Sunday, December 29, 2013

Will of Thomas Blake, yeoman, Burbage, Wiltshire - The National Archives PROB 11/1332/259, probated 29 Nov 1799

Thomas Blake of Burbage is the Testator. He identifies his children as John, Jane, Ann and Thomas. Thomas is a mystery child as he does not appear to live at home and receives an annuity as part of the will. The testator also names his sister Frances Jennings which is rather interesting as Edward Blake, parish of Walcot, mentions his daughter Elizabeth Jennings. Not an uncommon name but just rather interesting. Edward’s will was blogged:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/12/will-of-edward-blake-plumber-and.html

and again the name Jennings appears with the daughter of Jeremiah Blake or Ryde, Isle of Wight with his daughter being named Emma Jennings and his will was blogged:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/10/will-of-jeremiah-blake-shoemaker-ryde.html

Burbage Monumental Inscriptions on line:

http://www.burbage-wiltshire.co.uk/FHS/mis.htm

Ann Blake, Thomas Blake
Ann wife of Thomas Blake died 16 Dec 1788 (34 [years of age]); Thomas Blake died 18 Mar 1799.

James Blake, Elizabeth Blake
James Blake died 17 Mar 1849 (85), Elizabeth wife of James Blake died 16 Dec 1835 (71)

All marriages below from Family Search website except as noted:

There was a marriage 27 Dec 1779 Thomas Blake (batchelor of Burbage) and Ann Harding (spinster) with witnesses Robert Linnett and Thomas Batton at Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire (M15327-2).

There was a marriage of Frances Blake and William Jennings 18 Jul 1780 at Burbage (M15302-1).
There was a Thomas Blake baptized 22 Mar 1746/47 at Burbage son of John and Elizabeth Blake (Find My Past).

There was a John Blake baptized 14 Nov 1743 at Burbage son of John and Elizabeth Blake (Find My Past).

There was a William Blake baptized 24 Sep 1750 at Burbage son of John and Elizabeth Blake (Find My Past).

But no baptism for Frances.

There was a marriage for John Blake of Burbage and Elizabeth Pike of Burbage celebrated at Marlborough St Mary with Bondsman William Weston, St Mary Marlborough on 26 Dec 1743.

Baptisms at Burbage with parents Thomas and Ann Blake:

Ann baptized 9 Oct 1783
Jane baptized 15 May 1785
Ann baptized 13 May 1787

No baptisms found for John and Thomas at Family Search or on Find My Past to fit this couple.

Looking at possible family reconstruction of the Blake family at Burbage. John Blake and Elizabeth baptizing their son Thomas 22 Mar 1746/47 could also be the parents of John married to Mary Pyke (29 Mar 1773 at Burbage, John a bachelor and husbandman and Mary a spinster; Bondsman John Pyke, shoemaker from Find my Past)and parents of Frances (Frances married William Jennings above and sister to Thomas). There is one more baptism likely for this couple at Burbage for William Blake.

Children of John and Mary Blake baptized at Burbage:

Margery Pyke baptized 1 May 1774
Mary baptized 24 Dec 1775
Mary baptized 11 Jun 1779
John baptized 14 Oct 1781
William baptized 17 Oct 1786
Ann baptized 17 Oct 1786
Jenny baptized 28 Dec 1790
James baptized 21 Jul 1793

There is another set of baptisms for a John and Mary Blake baptized at Burbage - marriage not found.

Ann baptized 18 Feb 1815
Thomas baptized 26 Mar 1815
Mary baptized 13 Apr 1817
Thomas baptized 2 Apr 1820
James baptized 26 May 1822

Looking at the will of Thomas Blake of Pynells (son of Roger Blake of Pynells) and Thomas held some property at Burbage. Thomas is actually documented better than a lot of the Blake lines because he was an ancestor of Diana, Princess of Wales formerly Lady Diana, daughter of Earl Spencer. Thomas Blake married Edith Ivey and his son Roger married Wraxed Gastrill. But at this point I am not able to trace down their sons Henry and Roger. But will attempt to see what I can draw out. These two sons were likely born in the latter part of the 1500s or the early part of the 1600s which is nearly 150 years before the marriage of John Blake and Elizabeth Pyke in 1743. But I am not able to link the lines at Burbage back to Thomas.

