Sunday, April 8, 2012

Visitations of Blake families in Somerset and Wiltshire

There are two extant Visitations of which I am aware that refer to the Blake family in Somerset. I have included the two below but there are another four where a female Blake member has married into another family mentioned in the Visitations.

The Supplement to the Visitation of Somerset in 1623 has added to it at a later date a coat of arms which include the arms of the Blake, Dorrant, Billett and Williams families although there was a word description of the arms that headed up the Visitation. Robert Blake and his wife Margaret daughter of Symonds are the first family in the Visitation with their son Humphrey Blake of Planchfield, Somerset with his wife Sarah daughter and coheir of Humphrey Williams of Wales. Then the children of Humphrey and Sarah are listed, 1 Robert Blake, General at sea died in August 1657 and honorably interred in Henry the 7 Chapel the 4 Sep 1657 (bachelor), 2 Humphrey brother and heir, 3 William Doctor of Physics, 4 George, 5 Nicholas, 6 Benjamin, 7 Alexander,  and a sister married to Burridge. This Supplement is unsigned.

 The Visitation of Somerset 1672 has an entry for Blake of Bridgwater. Again the coat of arms are identified but only the Blake coat of arms is mentioned: Arg., a chevron between 3 garbs sa., a mullet for a difference. The first entry is for Robert Blake of Bridgwater in County Somerset, Gentleman, will probated 1592; married to Margaret daughter of Symonds (her will probated 1600) and had issue. The second entry is their son Humphry Blake of Bridgwater Gent married Sarah daughter and coheir of John Williams of Pawlett in County Somerset Gent and had issue. The next entries are the children of Humphrey (four are mentioned which include 1 Humphry eldest son  married Sarah daughter of William Cely of Bridgwater and had issue Humphry and William; 2 Nicholas (to follow), 3 Beniamin Blake of Bridgwater Gent 3rd Son aet 50 anno 1670 married Elizabeth daughter of Sidrach Blake of Stepney in County Middlesex (relict of Timothy Wilson) and had issue. The next entries are the children of Beniamin and Elizabeth namely Sidrach son and heir aet 18 anno 1672, Beniamin 2nd son, Sarah and Elizabeth; 4 Alexander Blake 4th son. The next major entry is Nicholas Blake (identified as the 2nd son of Humphry Blake and Sarah Williams above and he married Jone daughter of John Question of Dunstar in County of Somerset. This Visitation is signed by Ben Blake and Nic Blake.

I have the 1565 and the 1623 Visitations of Wiltshire with one being a purchased CD and the other a download from Internet Archive.

The Blake and Baynard family are intertwined in this time period and I will recount the Baynard family first. I have mentioned their wills in other blogs as I was trying to learn more about the Blake family with the Baynard wills at that time.

Baynard of Lackham have their arms listed and the line begins with Edmond Baynard of Essex county marrying Elianor daughter and heir of Sir John Blewett of Lackham Wiltshire. The Baynard line continues down to Phillip Baynard of Lackham, Esquire, (3rd great grandson of Edmond Baynard above). Phillip married Jane daughter of Nicholas Stukeley of Aston, Devon and they had two children mentioned Robert, son and heir (he married Anne Blake daughter of Robert Blaake of Cawne, Wiltshire) and daughter Mary married to Roger Blaake of Pynhilles, Wiltshire (son of Robert Blaake of Cawne, Wiltshire).

The Visitation of Wiltshire, 1565, has Blake of Hilcott as the heading with arms: Argent, a chevron between three garbs Sable, a crescent for difference. Robert Blaake of Cumberford, Wiltshire, Esquire married Avys daughter of Wallop of Hampshire County and by her had issue, Gilbert and Alexander, died both sans issue; Robert; and John; Elizabeth; Alys; and Jone. Next entry is son Robert Blaake of Cawne, Wiltshire (3rd son and heir of Robert) married Margerett daughter of Sir Thomas Englefeild of Englefeild, Berkshire and by her had issue Roger son and heir; Ann married to Robert Baynard of Lackham,, Wiltshire. The next entry is for Roger Blaake of Cawne, son and heir of Robert, married Mary daughter of Philip Baynard of Lackham and by her had issue, Thomas son and heir; Robert, 2nd son; John, 3rd son; Sibell, married to Henry Bull of county Wiltshire; Jone, married to Anthony Goddard of Hartham, Wiltshire, gent; Mary, married to Edward Langrige of Langrige, Southampton (now Hampshire), gent. The next entry is for Thomas Blaake of Pynnell, Wiltshire, son and heir or Roger, married Edyth daughter of Thomas Jvy of West Keinton, Wiltshire, Esquire and by her hath issue Roger, son and Heir; Michell; Gyles; Francis; and others. Continuing to the next entry for Robert Blaake of the Borough of Cawne, second son of Roger and brother of Thomas, married Alis daughter of Robert Smyth of Lacocke, Somerset, and had issue; Roger, son and heir; Anthony, second son ; Jone and Marye. The last entry is for John Blaake of Hilcott, Wiltshire, third son to Roger and brother to Thomas and Robert married Jone, daughter of Clarke of Shawe, Wiltshire and at this time of recording they do not have any children.

