Monday, August 12, 2013

Will of Sarah Blake, Spinster, Cotleigh near Honiton - The National Archives PROB 11/1943/439, probated 27 Apr 1841

Sarah Blake is the testator and there is familial information in this will. The family lives at Cottleigh near Honiton in the County of Devon. Her father was named Richard and still living at the time of writing the will. Her brothers are Robert, Humphrey, Richard and her sister is Elizabeth Genge. Charles Blake is perhaps her nephew and she has put five pounds into a “stocking” for him it would appear.

I found Humphry Blake on the census in 1851 with his wife Jane living in Woodbury and he states that he was born at Cotleigh Devon and he is 61 years old (Wheelwright) so approximate year of birth would be 1790. Humphrey Blake married Joan Gould 10 Jun 1811 at Plymtree, Devon. Their children include:

Mary Blake baptized 11 Oct 1812 at Plymtree, Devon (Family Search P00179-1)
Robert Blake baptized 14 May 1815 at Plymtree, Devon
George Anthony Blake baptized 25 Dec 1819 at Woodbury, Devon (Family Search C05218-1)
Henry Blake baptized 21 Jan 1822 at Woodbury, Devon
Charles Blake baptized 25 Dec 1824 at Woodbury, Devon

There is a marriage of a Robert Blake to Mary Stark 13 Mar 1816 at Plymtree.

Honiton is 8 miles ESE of Plymtree and Cotleigh is 10 miles E of Plymtree.

On the 1841 census at Cottleigh there is a Richard Blake farmer living on his own and his age is listed as 80 so approximate year of birth would be 1761 but these years are rounded up or down so close to that age but might not be correct. He is living at Mondays, Cotleigh.

The 1841 census was taken on 6 Jun 1841 and Sarah would have been deceased since her will was probated 27 Apr 1841. Given the year of birth of her brother Humphrey Sarah was possibly over 40 when she died.

I could not find Elizabeth Genge on the census other than one who was married to a Thomas but living in Somerset and this Elizabeth was born in Newfoundland.

In the Gentleman’s Magazine and Historical Review, Volume 61, Part 2 under Marriages and Deaths of Eminent Persons I found on page 680 for July 14:

At Plymtree, Devon, Richard Blake, esquire. Merchant, of Bristol, to Miss Harward, daughter of the Dean of Exeter. Later in the Haward family the name “Blake” was used as a middle name (namely the monumental inscriptions at Plymtree as noted in the following website:

http://www.plymtree.org.uk/st-john-the-baptist/churchyard-and-monument-inscriptions

Does this will relate at all to the will of Richard Blake, merchant, Exeter probated 22 Jan 1702/03. He died childless but is this the same family whom I suspect are from the Somerset family?

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/08/will-of-richard-blake-merchant-exeter.html

This a rather recent find on the medieval genealogy site:

CP 25/1/45/72, number 56.
County:     Devon.
Place:     Westminster.
Date:     Two weeks from Easter, 6 Henry [IV] [3 May 1405].
Parties:     Richard Blake, querent, and Robert Blake and Englisa (or Euglisa), his wife, deforciants.
Property:     1 messuage and 23 acres of land in Haccombe and Combe.
Action:     Plea of covenant.
Agreement:     Robert and Englisa have acknowledged the tenements to be the right of Richard, as those which he has of their gift.
For this:     Richard has granted to Robert and Englisa the tenements and has rendered them to them in the court, to hold to Robert and Englisa and the heirs of the body of Robert, of the chief lords for ever. In default of such heirs, successive remainders (1) to Thomasia, daughter of Richard Blake, and the heirs of her body, (2) to John Wodelond' and Edith, his wife, and the heirs of their bodies and (3) to the right heirs of Robert.

Standardised forms of names. (These are tentative suggestions, intended only as a finding aid.)
Persons:     Richard Blake, Robert Blake, Englisa Blake (or Euglisa Blake), Thomasia Blake, John Woodland, Edith Woodland
Places:     Haccombe, Combeinteignhead (in Haccombe)
http://www.medievalgenealogy.org.uk/fines/abstracts/CP_25_1_45_72.shtml

Is this perhaps the Blake family of Coombe found in the Visitation of Cornwall? An abstract thought at this point in time but did not want to lose the reference. The visitation begins with John Blake of Comb and Elizabeth Lugar of Modburye and their son John. There isn’t a Richard in this line however but the reference appeared when I searched for “Richard Blake” + Plymtree on Google.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 12 Aug 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1943/439
Testator: Sarah Blake, Spinster
Place: Cottleigh near Honiton, Devon, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 27 Jun 1840, probated 27 Apr 1841
Condition: 18th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: Sarah
[Margin]: Blake
[Margin]: 10

