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| Date Range: |
Series |
1853 - 1992 |
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Series in Custody |
1853 - 1992 |
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Contents |
1853 - 1992 |
| Public Access: |
Open |
| Location: |
North Melbourne |
| Format of Records: |
Physical |
  | Agency which created this SeriesAgency which created this Series |
| Agency currently responsible for this SeriesAgency currently responsible for this Series |
| Description of this SeriesDescription of this Series |
- How to use the Records
As the Wills have been arranged in numerical order by file number (eg 123/456, 123457 &c), researchers will need to first obtain the file number for the required Will.
Consult the microfiche VPRS 3340/P2 Index to Probates and Administrations Issued (Microform) also known as Probate Index, Victoria (1841-1992) which is located in the search room. The Index is arranged alphabetically by name of the deceased.
Note series and record numbers from index (for example, 123/456)
For later records the Probate Index uses the following format: 123456 28/p0001/0002, and should be noted as 123/456 (series/record).
For 7 digit numbers, for example 1234567 28/p0077/002, the series number is the first four digits and the record number is made up of the remaining three, and should be noted as 1234/567 (series/record). Researchers should also note the nature of the Grant (usually Probate or Administration).
Conduct a Probate Search or a Search the Items Within this Series using the series/record number (eg. 123/456) in order to locate the will for the person of interest.
This series has been digitised and is available online. Access to the digitised records is available via the physical records details pages. The digitisation of VPRS 7591 is a joint project between the Genealogical Society of Utah and Public Record Office Victoria. Please note that work on the digitisation of this series is ongoing, and has not yet been completed.
- Function / Content
A Will is a legal document that sets out the instructions of a person in relation to the distribution of his or her property after their death. The will usually names one or more persons to carry out the wishes and directions in relation to the estate. This person is called the executor/executrix. The estate can only be dealt with after the will has been approved by the Registrar of Probates. This approval is called the Grant of Probate and the document giving the approval is called Probate.
Procedures relating to the granting of Probate are outlined in the documentation for VPRS 28 and VPRS 7592, and include the lodging of the will of the deceased with the Registrar of Probate.
When an application for grant of probate was lodged with the Probate Office, the will would have been included amongst other papers relating to the deceased's estate. The wills were removed from the rest of the files and kept separately, presumably because of their size and the associated storage requirements.
For a time, wills were copied by transcription. When the records were first transferred to PROV from the Probate Office, The original wills were retained by the Probate Office and the volumes of transcribed wills were transferred to PROV (VPRS 27, VPRS 525 microfilm).
From 4 March 1992, when flat files (rather than folded) were introduced in the Probate Office, wills and probate files were kept together and transferred to the Public Record Office Victoria in VPRS 28 Probate and Administration Files. The last will in this series is number 1051/145 from the year 1992 (VPRS 7591/P18).
- Recordkeeping System
The files were divided into "series" of 1000 files with a sequential allocation of numbers between 1 and 1000 in each series. For example: 106/291, this refers to the 291st file in the 106th series.
Register:
The allocation of numbers for files and wills was controlled by VPRS 261 Register of Probates and Administrations Issued from 1854 until at least 1900. It is not certain how file numbers were allocated after this time but it is likely that the register which served this purpose is no longer extant.
Index:
These records were indexed by VPRS 3340/P2 Probate Index, microfiche copies of which are available in Public Record Office Victoria's Reading Rooms. As at 1994 the original index remains in the custody of the Registrar of Probate. This index was arranged alphabetically within time periods according to the date of the Grant of Probate or Letters of Administration. There was sometimes a considerable gap between the date of death and the date of the grant.
If the entry in the Probate/Administration column (often headed "Nature of Grant" has a "P" then the file is a Probate and there should be a Will; if there is an "A" in the column the file is an administration and it is unlikely that there will be a Will. A list of abbreviations used by the probate office is available in the Reading Rooms.
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| Indexes and RegistersIndexes and Registers |
| Controlled SeriesControlled Series |
| Previous SeriesPrevious Series |
| Subsequent SeriesSubsequent Series |
| List/s of records in this seriesList/s of records in this series |
| Indexes and RegistersIndexes and Registers |
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Help On This Page
A series is a group of records which are recorded or maintained by the same agency (or agencies)
Series information helps you to understand the context of records - why, when and by whom they were created.
To locate records use the "Accessing the records" tab.
More about series details pages
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