Court of the Archdeaconry of Colchester

 [Return to the Essex Probate Records page.]

Essex Record Office Archives &amp; Museums Wharf Road Chelmsford CM12 6YT Telephone (01245) 244644 E-mail: [mailto:ero.enquiry@essexcc.gov.uk ero.enquiry@essexcc.gov.uk]
Website: Essex County Record Office

History and Background
Probate records of the Court of the Archdeaconry of Essex were once held in the Chelmsford Cathedral Registry. After the setup of civil courts by act of Parliament in 1858, they were removed to Somerset House, London in 1858. In 1958, almost all of Essex wills were transferred back to Chelmsford to the County Hall, where they reside today.

These records date from 1495 to 1857 and cover 104 parishes in Essex.

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 Essex County Record Office 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 to probate 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 centers near you.

Indexes
The Archdeaconry Court of Colchester probate records is well-covered with the following indexes:

Online indexes
A general will index for Essex County is available  online. This single index consolidates just about all Essex county wills of the various probate court jurisdictions into one database.

Printed Indexes
The Essex County Record Office compiled and published a complete surname index covering wills and administrations from eight Essex County probate courts including this court.


 * Emmison, F. G., ed. [Index to] Wills at Chelmsford.  (FHL book 942 B4b vols. 78, 79 &amp; 84; also on microfilms 0962739 and 0962740; also on microfiche 6073796, 6073797, and 6073802.)

Original Handwritten Indexes
Calendars to the Probate Acts of Wills and Administrations (Admons) exist from 1400-1858. Calendars are a kind of index to the day to day probate court procedures in which wills and admons (administrations) are processed.

In addition to the calendars, a majority of the original (unregistered) wills and the registered wills are alphabetically arranged at the Record Office and are likewise organized on the microfilmed probates for this court at the Family History Library. Visit the Essex County Archives or the Family History Library Catalog under Essex, England to determine the film numbers of the following records to search:

Microfilmed Indexes at the Family History Library
Original (Unregistered) Wills and Registered Wills as well as extant indexes for this court are available on microfilm at the Family History Library and may be circulated to each of its satellite Family History Centers (see Court of the Archdeaconry of Essex), or go to this Family History Library Catalog page

Index to Registered Wills 1495-1726

Index to Un-Registered Wills 1585-1725

Index to Wills and Administrations 1688-1858

Index to Act Books Administrations 1663-1687

Calendar of Wills 1495-1726 vols 1-4

Calendar Registered and Un-Registered Wills and Admons 1688-1857 vols 5-6

History and Background
The probate records of the Court of the Archdeaconry of Colchester date from 1496 to 1858 and cover 104 parishes in Essex. The records were transferred to the Diocese of London in 1858 and held there until 1958 when they were transferred back to the Chelmsford County Hall, where they reside today.

Before looking for a will, be certain to search for available indexes. County Essex is well-covered with comprehensive indexes for most of its probate courts as listed below.

Online Indexes
A general will index for Essex County is available online. This single index consolidates Essex county wills of the various probate court jurisdictions, including the various smaller Peculiar Court jurisdictions into one database.

Printed Indexes
If the indexes on the Internet do not produce possible wills for your ancestors, look in the published indexes listed here.

The Essex County Record Office compiled and published a complete surname index covering wills and administrations from eight Essex County probate courts including this court. The index is available in three volumes at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City:


 * Emmison, F. G., ed. [Index to] Wills at Chelmsford.  London: s.n., 1961, by the British Record Society.  (FHL book 942 B4b vols. 78, 79 &amp; 84; also on microfilms 0962739 and 0962740, and on microfiche 6073796, 6073797, and 6073802.)

Other handwritten indexes are found listed below under the "Indexes" section. Click on the court name links on the Essex County Probate home page.

Searching for probates in this court
CALENDARS (first-letter-of-surname index) of Wills and Administration Acts are divided in to four calendar books:


 * Calendar Vol. 1:  1495-1585
 * Calendar Vol. 2:  1585-1621
 * Calendar Vol. 3:  1621-1725
 * Calendar Vol. 4:  1670-1726
 * Calendar Vol. 5:  1688-1783
 * Calendar Vol. 6:  1784-1858

In addition to the general index above, many of the earlier or pre-1585 filmed volumes also contain a separate index to the wills and administrations. For an index to the post-1585 period, search the online county-wide index at the Essex County Record Office website.

REGISTERED WILLS Registered Wills with alpha indexes preceding the wills date from 1500-1585&lt;br&gt;

Registered Wills (un-indexed) 1667-1858

ORIGINAL WILLS

Original Wills and Administration (Admons) - unindexed - 1583-1652; 1660-1858 &lt;br&gt;

ADMINISTRATIONS (at Essex County Record Office)

1678-1857

ACT BOOKS

Probate and Admininstration Acts 1663-1858

For determining the Family History Library's microfilmed collection of the Archdeaconry Court of Colchester, see the Family History Library Catalog entry for this court.

Indexes
The Archdeaconry Court of Essex probate records are well-covered with the following indexes:

Printed Indexes

 * Emmison, F. G., ed.; [Index to] Wills at Chelmsford. (FHL book 942 B4b vols. 78, 79, 84; also on microfilms 0962739 and 0962740; also on microfiche 6073796, 6073797, and 6073802.)

Original Handwritten Indexes
Indexes to the Probate Acts of Wills and Administrations (Admons) exist as follows:


 * Registered Wills:                                   1496-1585; 1667-1726


 * Un-Registered Wills:                              1585-1725


 * Wills &amp; Admininstrations:                       1688-1858


 * Calendars (first-letter of surname index)   1495-1858

In addition to the calendars, some of the original (unregistered) wills and the registered wills are alphabetically arranged at the Record Office and are likewise organized on the microfilmed probates for this court at the Family History Library. Visit the Essex County Archives or the Family History Library Catalog under Essex, England to determine availability of records.

Microfilmed Indexes at the Family History Library
Original (Unregistered) Wills and Registered Wills as well as extant indexes for this court are available on microfilm at the Family History Library and may be circulated to each of its satellite Family History Centers (see Court of the Archdeaconry of Essex), or go to Family History Library Catalog entry for this court.

Strategies, Tips, Other?
Administrations for the years 1678 to 1857 are available at the Essex County Record Office, Chelmsford, U.K. The Family History Library has on microfilm, many of the administrations (or Admons) from 1688-1858. To view a list of parishes and their respective probate court jurisdiction, see the "Essex Parishes Parishes and Their Probate Jurisdictions" on the main page for Essex Probate Records.