Hi All Just received a book in the post this morning - Wills in the York Registry 1636-1652 (printed in 1888 for the Yorkshire Archaeological Society) and pasted in the back is a newspaper clipping listing of those from the Bradford Parish. Here's the report & list [Bradford Observer(?) 24th July 1888]: "The Yorkshire Archaeological and Topographical Association have just issued the fourth volume of the Record Series (a publication in addition to the ordinary journal of the Association). The contents comprise a record of the Wills proved in the York Registry between 1636 and 1652. As Dr. Collins, the editor, explains in the introductory part, the usual practice of copying wills into registers was temporarily discontinued during the Civil Wars when, owing to the disturbed state of the country, most of the business of the kingdom came to a standstill. As a consequence, the will proved in the Exchequer and Prerogative Courts in York between the years 1636 and 1652 are to be found in bundles, either as originals or copies. It is from the materials accumulated, and which were never formally entered up in the registry, that the present volume has been compiled, and it accordingly constitutes an index to all wills proved during the period. The Council of the Association have it in contemplation to publish a complete index to the Wills in the York Registry from the earliest period, a boon which will be highly appreciated by archaeologists. Meanwhile the instalment now given will be none the less prized by those interested in genealogy and local history generally. The Volume is, as usual, excellently well printed, and the reputation of Dr. Colilns may be relied upon for its accuracy. We have taken out many references to wills referring to Bradford Parish, preserving the ancient form of spelling:- Wills Proved in 1636-7 Mary, widow of Thos. Bawme, Allerton William Clayton, Allerton Richard Cockroft, Allerton John Ellis, Brownroyd, Horton Thomas Fletcher, Horton Brian Fox, Wibsey John Gleydill, Great Horton John Michell, Manningham John Sowdon, Manningham Richard Steade, Bradforde, clothier Henry Walker, Burnett Field in Bolinge, clothier Michael Watson, Allerton, Clothier Joyce Yates, Bradford, widow. Proved in 1637-8 Michael Bearstow, Bradford John Fearnley, Kirkgate in Bradford Richard Hailey, Great Horton John Judson, Horton Isabel Lister, Manningham, widow Abraham Pearson, Thornton Peter Pearson, Bradford, yeoman Abraham Roodes, Heaton Roade, yeoman Thomas Sharpp, Little Horton, Bradforth Sistie, wid. Of Thos. Waddington, Bradforth Richard Waterhouse, Broad Oke in Bradford, blacksmith Elizabeth Whitley, Thornton Thos. Wilkinson, Kirkgate in Bradford, clothier. Proved in 1638-9 Robert Craven, Frizinghall, yeoman Margaret Fournes, Eccleshill, wid of George Fournes Nicholas Hardwick, Barkerend, Bradford, clothier William Hutchinson, Bradford, labourer Elizabeth Jowett, Clayton, widow Richard Mallinson, Bradford, yeoman Isabel Naylor, Bollinge, widow George Northroppe, Maningham John Pollard, North Beirle, yeoman Ellen Roydes, Allerton, widow Richard Sugden, Bolling, yeoman Robert Swaine, the elder, Horton, yeoman Jonas Wilkes, Bradford, carier Alice Wright, Manningham, Widow Proved in 1639-40 Robert Bawme, Horton, clothier Robert Bawme, Horton, yeoman Wlater Blackburne, Bowling William Booth the Elder, Lit. Horton John Hesledon, Horton, husbandman Abraham Rhodes, Maningham Richard Tempeste, Bolling, Kt. John Watmough, Preston Lane, late of Thornton Hall, Bradford Dale John Wilkinson, Willesten, clothier Proved in 1640-1 John Bower, Bollinge Walter Cordingley, Toffshay Thomas Field, Cockan in Clayton, yeoman William Grene, Barkerend, Bradford, clothier Edward Hopkinson, Bradford Ellen Hutchinson, Bradford, widow Susan Northcrop, Heaton, widow Thomas Swayne, the Elder, Little Horton John Thompson, Bolling Ricahrd Ward, Horton. Proved in 1641-2 Randal Boyle, Wibsey in North Byrle, yeom. William Drake, Thornton, clothier Annis Fournes, Northowram, widow of Richard Fournes, Allerton Jonas Gibson, Bradford John Jowett, Bollinge, yeoman Richard Nicholls, Bowling, smith Thos. Richardson, North Beirley, yeoman John Sharpe, the elder, Woodhouse, Bradford Abraham Sutcliffe, Allerton, yeoman Grace Walker, Brownroide, Horton, widow Susan Ward, Horton, widow Jeremie Waterhouse, Eccleshill, yeoman Proved 1642-3 John Jackson, Claton, carrier James Jowett, Bradford Christopher Parkinson, Bradford, yeoman Judith Roydes, Horton, widow Michael Saville, Clayton, yeoman Thomas Wilkinson, Roads Hall Park, clothier Proved 1643-4 John Mitchell, Thornton Richard Sowerbutts, Bowling, gentleman Proved 1644-5 Matthew Bourdall, North Breirley, clothier John Crabtree, Manningham Thomas Crofte, Bradford Robart Hollings, Lidgate in Clayton Matthew Hollins, Clayton John Howle, Bradford, linen draper Martha Okell, Bothestown, widow of John Okell, clerk, vicar of Bradford and Richard Batt, gent. Proved 1645-6 Margaret Bond als. Rendall, Bradford, spinster John Darnbrooke, Bradford Jonas Fearnley, Bradford, yeoman Robert Pearson, Bradford, yeoman Dame Elizabeth Tempest, Bolling, Widow Proved 1646-7 Abraham Barraclough, Nor. Bierley Francis Blagburne, Bradford John Blamire, North Bierley Samuel Firth, Bradford, yeoman Robert Garnite, Bradford Jonas Hall, Kippin in Thornton, yeoman John Hoyle, Bradford, yeoman Ann Jowett, Bradford, widow John Milner, Clayton, clothier John Nicholls, Horton, master of arts Abram Parkinson, Lit. Horton, tradesman Richard Pearson, Woodside, North Beirley, tanner Joseph Troughton, Bollinge William Webster, Barkerend, Bradford Edmund Widdop, Wibsey, clothier James Wilson, Bolling Proved in 1647-8 William Jowett, Little Horton John Midgley, Wilsden, yeoman Allan Proctor, Horton, yeoman Samuel son of Thos. Richardson, N.Beirley Proved 1648-9 John Booth, Horton Thomas Ibbotson, Bradford William Rawson, Bolling, yeoman Proved 1649-50 Ann, wid, of Nicholas Pollard, Bradfd Richard Rookes, North Beirley, yeoman Proved in 1650-1 John Ashbie, North Beirley, yeoman John Crabtree, Bradford Thomas Taylor, Bradford, clothier Proved in 1651-2 Francis Wood, Hunsworth, tanner [End of Transcription] Hope someone finds something useful in the list. If you do find a name in the list I can look in the actual book and find the exact date of the will - just drop me a line with the name and the year..... unfortunately the book isn't indexed by surname so I can't really do block searches for surnames unless you can provide a rough year between 1636 and 1651 that your antecedent died. Sorry about not capitalising the surnames but I typed the mail up in word first and didn't get around to making the surnames CAPS! :D I'm sure you'll all forgive me this once :D Bright Blessings Dawn (in Swindon where the rain is coming dahn like steer rods!)