Friday, October 25, 2013

Will of Rice Blake, Linen Draper, Taunton, Somerset - The National Archives PROB 11/2238/299, probated 13 Sep 1856

Rice Blake (of Falmouth, Cornwall according to his marriage lines) is the testator and he married Elizabeth Newberry 22 Aug 1822 at Saint Mary, Taunton, Somerset.

Rice mentions three children in his will will: Rice, Catharine Alice wife of Thomas Fiske and Ellen Elizabeth Blake.

Children born to this couple (Family Search):

Elizabeth born 6 Jul 1827, Silver Street Baptist, Taunton
Catharine Alice born 8 Sep 1829, living at High Street, Taunton
Rice born 5 Oct 1835, Silver Street Baptist, Taunton
Mary Ann born 17 Jun 1833, Silver Street Baptist, Taunton

Ellen Elizabeth is missing from this list and she would have been born around 1841 according to the census below.

The 1851 census Rice Blake lives at 14 High Street in St Mary Magdalen parish, Borough of Taunton. He is listed as head, married 50 years of age a Linen and woolen draper and he was born at St Mawes Cornwall. His wife Elizabeth is 53 years of age and was born at Holborn Camden, Middlesex. With them, all born in Taunton Somerset,  is 21 year old Catherine their daughter, Maryann 13 years of age, Ellen their daughter 10 years of age, and one of their assistants Thomas Jago Blake age 19 from St Just Cornwall. 

Living next door at 15 High Street is Demas Hatcher, draper, 27 years of age born at Marnhull, Dorset. Demas’ wife is from St Mawes Cornwall interestingly enough. The marriage of Demas Hatcher and Catherine Mary Blake was celebrated 20 Jul 1848 at St Just in Roseland. He was a draper of Taunton Somerset son of Thomas Hatcher a farmer. Catherine Mary Blake was resident at St Mawes and the daughter of Robert Blake a merchant with witnesses Mary Symons Blake and H Blake. Catharine Mary was baptized 18 Jul 1822 at St Just in Roseland daughter of Robert and Ursula Blake. Robert Blake and Ursula Symons were married 23 Mar 1820 at St Just in Roseland with witnesses William Blake, Sarah Blake, Catharine Symons, George Davey.

He has a sister Sarah Rice Jago of Mevagissey, Cornwall.

He is Rice Blake baptized 7 Aug 1800 at St Just in Roseland son of William and Catherine Blake.
St Mawes is close to St Just in Roseland

Other children baptized by this couple at St Just in Roseland (OPC Cornwall site)

Hannah baptized 15 Sep 1791; buried 22 Apr 1830 (residence Mevagissey), 38 years
Sarah baptized 18 Apr 1794; buried 1 Aug 1794
Thomas Jago baptized 28 Oct 1796; buried 8 Aug 1797
Thomas Jago baptized 22 Apr 1798
Sarah Rice baptized 29 May 1799
James baptized 30 Jul 1803, born 21 Nov 1802 and received into church 5 Aug 1804

Burials at St Just in Roseland
William Blake, residence St Mawes, 54 years of age 24 Jan 1816
Catherine Blake, residence St Mawes, 74 years of age 9 Mar 1840

Marriages
William Blake married Catherine Jago at Mevagissey 22 Sep 1790, his residence was St Mawes and he was a merchant with witnesses Ann Jago and Thomas Jago.

There is a William Blake baptized 24 Jan 1762 at St Just in Roseland son of Robert Blake and Hannah James who were themselves married there 17 Jul 1759 with witnesses William James and Mark Tiddy.

Children baptized to Robert and Hannah at St Just in Roseland

James baptized 1 Jun 1760
William baptized 24 Jan 1762
Robert baptized 24 Jun 1764

Robert Blake was perhaps baptized 11 Aug 1729 at St Just in Roseland son of Robert Blake and Thomasin. There was a second child baptized to this couple John 17 Feb 1737 same place.

This Robert Blake was perhaps the Robert baptized 16 Aug 1702 at Saint Just in Roseland son of Robert Blake and Elizabeth.

How does Catharine Mary Hatcher relate to the testator? The will names her as his niece. Somewhat of a mystery perhaps there. Her father Robert Blake and mother Ursula Symons married 23 Mar 1820 at St Just in Roseland. Robert was perhaps the Robert baptized son of John and Hannah Blake 26 Oct 1788 at Saint Endellion, Cornwall. Also baptized by this couple at Saint Endellion were Robert 12 Mar 1786, William 12 Feb 1792, and Samuel Brown 13 Apr 1794. There was a William who was a witness to the marriage of Robert and Ursula. But does this family relate to the Blake family at St Mawes? John Blake married Hannah Brown 1 Mar 1780 at St Endellion. But I did not find a baptism yet for John. Possibly he was born between 1740 and 1760 and Robert and Thomasin Blake did baptize a son John at Saint Just in Roseland 17 Feb 1737. Along with Robert mentioned above baptized 11 Aug 1729 Elizabeth was baptized 12 Mar 1731 by Robert Blake and Thomasin at Saint Just in Roseland. This would be a fairly distant cousinship since Rice and Catharine Mary would have in common his great grandfather was a brother to her grandfather. John married fairly late at 43 whereas Robert married at 30 and was eight years older than John.

