Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Will of Malachi Blake the younger, second super cargo appointed by the honorable Court of Directors of the United East India Company - The National Archives, PROB 11/969, probated 1 Jul 1771

Malachi Blake, the testator, gives a few clues in his will below. He names himself as Malachi Blake the younger. He is on the Ship Duke of Cumberland headed to Mocha/Mokha which is a port city on the Red Sea coast of Yemen where the East India company maintained a factory (coffee was the export). His sisters are identified as Rebecca and Ann. His mother not named but his Grandmother was named as Ann Blunkett (his mother’s mother perhaps). His mother perhaps has a sister Mary Blunkett.

There was a Malachi Blake, Chemist at Southwark, St Thomas, buried 2 Nov 1772. (Find My Past)

There was a Malachi Blake apprenticed in 1761 as a Glass-seller. His father was a druggist. The details: Malachi Blake, son of Malachi Blake of Southwark, druggist, to Thomas Hodgson, 17 Feb 1761, Glass-sellers’ Company. The premium paid was £100 0s 0d. The Master Thomas Hodgson lived in London. (Find My Past)

On Find My Past the estate of Malachi Blake is described as “Off Britain Estate” and probated July 1771.

Malachy Blake married at Dulwich Susannah Blunkett 28 Apr 1737. (Find My Past) Dulwich is in Southwark.

Children of Malachy and Susannah (Blunkett) Blake baptized at St Thomas’ Chapel (Presbyterian) in Southwark (Find My Past):

Ann Blake born 3 Sep 1739 and baptized 20 Sep 1739
Ann Blake born 12 Aug 1740 and baptized 19 Aug 1740
Edmund Blunkett Blake born 26 Mar 1742 and baptized 6 Apr 1742
Susannah Blake born 10 Jul 1743 and baptized 18 Jul 1743
Malachy Blake born 6 Apr 1745 and baptized 14 Apr 1745
Rebecca Blake was buried 13 Mar 1772 (daughter of Malachy (druggist))

There was another Malachi Blake buried 10 Oct 1729 of St Saviour Southwark and identified as the son of Malachi, Druggist (Ancestry).

Another researcher has published on the Surrey Rootsweb list that Malachi Blake was born in Southwark Surrey circa 1690 and married twice; first marriage was to Mary Godfrey circa 1720 [Malachi Blake married Mary Godfrey 19 Sep 1720 Faculty Marriage Office]. As well she has Edmund Blunkett Blake with children born in Mitcham Surrey.

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/ENG-SURREY/2003-07/1059153998

A response on this request reads:

I'm gathering material for a CD on the published wills of Surrey. One such will is that of Rebecca BLAKE, widow, proved in the PCC 30 June 1736. Quote 'Unto my Grand daughter Rebecca Blake, Daughter of my son Malachi Blake £200....in the said stock...at 21, if she dye
before she attain that age etc etc to her Mother Mary Green etc etc' Malachi named as executor. Malachi seemed to have married again to another Mary.

Daughter Rebecca's will is also published and names Malachi as father and proven (PCC) 15th Oct 1771.

Did Malachi marry three times?

'12 Nov. 1772 Administration of the goods of Malachi Blake, late of the parish of St. George, Southwark deceased was granted to Susannah Blake Widow the Relict of the said deceased'.


Looking at the Surrey Wills there are wills for Rebecca Blake 1736, Rebecca Blake 1772, and I will transcribe them next to follow this one just to bring that information together.

The Survey of London Volume 122 pages 9-30, Southwark mentions that at 83 Borough High Street the earliest known tenant (1748) was Malachi Blake, druggist, who subsequently moved to No. 119.

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/survey-london/vol22/pp9-30

A further rootsweb post for Kent-NWKFHS-L:

http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/ENG-KENT-NWKFHS/2002-01/1011929892

I know Edmund Blunkett BLAKE had five children
Charlotte BLAKE born 30 Sep 1761
Sarah BLAKE born 1762 died 12 Jan 1762
Hannah Susanna BLAKE 1724 Mar 1765
Martha Ann BLAKE born 1766 died 6 Mar 1766
Edmund BLAKE born 6 May 1767. Married Elinor GREGORY 1792 Middlesex
They were all born in Mitchem, Surrey

An online tree at ancestry lists Edmund as marrying Eleanor Gregory 8 Dec 1792 at Twickenham, Middlesex. His father being Edmund Blunkett Blake. Interestingly he lists the father of Malachi Blake (the druggist in Southwark) as Malachi Blake. The hint is made that this Malachi might be related to the Malachi Blake family in Blandford, Dorset. A possible birth date of 1697 is given. The researcher gives the father of this Malachi Blake (b circa 1697) as Malachi born circa 1670 at Southwark, Surrey and being the Malachi Blake buried 10 Oct 1729 St Saviour Southwark.

http://person.ancestry.ca/tree/12963068/person/12525700782/facts

I have transcribed the wills of the Malachi Blake family at Blandford under the label “Dorset Wills.”

