Friday, April 11, 2014

Visitations for the Blake family - Hampshire, Surrey, London

A discussion on the visitation and pedigree documents for the Blake family at Andover and how they contribute to knowledge on the Blake families of Wiltshire.

The first document of interest is the Visitation for the Blake family published in 1632 and part of the Visitation of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight taken in 1686. This particular Visitation does not carry any dates however there are some known dates. William Blake of Eaton towne is named as the furtherest back ancestor and he is known to have left his will in 1582 and it was probated in 1582. His will does not mention any grandchildren. Four of his children are listed in this visitation, his son John, the eldest, his son William, second eldest, his son Peter, third eldest and his daughter Agnes. This particular visitation immediately raises the question was William married twice. He names ten children in his will and his wife is named Elizabeth. He goes to great lengths to ensure his wife’s income when he has died. Four of the names are duplicated in the list of the children, namely: John, William, Peter and Agnes. However he has Agnes married to (unknown) Kynton whereas the visitation names her husband as Roger Hyde. John is married to Margaret daughter of William Blake of Eaton towne. Three children are listed for this couple William Blake of Hales House, Middlesex, JP (married to Mary daughter of Henry Beverley of London and two sons are listed William (1) and John (2)) and Sara married to William Rolfe). Peter is a Counsellor of the Inner Temple and William Blake of Eaton towne is listed with three sons William (married to Ann daughter of Thomas Tutt of Chilbolton), Peter and Nicholas. There are a few known dates. Peter Blake died in 1624 (left his will which was probated that year). William Blake (his brother) left his will in 1607 (probated that year). John the eldest (married to Margaret) left his will which was probated in 1610. His wife Margaret was buried 12 Sep 1613. Not named on this document, Thomas Blake, son of John (son of William) was buried in 1660 at St Pauls Church, Covent Garden, London. This is one of the harder Visitations to understand. Why was it produced as it is in 1686. There isn’t any information on the chart that reaches to 1686. It is all from a generation and more earlier.



The next document to examine is the Visitation for Blake of Andover and it refers back to the Visitation of London 1663-64. It is also from the Hampshire and the Isle of Wight 1686 Visitation. This particular one begins with William Blake of Easton-Town married to Anne daughter of Thomas Tutt and lists their child as Richard Blake married to Joane daughter of William Blake of Easton Town. Two children are then listed for this couple William of Andover, linen draper, will probated 1642 and he was married to Dorothy Madgwick and two children are listed for them Peter (High Sheriff of Hampshire aged 66 in 1686 and will probated 1694) and he was married to Margaret daughter of Vincent Smith (1st wife) and they had three children Peter age 20 in 1686, Elizabeth age 18 in 1686 and Sarah age 17 in 1686. The second wife of Peter was Elizabeth daughter of James Gould. The second child listed for William Blake and Dorothy Madgwick was John who was apprenticed to Robert Mason 11 Jul 1642. Comparing this to the chart above, William married to Anne Tutt can also been there as the son of William Blake and he has siblings Peter and Nicholas.



The third document of interest is from the Visitation of London 1663-64 and it is for Richard Blake of Tower Ward. The document states that Richard is of Andover and married to Jone the daughter of William Blake of Easton and that they have a son Richard Blake of London who has two sons. This particular visitation is signed by Richard Blake. The will for Richard Blake of Tower Ward was probated in 1644 and he is known to have been baptized at Andover 30 Sep 1593 and buried there 12 Apr 1644. The burial register notes that he is from London. Richard, his father was buried 14 Jan 1622 at Andover and his wife Jone Blake was buried 20 May 1631 at Andover. This couple had 14 children (four died either as infants or young children) leaving William, Elizabeth, Dorothy, Jone, Elenor, Margaret, Richard, Peter, John and Nicholas living to adulthood. By the will of Richard Blake of Tower Ward, he can be placed into this family as he mentions a number of his siblings. But most importantly he does not mention any children. The two sons mentioned in the 1633 Visitation are not mentioned in his Will. Documents 2 and 3 include similar material but the will of Richard shows a problem with Document 2. Richard’s sons did not survive and he was buried in 1644. Who signed this Visitation?