Now is it possible to work this Blake line into any of the Blake wills in Cornwall. The answer to that is no wills for this family line in Cornwall.

There is an abstract of administration for Robert Blake of St Just in Roseland in the Internal Revenue records 1 Jun 1799 which could be rather interesting. I do not happen to have that document but is downloadable from The National Archives website (UK). There appears to be an article in one of the British Newspapers so will check that out on Find my Past.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 22 Oct 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/2238/299
Testator: Rice Blake, Linen Draper
Place: Taunton, Somerset, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 4 Apr 1856, probated 13 Sep 1856
Condition: 19th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: Rice
[Margin]: Blake
[Margin]: 20

1    I Rice Blake of Taunton in the County of Somer-
2    set Linen Draper hereby revoke all wills codicils and other testamen-
3    tary dispositions heretofore made by me and declare this to be my last
4    will and testament I bequeath unto my dear wife Elizabeth Blake all
5    the household goods and furniture plate china wine and other liquors
6    brewing utensils books trinkets and household stores which shall be in
7    or about my dwelling house at the time of my decease I bequeath
8    unto my niece Catherine Hatcher the wife of Mr. Demas Hatcher of
9    Taunton aforesaid the sum of fifty pounds I bequeath unto my sister
10    Sarah Rice Jago of Mevagissey in the County of Cornwall the sum of
11    fifty pounds as a mark of my remembrance All the rest residue and
12    remainder of my Estate and Effects as well real as personal I give devise
13    and bequeath unto my said wife her heirs executors and administrators
14    according to the natures and tenures thereof respectively upon trust
15    that she my said wife do and shall during my present term and inter-
16    est in the messuage and premises which I now occupy for the purpose
17    of my business as a Linen and Woollen Draper in Taunton aforesaid
18    carry on the aforesaid business for her own absolute benefit if she
19    shall so long live and for that purpose to employ therein all of any
20    part of my said Estate and Effects And upon trust after the expiration of
21    the said term either to convert into money the capital employed in the
22    said business or otherwise to employ the same or any part thereof
23    in carrying on the said business either in the aforesaid premises or
24    elsewhere and either alone or in partnership with any other person
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25    or persons for such period and in such manner in all respects as she shall
26    think fit for her own benefit during her life And I direct that from and after
27    the decease of my said wife all of my said residuary real and personal estate
28    shall be held upon the trusts following (that is to say) Upon trust in the
29    first place to pay to my son Rice Blake the sum of one thousand pounds
30    and after payment thereof to pay and divide the clear residue thereof
31    amongst my three Children the said Rice Blake Catharine Alice the wife
32    of Thomas Fiske and Ellen Elizabeth Blake in equal shares and proporti-
33    ons But I direct that in case the said Ellen Elizabeth Blake she die under
34    the age of twenty one years and unmarried her said share shall go and
35    belong to my said two other Children in equal shares Provided always
36    and I hereby direct that for the purpose of ascertaining my capital employ-
37    ed in my said business and the amount of that part of my trust estate for the
38    purpose of the division as aforesaid after the decease of my said wife a
39    general stock taking Inventory and account of my stock in trade debts and receipts
40    shall be taken and made at the usual period (namely in the month of
41    August) after my decease and in the manner and form and with the deducti-
42    ons usually adopted by me by the said Demas Hatcher with the assistance
43    and inspection of my brother in law and late partner Mr Robert Newberry
44    and I direct that the clear balance of such stock taking and account (after
45    allowing for all debts and liabilities then due) shall be treated and consider-
46    ed as my capital employed in the said business at the time of my decease and
47    such account shall be signed bv my said wife admitting the amount thereof
48    to be correct and that that part of my said trust estate amounts to such sum
49    Provided always and I hereby direct that it shall be lawful for my said
50    wife at any time during the term of my occupation of my present shop
51    and premises but at her sole discretion to take my said son into my said
52    business as a partner with her on such terms as to the profits of the said
53    business and otherwise as to her shall seem fit and also at any time after
54    the expiration of such term to employ my said business capital or
55    part thereof in business either alone or in partnership with my son or
56    with my son and any other person or persons or (if she shall so think fit
57    wholly to relinquish the aforesaid business in favor of my said son do
58    that the same may be carried on by him either alone or in partner-
59    ship with any other person or persons But I direct that in case of any
60    such partnership or in case of such relinquishment of the said business my
61    said son shall give to my said wife a bond for securing such part of my
62    said trust capital with interest as may be advanced to him either for