Burbage is six miles south east of Marlborough and ten miles south west of Hungerford. Wotton Rivers is just 2.3 miles away as is Milton Lilborne. Collingbourne Kingston is just 3.3 miles, Great Bedwyn is 3.5 miles, Preshute is six miles, North Newton is seven miles, and Andover Hampshire just 13 miles away.

Some interesting items on the Blake family at Burbage (Burbach) from the National Archives. I have posted the full details from the website in a blog which follows this one today but will do a small summary of what I found.

1352 – Robert Blake and Joan his wife a life lease in Burbage

The nearly 250 years between these two entries can be partially filled in with the information on Thomas Blake married to Edith Ivye but it does not appear that the Blake family were in Burbage this entire time. Discovering who Robert Blake and Joan his wife were could be quite interesting. Thomas Blake (married to Edith Ivye) was the son of Roger Blake and Mary Baynard (eldest son). He had three brothers Robert, John and William. Roger Blake was the son of Robert Blake and Margaret Inglefield and they appear to have had just two children Roger and Anne (married to Philip Baynard, brother to Mary). Robert Blake was the son of Robert Blake and Avice Wallop and heir at law to his brother John Blake of Nether Wallop and it is from him that he inherited property including Pinhills. Coming up with a time frame for this family John Blake left his will in 1504 and the postmortem for his mother was in 1474. There is a document between Robert Blake of Calne and John Bridewell C241/244/5 (The National Archives) which I believe I have collected so more information to come. But that still leaves 100 years for which I have only the chart held at the Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office for the Blake family and there isn’t a Robert married to a Joan on that chart. The parents of Robert are said to be Henry Blake and Margaret Bellet, the parents of Henry William Blake and Elizabeth Power and the parents of William are said to be Henry Blake and Elizabeth Dorrant, and the parents of Henry Richard Blake and Ann Cole. This Richard being the first person on the chart and the information attached to his name is that he gave land to the Knights Templar in 1302. However this is not quite correct as the actual record shows that Roger le Blake of Madebrook, Hertsfordshire gave the property at Eastwood, Essex to the Knights Templar 20 Nov 1302. So at least this is a date that can be used and that is fifty years earlier than this entry about Robert Blake and Joan his wife receiving a life lease in Burbage. This Robert would likely be a grandson to this Richard if he is in fact a descendant of Richard Blake and Ann Cole.


1599 – Edmund Blake and Edmund Pyke feoffment in Burbage

The question is, who is Edmund Blake? Is he the descendant of John Blake who left his will in 1504 but did not name a son by his first wife Margaret Dereham? He was later married to Margery Dauntsey by whom he had daughters only. John left his property to his brother Robert that was entailed. The claim in the chart is that John and Margaret had a son David and he would have been born in the mid 1400s. David married Joane Mallet and they had two children John and William. William married Margaret Browne and they had two children Martin and John. Martin married Catherine Vaughan and they had three sons William, Richard and Thomas. John is said to be the ancestor of Robert Blake, Lord High Admiral. Continuing with Martin’s sons William married Anne Lintlon and no known issue, he next married Elizabeth Harris and they had a son Nicholas, his third wife was Joice Kingston and they had a son Edmund. There isn’t a time frame for these generations but we are looking at 1504 for the death of John and the likely birth of David in the 1450s. His children would be born before 1500 and their children by the early 1500s. Their children we are looking at the mid 1500s and so Edmund Blake could possibly be an adult then before 1599 when he is mentioned at Burbage. However, no further information available for Edmund on this chart.

