I will be posting a will today for my Blake one name study and then a will tomorrow for my one name Blake study. The next items will then be for the Routledge papers that my cousin asked me to transcribe. It will likely be a couple of weeks before I return once again to the Hampshire Blake wills. In the meantime if Blake is an interest of yours please consider doing yDNA testing to help discover all the Blake lines of the Isles. The yDNA project at FT DNA can be seen here:
http://www.familytreedna.com/public/blake/
All of the originals of these wills are available for download on the National Archives website for the extremely reasonable price of £3.50. Once you discover your ancestor on a will it is wonderful to have a copy of that will.
William Blake of Christchurch was married twice with his second wife being Elizabeth Hook and they were married 24 May 1719 at Christchurch. Hook, one of their daughters, was baptized 8 Dec 1727 at Christchurch.
Elizabeth Dorothy Blake (daughter from his first marriage) was baptized 5 Jun 1711 at Christchurch. Elizabeth Dorothy Blake married her cousin John Garrett Blake 1 Oct 1728 at Christchurch. Their first child William was baptized 5 Dec 1729 at Christchurch and their second child was Dorothy for whom I could not locate a baptism yet.
In his Will, William mentions his siblings and their children which is always a very nice linking document to have. He has brothers Stephen Blake and John Blake (deceased) and sister Dorothy Slade (deceased). His father was Johannis Blake, his mother Dorothea and his will is the next one to be transcribed.
Stephen his brother has children baptized at Christchurch: Stephen baptized 23 Apr 1710, Richard baptized 29 Sep 1713, Mary baptized 12 Oct 1715, Sarah baptized 27 Sep 1717, Dorathe baptized 4 Nov 1719. Possibly his son Stephen has children baptized at Christchurch: Katherin baptized 22 Feb 1733 and Stephen baptized 19 Sep 1735.
John his brother is the father of John Garrett Blake who married William's eldest daughter Elizabeth Dorothy Blake. John's daughter Jane married (unknown) Boorne (sp).
His sister Dorathey Blake married Nicholas Slade on 26 Dec 1694 at Christchurch. Their daughter Sarah was baptized 3 Dec 1696 at Christchurch and she married Thomas Janes 13 May 1719 at Christchurch. Their son Nicholas (not mentioned in this will) was baptized 14 Jan 1692 and 31 Jan 1701 (likely the first Nicholas died, Nicholas is mentioned in his grandfather's will).
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 16 May 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/738 Image Reference 196/202
Place: Christchurch, Hampshire, England
Testator: William Blake, Mercer of Christchurch, Hampshire
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 9 Jun 1744, probated 8 Mar 1745
Read: Electronic copy
Condition: image, small script, bold text
[In margin] William Blake
1 In the Name of God Amen I
2 I William Blake of the Borough of Christchurch in the
3 County of Southampton Mercer being in good health of Body
4 and of sound and perfect Mind and Memory (blessed be
5 God therefore) but calling to mind the uncertainty of this
6 transitory life and that all flesh must die do make and
7 publish this my last Will and Testament in manner following
8 that is to say First and principally I commit my Soul to the
9 hands of Almighty god who gave it me and my Body to
10 the Earth from whence it came to be decently buried at
11 the discretion of my Executrix hereinafter named and as
12 for that Worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to
13 enrich me I dispose thereof as followeth (that is to say) First
14 I will that all my just debts and funeral Expences be first paid
15 and satisfied and I give and bequeath unto David Worsley
16 of the Isle of White Esq[uir]e and Lawrence Jackson of the Borough
17 of Christchurch aforesaid Gentleman my Trustees the Sum of
18 two hundred pounds of lawful British Money upon this
19 special Trust and Confidence in them reposed and to the
20 intent and purpose that they the said David Worsley and
21 Lawrence Jackson and the survivor of them and the said
22 Executors and Administrators of such Survivor do and shall
23 as soon as conveniently may be after my decease place
24 out and continue the same at Interest on such security and
25 Securities as can be got for the same and the Interest and
26 produce thereof during the natural Life of my daughter
27 Elizabeth Dorothy Blake now wife of John Garret Blake
28 the same from time to time becomes due shall pay unto her
29 my said daughter Elizabeth Dorothy Blake into her own
30 hands to be for her own proper disposal and for her personal
31 and separate use and benefit exclusive of her husband
32 whose receipts alone (notwithstanding her coverture) shall
33 from time to time and at all times during the continuance
34 thereof be sufficient discharges for the same and from and
35 after the death of my said daughter Elizabeth Dorothy
36 Blake then upon this further Trust and confidence that they
37 the said David Worsley and Lawrence Jackson and the
38 Survivor of them of them and the Executors and Administrators
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39 of such Survivor to and shall pay the said Sum of two hundred
40 pounds and all interest due for the same unto my Grandchildren
41 William and Dorothy Blake children of my said daughter
42 Elizabeth Dorothy Blake equally Share and Share alike at
43 their several and respective ages of twenty one years or
44 days of Marriage and if either of them die under age and
45 unmarried then the whole to the Survivor of them at the age
46 of twenty one years or Marriage as aforesaid and in case
47 both of my said Grandchildren die under age and unmarried
48 Then upon this further Trust and confidence that they the said
49 David Worsley and Lawrence Jackson and the Survivor of
50 them and the Executors and Administrators of such Survivor
51 do and shall pay the said Sum of two hundred pounds and all
51 Interest and for the same unto my two daughters Hook and
52 Sarah Blake equally or to the Survivor of them or to the
53 Executors Administrators and Assigns of such Survivor also I
