Friday, December 6, 2013

Will of James Blake, late Grocer New Sarum, Wiltshire - The National Archives PROB 11/663/213, probated 31 Jan 1733/34

James Blake is the Testator. He names his wife Jane and his sons John and Charles and his daughters Elizabeth, Jane and Susannah.

He is likely the James Blake married to Jane Edwards in 1695 at Urchfont, Wiltshire (Family Search Patron Entry). Free BMD has the licence Bond (Sarum Marriage) giving the following details for the marriage in 1695 between James Blake, Salisbury, bachelor, grocer, 24 years of age and Jane Edwards, Salisbury, spinster, 23 years of age and that they married at Urchfont/Patney. Bondsman was Timothy Edwards, tailor, Salisbury.

Children of James and Jane Blake baptized at Saint Thomas Salisbury (Family Search C15348-2)

James baptized 6 Sep 1696
John baptized 19 Sep 1701
Jane baptized 13 Aug 1702
Charles baptized 28 Aug 1703
Edward baptized 8 Oct 1704
Elizabeth baptized 28 Nov 1705
Susanna baptized 1 Jun 1712

This family grouping does resemble the wife and children of James the Testator mentioned in the will (James, eldest son and Edward, youngest son are not mentioned so possibly deceased). One wonders if Elizabeth has formed a friendship which is not deemed suitable by her father judging by the funding he will provide if she marries.

One possibility for the testator is James Blake baptized 2 Feb 1670 at Great Wishford, Wiltshire son of John Blake. There is also a James Blake baptized 4 Dec 1667 at Burbage, Wiltshire son of John and Jane Blake. A third possibility is James Blake baptized 15 Nov 1665 at Saint Thomas Salisbury son of Thomas and Ann Blake (less likely as no sons are named Thomas). A fourth possibility is James Blake baptized June 1767 at St Edmunds Salisbury son of Nicholas Blake (also less likely given no sons named Nicholas). All of these records from Family Search.

Urchfont where James Blake married Jane Edwards in 1695 is 19 miles north of Salisbury and 14 miles north of Great Wishford. Burbage is 12 miles east.

James age is stated to be 24 years in 1695 so he was born circa 1671 and the most likely candidate from the baptisms is James Blake baptized at Great Wishford and son of John Blake.

There was a James Blake mayor of Salisbury in 1716 and 1718 and in 1757 a John Blake was mayor of Salisbury. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mayor_of_Salisbury

I will return to this Blake line to investigate the sons John and Charles and their marriages at a later date as well as any marriages for their sisters Jane, Elizabeth and Susanna.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 4 Dec 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/663/213
Testator: James Blake, late Grocer
Place: New Sarum (Salisbury), Wiltshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 8 Feb 1732/33, probated 31 Jan 1733/34
Condition: 18th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: James Blake

1    In the Name of God Amen
2    the eighth day of February 1732 in the sixth year of the
3    reign of our Soveraigne Lord King George the second over
4    Great Britaine etc I James Blake of the City of New Sarum
5    in the County of Wilts late Grocer calling to mind my own
6    mortality and that eer Long this body of Clay will be dissolved
7    I do now in m y health and good memory (thanks be to
8    Allmighty God) make and declare this my last Will and
9    Testament in manner and form following (that is to say) First I
10    will and require that my debts and Funerall Expences be first
11    paid and discharged Item I give and bequeath to my dear
12    and loving wife Jane half my pewter and brass and Linnen and
13    my best bed and furniture of the Room I now lodge in
14    which is over my son John’s Warehouse the Furniture of the
15    parlous as it now is and all my plate Item I do give unto her
16    during her life those two Tenements in Castle Street lately
17    bought of Mrs Jane Munday belonging to the Fabrick
18    provided always and it is my Will and meaning that my
19    wife shall deliver up to be cancelled one Bond which I gave
20    before marriage to secure payment of the summe of two
21    hundred pounds to her use after my decease and in case she
22    will not deliver up such Bond to be cancelled as aforesaid
23    Then my will is that those two Tenements above mentioned
24    and given her during her life and Legacys or Goods so given
25    as aforesaid shall be void and that then she shall be intituled
26    only to the summe of ten pounds to buy her mourning Item I
27    give unto my Son James Blake and his wife twenty pounds to
28    buy them mourning Item I give unto my Son John Blake and
29    his wife twenty pounds to buy them mourning Item I give unto
30    my Son Charles Blake and his wife twenty pounds to buy them
31    mourning Item I give to my daughter Elizabeth ten pounds to
32    buy her mourning and twelve pounds per Annum to be paid
33    by my Executrixes hereafter mentioned during the time she
34    continue unmarryed and if she ever do marry that then she
35    shall be paid only two Shilling a week during her life Item all
36    the rest residue and remainder of all my Goods Chattells and
37    personal Estate of what nature kind quality soever notherein
38    before given and bequeathed I do give and bequeath unto
39    my two daughters Jane Blake and Susanna Blake equally
40    between them whom I do appoint Executrixes of this my
41    last Will and Testament and I do hereby injoyn them to the
42    due performance of the same and I do hereby nominate and
43    appoint my good friends Mr Wm Naish of this City Apothecary
44    Mr Danell Oland of Wishford and Mr Thomas Martan in
    [Page 2]
45    Dragon Street in this City to be Trustees and assisting to my
46    Executrixes in discharging and performing this my last Will
47    and Testament and I do give and bequeath to each of them
48    my Trustees a Ring of twenty shillings and I do hereby
49    declare this to be my last Will and Testament and I do revoke
50    all other Wills by me made In witness whereof I have hereunto
51    sett my hand and seale the day and year first above written
52    James Blake Signed Sealed published and declared by the said
53    Testator to be his last Will and Testament who subscribed and
54    executed the same in the presence of us whose names are
55    hereunto sett as witnesses who subscribed the same in the presence
56    of the Testator and of each other those words (ten pounds to buy
57    her mourning and) at the two and twentieth line downward
58    was interlined before executed Jno King Hen: Bennet Thos
59    Curtis at the Roe Buck
60    This will was proved at London the thirty first day
61    of January in the year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred
62    and thirty three before the Worshipfull John Andrew doctor of
63    Laws Surrogate of the Right Worshipfull John Bettesworth
64    doctor of Laws Master keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative
65    Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oaths of Jane
66    Blake and Susannah Blake the daughters and Executrixes named
67    in the said Will to whom Administration of all and singular
68    the Goods Chattells and Creditts of the said deceased was
69    committed they being first sworn duely to administer

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