Sunday, July 7, 2019

Will of Barnard Blake, Esquire, of Westerham, Kent - The National Archives, PROB 11/1366/131

The testator, Barnard Blake, was buried 26 Nov 1801 at Westerham. The age was mentioned as 70 years. He served an apprenticeship as a cabinetmaker with John West, St Paul Covent Garden Middlesex. His father was named William Blake. Bernard Blake was baptized at Westerham 1 Nov 1731 son of William Blake.

Bank of England Wills Extracts Folio 27206 21 Apr 1807 which is an adjustment to the will below.  There is the sum of £1500. Annuities in the names of Master Marmaduke Lewis of Farmingham Kent. Richard Board of Westerham Kent. Alexander Roby of Bush Lane Merchant. Barnard Blake of Shipbourne Kent Gent.

Folio 27272 has a second extract. There is also the sum of £1500. Annuities in the names of The Reverend Marmaduke Lewis of Farmingham. Rev Richard Board of Westerham.

The Reverend Marmaduke Lewis is deceased as appears by Probate dated 8th August 1806 these Annuities are therefore at the Disposal of the Survivors in the respective Accounts. Registered 12th Nov 1806.

Barnard Blake married Ann Lewis 19 Feb 1760 at Barking, Essex. Ann was buried 24 May 1776 at Westerham. Susan Blake, their daughter, was baptized 26 Oct 1764 and buried 19 Apr 1765. Penelope Rebecca Blake, their daughter was buried 26 Jun 1773. There was a marble monument which can be seen on gravestone photos

https://www.gravestonephotos.com/public/gravedetails.php?grave=339598

A very sad tale is recounted in the will as Barnard asked to be buried in the same vault as his wife and children.

Barnard Blake was likely the son of William Blake and Rebecca Brooker who married 11 Feb 1728 at Westerham, Kent. Rebecca was buried 24 Jun 1789 at Westerham as the widow of William). William may have been buried 28 Jan 1771. They baptized the following children at Westerham:

Sarah Blake was baptized 9 Dec 1729
Thomas Blake was baptized 18 Dec 1730 (there was a Thomas Blake buried 29 Dec 1730)
Bernard Blake was baptized 1 Nov 1731
Rebecka Blake was baptized 29 Jun 1733
Mitchell Blake was baptized 12 Apr 1735 (there was a Mitchell Blake buried 25 Aug 1736)
Elizabeth was baptized 22 Nov 1736
William Blake was baptized 17 Nov 1738 (there was a William Blake buried 1 Sep 1792)
Edmund Blake was baptized 19 Mar 1740 (there was an Edmund Blake buried 6 Sep 1756)
Dorithy Blake was baptized 28 Feb 1742
Mary Blake was baptized 20 Feb 1743
Anne Blake was baptized 22 Jun 1747 (there was an Ann Blake buried 12 Jan 1791)
Jane Blake was baptized 22 Jun 1747
Alice Blake was baptized 11 Apr 1749
Penelope Blake was baptized 4 Jun 1751

Dorothy Blake married Peter Tow 6 Jul 1782 at Westerham. Two of their children are mentioned in the will below: Barnard Tow and Mary Ann Tow.

A William Blake married Mary Humphery 5 Aug 1765 at Westerham and described as William Blake junior.

I couldn’t locate parents for William Blake marrying Rebecca Brooker at Westerham.

There are still another 24 wills for the Blake family in Kent. Perhaps something will show up in another will that will link this family back.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 7 Jul 2019
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1366/131
Testator: Barnard Blake, Esquire
Place: Westerham, Kent
Type of Record:    Will
Date of document: 14 Apr 1801, probated 2 Dec 1801

[Margin]: Barnard Blake, Esquire

1    This is the Will of me
2    Barnard Blake of Westerham in the County
3    of Kent I desire to be decently buried in the same
4    Vault in the Church of Westerham as my late
5    dear Wife and Children are buried at the
6    discretion of my Executor herein named and I do
7    direct him to place a marble Monument in
8    memory of my said family not to exceed Fifty pounds
9    in Value I give and bequeath to Rich[ar]d Packham
10    of the Parish of Wrotham in the County of
11    Kent Esq[uie]r and to Renwill Oldaker of the
12    Parish of Barking in the County of Essex
13    Gentleman and to their heirs and to the heirs
14    of the Survivor of them all my freehold and
15    copyhold Estates in the parish of Westerham in
16    the County of Kent with all other my real
17    Estates wheresoever and whatsoever upon
18    Trust to receive the rents and profits thereof
19    And pay the same to my three Sisters share and
20    share alike for and during their natural lives
21    and to the live of the longest liver of them and from
22    and after their decease I give the same to my
23    Nephew Thomas Deane his heirs and assigns
24    and I do recommend my said Trustees to permit
25    my Sister Dorothy to occupie all the premises
26    I have in my occupation in Westerham at
27    the yearly Rent of Fifteen pounds during her
28    natural life likewise I recommend to my said
29    Trustees to permit my Sister Mary to occupie
30    at the present rent she pays three pounds a year
31    during her life for all the premises she now
32    has I give to my Sister Dorothy all such
33    Furniture and plate as was my late Aunt _____
34    and I do give her also the use of all this my
35    Furniture in my house if she choses to occupie
36    it during her life and after her decease I give
37    The same to my Nephew Thomas Deane I
38    give to my said Sisters Ten pounds Each to
39    William Langridge Sarah Wallis Barnes
40    Martin five pounds Each to any servants that
41    are with me and have been with me
42    one full year Five pounds
43    each and my Wearing apparel to the poor of
44    Westerham Five pounds To such has have
45    Received no alums therefrom all the rest of my
46    personal I give to my above named Trustees
47    to receive the Interest therefrom and pay the
48    same to my said three sisters during their
49    natural lives and to the Survivor of them and
50    after the death of such Survivor I give to my
51    niece Martha Oldaker the sum of two hundred
52    pounds to Nephew William Blake three hundred
53    pounds to my niece Mary Blake one hundred
54    pounds to my Nephew Barnard Tow five hundred
55    pounds to my Niece Mary Ann Tow one hundred
56    pounds to my Niece Penelope Butler one hundred
57    And Fifty pounds to the Reverend Marmaduke
58    Lewis Fifty pounds to Jno Werham Lewis Esqr
59    twenty pounds to my above named Trustees
60    Ten pounds Each to all other my Nieces and
61    Nephews Five pounds each all the rest of my
62    said personal Estates whatsoever give to my said
63    Nephew Thos Dean and I do make him Sole
64    Executor of this my Will dated this fourteenth
65    day of April one thousand Eight hundred and
66    one Barn[ar]d Blake Signed Sealed
67    published and declared by Barn[ar]d Blake to
68    be his last Will and Testament in presence
69    of us who at his request and in presence of
70    each other have subscribed our Names as
71    Witnesses thereof Sah Diplock Mary Payton
72    Thomas Coleman
73    This Will was proved at London the
74    second day of December in the year of our Lord
75    One thousand Eight hundred and one before
76    the Worshipful John Sewell doctor of Laws
77    and Surrogate of the Right honorable Sir
78    William Wynne Knight doctor of Laws Master
79    Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court
80    of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the oath
81    of Thomas Deane the Nephew and Sole Executor
82    named in the said Will to whom Administration
83    was granted of all and Singular the Goods Chattles
84    and Credits of the said deceased having been first
85    sworn duly to administer

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