7 Use Will Power

Whether your ancestors left a will can be a bit hit and miss, and many don’t reveal much beyond, as in Jodie Whittaker’s episode, a family’s wealth. However, sometimes they provide information that will really illuminate your story. And, now that downloading post1857 wills for England and Wales costs just £1.50 ( probatesearch. service.gov.uk), there is no excuse not to see what your relatives left.

Earlier wills, proved in church courts, can be trickier to hunt down, although those proved at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury are on The National Archives’ website tinyurl.com/ tna-wills, ancestry.co.uk and thegenealogist.co.uk. However, they can be equally useful. Lisa Hammond discovered that her 3x great grandfather and his brother were only bequeathed 1s by their uncle – a common way to show disapproval.