63    entering into any such partnership as aforesaid with my said wife or for
64    carrying on the said business alone or in partnership with any other
65    person or persons other than my said wife and I authorize my said
66    wife to lend and advance any part of my said trust estate for any such
67    purpose or purposes to my said son if she in the absolute discretion
68    should so think fit without prejudice nevertheless to any absolute advance-
69    ment which may be made to my said son by virtue of the power herein-
70    after contained Provided also and I recommend my said wife to retain
71    Mr Demas Hatcher as her assistant during the term hereinbefore mention-
72    ed and so long thereafter as she shall carry on my said business alone at
73    a salary of not less than three hundred pounds per annum from the August
74    preceding my decease And also that the said Demas Hatcher should be
75    allowed in addition to such salary from such month of August out of
76    the profits of the said business the sum of ten shillings and six pence
77    for every funeral which he shall personally attend and superintend
78    but I direct that such recommendation shall not be construed or consider-
79    ed as an absolute direction or trust for his benefit And I particularly ask
80    and request that my brother in law and late partner Mr Robert Newberry
81    will as circumstances may arise advise my said wife with reference to
    [Page 3]
82    my said business and the accounts and affairs thereof Provided also and I hereby de-
83    clare that it shall be lawful for my said wife at any time during her life but at
84    her absolute discretion to advance to either of my said children all or any part
85    of his or her expectant share of my said trust property for or towards his or her
86    advancement or preferment in life or marriage or otherwise for his or her bene-
87    fit Provided also and I hereby direct that the residue of my said trust estate and
88    property not employed by my said wife in my said business or such part
89    thereof as shall from time to time be in her hands and not required therein
90    shall be converted into money and invested by her in her own name in or
91    upon any of the public stocks or funds of Great Britain or at interest upon govern-
92    ment or real securities and be varied altered and transposed from time to time
93    as she may think fit and that the same and the interest thereof shall be held
94    as she may think fit and that the same and the interest thereof shall be held
95    upon the trusts of this my will hereinbefore declared or on trusts correspond-
96    ing hereto And I further direct and declare that it shall be lawful for my said
97    wife during her life to appropriate and set apart by such investments as last
98    aforesaid any specific fund or funds to answer the share or shares of either of
99    my said Children in the aforesaid trust fund payable after the decease of my
100    wife during her life to appropriate and set apart by such investments as last
101    aforesaid any specific fund or funds to answer the share or shares of either of
102    my said Children in the aforesaid trust fund payable after the decease of my
103    said wife so as to relieve my general trust estate from all trusts attaching in
104    favor of the child or children for whom such investment shall be made
105    but I direct that such investments as last aforesaid shall be made in the name
106    of my said wife and some other person or persons to be chosen by her and not
107    in her own name alone and that the trusts of any such investment shall be
108    relayed by some deed or writing And I appoint my said wife Elizabeth Blake
109    Executrix of this my will and I declare that the receipts of my said wife her
110    executors and administrators for all monies due to me or to my estate shall be
111    effectual discharges for the same and from all liability to see to the application
112    thereof I empower my said wife her executors and administrators to com-
113    pound or allow time or accept security real or personal for the payment of
114    any debts due to my estate and to adjust by arbitration or otherwise dis-
115    perce in relation thereto or in relation to debts or demands against my
116    ____ and in the content and management of my said business to give such
117    receipt as she shall think fit I devise to my said wife Elizabeth Blake and her
118    heirs all the estates which may happen at my decease to be vested in me
119    as trustee or mortgagee subject to the equities and upon the trusts affecting
120    the same respectively but so that the monies secured by such mortgages
121    be considered part of my trust estate I declare that my said wife shall be
122    answerable only for such monies as shall come to her actual hands and
123    not for involuntary losses and I appoint my said wife Guardian of my
124    children during their respective minorities In witness whereof I have here-
125    under set my hand this fourth day of April in the year of our Lord one
126    thousand eight hundred and fifty six Rice Blake Signed by the
127    said Testator as his last will and testament in the presence of us present at
128    the same time who at his request in his presence and in the presence of
129    each other have subscribed our names as witnesses Richard Easton
130    Solicitor Taunton Arthur Adams of Taunton
131    Proved at London 13th Sept[embe]r 1856 before the Judge by the oath of Elizabeth
132    Blake widow the relict the sole Executrix to whom Admon was granted
133    having been first sworn by Com[miss]ion duly to administer.

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