Thursday, October 17, 2013

Will of Joseph Blake, Ash Prior, Somerset - The National Archives PROB 11/874/421, probated 24 Apr 1762

Joseph Blake of Ash Priors is the testator.

Robert Blake of Ash Prior, Gentleman left a will proven in 1753 (to come) which refers to his sons Robert, John and his brother Joseph. Robert Blake of Ash Prior is mentioned in the will of Edward Phelipps probated 1699 and this is perhaps the same Robert Blake or an ancestor of his. Edith Blake (daughter of John Blake of Langport was her father) and it was his will probated 1676 that mentioned his young daughter Edith and Robert Blake of Ash Prior Gent. Ash Prior is five miles from Wiveliscombe and within a few miles of Halse and Bishops Lydeard.

Syndercombe is a hamlet in Clatworthy parish about 3.5 miles North west of Wiveliscombe. There is a write up in British history online:
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=117130

Stawley is located about 3.5 miles south west of Wiveliscombe. Frogs farmhouse still exists at Stawley looking at that online. There isn’t a picture of the farm but it is estimated to be worth around 580,000 pound sterling (UK) today.

Free Reg does have a baptism for Robert Blake 24 May 1710 at Ash Priors son of John and Sarah Blake. There is also a baptism for Joseph Blake 17 Oct 1711 at Ash Priors son of Jono. and Sarah Blake. Also baptized to this couple at Ash Priors Mary 17 Jan 1706; buried 15 Nov 1722, Betty 22 Feb 1714, Anne baptized 12 Jul 1717,  Sarah 2 May 1720 and Susannah 11 Feb 1727.

Free Reg has the marriage of Betty Blake and Richard Cridland 18 Sep 1738 at Ash Priors.

Also found Robert Blake baptized 21 Jan 1747 and John Blake baptized 12 Nov 1752 and these are likely the nephews of Joseph Blake the testator (sons of Robert and Elizabeth Blake).

So who is John Blake married to Sarah and living at Ash Priors in the early 1700s? Looking at an earlier blog of mine:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/04/parish-records-in-overstowey-somerset.html

one can find John Blake and Sarah Uppam (of Ash Prior) married 15 Jan 1705 at Bicknoller which is 5 miles west of Overstowey. Is this a collateral family to Admiral Robert Blake? The will of Robert Blake probated in 1753 is to come and it may answer some questions. The John Blake living at Ash Priors in the early 1700s did not leave a will probated at PCC or in the holdings of the Somerset Record Office.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 16 Oct 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/874/421
Testator: Joseph Blake
Place: Ash Prior, Somerset, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 29 Aug 1759, probated 24 Apr 1762
Condition: 18th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: Joseph
[Margin]: Blake

1    The last Will and Testament
2    of Joseph Blake of Ashpryors in the County of Somerset
3    made this Twenty Ninth day of August in the Year of
4    our Lord one thousand Seven hundred and Fifty nine
5    in the first Place I give and bequeath unto my Godsons
6    John Cridland and Joseph Spurway and unto each of
7    them Five Guineas I Give unto my Neice Sarah
8    Cridland my Chest of Drawers which I purchased of
9    rhe late Mr Francies’s Sale I Give and Devise unto
10    my Nephew Robert Blake Son of my late Deceased
11    Brother Robert Blake All that my Messuage and
12    Tenement Situate at Stawley in the said County of
13    Somerset called or commonly known by the Name of Froggs
    [Page 2]
14    to hold the same unto my said Nephew his heirs and assigns
15    for ever absolutely freed acquitted and Discharged of all
16    Charges and Incumbrances thereon by me at any time made
17    I Give unto my Servant William Towills all my Common
18    every day Woollen Wearing Cloaths and the Sum of Twenty
19    Shillings over and above what Shall be due from me to him
20    for Wages at my Death Also I Give unto my Servant Joan
21    Hall all my Old Shirts and the like Sum of Twenty Shillings
22    beyond what Shall be due to her for Wages at my decease
23    I Give Devise and bequeath unto my Good Friends John
24    Frannceis of Combflorey in the County of Somerset Esq[uie]r and
25    Thomas Cridland of the same place Gent and to the Survivor
26    of them their and his heirs and assigns for ever All those
27    my undivided parts purpartyes and portions being a
28    third part otherwise three parts the whole in Nine parts
29    to be Divided of all that my Messuage and Tenement
30    commonly called or known by the Name of Roes or Syndercombe
31    situate within the Parish of Clatworthy in the Said County
32    of Somerset now in the possession of John Tout as my Under
33    Tenant To hold the same unto my said Good Friends John
34    Frannceis and Thomas Gridland their heirs and assigns
35    forever Upon Trust Nevertheless that they my said Trustees
36    and the Survivor of them and his heirs do and Shall
37    immediately after my Decease Sell and Dispose of the
38    Fee and Inheritance of my said Parts and Shares in the
39    same Messuage and Tenement called Roes or
40    Syndercombre for the best price he or they can get for the
41    same In the first place to Discharge the Incumbrance
42    thereon and on my said Estate at Stawley hereinbefore
43    Devised to my said Nephew Robert as far as the same
44    will Extend and go and in the next place such other Debts
45    as I shall owe at my Decease and the Legacys by me
46    hereby Given and the residue (if any) In Trust for the
47    person for whom my Executory Estate shall be herein
48    after Given And its my Will and I do hereby Order and
49    Direct that the Receipt of my said Trustees or Trustee
50    shall be a Sufficient Discharge to the Purchaser or
51    Purchasers of my third part of the premises aforesaid
52    All the rest and residue of my Goods Chattels Estates
53    Rights Credits personal and Testamentary Estate whatsoever
54    I Give Devise and bequeath the same unto the said
55    John Frannceis and Thomas Cridland whom I do hereby
56    make Joynt Executors and Trustees of this my Will In
57    Trust Nevertheless for my Nephew John Blake Son of my
58    said late Brother Robert Blake until he Shall arrive
59    to his Age of Twenty one Years unto Whom I then Give
60    the same But in Case of his Death before Twenty one
61    years Then In Trust for my said Nephew Robert Blake
62    his Executors Admors and Assigns unto whom in such case
63    I Give the same and its my Will and I do hereby Order
64    and Direct my said Trustees to Deduct to themselves
65    and himself all such Costs charges and Expences as They or
    [Page 3]
66    either of them Shall Expend lay out or be put unto
67    and about the Expiration of the Trust hereby in them
68    reposed In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set
69    my hand and Seal the Day and Year first above written
70    Jos[ep]h Blake 1759 Signed Sealed published and Declared
71    by the said Joseph Blake the Testator as for and to be
72    his last Will and Testament who have in his presence
73    and in the presence of each other set our names as
74    Witnesses hereto Phil[ip] Hancock Rich[ar]d Cridland
75    W[ilia]m Day
76    This Will was proved at London the
77    Twenty fourth day of April in the year of our Lord One
78    Thousand Seven hundred and Sixty two before the Right
79    Worshipful Sir Edward Simpson Knight doctor of
80    Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative
81    Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oaths
82    of John Franceis Esq[uie]r and Thomas Cridland the
83    Executors named in the said Will to whom Administration
84    was Granted of all and Singular the Goods Chattels
85    and Credits of the deceased they having been first
86    sworn by Commission duly to administer.

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