This rather lengthy will declared by Susanna Blake, the testator, was written in 1841. The text is fairly straight forward and captures this Blake family in Kent at Sittingbourne but formerly of Lymington. Her husband was Captain William Blake. There is a will for William Blake of Dover written the 14th February 1796 where he names his wife as Susanna. His will is quite short and only a Susanna Blake is mentioned by name although he does mention children but not named; at the time the will seems to state that his wife was expecting a child. His will was probated 8 Apr 1820 and will be transcribed soon.
Susanna names her daughter Susanna, her son George and her married daughters Elizabeth King and Ann Smith (married to John Grant Smith). She also names her deceased son Thomas’ wife as Frances Gregson Blake and Anne Blake as the widow of her son William. She also names her nephew as George Blake. I did not find the marriages for her two sons.
On the 1841 Census at Sittingbourne Kent, Susanna Blake, 65, independent, born in the county, Susanna Blake, 40, born in the county, Ann Blake, 20, not born in Kent. Susanna (mother) born circa 1776 and Susanna (daughter) born circa 1801, Ann born circa 1821. Ann, it would appear, was not born in Kent.
The Death Duty Register Index, Susanna Blake, testator, Sittingbourne Kent, Susanna Blake (same address), probated will register 1, folio 10. From the transcription the death year was 1846 and the will was probated at the PCC. NA reference IR27/276.
The only marriage that I located for a William Blake with wife Susanna (Find My Past and the forename could have similar sounding/looking names) was the marriage of William Blake and Susanna Rice 9 Apr 1792 at Croydon St John. The 1841 census ages tended to be within five years of the actual but even if 1776 then she would have been 16 years of age.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 6 Jan 2020
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/2029/26
Testator: Susanna Blake, Widow
Place: Sittingbourne, Kent
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 31 May 1841, probated 6 Jan 1846
[Margin]: Susanna Blake 35
1 I Susanna Blake of Sittingbourne in the
2 County of Kent widow and relict of Captain William Blake former-
3 ly of Lymington but late of Sittingbourne aforesaid deceased do here-
4 by revoke all wills and testaments dispositions heretofore made by
5 me and declare this to be my last will and testament I give and
6 bequeath unto my daughter Susanna Blake any watch jewels and
7 trinkets and also such part of my plate linen and books as she
8 may make their of for her own absolute use And I direct that my
9 said daughter shall have the use occupation and enjoyment of a
10 the dwellinghouse in which I shall reside at the time of my decease
11 with the remainder of the plate linen and books and of the house-
12 hold furniture and effects which shall them be therein for twelve
13 calunder months from the day of my decease without payment of
14 any rent or taxes for the same I give and bequeath all my goods
15 chattels money and securities for money debts and other Personal
16 Estate and Effects whatsoever of or to which I or any person or per-
17 Sons in trust for me shall be possessed or intitled at the time of my
18 decease except such as I have hereinbefore and may hereafter by any
19 codicil or codicils to this my will otherwise dispose of unto my said daugh-
20 ter Susanna Blake my nephew George Blake and my good friend
21 Thomas Pain of Dover in the said County of Kent Gentleman their
22 executors administrators and assigns upon trust that they or the survi-
23 vors or survivor of them his or her executors administrators or assigns
24 do and shall with all convenient speed after my decease sell or dispose of
25 call in and convert into money such part of my personal estate as
26 shall not consist of ready money And do and shall stand possessed of
27 the money to arise from such sale calling in and conversion and
28 of the ready money upon trust that they my said trustees or the sur-
29 vivors or survivor of them his or her executors administrators or
30 assigns do and shall pay my just debts funeral and testamentary
31 expences and such legacies as I may bequeath by any codicil or
32 codicils to this my will And do and shall lay out and invest the sum
33 o three thousands pounds of lawful money of Great Britain in their
34 or his or her names or name in the purchase of a competent share
35 or competent shares of any of the parliamentary stocks or public funds
36 of Great Britain or at interest upon government or real securities in
37 England to be from time to time varied for other stocks funds or securi-
38 ties of the like nature at their his or her direction and do and shall
39 stand possessed of the said sum of three thousand pounds and the stocks
40 funds and securities in or upon which the same shall be laid out or
41 invested and the interest dividends and annual produce there upon and
42 for the trusts intents and purposes hereinafter expressed and declared of
43 and concerning the same items do and shall divide the residue or surplus
