The Research Like a Pro Genealogy Podcast

Without the Parish with Jessica Morgan- Probate, Court, and Manor Records

·37 min·3 clips

Manor rolls from medieval estates can trace land transfers and generations when parish records don't exist.

The episode begins with hosts Diana Elder and Nicole Dyer introducing guest Jessica Morgan, who previously discussed English records beyond baptism, marriage, and burial in episode 335. They start with wills and probate, highlighting 1858 as a key year when the British government took over probate from the Church of England, creating the searchable National Probate Calendar on Ancestry. For pre-1858 wills, Jessica explains they were held by ecclesiastical courts and recommends using FamilySearch maps to identify the correct court jurisdiction. She mentions death duty records as alternatives for wills destroyed in WWII, particularly for Devon, Somerset, and Cornwall. The conversation shifts to court records, beginning with quarter sessions, which date from the 13th century to 1972 and cover everyday matters like licenses and removal orders, accessible via county archives and FindMyPast. Chancery Court records are noted for disputes over inheritance and land among the wealthy, indexed in Ancestry's England and Wales Criminal Registers. Assize Courts handled serious crimes, with records also in that database and on the Old Bailey website. Ecclesiastical Courts dealt with church-related matters like marriage licenses and adultery, found through FamilySearch catalog searches by court name. The final segment focuses on manor rolls, essential for research before 1538 when parish records began. Jessica describes manor courts (leet and baron) that managed criminal cases and land transfers, respectively. She explains how to use the National Archives' Manor Documents Register to find surviving records for specific parishes and manors, noting challenges like Latin language and secretary handwriting, with AI tools like Transcribus suggested for transcription. The episode concludes with recommendations for Jessica's blog posts and the book 'Ancestral Trails' by Mark T. Herber.

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