Megan, There is a legal term "de bonis non administratis". It usually refers to a second Probate being applied for when the original Executor has died, and has left some or all unadministered. I do not know, but this might also apply when an original Will that had been signed and possibly left with the Solicitors was somehow lost or accidentally destroyed by them. A.W. de bo Nov. may be shorthand for "A Will de bonis Non". This would also explain why it was proved at the principal probate registry. Achwr ======================================== Message Received: Sep 26 2011, 06:38 PM From: "Megan Roberts" To: "Dyfdd List" Cc: Subject: Re: [Dyfed] Wills / Probate A friend of mine kindly called in to the probate office this morning and got me a copy of James's will. It is one paragraph long, undated and unsigned. It was obviously intended to be witnessed by the clerks of Mr W Davies, solicitor, Haverfordwest. At the bottom of the page there are two lines of interest - they look like: A. W. de bo Nov 1891 Fr. Gt. Principal Registry October 1885 I imagine the first is to do with the date probate was granted to his son John. However, as to the second; could an unsigned draft have been lodged with the Principal Registry when it was first written? It just seems strange to me that the second line has a date which is 5 years prior to James's death. Megan From: Megan Roberts To: Dyfdd List Sent: Sunday, 25 September 2011, 20:51 Subject: Re: [Dyfed] Wills / Probate Thanks for all the replies. I think that I must geta copy of the will to see if that throws any light on the story. Megan From: Katherine Hocking To: Megan Roberts ; Dyfdd List Sent: Saturday, 24 September 2011, 18:11 Subject: Re: [Dyfed] Wills / Probate Hi, I do not know if this was still true in the 1890's but earlier Wills in my family which were proved at Canterbury were done there because their estate covered more than one County. Katherine ----- Original Message ----- From: "Megan Roberts" To: "Dyfdd List" Sent: Saturday, September 24, 2011 10:21 AM Subject: [Dyfed] Wills / Probate Almost all of my family's 20th century wills were proved within a matter of months of the death and in the locality of that death. However, there is one clear exception to this and I wondered whether or not the list could make any suggestions as to why this might be the case. Date of probate grant - 3 Nov 1891 "The Will of James Gambold late of Stephens Ford in the County of Pembroke Farmer wo died 6 August 1890 at Stephens Ford was proved in the Principal Registry by John Gambold of Stephens Ford Farmer the son the sole Executor". - Value £78 So the will of James a farmer near Haverfordwest was proved in London .. Any suggestions would be appreciated. thanks Megan ================================ Dyfed list http://home.clara.net/daibevan/DyfedML.html ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to DYFED-request(a)rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ================================ Dyfed list http://home.clara.net/daibevan/DyfedML.html ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to DYFED-request(a)rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ================================ Dyfed list http://home.clara.net/daibevan/DyfedML.html ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to DYFED-request(a)rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message ACHWR