44 which shall remain after answering the trusts and purposes aforesaid
45 of the money to arise from such sale calling in and conversion as
46 aforesaid and of any ready money into six equal parts or shares
47 and pay to my son George Blake one of such parts or shares which
48 I hereby give and bequeath unto him for his own use absolutely and
49 do and shall pay to or permit my said daughter Susanna Blake to re-
50 tain one other of such sixth parts or shares which I hereby give
51 and bequeath unto her for her own use absolutely And do and
52 shall lay out and invest the remaining four sixth parts of such resi-
53 duary or surplus monies in the names or name of my said trustees or
54 trustee for the time being in such stocks funds or securities as herein
55 before are mentioned to be from time to time varied as aforesaid And
56 do and shall stand possessed of such four sixth parts and the stocks
57 funds and securities in or upon which the same shall be laid out or invested
58 and the interest dividends and annual produce thereof upon and for
59 the trusts intents and purposes hereinafter expressed and declared of and
60 concerning the same (that is to say) to one of such fourth parts or
61 shares of the said trust monies stocks funds and securities and the inter-
62 est dividends and annual produce thereof upon trust that they my said
63 trustees or trustee for the time being do and shall during the life of my
64 daughter Elizabeth King pay and apply the interest dividends and an-
65 nual produce of the same fourth part of share of the said trust monies
66 stocks funds and securities to such person or persons as she the said
67 Elizabeth King shall from to time whether she shall be cover or sole
68 by any writing or writings under her hand but not so as to dispose
69 of or effect the same by way of anticipation appoint and in default
70 of such appointment into her own hands for her separate use and
71 benefit independently and exclusively of her present or any future
72 husband with whom she may hereafter intermarry and without being
73 subject to his control or arrangements And the receipts of the said Eliza-
74 beth King or of her appointees to be from time to time sufficient dis-
75 charges for the same And after the decease of the said Elizabeth King do
76 and shall pay the interest dividends and annual produce of the
77 same fourth part of share of the said trust monies stocks funds and se-
78 curities to her present husband in case he survives her and his as-
79 signs during his life And after his decease do and shall stand possessed
80 of the same fourth part or share of the said trust monies stocks funds and
81 securities and the interest dividends and annual produce thereof In
82 trust for all and every the children and child of the said Elizabeth
83 King who being a son or sons shall attain the age of twenty one
84 years or being a daughter or daughters shall attain that age or marry to
85 be divided between or among such children if more than one in
86 equal shares and proportions And if there shall be but one such child
87 the whole to be In trust for that one child provided always and I
88 further declare my will to be that in case there shall be no child of
89 the said Elizabeth King who being a son shall attain the age of twen-
90 ty one years or being a daughter shall attain that age or marry
91 then after the decease of the survivor of them the said Elizabeth
92 King and her present husband and such default or failure of this
93 as aforesaid my said trustees or trustee for the time being shall
94 stand and be possessed of and interested in the said fourth part or shall
95 of the said trust monies stocks funds and securities and the interest
96 dividends and annual produce thereof and the accumulations of the
97 same (if any) As to one fifth part thereof upon trust for and to pay
98 assign and transfer the same unto my son the said George Blake
99 his executors administrators and assigns And as to one other fifth
100 part thereof upon trust for and to pay assign and transfer the same
101 unto the said Susanna Black her executors administrators and as
102 signs And as to the remaining three fifth parts thereof upon and for
103 the same trusts intents and purposes as are hereinafter _______ of
104 or concerning the remaining three fourth parts or shares of the said
105 original trust monies stocks funds and securities and the interest
106 dividends and annual produce thereof And I declare my will to be
107 that my said trustees or trustee for the time being shall stand
108 possessed of one other equal fourth part of share of the said trust mo
109 nies stocks funds and securities and the interest dividends and an
110 nual produce thereof upon and for such and the life trusts
111 intents and purposes and _____ under and subject to such and
112 the like powers provisos and declarations for the benefit of my
113 daughter Ann Smith the wife John Grant Smith during her life and
114 after her decease for the benefit of her said husband and of her chil
115 dren or child as are hereinbefore by reference expressed or declared of or con
