Growing up with two grandparents who lived in England to adulthood, gave me a certain perspective on how English people regard emigration at least in the time frame that my grandparents came to Canada. Three of my grandparents were born and raised in England to adulthood. In the case of my father's parents they were in their late 30s when they came to Canada and he was nine years of age. In the case of my maternal grandmother she was 21 years of age when she came to Canada. They both had different perspectives with my grandmother actually being what I would call an emigrant to Canada as a different country albeit within the British Empire but she did see Canada as a separate entity. In the case of my grandfather he saw Canada as a part of the British Empire that a British born person could move to with ease and still be British. When 1947 arrived my grandmother quickly became a Canadian citizen but my grandfather wanted to remain British (and he did) but still he saw Canada as a "British" place more so than a free and independent country although in 1947 we were still more of a British dependent than an independent country although the first world war had put Canada in its place as a nation amongst nations. Strange how war can define a nation but will keep on topic.
The Emigrants Database online for Britain doesn't have any Blake entries until the early 1400s but what was Britain like in the early 1400s? The Normans had conquered Britain in 1066 and perhaps the attitude prevailed that Normandy and Britain were one in the same although the Normans were certainly much better off in England in terms of land acquisition and power. Gradually the Normans were assimilated into the existing population of Britain but did the idea remain that one could be in a country other than one's birth country but which had ties to that other country without actually changing how one is defined? Certainly my grandfather had that logic and probably a lot of people in the British Empire still saw themselves as British several generations removed from the actual arrival of that individual's ancestors. From the records, we know that there were Blake members in the British Isles well before the early 1400s but perhaps in 1400s the idea that being Norman could also mean being British had disappeared somewhat just as it has here in Canada. You are not Canadian automatically if you are British; you need to go through all the hoops to get there and so that happened in the British Isles as well and one notes that some of the people who arrived in the 1400s were French although one listed themself as Norman.
The arrival of Richard le Blak from Normandy, a merchant of Rouen would likely have been after he received his license in 1274. The Subsidy referred to in yesterday's blog which was said to be in 1286 becomes interesting in this context and with the details of Blake members at Wargrave and Waltham St Lawrence in 1301. One would need to know a lot more detail on where one would choose to live in England in this time period for me to assume that this family lived in both Berkshire and Wiltshire in this time period. The commonality of the surname in Europe is rather interesting looking at the Emigrant's Database of 1330 to 1550. Is it that this idea that one is an emigrant from Normandy or France to the British Isles arose in this time period which is more than two hundred years after the Norman Conquest? Are people who came with William the Conqueror now thinking of themselves as British and so even the Normans and French needed to list themselves as Emigrants? Certainly the case in present day Canada and it is over 150 years since Confederation which uniquely declared us as the Dominion of Canada but still part of the British Empire (and given my pro-Commonwealth nature I still see us as part of the great British Commonwealth of Nations).
At this point I needed to have that discussion with myself about emigration since I was born in Canada and automatically grandfathered a Canadian Citizen since I was born in Canada before the 1st of January 1947. But through my life I could see Emigration changing with regard to being British and now there is a quota for British just the same as every other country. I often comment that my British Heritage is long muted in Canada as so many people claim to be English Canadians but in essence they are Canadians and not English! But the term has become synonymous with the idea of English speaking Canadians and hence the British Heritage is somewhat lost in a multi-cultural nation. I can see pros and cons for that; we do not want the fractional hostilities that exist around the world within countries because of ethnicity and so I welcome the term English Canadian, Franch Canadian and First Nations as a wonderful way to describe our country where three languages are spoken including the languages of our First Nations which is more than one language but is one language group to differentiate it from English speakers and French speakers.
Moving on now with the discussion of yesterday, I need to find the references to a William Blake and Mary or Anne Cole marrying in the 1320s. Mostly they have been in emails that people have sent to me repeating Horatio Gates Somerby's fraudulent research on Nicholas Blake of Andover, Hampshire, England. A search through my emails did locate the marriage of a William Blake and Mary Coles who were said to be the parents of Nicholas Blake of Andover, Hampshire and Humphrey Blake found later in Somerset. Nicholas' mother is known to be Jone (unknown) Blake and she lists her children as Robert, Nicholas and Elizabeth (Blake) Mylne so this was erroneous and I did reply with the proof for that. There are several Blake/Cole marriages but nothing as far back as 1320 so still need to find why I have that in my brain. However, a number of references to what I blogged yesterday show that people have, to a certain extent, refuted the information that Horatio Gates Somerby did try to inflict on the Blake family! I will move on now to looking at the Calendar of Patent Rolls records that I included in yesterday's blog. The oldest Blake document found when I searched the documents was from 30 Jan 1230 and involved a Willelmum le Blake in Hertfordshire.