54 give and bequeath unto my said Grandchildren William and
55 Dorothy Blake the sum of fifty pounds a piece of like Money
56 to be paid them severally at their respective ages of twenty
57 one years or days of Marriage and if either of them dye
58 under age and unmarried then his or her Legacy of fifty
59 pounds so dying I will to the Survivor to be paid at the age
60 of twenty one years or Marriage as aforesaid and in case both
61 of them dyes under age and unmarried then I give their
62 Legacys equally betwixt my said daughters Hook and Sarah
63 Blake also I give and bequeath unto my said daughters Hook
64 and Sarah Blake the sum of four hundred pounds a piece of
65 like Money to be paid them severally at their respective ages
66 of twenty one years or days of Marriage And if either of
67 them dye under age and unmarried then I give her Legacy
68 of four hundred pounds so dying to the Survivor of them at the
69 age of twenty one years or Marriage as aforesaid and I gave
70 devise and bequeath unto my loving Wife Elizabeth Blake
71 all my freehold and Leasehold Messuages Lands Tenements and
72 Hereditaments whatsoever and wheresoever that I shall die
73 seized and possessed of to hold to her my said Wife and her
74 assigns for and during her natural life spent in case my
75 said wife marries again then my Will is that my said Wife
76 and her assigns do and shall out of the Rents and Profits of
77 my said Messuages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments well
78 and truly pay or cause to be paid unto my said daughters
79 Hook and Sarah Blake the yearly annuities or clear yearly
80 Sums of ten pounds apiece in lawfull money of Great Britain
81 during the natural life of my said Wife by two equal half a
82 yearly payments (that is to say) at Michaelmas and Lady Day
83 and the first payment thereof to be made on each of the said days
84 as shall first and next happen after the marriage of my said
85 Wife and I do hereby charge my said Lands Tenements and
86 Hereditaments with payment of the same accordingly and
87 from and after the death of my said Wife I give and devise
88 all my freehold Messuages Lands Tenements and Hereditaments
89 lying and being in the Borough of Christchurch aforesaid and my
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90 Freehold land containing twelve acres of Meadow (more or
91 less) lying in Bure Meade within the parish of Christchurch
92 aforesaid unto my said daughter Hook Blake and the heirs
93 of her Body lawfully to be begotten and for want of such Issue
94 I give and devise the same to my said daughter Sarah
95 Blake and the heirs of her Body lawfully to be begotten and
96 for want of such Issue I give and devise the same to my
97 Grandson William Blake son of my said daughter Elizabeth
98 Dorothy Blake and to his Heirs and assigns for ever and as
99 from and after the death of my said Wife I give and devise
100 my freehold Estate at Hubborne my close of land containing
101 six acres lying against Summerford Lane which I purchased
102 of Mr. John Smith and my dwelling house Mealhouse Lands
103 and premisses at Common Gate which I purchased of Henry
104 and Mark King all within the parish of Christchurch unto
105 my said daughter Sarah Blake and the heirs of her Body
106 lawfully to be begotten and for want os such Issue I give
107 and devise the same and every part thereof unto my said
108 daughter Hook Blake and to the heirs of her Body lawfully
109 to be begotten and for want of such Issue I give and devise
110 the same unto my said Grandson William Blake the Son
111 of my said daughter Elizabeth Dorothy Blake and to his
112 heirs and assigns for ever and I give five pounds to be
113 distributed amongst the poor of the Borough of Christchurch
114 aforesaid one Month after my decease at the discretion of
115 my Executrix hereafter named and I give five pounds to the
116 Church Wardens of the parish of Christchurch to be laid out
117 in ornamenting their Parish Church and I give to my Brother
118 Stephen Blake and to his Son and three daughters Stephen
119 Mary Sarah and Barbariah and to my late Brother John
120 Blake's son and daughter John Garrett Blake and Jane
121 Boorne and to my late sister Dorothy Slade's daughter
122 Sarah the wife of Mr. Thomas Janes and to each of them
123 one Guinea and I give to my friends in Trust the said
124 David Worsley and Lawrence Jackson five pounds a piece
125 desiring them to take upon themselves the Trust herein in
126 them reposed and to see that this my Will be duly and
127 truly performed all the rest and residue of my Lands Goods
128 Chattels and Credits whatsoever and wheresoever (not before
129 given) I give devise and bequeath unto my loving Wife
130 Elizabeth Blake whole and sole Executrix of this my last Will
131 and Testament and I do hereby revoke and make void all
132 former and other wills by me made In Witness whereof I
133 the said William Blake have to this my last Will and
134 Testament (being contained in two Sheets of paper) set my
135 Hand and Seal the ninth day of June in the year of my
136 Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty four Will[ia]m Blake
137 Signed Sealed Published by the said William Blake the
138 Testator to be his last Will and Testament in the presence
139 of us who subscribed our Names hereto as Witnesses at his
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140 request and in his presence and in the presence of each
141 other Jno Scott, Joseph Jeans, Jno Oake
142 This Will was proved at London before the
143 Right Worshipfull John Bettesworth Doctor of Laws Master
144 Keeper or Commissary of the prerogative Court of Canterbury
145 lawfully constituted on the eighth day of March in the
146 year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and forty
147 four by the Oath of Elizabeth Blake Widow the Relict of
148 the deceased and sole Executrix named in the said Will to
149 whom administration was granted of all and singular the
150 Goods Chattels and Credits of the said deceased being first
151 sworn Commission duly to administer
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