Anne Thank you so much for doing that phone call for me. I was not aware they had had problems recently. I use the Scotlandspeople site on a very regular basis and was aware of the Wills up to the 1925 time frame, but it was the indexes that are mentioned that are available via the Virtual Volumes, that I was referring to, and that they are only in the search room. I am glad they are continuing with the Valuation Rolls as I have also found them to be of great use and lots of information is coming out of all different archives. I agree with you, the Australian BDM certificates are a terrible price, and each state controls what is available, but there is more and more coming on line all the time. As most of my research relates to New Zealand (born there) I have found the access to their archive records, cemeteries and BDM's becoming easier to access over the years. Mind you it was not like this when I first started family history back in 1989. Many details are now also being put onto the Familysearch web site which is great. As I said, just a bit spoilt with the indexes being available. Again thank you for your help and the phone call, it was appreciated. regards Ailsa Ailsa Corlett [email protected] www.st.net.au/~ailsa alternative email if having trouble sending to my normal email is: [email protected] >-----Original Message----- >From: Anne Burgess [mailto:[email protected]] >Sent: Thursday, 13 March 2014 9:11 PM >To: Ailsa Corlett; [email protected] >Subject: Re: [Lanark] How to find details regarding probate/ will for >1946 > >> One says current response time is within 20 working days and the other >> says 40 working days. >I was surprised by that, so I rang them up. I know that there have been >problems recently as their entire system was down for over a week, and >they consequently have a large backlog to work through. The statutory >time limit within which they have to respond is 20 working days, but I >was assured that you should get your response sooner than that. > >> I found it strange that they had very few online indexes, but they >> stated they had quite a lot but only available to search and use in >> the search rooms. >The complete indexes are online from the earliest ones right through to >1925, and you can download digital images of the wills which cost GBP >2.33 each. > >> Does anyone know if they plan in the future to extend those indexes >> onto the online site. >My understanding after today's telephone conversation is that further >digitisation of wills is in the pipeline and will eventually be >undertaken, but at the moment resources are being concentrated on >digitising the valuation rolls. > >> I am sure it would help reduce some of the enquiries, as if I could do >> the search myself (even for a small fee), then I would know what is >> available and then be able to order it via online. I think I must be >> spoilt with NZ and Australian Archives in that there is quite a bit I >> can order online via the indexes they have made available, and even >> emails are answered within about 24/48 hours regarding enquiries. > >Aye, well, it may be easier to get Australian wills than Scottish ones >after 1925, but it's a lot harder and very much more expensive to get >Australian birth, marriage and death certificates. What you lose on the >swings you gain on the roundabouts, and vice versa. > >And at least all the Scottish ones are in one place. According to >http://genealogy.about.com/od/australia/a/Australian-Wills-And- >Estates.htm >it could be pretty difficult finding one. If this is up to date and >correct, most states seem not to have online indexes at all. > >Anne

> I use the Scotlandspeople site on a very regular basis and was > aware of the > Wills up to the 1925 time frame, but it was the indexes that > are mentioned > that are available via the Virtual Volumes, that I was > referring to, and > that they are only in the search room. If it is just the indexes, they were originally in large printed tomes, and copies of said tomes are available in other places, for example I know that the West Lothian Local History Library has some, and I am almost certain that the Mitchell Library has some too. But you'll still have to wait for the National Records to respond to tell you how much it will cost to get a copy of the actual will. Anne