Annotation
Wills and related records are a valuable source of information for family historians revealing details of ancestors' lives, families, livelihoods and even personalities. This work explores documents and institutions, legal terms and Latin phrases, as well as navigating the digital resources that have transformed family history research.
Author Notes
Karen Grannum worked for 18 years at the National Archives, specializing in legal records, particularly wills and other probate records. She contributed to Family History Companion (The National Archives, 2007) and prepared the second edition of Using Wills for the successful Pocket Guides series (Public Record Office, 2001).
Nigel Taylor is a Legal Records Specialist at the National Archives, where he has worked since 1989. Like Karen, he has wide experience of advising the public on wills and legal documents.