TEACHERS CONTENT GUIDE
PROBATE RECORDS

Probate records (Wills and Inventories )

Objectives

To conduct a more focused enquiry using inventories as historical sources.

Key Question

What is this document?

Why was it written?

Who wrote it?

What does it say?

What words do you understand?

What words do you need help with?

Why has this document survived?

National Curriculum Ref

4a 4b Historical enquiry
Unit 7 Local Study

Resources

Wills and Inventories from Staffordshire Places.

Also available from Stafford, Stoke and Lichfield archive offices.

Activity 1

Children work in pairs. One partner has the original document, while the other has the transcript.

The first child transcribes the document verbally or in written form, while the second checks the transcription.

After three (or another agreed number) of mistakes they change over until the document has been read.

They complete the lesson by comparing their transcriptions with the real one.
What words did they find hard and why?

Are there any sentences that were completely wrong? Why?

Activity 2

Each child prepares an inventory of their bedrooms for homework.
They reproduce their personal inventory using the formal language of the original document.

Cross curricular

Literacy Reading and Writing

Opportunities for Extension and Support

Extension

Use ink and nibs to write own inventories, giving children a real first hand experience of penmanship long ago.

Support

Adult help may be needed for children with limited reading and writing abilities.

Opportunities for ICT

Online resources from Staffordshire Places website