1    This is the last Will and Testament
2    of me Sarah Blake of Cottleigh near Honniton in the County
3    of Devon Spinster First I direct all my just debts funeral and testamenta-
4    ry expences to be fully paid and satisfied then I give and bequeath unto
5    my sister Elizabeth Genge wife of Thomas Genge of Shadwell in then
6    County of Middlesex Vintner all my cloathes linen and wearing ap-
7    parel of every description whatsoever and I direct my Executrix herein
8    after named to collect get in and receive all my money and Personal
9    Estate whatsoever and wheresoever and place the same out at interest in the public
10    funds or on other good security and I direct that the interest thereof shall
11    accumulate until the death of my Father Richard Blake of Cottleigh afore-
12    said unless he the said Richard Blake fall into misfortunes and be with
13    out the means of support then I direct that the interest of the money then
14    invested shall be paid to him during his life and after his decease I
15    give and bequeath unto my said sister Elizabeth Genge the sum of
16    twenty pounds part of the said stock monies and accumulations and as
17    to all the rest residue and remainder of the said stock monies and accumu-
18    lations I give and bequeath the same equally to be divided between my
19    brothers and sister Robert Blake Humphrey Blake Richard Blake and
20    the said Elizabeth Genge to be paid to them as soon after the decease of
21    my said father as conveniently can be and I hereby nominate con-
22    statute and appoint my said sister the said Elizabeth Genge sole
23    Executrix of this my will In witness whereof  I the said Sarah Blake
24    the testatrix above named have to this my last Will and Testament
25    set my hand this twenty seventh day of June in the year of our Lord
26    One thousand eight hundred and forty
27    I gave to my Nether Charles Blake five pounds to be paid him at the
28    age of twenty one or after the deth of my Father Sarah Blake Signed
29    published and declared by the said Sarah Blake the testatrix above
30    named as and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us who
31    in her presence at her request and in the presence of each other have
32    subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereto Henry North Mary
33    Bromfeild Jane Bucke Robert Hale
34    In the Prerogative Court of Canterbury
35    In the Goods of Sarah Blake Spinster deceased
36    Appeared Personally Mary Bromfield the
37    wife of William Bromfield of the parish of Cottleigh in the Colunty of
38    Devon Miller and made oath that she is one of the subscribed witness-
39    ses to the execution of the last Will and Testament now hereunto annex-
40    ed of Sarah Blake late of Cotleigh near Honiton in the County of Devon
41    Spinster deceased the said Will being now marked “No 1” and beginning
42    thus “This is the last Will and Testament of me Sarah Blake of Cottleigh
    [Page 2]
43    near Honiton in the County of Devon Spinster “ending thus “In
44    witness whereof the said Sarah Blake the testatrix above named in
45    have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand this twenty
46    seventh day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred
47    and forty and being thus subscribed Sarah Blake” and the deponent
48    having now carefully viewed and observed the said Will but more
49    particularly the following obliterations therein and addition thereto to
50    with the words “all my cloathes linen and wearing apparel of every
51    description whatsoever” obliterated by being ran through as with a pen
52    in the seventh and eighth lines from the top of the first side of the said
53    will the word twenty in the date at the foot of said Will appearing
54    to have been misspelt or to have been converted from some other word
55    and lastly the following words appearing to be written at the end of the
56    said will to wit “I gave to my Nether Charles Blake five pounds to
57    paid him at the age of twenty one or after the death of my Father”
58    this Appearer does depose that the said obliterations in and addition to
59    the said Will were respectively so made and done previously to the exe-
60    cution of the said Will by the said testatrix that the said testatrix so executed
61    her said Will on the twenty seventh day of the Month of June in the
62    year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty being the day
63    on which the same bears date and the same is now in all res-
64    pects in the very same plight and condition as when so executed by
65    the said Sarah Blake Spinster the testatrix deceased as aforesaid
66    Mary Bromfeild On Thursday the fifteenth day of April in the
67    year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty one the said
68    Mary Bromfield was duly sworn to the truth of the aforegoing affi-
69    davit by virtue of the annexed Commission Before me William
70    Michell Rector of Cotleigh in the County of Devon Commissioner
71    Proved at London 27th April 1841 before the Worsful August Frederick Bayford Dr of Laws and Surrogate by the Oath
72    of Elizabeth Genge Wife of Thomas Genge the sister the sole Executrix
73    to whom Admon was granted having been first sworn
74    duly to administer.

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