I did find another interesting website:

http://www.burbage-wiltshire.co.uk/FHS/baptisms/b.htm

Blake baptisms extracted from this site:

BLAKE           John     26 Feb 1566/67     Richard     Joan 
BLAKE           George     30 Sep 1571     Richard     Joan 
BLAKE           Robert     25 Mar 1579     Richard     Joan 
BLAKE           John     16 Nov 1593     Roger     Joan 
BLAKE           William     04 Mar 1594/95     Roger     Joan 
BLAKE           Roger     07 Aug 1597     John     Alis 
BLAKE           Stephen     11 Dec 1597     John     Alis 
BLAKE           Thomas     30 Aug 1599     George     Ann 
BLAKE           Joan     09 Jun 1600     Roger?     Joan 
BLAKE           Mary     09 Nov 1600     George     Ann
BLAKE           John     02 Apr 1602     John 
BLAKE           John     23 Apr 1602     John    date unclear
BLAKE           John     01 Sep 1602     George     A_    date unclear
BLAKE           Cuthbert     03 Apr 1603     Roger     Jane?    date unclear
BLAKE           George     06 Mar 1604/05     George     Ann
BLAKE           Mary     02 Jan 1605/06     John?     Margaret?
BLAKE           Richard?     24 Sep 1607     ?     Ann?    date unclear
BLAKE           John     06 May 1627     William           Durley    date unclear
BLAKE           Richard     21 Mar 1629/30     William           Durley 
BLAKE           William     05 Apr 1631     ?
BLAKE           Margery     27 Sep 1632     Cuthbert     date unclear
BLAKE           Elizabeth     30 Mar 1634     William    date unclear
BLAKE           Cuthbert     21 May 1635     Cuthbert     Alice       date unclear
BLAKE           Jane     22 Aug 1641     William     ?    date unclear
BLAKE           Joan?     19 Nov 1643     ?            
BLAKE           John     16 Aug 1659     John     Mary      
BLAKE           Ffrances     10 Aug 1663     John     Jane 
BLAKE           James     04 Nov 1667     John     Jane 
BLAKE           Mary     11 Apr 1670     John     Jane 
BLAKE           John     14 Jul 1674     John     Jane 
BLAKE           Thomas     18 Dec 1678     John     Jane    
BLAKE           Jane     14 Nov 1697     James     Mary
BLAKE?           Mary     05 Jun 1700     James     Mary
BLAKE           Jane     05 Aug 1711     John     Elizabeth
BLAKE           John     26 Sep 1713     John     Elizabeth
BLAKE           Thomas     27 Mar 1715     John     Elizabeth 
BLAKE           Jane     30 Jun 1717     John     Elizabeth
BLAKE     HEATH     James     13 Jul 1738     James     Mary    Bastard; fat
BLAKE           Mary     06 May 1740     James     Mary
BLAKE           Jane     06 Jan 1741/42     James     Mary 
BLAKE           John     14 Nov 1743     John     Elizabeth 
BLAKE           Thomas     22 Mar 1746/47     John     Elizth.       
BLAKE           Elizabeth     11 Feb 1749/50     Thomas     Francess
BLAKE           William     24 Sep 1750     John     Elizabeth 
BLAKE           James     20 Mar 1753     John     Elizabeth
BLAKE           Edward     29 Jun 1755     John     Elizabeth 
BLAKE           Elizabeth John     11 Mar 1759     John     Elizabeth 
BLAKE           James     28 Dec 1764     James     Sarah      
BLAKE           James     19 May 1766     James     Elizabeth 
BLAKE           Mary     15 Jan 1769     James     Sarah 
BLAKE           John     08 May 1771     James     Sarah 
BLAKE           Betty     14 May 1773     Thomas     Elisabeth 
BLAKE           Jane     19 Jan 1774     James     Sarah    
BLAKE           Margery Pyke     01 May 1774     John     Mary 
BLAKE           Mary     24 Dec 1775     John     Mary       
BLAKE           Betty     27 Feb 1777     James     Sarah    
BLAKE           Mary     11 Jun 1779     John     Mary
BLAKE           Frances     16 Jan 1780     James     Sarah
BLAKE           Thomas     18 Oct 1780     Thomas     Mary 
BLAKE           John     14 Oct 1781     John     Mary 
BLAKE           Thomas     20 Jan 1782     James     Sarah 
BLAKE           John     22 Apr 1782     Thomas     Mary 
BLAKE           Ann     09 Oct 1783     Thomas     Ann     out of seque
BLAKE           Jane     15 May 1785     Thomas     Ann    
BLAKE           William     17 Oct 1786     John     Mary    
BLAKE           Ann     17 Oct 1786     John     Mary       
BLAKE           Ann     13 May 1787     Thomas     Ann 
BLAKE           Jenny     28 Dec 1790     John     Mary 
BLAKE           James     21 Jul 1793     John     Mary 
BLAKE           Noah     13 Oct 1798     Joseph     Mary 
BLAKE           James     22 Feb 1801     Robert     Hannah     Laundry
BLAKE           John     30 Oct 1803     Robert     Hannah     W Grafton 
BLAKE           George     13 Jul 1806     Robert     Hannah     W Grafton 
BLAKE           Jane     20 Feb 1809     Robert     Hannah     W Grafton 
BLAKE           Stephen     15 Dec 1811     Robert     Hannah     W Grafton
BLAKE           Ann     18 Feb 1815     John     Mary     Burbage     Lab    
BLAKE           Thomas     26 Mar 1815     John     Mary     Burbage     Lab    
BLAKE           Mary     13 Apr 1817     John     Mary     Burbage     Lab    
BLAKE           William     01 Feb 1818     Thomas     Ann     Burbage     Lab 
BLAKE           Thomas     02 Apr 1820     John     Mary     Burbage     Lab 
BLAKE           George     24 Jun 1821     Noah     Mary     Burbage     Lab    
BLAKE           James     26 May 1822     John     Mary     Burbage     Lab    
BLAKE           Mary     23 Feb 1823     Noah     Mary     Burbage     Lab    
BLAKE           James     02 Oct 1825     George     Harriet     Burbage     Lab    
BLAKE           Anne     25 Dec 1831     George     Harriet     W Grafton     Lab    
BLAKE           Stephen     28 Mar 1834     Thomas     Jemima     Eastcote Lab    