I have the wills for many of these Blake men but have yet to transcribe them. A future project as I slowly withdraw from my earnest pursuit of all my lines to concentrate on Blake and Pincombe. Observing the above Visitation one can see that a number of Blake males are being mentioned but not traced down. This Visitation does offer another clue looking at the Rolfe family of Enford. Sara Blake daughter of John Blaake of Essingborne, Hampshire married William Rolfe. This John is a rather interesting individual. Who is this John Blake? Is he the grandson of Roger Blake married to Mary Baynard? There isn't a William mentioned as a son of Roger although a pedigree chart at the Wiltshire Office records such a son William married to Avis Ripley. Is this Esseborne Manor which is located between Andover and Newbury? Was there an earlier manor house where there is now a Hotel called Esseborne Manor Hotel? At a later time this is referred to as Essingham/Effingham. There is also a place in Surrey called Effingham (near Dorking).

The Visitation of Wiltshire, 1623, has an extensive Baynard family record which includes once again Robert Baynard of Lackham, son and heir, will probated 12 Oct 1537 and married to Anne daughter of Robert Blake of Calne, Wiltshire and Mary Baynard marrying Roger Blake of Phinhills in Calne, Wiltshire. This is a three page Visitation with lots of information on the Baynard family. The Blake family Visitation is 1.25 pages long but equally full of information and again the arms: argent, a chevron between three garbs sable; a crescent for a difference. The chart begins with Robert Blake of Quemberford, Wiltshire, Esquire married to Avis daughter of Wallop, Southampton (now Hampshire) County with children: daughters Elizabeth, Alice and Joane and sons 1. Gilbert; 2. Alexander (both sans issue); 3. Robert of Calne, Wiltshire married to Margaret daughter of Thomas Inglefield, Berkshire; 4. John, of Nether Wallop, Southampton and Calne died 2 Mar 1503/4 seized of Pynnelles; Inq postmortem 20 Oct 1504, Will probated 24 Apr 1504 married first to unknown and had two daughters Alice married to John Dauntesey and Joan married to Thomas Wroughton and married second Margaret, widow of John Dauntsey of West Lavington (children not mentioned). The line continues with Robert (2nd son) married to Margaret Inglefield and their children Roger Blake of Calne, Wiltshire, Esquire; will probated 16 Nov 1557 married to Mary daughter of Phillip Baynard of Lackham, Wiltshire, Esquire and daughter Anne married to Robert Baynard, Lackham, Wiltshire, Esquire. The children of Roger Blake and Mary Baynard are then listed: Sibell wife of Henry Bull, Wiltshire; Jone wife Anthony Goddard of Hartham, Wiltshire; Mary wife of Edward Langrige, Southampton; John Blake of Hilcott, Wiltshire (has three sons) married to  Joane Clarke, of Shaw, Wiltshire; Robert, 2nd son, of Calne, Wiltshire married to Alice daughter of Robert Smith of Lacocke, Wiltshire with children 1. Roger, 2 Anthony, 1 Joane and 2 Mary and Thomas Blake, 1st son, of Pennells, Wiltshire, Esquire married to Edith daughter of Thomas Ivye of West Keinton, Wiltshire, Esquire. The children of Thomas and Edith are the next generation listed: sons Giles, Francis and Roger Blake of Pennells, son and heir, married Wraxed daughter of John Gastrill of Tadbery Graynes, Gloucestershire. The children of Roger and Wraxed are listed with elizabeth married to Powell Clishold, Francis married to Phill Bull/Butt of chipnam, Wiltshire; Roger 2nd son, 30 years of age, and Henry Blake of Pennells, Wiltshire, living 1623 and married 1 Francis daughter of Francis Pigott of Collweeks, Buckinghamshire with daughter Joane age in 1623 and married second to Abigall daughter of Henry Stringer of London with children Henry son and heir 6 years in 1623, Roger 2nd son age 5 in 1623, Abigall 2nd daughter aged 1 year in 1623.

Obviously the linkage that appears to be between the Wiltshire and Somerset Blake families is further back then 1565 and land records will need to be explored to really understand any relationship between these families.


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