Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Will of George Blake, Gentleman, Portsea - The National Archives PROB 11/1470/354, probated 18 Dec 1807

George Blake is the testator in this following will and he lives at Portsea with no occupation mentioned other than Gentleman but he does hold land by freehold and by copyhold.

He is married to Ann Little 11 Apr 1777 at Saint Marys, Portsea.(M06261-2 Family Search). 

Their first mentioned son Cornelius was baptized 11 Jan 1784 at Saint Thomas, Portsmouth (C06251-3).
Another son George was baptized 10 Oct 1779 at Saint Thomas Portsmouth and was buried 10 Feb 1782 (C06251-3 Family Search).
Another son Benjamin was baptized 3 Mar 1782 at Saint Thomas Portsmouth and buried 29 Dec 1782 (C06251-3 Family Search).
Likely the Benjamin mentioned second in the will was born 6 Aug 1788 and baptized 28 Sep 1788 at Saint Thomas Portsmouth (C06251-3 Family Search).

These were the only baptisms that I found for this couple in Family Search and does include the two sons Cornelius and Benjamin mentioned in the will and in 1798 when the will was written they are both under 21 as mentioned.

There is a George Blake baptized 29 Aug 1742 at Saint Marys, Portsea with father Thomas Blake (C06261-1 Family Search).  However this family of Thomas Blake has likely been looked at with an earlier will and no mention of a brother George. I will have to wait until I pull together the families in this Portsmouth/Portsea/Gosport area to see if any of the wills do fit together and of course Fareham is not far away where Edward Blake, mariner, lived and left his will.

There are an interesting set of documents at the National Archives which concern George Blake and I quote them here :

Bargain and sale and release relating to Crown Tavern, Queen Street, Portsea  X/1213A/3/9  28-29 Jun 1785

2 docs

Contents:
(a) Bargain and sale, 28 Jun 1785 Parcel of ground being the site of a messuage, tenement or public ale house and edifice lately pulled down and now rebuilt by George Blake on the north side at the lower or west end of Queen Street in Portsea; the public house previously known as the Nag's Head and lately the Crown; the messuage 26 feet tapering to 7 feet in breadth and 54 feet in length, bounded by the King's Highway on the north, with land lately of James Stuart but now of John Davidge on the east with Queen Street on the south and a way or passage leading from the King's Highway on the west, previously occupied by Mrs Newman, widow, formerly the estate of Henry McCreery and now vested in Edward Carey. Parties mentioned: i) John Brain of Portsea, broker ii) John Shean of Portsea, house carpenter iii) George Blake of Portsea, victualler Consideration: 5/- Term: 1 year Endorsement: Note of sealing and delivery (b) Release, 29 Jun 1785 Parcel of land formerly the site of The Nag's Head or Crown public house. Parties mentioned: i) John Brain of Portsea, broker ii) John Shean of Portsea, house carpenter iii) George Blake of Portsea, victualler iv) William Parmeter of Gosport, shipwright, trustee of George Blake Consideration: £600 Term: forever Endorsements: Receipt for £600 signed by John Brain and John Shean; note of sealing and delivery

Lease and release relating to Crown Tavern, Queen Street, Portsea  X/1213A/3/10  20-21 May 1799

2 docs

Contents:
(a) Lease, 20 May 1799 New built messuage, tenement or dwelling house used as a public ale house or victualling house or tavern called the Crown, together with a spirit shop adjoining and other buildings erected by George Blake on the site of an old messuage or public house, lying on the north side of Queen Street, now in the occupation of Mr Joseph Dawes, tenant of Arthur Pink, bounded with a messuage of John Davage on the east with the King's Highway and area of Havant Street on the west with the Highway of H M Dockyard on the north and the area of Queen Street on the south. Parties mentioned: i) George Blake, late of Portsea, now of Botley, gentleman ii) William Parmeter of Gosport, shipwright, trustee of George Blake iii) Arthur Pink of Portsea, wine and spirit merchant iv) John Besant of Portsea, hairdresser, trustee of Arthur Pink Consideration: 5/- Term: 1 year Endorsement: Note of sealing and delivery (b) Release, 21 May 1799 New built messuage used as a public house called the Crown with adjoining spirit shop and other premises on the site in Queen Street. Parties mentioned: i) George Blake, late of Portsea, now of Botley, gentleman ii) William Parmeter of Gosport, shipwright, trustee of George Blake iii) Arthur Pink of Portsea, wine and spirit merchant iv) John Besant of Portsea, hairdresser, trustee of Arthur Pink Consideration: £2000 Term: forever Endorsements: receipt for £2000 signed by George Blake; note of sealing and delivery