1698 – James Blake of Westcott, Burbage surrendered lease
1702 – James Blake the younger of Westcott, Burbage lease possession
1716 - James Blake of Burbage – counterpart of lease for ten years
1722 - John Blake of Burbage – 10 acres Lower Heath
1724 – James Blake of Burbage, counterpart of least for 13 years
1731 – John Blake of Westcott, Burbage – Feoffment Westcott, Severall, Rudmead
1732 – James Blake of Westcott, Burbage – 3.5 acres Bowdens lease
1732 – John Blake of Burbage – 0.5 acres part of Bowdens (lease)
1737 – Ann Blake, widow, Salisbury – 4 acres assignment
1739 – Ann Blake – assignment of part of lease
1741 – John Blake of Westcott, Burbage – renewal of lease
1742 – Ann Garrard, Salisbury, daughter of Ann Blake, widow – assignment
1751 – Thomas Blake of Westcott, Burbage and John Pike of Westcott, Burbage, lease and release
1751 – Thomas Blake of Westcott and John Pike, same place, assignment of term of 500 years
1754 – John Blake of West Court, Burbage – counterpart of lease for 8 years
1758 – Thomas Blake of Burbage, probate of will dated 23 Dec 1757
1758 – John Blake of Bowden, Burbage (probate of will 25 May 1754) – copyhold lands in Burbage in West Court
1763 – Frances Blake – lease of land in Burbage
1769 – John Blake of Westcott, Burbage  - lease and release
1770 – John Blake of Westcot, Burbage, vouchee to warranty
1770 – John Blake of Burbage – three closes of arable land
1770 – John Blake of Burbage, lease for 99 years on three lives (original grant 1728)
1770 – John Blake of Westcott in Burbage, son of John Blake late of Westcott, deceased and grandson of John Blake, late of Bowden, Burbage, deceased – demised for 1000 years
1774 – John Blake of Burbage, continuation of 1770 demise
1774 – John Blake of Burbage, continuation of 1770 demise
1776 – John Blake of Burbage, continuation of 1770 demise
1776 – John Blake of Burbage, lease for 99 years or three lives
1780 – John Blake [of Burbage], draft assignment of lease
1780 – John Blake of Burbage, mortgage
1793 – John Blake of Burbage, agreement for conveyance
1793 – John Blake of Westcott, Burbage and Mary his wife, release in fee, assignment of two terms of 99 years
1799 – Thomas Blake of Burbage, probate of will 20 Feb 1799
1802 – John Blake and Mary Blake, son and widow of John Blake of Westcott
1810 – John Blake of Burbage (mentioned in will of his father Thomas Blake), mortgage by demise for 500 years or property in Westcott

