30-MINUTE GENEALOGIST
Sara Khan demonstrates how to find Welsh wills in just three steps
The comedian Greg Davies learnt about his Welsh roots and that he could claim descent from the first Prince of Wales. If you have Welsh ancestors then you can find many records for them on the National Library of Wales website ( www.llgc.org.uk).
1 The website has many records including probate documents and marriage bonds. Some can be viewed for free, but others must be accessed at the library (or through its document copying service). Go to the homepage and choose the option for ‘More NLW resources’ under the ‘Discover’ box.
2 Choose the option to search wills towards the bottom of the page. You’ll be taken to the search page for wills. Enter the person’s name and a date range, then press ‘Search’. In this case, we’re seeking the will of Greg’s 6x great grandfather, William Owen, who died in 1774 in Cwm Mawr.
3 Choose the correct record. As we know William Owen was from Cwm Mawr, we select the second one. Click on ‘View’ to read a copy of the original will. You can also view a larger version in a new window by choosing that option. The image is free to view, but you must pay to download it.