Wills

The Metcalfe Wills Project was started after a kind donation of £1,000 from M0700 Peter J. Scott of Australia, in memory of his mother, to purchase copies of Metcalfe wills.   Since then various members of The Society have not only transcribed these wills, but provided copies and transcripts of their own. Currently there are over 1200 wills where a Metcalfe is either mentioned or it is their will. We are currently working on adding a further 500 to those already on the list.

How can I view any of the Metcalfe wills?

Members can search the online database by searching on first name, town, year or year range along with any beneficiaries or witnesses.   Wills are often earlier than the year of probates, so it is best to use the search + or - by 2/5/10/20 years if not found immediately by name or place.  

We want your Wills!

We invite all our members to find a little time and submit a copy of any wills they may have used in their own research. Pooling this sort of information is most valuable. Not only are they transcribed and made available for online research via the Members Room but   information from the wills is then incorporated into the main Computer Index. For instance, the will may include family members or dates mentioned in the will not previously recorded by the Society. So you never know who you will be helping. Someone else may therefore be helping you! Send all submissions to the Wills Project Coordinator (see   Contacts).  

Would you like to Volunteer for the Wills team?

The Wills Project Coordinator is supported by a small team who   transcribe wills so that they can then be loaded onto the online search . They not only transcribe but also bring additional skills.  

For example :

• Jennifer and Trevor Metcalf (M1754)   between them have added a host of Lincolnshire wills - Trevor visiting the Lincoln Archives and photographing the wills and Jennifer accomplishing the transcribing - great team work! This adds a great deal to The Society records for that area.   Edwin has led a sterling effort in transcribing the latest 500 wills to be added to the new website.
• As the project is now reaching earlier periods, this has enabled the team to benefit from Margaret Medcalfe’s (M1747) additional skills with the Latin section of wills and Frances Glanville’s (M1887) persistence with 17th century modes of expression.

Established in 1980. UK Registered Charity No. 1000879.
Post: The Metcalfe Society, 17 Bailey Walk, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, WF4 3QW, UK
Email: enquiries@metcalfe.org.uk | Telephone: +44 (0) 7866 202 785 | Website: http://www.metcalfe.org.uk