END OF YEAR QUIZ

1 On what date did England’s civil probate system open for business?

The Principal Probate Registry first opened its doors on 12 January 1858, bringing to an end the centuries-old role of the Church of England in probate matters.

2 Under the old ecclesiastical system, what was the name of the senior probate court operating in England and Wales?

Prior to 1858, there were more than a hundred ecclesiastical probate courts in operation. The Prerogative Court of Canterbury had superior jurisdiction across the whole of the country.

3 By what name are letters of administration more commonly known?

Letters of administration – or admons – could be granted (usually to the next of kin) when someone died without leaving a will.