The accumulated information will be interesting as I relate it to the earlier wills from the 1500s in this area of Wiltshire but I will do that at a later time as I would like to complete Wiltshire before the end of the month and there are still four wills to complete Thomas 1808, Thomas 1850, Thomas 1851 and William 1837.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 23 Dec 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1332/259
Testator: Thomas Blake, Yeoman
Place: Burbage, Wiltshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 20 Feb 1799, probated 29 Nov 1799
Condition: 18th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: Thomas
[Margin]: Blake

1    This is the Last Will and Testament
2    of me Thomas Blake of Burbage in the County of
3    Wilts Yeoman First I direct that all my just debts Funeral
4    and Testamentary Charges be paid by the Executors of
5    this my Will Whereas I am Entitled to a Leasehold
6    Estate at Easton which at my decease will devolve to my
7    Sister Frances Jennings (in case I should survive her)
8    for the term of her natural life Now it is my express
9    Will and desire in case of that event that my three
10    Trusty Friends Giles Hearn of Easton aforesaid Yeoman
11    Richard Harding of Wilton Yeoman and John Church
12    of Burbage aforesaid Yeoman and the Survivor of them
13    and the Executors or Administrators of such Survivor
14    do have receive and take the Rents Issues and profits
15    thereof and pay and apply the same to her my said Sister
16    for and during the term of her life and from and after
17    her decease I give and bequeath the same Estate with the
18    appurtenances unto my Son John Blake To hold to him his
19    Executors Administrators and Assigns for and during all the
20    rest residue and remainder of the term Estate and Interest as
21    shall be then to come therein absolutely and as for and
22    concerning all those my Freehold and Leasehold Estates
23    situate in Burbage aforesaid or else where within the
24    Kingdom of Great Britain and all other my real Estates
25    whatsoever and wheresoever and also my Farming and
26    Malting stock and Implements in husbandry and also all
27    other my Live and dead Stock and also all my Household Goods
28    and Furniture plate Linen China and Household Effects and
29    all my Stocks Funds ready Money Mortgages and other
30    Securities for Money and all and every other my personal
31    Estate and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever and of what
32    nature kind of Quality soever I give devise and bequeath the
33    same and every part and parts thereof and all my Estate
34    and Interest therein unto my said three trusty friends their
35    Heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns according to the
36    different natures and qualities thereof respectively upon trust
37    that they and the Survivors and Survivor of them his Exors
38    and Admors shall immediately at my decease stand possessed
39    thereof for and during and until my youngest Child shall
40    attain the full age of Twenty one Years and carry on my
41    said Farming and Malting business for the better bringing
43    up and Maintenance of my three Children John Jane and
44    Ann Blake until that period and when my said Youngest
45    Child shall so arrive to that age then I give and devise all
46    and singular my said Freehold and Leasehold Estates unto
47    my said son John Blake (Subject to a certain annuity on my
48    said Freehold Estates as herein after mentioned) To hold to
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49    him his heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns absolutely
50    and for ever but if he should happen to die before my said
51    Youngest Child comes of Age and without lawful Issue then I
52    give and devise the said Freehold and Leasehold Estates (Subject
53    to the said annuity on my said Freehold Estates) unto them
54    my said daughters Jane and Ann Blake their heirs Executors
55    Administrators and Assigns for ever as Tenants in common and