Number Year Month Day Place Prefix Surname Forename Location Relationship King Volume Page # membrane
192 1323 7 24 Faxfleet le Blak Simon Hampshire Edward II 4 374-375 17d
59 1343 5 16 Westminster Blake Robert Hampshire Edward III 6 87 23d
80 1352 11 26 Westminster la Blake Alice Hampshire Edward III 9 368-373 9 and 8
81 1352 11 26 Westminster le Blake Walter Hampshire Edward III 9 368-373 9 and 8
82 1352 11 26 Westminster le Blake Henry Hampshire Edward III 9 368-373 9 and 8
135 1389 9 15 Clarendon Manor Blake John Hampshire Richard II 4 112 13
136 1389 9 15 Clarendon Manor Blake John Hampshire Richard II 4 115 11
141 1392 7 20 Windsor Blake Thomas Hampshire Richard II 5 134 17
145 1394 2 12 Westminster Blake John Hampshire Richard II 5 401 18
157 1405 5 22 Westminster Blake John Hampshire Henry IV 2 448 37
26 1315 7 12 Westminster le Blake John Berkshire Edward II 2 405 29d
55 1340 9 18 Andover le Blake John Berkshire Edward III 5 95 40d
56 1340 9 18 Andover le Blake Roger Berkshire Edward III 5 95 40d
85 1355 11 12 Woodstock Blake Adam Wiltshire Edward III 10 308-309 12
86 1357 10 21 Westminster Blake Robert Wiltshire Edward III 10 630 12
95 1365 10 18 Westminster Blake Robert Wiltshire Edward III 13 168 22
124 1386 1 28 Westminster Blake John Wiltshire Richard II 3 165 39d
123 1386 2 12 Westminster Blake Robert Wiltshire Richard II 3 109 32
I have a word document for each of these records.
Simon le Blak:
1323 24 July Faxfleet (membrane 17d)
Commission of oyer and terminer to ..... Simon le Blak, and others, entered his ship as it
was anchored in the port of Portesmuth, co. Southampton, and carried
away his goods. By K. on the information of Master Robert de Baldok.
17 Edward II, volume 4, pages 374-375
Location of Portsmouth too distant from the areas concerned.
Robert Blake:
1343 6 May Westminster (membrane 23d)
Appointment of William Hokere and Richard Swayn of Wynchelse to
arrest wherever found and deliver to the constable of the Tower of London,
to be kept in custody until further order, Roger de Lynton, William
Pevenese of Portsmouth, John Spencer of Portsmouth, Robert Blake,
William Havyn of Favcrshain and Roger Smyth, who with others lately
plundered brother Richard de Wynkele, the king's confessor, of goods of
no small value at Portsmouth. By K.
17 Edward III, volume 6, page 87
Location of Portsmouth too distant from the areas concerned.
Alice la Blake, Walter le Blake, Henry le Blake:
1352 26 Nov Westminster (membranes 9 and 8)
Whereas the priors and brethren of the college or fraternity of St. Peter
in the church of St. Maurice, Winchester, and of the college in the church
of St. Mary Kalender (de Kalend'), in the same city, acquired in fee ...... 5 d. of rent
from Alice la Blake out of a tenement which
William de Trent, 'helier,' holds in Wonegarstrete, 6 d. of rent from
Walter le Blake out of a tenement of the prior and convent of Motesfount
in the same street, ...... 2 s. 6 d. of rent from Henry le Blake out of a
tenement late of Godfrey de Fulflode in the same street, ...... 12 d. of rent out of
a curtilage of Katharine atte Fisshe without the west gate in the suburb
and liberty of the city, by Walter le Blake, ..............
notwithstanding that many deeds, testaments and muniments
relating to these have been carried away or lost, as is more fully stated in
the inquisition; and that some of the grants and bequests are to the prior
and brethren of the college or fraternity of St. Peter in the church of
St. Maurice, Winchester, by themselves, and some are to the prior and
brethren of the college in the church of St. Mary de Kalendis by
themselves. And the 10 1. have been paid in the hanaper.