116 cerning the first mentioned fourth part of share of the said trust monies
117 stocks funds and securities and the interest dividends and annual produce
118 thereof for the benefit of the said Elizabeth King and her husband children
119 or child And with a similar trust or bequest over for the benefit of my son
120 the said George Blake and Susanna Blake their respective executors
121 administrators and assigns and the person or persons who under the
122 Trusts thereby declared shall become entitled to the remaining three
123 fourth parts or shares of the said trust monies stocks funds and securities
124 and the interest dividends and annual produce thereof to take effect in
125 case there shall be no child of the said Ann Smith who being a
126 son shall attain the age of twenty one years or being a daugh
127 ter shall attain that age or marry And I declare my will to be that
128 my said trustees or trustee for the time being shall stand possessed
129 of one other equal fourth part or share of the said trust monies
130 stocks funds and securities In trust that they he or she do and shall
131 pay the interest dividends and annual produce thereof to Frances Gregson
132 Blake the widow of my late son Thomas Blake and her assigns during
133 her life in case she shall so long continue his widow And after her
134 decease or next marriage which shall first happen do and shall
135 stand possessed of such last mentioned fourth part of share of the
136 said trust monies stocks funds and securities and the interest dividends
137 and annual produce thereof In trust for all and every the children
138 and child of my late son the said Thomas Blake who being a son
139 or sons shall attain the age of twenty one years or being a daugh
140 ter or daughters shall attain that age or marry to be divided between
141 or among such children if more than one in equal shares and pro
142 portions And if there shall be but one such child the whole to be
143 in trust for that one child but in case there shall be no child or
144 children of the said Thomas Blake living at the time of my
145 decease then in trust for my son the said George Blake and daugh-
146 ter Susanna Blake their respective executors administrators and as
147 signs and the person or persons who under the trust hereby declared
148 shall become entitled to the remaining three fourth parts or shares
149 of the said trust monies stocks funds and securities and the interest
150 dividends and annual produce thereof And I declare my will to be
151 that my said trustees or trustee for the time being shall stand
152 possessed of the remaining one fourth part or shall of the said trust
153 monies stocks funds and securities In trust that they he or she do
154 and shall pay the interest dividends and annual produce thereof
155 to Anne Blake the widow of my late son William Blake and her
156 assigns during her life in case she shall so long continue his widow
157 and after the decease or next marriage of the said Anne Blake
158 which shall first happen do and shall stand possessed of such last
159 mentioned fourth part of share of the said trust monies stocks funds
160 and securities and the interest dividends and annual produce there
161 of In trust for all and every the child and children of my late son
162 the said William Blake their executors administrators and assigns
163 and I declare my will to be that my said trustees or trustee for the
164 time being shall pay the interest dividends and annual produce of
165 the said sum of three thousand pounds and the stocks funds and se
166 curities in or upon which the same shall be laid out or invested unto
167 my daughter the said Susanna Blake and her assigns for and dur
168 ing the term of her natural life And subject and without prejudice to
169 the afore said trust shall stand possessed of the said sum of three
170 thousand pounds and the stocks funds and securities in or upon
171 which the same shall be laid out or invested and the interest divi-
172 dends and annual produce thereof upon such trusts intents and
173 purposes and under and subject to such powers provisos and declar-
174 ations as the said Susanna Blake shall by any deed or will appoint
175 and dispose of the same or any part thereof unto or in favor of all
176 or any of my children and their issue in such manner and propor-
177 tions in all respects as she my daughter the said Susanna Blake
178 shall think proper provided always and I declare my will to be that
179 the receipt or receipts in writing of the said Susanna Blake my nep
181 hew George Blake and Thomas Pain and survivors or survivor
182 of them their her or his executors administrators and assigns for any
183 sum or sums or money payable to them her or him under or
184 by virtue of this my will or in or about the execution of any of
185 the said trusts or powers shall be a sufficient and effectual dis
186 charge or sufficient and effectual discharges for the same or so
187 much thereof respective as in such receipt or receipts shall be
188 pressed or acknowledged to be received And the person or persons