56    not as joint Tenants and as to all the rest and residue of my
57    personal Estate Monies and Securities for Money of what nature
58    or kind soever I will and desire to be equally divided among my
59    said three Children John Jane and Ann Blake when and so
60    soon as the Youngest thereof shall come to the age of
61    Twenty one Years share and share alike first taking thereout
62    the sum of one hundred pounds which I hereby give to
63    my said Son John Blake provided nevertheless and I do
64    hereby charge my said Freehold Estates with the Weekly
65    payment of ten shillings and six pence unto my Son Thomas
66    Blake which I do hereby give and bequeath to him for
67    and during the term of his natural life and do direct my
68    said Trustees or the Survivor of them the Executors or Administrators
69    to pay the said Weekly sum out of the Rents and Profits of my
70    before mentioned Freehold Estates as long as they shall continue
71    in the Execution of the Trusts of this my Will and from and
72    immediately after they shall have resigned their Trusts that
73    the said Weekly sum shall be continued on and be payable by
74    my said Son John Blake his heirs and Assigns out of my
75    said Freehold Estates to his said Brother Thomas Blake
76    during the term of his natural life as aforesaid provided
77    also that if my said son Thomas Blake shall reside at Home
78    and live equal with my other Children as to diet and
79    Cloathing the said annuity shall cease but if he shall
80    choose to live separate and apart from them then the said
81    Weekly annuity shall commence and be payable to him
82    immediately and my Will is that my said Trustees and
83    Executors shall not be chargeable with or more of the
84    aforesaid Trust Monies then he or they shall receive or
85    come to their respective hands nor with or for any loss
86    that may happen to the same Monies or of any part
87    thereof so as such loss happen without his or their Wilful
88    default and that my said Trustees and Executors shall
89    reimburse himself and themselves all such costs and Charges
90    as they shall be put unto for or by reason of the performance
91    of this my Will and I do hereby appoint the said Giles
92    Hearn Richard Harding and John Church Trustees and Executors
93    and my said Son John Blake Executor of this my Will
94    hereby revoking all former Wills by me made and do declare
95    this to be and contain my last Will and Testament In
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96    Witness whereof I have to this my last Will and
97    Testament contained in two Sheets of paper to the first
98    preceding Sheet set my hand and to this second and last
99    Sheet my hand and Seal this Twentieth day of February
100    in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred
101    and ninety nine Tho[ma]s Blake Signed Sealed
102    published and declared by the said Testator Thomas
103    Blake as and for his last Will and Testament in the
104    presence of us who at his request in his presence and
105    in the presence of each other subscribed our names
106    as Witnesses thereto James Culley Tho[ma]s Barnett
107    Jno Deadman
108    This Will was proved at London the twenty
109    ninth day Day of November in the Year of our Lord one
110    thousand seven hundred and ninety nine before the
111    Right Honourable Sir William Wynne Knight doctor of
112    Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative
113    Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oaths of
114    Giles Hearn Richard Harding and John Church three of
115    the Executors named in the Will to whom administration
116    was granted of all and singular the Goods Chattles and Credits
117    of the deceased they having been first sworn by Commission
118    duly to administer power reserved of making the like grant
119    to John Blake the Son of the said deceased and the other
120    Executor named in the said Will when he shall apply
121    for the same.

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