Moving on to Document 4 which is from Middlesex Pedigrees. It is virtually the same as Document 1 except William Blake is of Estontowne. There isn’t any information listed under William Blake, his son. Anne is married to Roger Hyde instead of Agnes. The Pedigree is labeled Blake of Hales House. This reinforces Document 1.




Document 5 is from the Visitation of Surrey 1662-8 and is labeled Blague alias Blake. This particular document carries the quarters arms with Blague/Durant/Bellot/Wallop being quartered thereupon. At the top of the pedigree is John Blague alias Blake of Essington and his children are listed as Thomas Blague or Blake and Sir William Blake of Kensington. This document for ancestry resembles Documents 1 and 4. There is no information for Sir William Blake at Kensington (William Blake of Hale House). Thomas Blague or Blake is married to Elinor Hall daughter of Robert Hall (brother to Sir John Hall). Two sons are listed for this couple namely Thomas Blake of Essington married to Dorothy Mayhew (two sons are listed for this couple Thomas and Richard) and Richard Blake of Long Ditton, Surrey and he is the Captain of the Trained Bands in Middlesex County 1662 and married to Elizabeth daughter of John Bathurst of London, Doctor in Phisick (they have a daughter Elizabeth 10 months old in 1662). This is signed by Richard Blake. This document is taking the Blake family back to the Blake family at Calne as the Durant and Bellot families are listed in the Blake Pedigree Chart held at the Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office.



Document six in the latest Pedigree Chart for Blake which I found in the Survey of London, Volume 17 (The Village of Highgate, St Pancras, Part I) and published by the London County Council, The County Hall, London, SE 1936. The primary reason that Blake occurs in this particular book is the work done by William Blake of Hales House with regard to the Ladies School. The first mention of Blake is on Page 39 and it is Richard Blake son in law of Dr Coysh married to his daughter Susan. On Page 42 Francis Blake is mentioned and he was one of the sons of Thomas Blake and Eleanor Hall and his son Sir Francis Blake and wife Elizabeth are also mentioned. Because the interest is in properties, the Blake name is only mentioned when they are either buying or selling property in this area of London. The next mention is for William Blake on page 50. Then on page 52 Francis Blake is again mentioned. William Blake who founded the “Ladies Hospital” is also mentioned. Just to give a little linking to these Blake men and looking at the Pedigree Chart from this particular document at the head is William Blake of East Anton, Andover and in the next row the document resembles Document four, John Blake married to Margaret, Peter Blake of the Inner Temple, Anne married to Roger Hyde and William Blake of East Anton whose will was probed 5 Mar 1606 and further information is available from “Huddleston” on this entry. The only line carried forward is that of John and Margaret Blake listing their children Sir William Blake of Kensington (Hales House), Sara married to William Rolfe and Thomas Blake of East Anton married to Eleanor daughter of Thomas Hall. The children of Thomas Blake and Eleanor are listed as Sir Richard Blake, Francis Blake (Highgate), William Blake, Robert Blake, Arthur Blake and Thomas Blake of Essington (Herts? Is this an error?). The known children  for Thomas and Eleanor from various wills are Eleanor, Thomas, Arthur, Robert, Francis, William and Richard. The children of Francis Blake and Mary daughter of Sir Anthony Cope (Highgate) are listed as Sir Francis Blake of Coggs, Oxon and Ford Castle (aged 22 years in 1662), William Blake of Coggs (founded the “Ladies’ Hospital” at Highgate), and Eleanor married to Elisha Briscoe. These names fit into the pages mentioned above and give a little context around the information. Page 52 now mentioned that Francis Blake is the father of William Blake of Covent Garden, woollen draper. Page 61 gives a little more family information in that William Blake brother of Francis Blake (Highgate) is mentioned and his son Daniel Blake (both of these men being vintners and citizens of London). Daniel had two sons William and Francis. Which gives rise to why I found this chart in the first place. I was looking for information on William Stadden Blake whose father was said to be, by the Indenture document, Daniel Blake citizen and vintner of London. But the baptism of William Stadden Blake is to William and Fanny Blake.



