a professional record searcher to view these records on your behalf. Officials may send upon request a list of record searchers.
4. Or, you can visit The Family History Library, or, one of its 4,500 satellite family history centers worldwide and search indexes to this probate court's records; then with the information obtained from the index[es] you can search more quickly the original wills and admons also on microfilm via any family history centers near you.
Indexes
Online Indexes
Printed and Published Indexes
Records
Archives Location
Guildhall Library
Aldermanbury
London EC2V 7HH
Tel (020) 7332 1862 / (020) 7332 1863
Textphone (020) 7332 3803
Email manuscripts.guildhall@cityoflondon.gov.uk
Archive Records
Wills 1729-1800
Calendars 1698-1803
Powers of Attorney & Original Wills 1690-1710
Act Books 1698-1793
Warrants, bonds 1755-1802
Deposition Book in Testmentary Causes 1583-1584
Administration Bonds 1688-1775
Cause Papers 1701-1747; 1777-1804
Assorted Legal Papers 1545-1653; 1745-1798
Loose Bonds 1698-1722
Family History Library Records
Wills 1729-1800 Additional Wills, here: 1689-1744; 1800-1818
Powers of Attorney & Original Wills 1690-1710
Deposition Book in Testmentary Causes 1583-1584
Administration Bonds 1688-1775
Cause Papers 1701-1747; 1777-1804
Assorted Legal Papers 1545-1653; 1745-1798
Jurisdiction
London had a small peculiar jurisdiction granted to an important church within diocese of London which claimed immunity from the bishop’s jurisdiction. Called a Royal Peculiar, St Katherine's by The Tower [of London] claimed exemption from all jurisdictions except that of the sovereign. It lies immediately east of the City of London but is considered to be in the county of Middlesex, even with its close proximty next to the city proper.
Probate records of the Royal Peculiar Court St Katherine's by the Tower held jurisdiction over its own premises, including St Katherine's Hospital. However, most testators in this jurisdiction filed their wills with the Prerogative Court of Canterbury between 1750 to 1858.[1]
Records of these probates--includes original as well as registered wills. These records date from as early as 1698.
References
- ↑ Cliff Webb, My Ancestors were Londoners: A Guide to London Sources for Family Historians (London: Society of Genealogists, 2009), 35.