26 Edward III, volume 9, pages 368-373
Location of Winchester is somewhat distant from the area of interest but interesting set of data.
John Blake (2 sets):
1389 15 Sep Clarendon Manor (membrane 13)
Appointment of Richard Frye and John Blake as controllers of the 20 l
a year granted for five years by the king's letters patent to his tenants in
Winchester from the subsidy of the ulnage of cloth in Winchester and the
county of Southampton for repairing the walls of their city. By p.s.
13 Richard II, volume 4, page 112
1389 15 Sep Clarendon Manor (membrane 11)
Grant for five years, to the king's tenants in Winchester who have
been impoverished by pestilences and other chance losses, of the subsidy
of cloth in that city and in the county of Southampton, to the yearly value
of 20 l for repairing the city walls, by survey and control of Richard Frye
and John Blake, but they are to account at the Exchequer for any surplus
therefrom. By p.s.
13 Richard II, volume 4, page 115
Location of Winchester is somewhat distant from the area of interest.
Thomas Blake:
1392 20 Jul Windsor (membrane 17)
Pardon,for 20 s.paid to the king byJohn Joce, to him and Edmund
Olak,Thomas Blake and John Payn, chaplain, for acquiring, in fee, from
John Inge of Fontel Giffard, co. Wilts, one toft, two carucates of land,
five acres of meadow and 20 d. of rent, with their appurtenances, called
Cnouylleslond in Shirebourne and Bromley within the forest of Pamber,
co. Southampton held in chief, and entering thereon without licence and
grant that they may hold the premises as acquired.
16 Richard II, volume 5, page 134
Location of Forest of Pamber is near Basingstoke and of interest.
John Blake:
1394 12 Feb Westminster (membrane 18)
William Wysbeche, draper alias citizen and merchant of London, for
not appearing to answer John Blake of Winchester, touching a
debt of 40.s.and to rendor 13 l. 16 s. to Walter Jurdan and John
Harleston, executors of the will of Henry Jurdan, citizen of
Winchester. London
17 Richard II, volume 5, page 401
Location of Winchester is somewhat distant from the area of interest.
John Blake:
1405 22 May Westminster (membrane 37)
Pardons of outlawry to Walter Jurdan,'marchaunt,' lately dwelling at Winchester for not
appearing to answer John Blake of Winchester touching a debt of
100 s. Southampton.
6 Henry IV, volume 2, page 448
Location of Winchester is somewhat distant from the area of interest.John le Blake:
1315 12 Jul Westminster (membrane 29d)
Commissionn of oyer and terminer to William de Bereford. John Bardolf and John de Westcote,
on complaint by the abbot of Abyndon that, when he had sent his bailiff to
hold his leet at Abyndon, co. Berks, which from time whereof memory
exists not he had been accustomed to hold in that place, Mainard de
Lambourne, John de Colecote, Hugh de Pudelcote, Thomas Sampson, John
de Byleby, John le Peintour of Mercham, John son of Adam le Peintour,
John le Blake, Henry le Daubur, William de Whyssele, John de Staunton
the elder, John de Staunton the younger, William de Cotesford, John do
Dounton, John de Henle, John le Goneys, John de Denton, John le
Boltere, Robert de Hampstede, Robert de Newenham, William de Bloxham,
Robert de Goseye and others assaulted his bailiff and prevented him from
holding the leet, and usurping authority held it, so that with impunity they
were able to break the assize of bread and ale and commit other things which
were wont to be amended in the said leet, and confederating together and
drawing other men to them, caused men coming with corn to the mill of the
abbot in the town to grind their corn there to withdraw, and meeting the men
of those parts coming to the fair which the abbot has in that town each
year in the feast of the Translation of St. Edmund, hindered them from
doing so, whereby the abbot lost all profits of the fair, and did not permit
him to receive stallage for stalls placed in the town of Abyndon on market
days, which he and his predecessors, abbots of that place, had been accustomed
to receive from time immemorial, and applied those profits to their
own uses, and assaulted the abbot's servants. By fine of 40 s.
9 Edward II, volume 2, page 405
Location of Abingdon is in the Wantage area of Berkshire and of interest.
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