189 paying such money and take such receipts shall not be obliged
190 to see to the application thereof or be answerable or accountable for
191 the misapplication or nonapplication thereof provided also and I de
192 clare my will to be that if the said trustees hereby appointed or any or
193 either of them or any future trustee or trustees to be appointed as
194 hereinafter is mentioned shall die or be desirous of being discharged
195 from or refuse or become incapable to act in the said trusts then
196 and so often as the same shall happen it shall be lawful for the
197 surviving or continuing trustees or trustee for the time being or
198 the executors or administrators of the last surviving or continuing
199 trustees or trustee by deed to appoint any other person or persons to
200 be a trustee or trustees in the stead of the trustee or trustees so dy-
201 ing or desiring to be discharged or refusing or becoming incapable
202 to act as aforesaid And that upon every such appointment all the
203 trust estates monies and premises shall be assigned and transferred
204 in such manner that the same may be vested in the new trustee or
205 trustees jointly with the surviving or continuing trustees or trustee
206 or solely as the case may require upon the same trusts as are herein
207 before declared of and concerning the same or such of them as shall be
208 then subsisting or capable of taking effect And that every such new
209 trustee shall have such and the same powers authorities and dis
210 cretion whatsoever as if he had been originally in and by this my
211 will nominated a trustee anything hereinbefore contained to the con-
212 trary thereof in anywise nowithstanding provided also and I do
213 hereby further declare that the said several trustees hereby appoint
214 ed or to be appointed by virtue of the proviso last hereinbefore con-
215 tained and their respective executors administrators and assigns
216 shall not be answerable for any involuntary loss And that it shall
217 be lawful for them respectively to retain all costs charges damages
218 and expences which they or any of them may sustain or be put
219 into in or about the execution of the aforesaid trusts or in relation
220 thereunto I give devise and bequeath unto the said Susanna Blake
221 my nephew George Blake and Thomas Pain their heirs executors ad-
222 ministrators and assigns respectively All the estates which at the time
223 of my decease shall be vested in me upon any trusts or by way or mort-
224 gage of which I have power to dispose by this my will with their rights
225 members and appurtenances To hold the same premises unto the said
226 Susanna Blake my nephew George Blake and Thomas Pain their
227 heirs executors administrators and assigns respectively according to
228 the nature and quality thereof respectively upon the trusts and subject
229 to the equity of redemption which at the time of my decease shall be
230 subsisting or capable of taking effect therein respectively but the money
231 secured on such mortgages to be considered and taken as part of my
232 personal estate I appoint the said Susanna Blake my nephew George
233 Blake and Thomas Pain Executrix and Executors of this my will And
234 I direct that the sum of five hundred pounds three and a half per-
235 cent consols shall be deducted from the share of my said daughter
236 Elizabeth King of and in my said estate under the trusts aforesaid
237 unless the same shall be paid or transferred to me in my lifetime And
238 which said sum of five hundred pounds if not so paid to be brought
239 into and form part of my personal estate And I declare that the
240 appointment of the said Thomas Pain as one of my trustees and
241 executors as aforesaid shall not prevent his acting as the Attorney or
242 solicitor in the management and settlement of my affirs or in
243 anything relating thereto And that it shall be lawful for him to make
244 all usual professional charges for any business to be done by him in
245 the same manner as he might and could have done if he had not
246 been so appointed such trustee and executor In witness whereof I
247 have to this my last will and testament in eight sheets of paper
248 contained set my hand this thirty first day of May in the year of our
249 Lord one thousand eight hundred and fourty one S Blake Signed by
250 the said testatrix in the presence of us present as the same time who
251 In her presence and at her request have hereunto subscribed our
252 names as witnesses the word pay in the fourth sheet being first inter-
253 lined Willm Castle Surgeon Sittingbourne Kent John Grayling Surgeon
254 Sittingbourne Kent
255 Proved at London 6th January 1846 before the Judge by the Oath
256 of Susanna Blake spinster the daughter George Blake the nephew and
257 Thomas Pain the Executors to whom Admon was granted having been
258 first sworn to wit the said Susanna Blake and Thomas Pain by common
259 and the said George Blake before the worshipful John Danbery Doctor
260 of Laws and Surrogate duly to administer
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