Chester Wills Collection 1519-1940 available on the National Wills Index!
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Over 130,000 probate records held at Cheshire Record Office have been digitised, and these images can be purchased with Pay per View credits and viewed directly from the index records. A portion of the probate records held at Lancashire Record Office have been digitised and can also be purchased with Pay per View credits and viewed directly from the index records.
Wills can provide an extraordinary amount of information about your forebears, but most people probably have never had the chance to delve into these documents to see what they can learn. Family relationships can be highlighted by viewing these wills, such as that of Hugh Williams ([Wirral: 4012107_00954]).
Hugh Williams was engaged in the "Chester trade" in between Dublin and the Wirral. He was from Dublin, and died there in 1784, but lived in Parkgate. He had commanded the brig "Fame", of which his son William then became commander. Hugh owned 5/16ths of the ship, and left 1/8th to William. He left a sixteenth each to his other sons, Henry and Joseph, and to his wife, Elizabeth, desiring them not to dispose of the shares while William was in command of the vessel. The rest of his estate (unspecified) he left to be shared equally among his three sons - nothing more to his wife. He appointed Joseph Hayes, of Neston, as his executor. All this information comes from his will.
Hugh Williams was engaged in the "Chester trade" in between Dublin and the Wirral. He was from Dublin, and died there in 1784, but lived in Parkgate. He had commanded the brig "Fame", of which his son William then became commander. Hugh owned 5/16ths of the ship, and left 1/8th to William. He left a sixteenth each to his other sons, Henry and Joseph, and to his wife, Elizabeth, desiring them not to dispose of the shares while William was in command of the vessel. The rest of his estate (unspecified) he left to be shared equally among his three sons - nothing more to his wife. He appointed Joseph Hayes, of Neston, as his executor. All this information comes from his will.