Agreement relating to Crown Tavern, Queen Street, Portsea  X/1213A/3/11  25 Mar 1823

1 doc

Contents:
Messuage or dwelling house licensed and used as public house called Crown Tavern in Queen Street, Portsea occupied by Mary Dawes was purchased by William Friend along with equity of redemption from assignees of Arthur Pink of Portsea, wine and spirit merchant, bankrupt, on 11 August 1815. Mortgage of £1300 owed by Mary Dawes to William Jolliffe of Brading, Isle of Wight. Sums of £600 and £400 paid by Mary Dawes to William Friend leaving sum of £200 and interest for purchase price, and William Friend agrees to release and convey premises to Mary Dawes on payment of £200 and interest, subject to the payment of the principal sum of £1300 and interest to William Jolliffe. Parties mentioned: i) William Friend of Purbrook gentleman ii) Mary Dawes of Portsea, widow Note on third page dated 29 March 1823 that sum of £200 had been paid to William Friend, signed by William Friend.

These documents appear to indicate that George Blake is deceased by 1799 but the trustees have waited until his wife Ann has died in 1807 to probate his will.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 15 Oct 2012
Source:  The National Archives, PROB 11/1470/354
Name of testator: George Blake, Gentleman
Place: Portsea, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated:27 Feb 1798, probated 18 Dec 1807
Read: Electronic file images
Condition: 18th century, modern English, clear copy (few smudges)
[In margin] George
[In margin] Blake

1    This is the last Will and Testament
2    of me George Blake of the parish of Portsea in the
3    County of Southampton Gentleman whereby I give
4    devise and dispose of my Real and personal Estate
5    and Effects in manner following that is to say I
6    give and devise unto my good friends Joseph
7    Haskell of Newport in the Isle of Wight in the
8    said county Brewer and James Hancock of Portsea
9    aforesaid Gentleman all my freehold and copyhold
10    Messuages Lands Tenements and hereditaments
11    wheresoever situate To hold to them the said
12    Joseph Haskell and James Hancock and their
13    heirs and also all my Monies debts personal
14    Estate and Effects of what nature or kind soever
15    the same may consist at my decease To Hold
16    to them their Ex[ecut]ors and Admors upon Trust in
17    the first place to pay unto my dearly beloved wife
18    Ann or permit her to have receive and take out
19    of my said Real and personal Estate and Effects
20    one clear Annuity or Sum of Two hundred
21    pounds during her Life free from all manner of
22    deductions to be paid her by half-yearly payments
    [Page 2]
23    And thereby subject and charge my said Real
24    and personal Estate and Effects with and to the
25    payment thereof and I give my said wife
26    full power and authority to enter and distrain
27    on any part of my said Estate and Effects in
28    case of non payment of the said Annuity and
29    subject thereto To hold my said Real and personal
30    Estate and Effects to them the said Joseph Haskell
31    and James Hancock upon this further ge special
32    Trust and confidence to divide and give devise and
33    bequeath the same equally (subject to the said
34    Annuity) unto and between my two sons Cornelius
35    and Benjamin their heirs Ex[ecut]ors and Admors and I
36    nominate and appoint my good friends George Wise
37    of Newport aforesaid Brewer Gabriel Gellett of Upper
38    Guildford Street in the City of London Esquire and
39    William Friend of Portsea Gentleman
40    Executors of this my Will and Guardians to my said
41    Children during their Minority and hereby revoke all
42    former wills by me made In Witness whereof I have
43    to this my last Will and Testament contained in this and
44    the foregoing side set my hand to such foregoing side
45    and my hand and seal then to this Twenty seventh
46    Day of February in the year of our Lord one
47    thousand seven hundred and ninety Eight
48    George Blake [signed] [seal] Signed sealed published and
49    declared by the said Testator George Blake as and
50    for his last will and testament in the presence
51    of us who at his request in his presence and in
52    the presence of each other have hereto subscribed
53    our Names as Witnesses Wm Glendening [signed] A
54    Pink Sen[io]r [signed] Jos[ep]h Rupell [signed]
55    This Will was proved at London
56    on the Eighteenth day of December in the
57    year of our Lord one thousand Eight hundred
58    and seven before the Right honourable Sir
59    William Wynne Knight Doctor of Laws Master
60    Keeper or Commissary of the prerogative Court
61    of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oaths of
62    George Wise and William Friend two of the Ex[ecut]ors
63    named in the said Will to whom Admon was
64    granted of all and singular the Goods Chattels
65    and Credits of the deceased having been first
66    sworn by Commission duly to administer power
67    reserved of making the like Grant to Gabriel
68    Gillett Esquire the other Executor named in the
69    said Will when he shall apply for the same.

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