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 4 Feb 2017
Source:  The National Archives, PROB 11/969
Name of testator: Malachi Blake the younger
Place: Second Super Cargo appointed by the honorable Court of Directors of the United East India Company
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 9 May 1769, probated 1 Jul 1771

[In margin] Malachi Blake

1    In the Name of God Amen
2    I Malachi Blake the younger appointed by the hon[oura]ble
3    Court of Directors of the United East India Company then
4    Second Super Cargo Mocha being in health of Body
5    and of Sound Judgement do with due and proper consideration
6    make this my Will and Testament which I do hereby
7    Solemnly Declare to be the only one I have at present
8    made or that I Will make during my Intended voyage
9    to Mocha or elsewhere in the Ship Duke of Cumberland
10    and which if it shall please almighty God to take me from
11    this Transitory World I require of those presencs to be
12    fulfilled Imprimis that all my Effects Goods Merchandizes
13    Wearing Apparel together with whatever Debts may be
14    Due to me either in India or in England be applied to the
15    purpose of paying whatever I may justly Owe and
16    whenever Surplus may remain I bequeath to my Dear
17    Father if he shall be living if he is not living then
18    to my Dear Mother Secondly If the aforesaid Effects
19    should be Insufficient to pay my lawful Debts I Declare
20    that they be fully Discharged out of whatever Commission
21    or Reward may be due to me from the United East Indies
22    Company And the Remainder or whole of the aforesaid
23    Commission as at Shall prove I Desire it may be distributed
24    in the manner following Viz To my Sister Rebecca the Sum
25    of Two hundred pounds of lawful Money of Great Britain To
26    my Sister Ann the Sum of Two hundred pounds Sterling of lawful
27    of Great Britain And whatever may remain after the
28    aforesaid payments to my Dear Father if then living if he
29    shall not be living then to my Dear Mother But if the
30    Surplus of the Commission Money after payment of all
31    Demands upon my Estate Should not be five hundred pounds
32    then in that case To my Sisters I bequeath only one
33    hundred pounds each Thirdly I do hereby Give and
34    bequeath the five hundred pounds three p cent annuitys
35    to which I am Intitled by the Will of my late Grandmother
36    Ann Blunkett and which by Right of the Said Will my
37    Aunt Mary Blunkett receives the Interest of during her
38    Universal life to my Dear Sister Anne upon the following
39    Conditions Viz that within Six months after the Demise
40    of my Aunt the aforesaid Stock be placed in my Fathers
41    and her name Jointly and that he (as long he shall
42    live receive the whole Interest of it But at his Death
43    to be her free possession Fourthly In Case any
44    Effects Estates or Money Shall During my absence by
45    Right of Will or any other legal Tenure whichever
46    Devise upon me and as if being absent may not be
47    acquainted therewith or have an Opportunity after so
48    having a Right to the possession of them to will then
49    according to my own pleasure I therefore hereby
50    provisionally require that whatever Effects may come to my
51    possession (either by my Mother’s Jointure) or the Will
52    of my later Grandmother Ann Blunkett or by any legal
53    Tenure whatever be Disposed and Devised in the manner
54    following viz that they remain under the Care of the
55    Trustees to the said Effects at the time the Right of
56    Inheritance devolved to me and on Condition that they pay
57    the Interest or Annual produce of the aforesaid effects
58    whether Ready Money Stock or whatever it be, to my Dear
59    Father if he shall be then living and after his Decease
60    (of if shall not be living) I will that all become the
61    Free Possession of my Sister Ann Blake But if any or all
62    the Trustees chose by my Mother or by the Will of my
63    Grandmother Should be dead or refuse to Act I desire
64    that my Sister Ann Should appoint two or more persons
65    as Trustees to act in the manner aforesaid to Secure for
66    my Father the Interest for his life and the full Inheritance
67    to my Sister Ann at his Death Fifthly If any person
68    Intitled to a Legacy for advantage by this my Will if
69    they Dispute litigate or attempt to set it aside they
70    shall forfeit all Right in the benefit of it Sixethly
71    I do hereby appoint my Sister Ann Blake and my Good
72    Friend Thomas Hodgson of Cheapside Chinaman to be
73    the Executors of this my Will And I do request that the
74    aforesaid Thomas Hodgson will accept of Twenty pounds
75    as a Small Testimony of my Regard to him In
76    Confirmation of all this I have hereunto set my hand
77    and Seal this 9th Day of March in the year of our
78    Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Sixty nine
79    Malachi Blake Witness Savile Calvert his Blake
80    This Will was proved at London before
81    the Worshipful Francis Simpson doctor of Laws and
82    Surrogate of the Right Worshipful George Hay also
83    Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the
84    Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully Constituted on
85    the First day of July in the year of our Lord one
86    thousand Seven hundred and Seventy one by the Oath of
87    Ann Blake Spinster the Sister of the deceased and Thomas
88    Hodgson the Executors named in the Said Will to whom
89    Administration was Granted of all and Singular the Goods
90    Chattels and Credits of the said Deceased they having been
91    first Sworn Duly to administer

No comments:

Post a Comment