Will of Edward Blake of Ladock, Cornwall - The National Archives PROB 11/1991/55 , probated 23 Jan 1844

The testator Edward Blake mentions his sons Edward and William.

Ladock is 2 miles NNW of Probus just to place these two villages in Cornwall.

There is an online project “The Blake Family Tree” which lists John Blake married to Jane as the ancestor of the Blake family in the Ladock area. The children of this couple are listed as John Blake b 1778, Jane Blake b 1781, Edward Blake b 1784, Samuel Blake b 1787, Joseph Blake b 1790 at Ladock and he was a farmer and the ancestor of John Varcoe Blake who did emigrate to America, and Richard Blake b 1792. http://www.jeanajin.webspace.virginmedia.com/pages/varcoe.htm

I will attempt to find original source records that may provide more details. That brings me to the Cornwall online Parish Clerks site which I have been referring to the last couple of days:

http://www.cornwall-opc.org/index.htm

There are two marriages listed at Ladock for the Blake family namely (later I do find others and not really sure why I didn't find them with this first search):

Samuel Clemo and Jane Blake (witness John Blake) in 1803

Samuel Blake and Prudence Blake (witness Catherine Blake and Elizabeth Bennett) in 1811

There are 23 baptisms listed at Ladock for the Blake family namely:

Edward and Ann Blake family

Elizabeth Blake 1763
Edward Blake 1764

John and Frances Blake family

John 1779
Thomas 1782
Joseph 1784
Richard 1786
William 1787

John and Ann Blake family

James 1781

John and Jane Blake family

Jane 1781
Edward 1784
Samuel 1787
Joseph    1790
Richard 1792

Edward and Mary Blake family

Prudence 1791

Edward and Margaret Blake family

John Hawke 1815 (died at the age of 2, 19 Feb 1817)
Jane 1817

Samuel and Prudence Blake family

John 1812
Elizabeth 1816

Joseph and Mary Philippa Faro Blake family

Mary Hicks Vercoe 1827
Samuel Varcoe 1830
Francis Vercoe    1836
Jane Frances 1847

The John and Jane Blake family appear to match the online family record with the later family groups being grandchildren of John and Jane Blake perhaps namely Samuel and Joseph.  The Edward and Mary and Edward and Margaret families do not have Edward and William the sons of the testator.

The burials (27 in total) provide some information but will not list them all here. Edward Blake, testator, was buried 4 Oct 1843 and he resided at Downs Gate, Ladock and was listed as 79 years of age giving him a year of birth circa 1765 which places him in the Edward and Ann Blake family with baptism in 1764. His sister Elizabeth has perhaps been buried in 1763 (the details for this burial do not give any further information than name and date of burial at Ladock). There was an Edward Blake buried at Lacock 30 Apr 1811 and an Anne Blake buried at Lacock 4 Apr 1802. The interesting item would be to relate the Edward and Ann, John and Frances, John and Ann, John and Jane families.

There are several Edward Blake marriages in Cornwall in Ladock and Probus namely:

Edward Blake and Anne Cock  married at Ladock 10 Jan 1761 witnesses Joseph Jolly and Michael Jenking

Edward Blake and Catherine Williams married at Probus 3 Dec 1796 witnesses William Williams and William Bone (groom of Laddock and bride of Probus)

Edward Blake and Margaret Hawke married 20 Nov 1811 at Ladock witnesses Walter Puckey, Grace Puckey with the groom a yeoman and the bride a spinster

There was a Catherine Blake buried 4 Oct 1841 age 73 years from Downs Gate, Ladock. The will is dated 3 Jun 1841 and this is likely the wife of the testator.

The next step is to find the baptisms of the children of Edward and Catherine Blake. There are none recorded on the OPC webpages for Edward and William with parents Edward and Catherine Blake.

The family search website records the baptism of Edward Blake 21 Sep 1800 at Bodmin Cornwall and the son of Edward and Catherine Blake.

There is also a John Blake baptized 15 Apr 1804 and a William Blake baptized 16 Jun 1805 both at Bodmin Cornwall and sons of Edward and Catherine Blake.

Bodmin is 16 miles NE of Ladock and 17 miles NE of Probus. Perhaps this will give clues as to the origin of this Blake family in Cornwall.

On the 1841 census for Ladock Enumeration District 9 (Book 3 Folio 7 Page 7) at Horse Pool Park is found the Anthony Rose family (wife Mary, daughters Jane, Ann, Mary and sons John, William, James) and with them Edward and Catherine Blake listed as Independent and born in the county of Cornwall. Their ages 75 and 70. The Rose family are witnesses to the will of Edward. Living at Gear Downs (perhaps next door but listed next to Horse Pool Park) is the Brewer family and Sarah the head of the family is 50 years and independent with her sons managing the farm.



Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 21 May 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1991/55
Testator:  Edward Blake,
Place: Ladock, Cornwall, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 3 Jun 1841, probated 23 Jan 1844
Condition: 19th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: Edward
[Margin]: Blake
[Margin] 5

1
In the Name of God Amen
2
I Edward Blake of the parish of Ladock in the County of Cornwall
3
being of perfect mind and memory make this my last will and Testament
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first I bequeath to my dear wife ten pounds a year for life. Secondly to
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my son Edward my houshold Furniture after my wife's decease and
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the Residue of Estate and Effects I give and bequeath to my Son William
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whom with Walter Williams Carpenter of Probus I hereby constitute and
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appoint Executors of this my last will and Testament In Witness whereof
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I have hereunto set my seal the third day of June in the year of our Lord
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One thousand eight hundred and forty one Edward Blake Witnesses
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Thomas Smith   Jenifer Rose   The Mark of Mary Rose    Ann Rose
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In the Prerogative Court of Canterbury
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In the goods of Edward Blake deceased
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eleventh January 1844
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Appeared Personally Ann Rose of the parish
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of Ladock in the County of Cornwall Spinster and made oath that she
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is one of the subscribing witnesses to the last Will and Testament of the
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said Edward Blake late of the parish of Ladock in the said County of
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Cornwall deceased which will is now hereunto annexec bearing date
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the third day of June one thousand eight hundred and forty one and thus
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subscribed “Edward Blake” That the said deceased executed his said will
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on the day of the date thereof by writing his aforesaid subscription as the
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same now appears thereon in the presence of this deponent and of Thomas
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Smith Schoolmaster Jenifer Rose Spinster and Mary Rose the wife of
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Anthony Rose Farmer all of the said parish of Ladock the other subscribing
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witnesses thereto all of whom were present at the same time and attes
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ted the execution of the said will by writing their names except the
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said Mary Rose who wrote her mark at the foot thereof as the same
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same appears on the said will respectively in the presence of him the
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said deceased and of each other and the deponent referring to the
32
appearance of the said will the same being written on half a sheet of
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paper only lastly made oath that her name is now in the same plight
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and condition as when so executed by the said deceased on the day of
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the date thereof Ann Rose Same day the said Ann Rose was duly
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sworn to the truth of this affidavit by virtue of the annexed Commission
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before me, Robert Lampen Commissioner
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Proved at London 23rd Jany 1844 before the Judge by the Oath
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of Walter Williams one of the Executors to whom admon was granted
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having been first sworn by Comon duly to administer power reserved
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of making the like Grant to William Blake the son the other Executor when he
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shall apply for the same