Upper Clatford

I have the Manor Papers for Upper Clatford but have not yet attempted to transcribe them. First of all they are in Latin and my latin skills are very weak. I need to improve them before I take on these Manor Papers. That being said I can see the name John Blake there and it is the 19th year of the Reign of Elizabeth I (1577). It is John Blake senior who is mentioned. This is a bit of a mystery because it isn't until William Blake (probate 1606) that we see Upper Clatford mentioned in the wills of the Blake family. William Blake in his will mentions that he has purchased the property at Upper Clatford from Walter Waight and William in his will passes this land to his son Thomas. By the beginning of the Parish Register though there do not appear to be any Blakes at Upper Clatford. The only records:

Baptisms
Blake     Annie     daughter     Blake     John     1635     December     28
Blake     Abraham     son     Blake     John     1637     March     4
Blake     Katheren 1678     July     2
Blake     Mary     daughter     Blake     Mr. Peter     Ann     1679     March     24
Blake     Peetar     son     Blake     Peetar     Ann     1686     August     10

Burials
Blake     Ann     daughter     Blake     John     1640     August     30
Blake     Elizabeth     1660     August     15

Marriage
Blake     John     Abbotts Anne     Kinge     Mary     Upper Clatford 1753    December    5

The marriage of course being considerably later and rather interesting as it is John Blake malster who left a will in 1796 which has proven to be an interesting tool in the search for Blake lines. 

The John Blake senior is likely the son of Robert Blake; brother to Nicholas Blake. I really need to read the entire section to have some understanding of why he is in the Manor Pages at Upper Clatford. There is also mention of a William Blake and a Robert Blake. Robert Blake brother to Nicholas had six sons: Robert, John the elder (who has died by this time), William, Thomas, Richard and John the younger. John the younger does have a son John who would be an adult at this time thus giving rise to John the younger becoming John Blake senior. Once I can read it; it will make a nice addition to the Blake family in the Andover area. Every little bit helps to understand this family.

In Elizabeth 27th year of reign (1585), the manor book lists William Blake, Edward Blake and Peter Blake. The Penton Mewsey parish registers list:

Marriages
Blake    Peter    Clatford    Noyes    Ann    Penton Mewsey        1677    June    26
Blake    Peter    Penton Mewsey    Godfrey    Ann    Upton            1677    June    26

At a much later date though, I need to read the manor book to see if the Blake family is consistently at Upper Clatford in the 1500s right up to Peter Blake marrying Ann Noyes at Penton Mewsey in 1677.

A little more pondering on John Blake at Abbotts Ann. The will does not clearly state that the Mary Marshman (Marshmont) is a sister to John. It states only that William Marshman is his "kindsman." Mind you Mary Marshman is not mentioned - she would be quite elderly by 1796 (baptized 21 Dec 1702 and married 1727). My Thomas, William of Andover and Ann living at his house are his niece and nephews (through marriage to his wife Mary King Blake but he doesn't note them as "kin").  That leads me to think that the ones mentioned as kindsman are his own blood relations. Would one refer to the children of one's sister as "kindsman" or "kindswoman." In the case of Elizabeth married to Joseph Russell he refers to her as his sister but presumably she is still living. Need to find baptisms for an Elizabeth, a Joseph Russell and the children of this couple. Another correspondent has sent me some information from Kings Somborne and I hope to pursue that at a later date.