The final document, number 7, looks at the Blake Pedigree Chart held by the Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office (and the College of Arms in London). In this Chart William Blake of Easton town alias Essington, Southampton is named as the 4th son of Roger Blake and Mary Baynard and married to Avice Ripley with children Agnes married to Roger Hyde the younger, Peter Blake 3rd son (of the Inner Temple), John of Easton town eldest son and married to Margaret daughter of William Blake of Estontown and William second son. Peter does not marry. William’s wife is not identified but children are listed as William Blake of Easton town eldest son and married to Anne daughter of Thomas Tutt of Chilbolton, Peter second son and Nicholas third son. John is listed as having daughter Sarah married to William Rolfe and sons Thomas married to Eleanor Hall, and Sir William Blake married to Mary Beverley. William and Mary are listed as having son John (2nd son who died without issue) and William. Thomas and Eleanor are listed as having daughter Eleanor married to John Stacy of London and sons Arthur, 3rd son (with son Arthur who died without issue), Thomas Blake of Essington, eldest son married to Dorothy Maiw with sons Thomas, Robert and Charles and daughter Mary, Robert, second son, of Enham married to Joane Pyle and they had sons Edward and Robert, Francis  of Highgate, 4th son married to Catherine Browne 1st and they had Eleanor married to Elisha Briscoe, William of Coggs and Francis of Ford Castle, William 6th son of St Pauls Covent Garden married to Margaret Fountain and their children Daniel married to Eleanor Stafford (their children Thomas of Coggs (married to Felicia Wilkinson and this line continues), William, Margaret and Eleanor) and Richard of Clerkenwell 5th son married to Elizabeth Bathurst. The Pedigree Chart was created in 1690 with additions up to 1740. This chart carries an interesting note “Note that upon the Attestation of the above delineated Genealogie the Wife of William Blake fourth Son of Roger Blaake of Calne was then unknown, But it since appearing to Us by sufficiewnt Evidence that He married Avice daughter of Sir Gervase Ripley of Ripley in the New Forrest Hants, We caused the same together with the Arms and Figures in the Margin to be Insertged as also such other Coats of the Matches as were not at that time filled So that there now remains Blanks in these Escocheons only viz[a vi]t Edward Dorrant, 2dly John and Edward Blague, 3dly Mary and Elizabeth Blake unmarried 4thly William Blake, Mary and Catherine Dormer all these in their Infancy Witness our Hands this 4th day of November Ao 1690 and signed Thomas George Garte_ and Hen St George Clar___” The references used are as follows: This Descdent of Blake excepting the latter part of the Gloucestershire Line which was supplied from other Authentick matters of Record exhibited for that purpose is Extracted out of the Visitation Books …. And they are so delineated in the document. Document 7 is not published because it is under copyright. The images can be purchased from the Wiltshire and Swindon Record Office.

Finding Document 6 has caused me to have a relook at all of these documents. There is a definite discrepancy in Document 2 which I have mentioned before. Whatever the proof was that proved William Blake married to Avis Ripley to be a son of Roger Blake and Mary Baynard would be a most interesting document. Since Roger’s will only mentions his eldest son and his youngest daughter one is left to find other documents to prove the relationship since the Visitation does not list William. The William who left his will in 1582 at Eastontown was the son of Nicholas as he mentions his siblings in his will. Did two William Blakes die at Eastontown in 1582? That mystery is not solved.

Visitation of Wiltshire mentioned above and decided to include this image just for completeness sake.





Only one son is mentioned, namely Thomas. This neither verifies nor negates William Blake married to Avis Ripley being a son of Roger Blake and Mary Baynard. There is another Visitation of Wiltshire which lists more of the children of Roger and Mary but still does not list a William.





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