Blake yDNA study - two new results

There are two new results in the Blake yDNA study:

http://www.familytreedna.com/public/blake/default.aspx?section=yresults

and I have not yet placed them into any of the groups.

Assigning all the R1b to Ireland has now proven to be somewhat problematic and this was the result of the work of an earlier co-administrator of the Blake yDNA project. It is now possible, due to the excellent work of three members of the Galway Blake family, to separate out this Blake family in Ireland with known roots having descended from Richard Caddell also known as Richard Blake in Galway. This will be exceedingly helpful to those tracing back in the Galway Blake lines. Because of marriage contracts and as a result of particular wills there may be other lines that belong to this family and I do hope to hear from any one who does descend from the Galway Blake lines but does not match the known groupings for Towerhill and Kiltolla.

Kit number 296470 has Germany as the place of origin of his Blake line with Robert B Blake named as born in 1776 and died in 1853 and belonging to R1a1a. The Blake family in Norfolk is also in the R1a1a line but with just 12 markers showing thus far there are two differences - DYS385b and DYS389I and will wait for the next set of markers to come. This tester is extremely interesting though and will try to discover his Germany ancestry. The Norfolk Blake family is very very ancient to Norfolk at least back into the 1300s.

Kit number 300488 has markers which show a closeness to the Irish Group I Irish Ancestry (Supplementary) but has known East Anglia ancestry and again Blake lines in East Anglia have deep ancestry there going back to the 1400s and 1300s. It is this particular tester that is inclining me to look at the Group I in a different way.

In both cases there are more markers to come so I shall leave them ungrouped for the moment.

Will of Elizabeth Blake, Spinster, Preshute, Wiltshire - The National Archives PROB 11/2060/316, probated 3 Mar 1848

Elizabeth Blake is the Testatrix and how she relates to the Maurice and Green families mentioned in her will is not obvious at this point. Elizabeth is on the census at Plough Cottage, Manton Tything, Preshute, Marlborough in 1841, 60 years of age (born in 1781), not born in Wiltshire and living with her Philippina Brewer (age 60 years born in Wiltshire), Hanah Pinnegar (35 years of age and born in Wiltshire), Ellenor Dance (15 years of age and born in Wiltshire), James Annetts (35 years of age and born in Wiltshire). At this time Elizabeth is a mystery.

Fascinating story about the Mr David Pierce Maurice of Marlborough Surgeon in the Daily Mail 28 Aug 2009:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1209663/GP-hangs-stethoscope-bringing-end-dynasty-doctors-dating-1792.html

He was the first of six generations of doctors who had led the town of Marlborough’s medical practice since 1792. The first being Dr Thelwall Blisset Maurice (born in 1767 and joined the practice in 1792. His widow Ann is mentioned in the will below. From Family search it appears that David Pierce Maurice married Marianne Bullock 3 Aug 1829 at Wroughton, Wiltshire. David Pierce Maurice was born 5 March 1802 and baptized 18 Jun 1803 at St Peter and St Paul, Marlborough son of Thelwall and Ann Maurice. Thelwall Maurice and Ann Brewer were married 21 Jul 1794 at Overton, Wiltshire.

The children of David and Marianne Maurice baptized at St Peter and St Paul, Marlborough:

Julia Anna 6 Jul 1833
Thelwall Pierce baptized 30 Jul 1834
Elizabeth Emily 16 Mar 1836
Oliver Calley 15 Jan 1838
James Blake 23 Oct 1840

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 28 Nov 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/2070/316
Testator: Elizabeth Blake, Spinster
Place: Preshute, Wiltshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 7 May 1847, probated 3 Mar 1848
Condition: 19th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: Elizabeth
[Margin]: Blake
[Margin]: 8

1    This is the last Will and Testament
2    of me Elizabeth Blake of Plough Cottage in the parish of Preshute in the County
3    of Wilts Spinster I give and bequeath to my Executrix and Executor hereinafter
4    named the sum of one hundred pounds Upon trust to pay thereout all my just debts
5    funeral and testamentary expences and the expence of proving this my Will and after
6    payment and satisfaction thereof upon trust to pay the residue which shall be left
7    (if any) in aid of my personal estate and in case the said sum of one hundred pounds
8    shall prove insufficient for the purposes aforesaid then I direct that the deficiency
9    shall be made good out of the residue of my personal estate I give and bequeath the
10    following legacies namely To Mr David Pierce Maurice of Marlborough Surgeon
11    the sum of sixty pounds To Mr James Green of No 96 Stock Road Lambeth the sum
12    of nineteen pounds To Mrs Elizabeth Green his Wife the sum of one hundred pounds
13    To Elizabeth Green their daughter the sum of nineteen pounds To Mrs Elizabeth
14    Smith of Great Bedwin the sum of five pounds To Catherine Smith her daughter
15    the sum of nineteen pounds and nineteen shillings To the rest of the now unmarried
16    daughter of the said Mr Smith except Charlotte Smith the sum of fifty pounds to be
17    equally divided between them To Mrs Ann Maurice of Marlborough Widow the
18    sum of thirty pounds To Mrs Thelwell Blissett Maurice of Reading the sum of nine-
19    teen pounds and nineteen shillings To Mr James Maurice the sum of forty pounds
20    To Mrs Martha Grainger of Bowery Lane Righgate the sum of forty pounds
21    To Mrs Ellinor Bullock the sum of nineteen pounds and nineteen shillings To Miss
22    Mary Maurice of Marlborough the sum of nineteen pounds and nineteen shil-
23    lings To the Reverend John Maurice the sum of five pounds To the Reverend
24    Thomas Maurice the sum of five pounds as a remembrance to both To my friend
25    Phillippina Brewer residing with me the sum of fifty pounds To my servants
26    Hannah Pinnegar and James Annetts if they shall be living with me at the time
27    of my death ten pounds each and to Ellinor Dance if she shall be living with me
28    at the time of my death the sum of three pounds And I direct that the said sum
29    of one hundred pounds together with the said several legacies hereinbefore
30    bequeathed by me shall be paid by my Executrix and Executor hereinafter named
31    out of my money in the funds or elsewhere within twelve months after my decease
32    All the rest Residue and remainder of my money securities for money household
33    furniture goods chattels personal estate and effects whatsoever and wheresoever and
34    of what nature and kind soever I give and bequeath unto the said Philippina
35    Brewer her executors administrators and assigns for ever and their own use
36    absolutely And lastly I appoint the said Phillippina Brewer and the said James
37    Maurice Executrix and Executor of this my Will hereby revoking all former
38    Wills and Codicils by me at any time heretofore made and declaring this to be my
39    last Will and Testament In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and
40    seal this eleventh day of May one thousand eight hundred and forty seven in the
41    presence of the two persons who names are subscribed hereto as witnesses
42    Elizabeth Blake Signed sealed published and declared by the said
43    Elizabeth Blake the Testatrix as and for her last Will and Testament in the pre-
44    sence of us both present at the same time who in her presence at her request and
45    in the presence of each other have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses
46    John Lundry Clatford and Daniel Rawlin Clatford
47    Proved at London 3rd March 1848 before the Worshipful Magistrate
48    Frederic Bayford doctor of Laws and Surrogate by the oath of James Maurice
49    Esquire one of the Executors to whom Admon was granted having been first sworn
50    duly to administer Power reserved of making the like grant to Philippina Brewer
51    Spinster the other Executor when she shall apply for the same

Will of Elinor alias Eleanor Blake of Ashton Keynes, Wiltshire - The National Archives PROB 11/1516/434, probated 28 Nov 1810

Elinor Blake is the testatrix and I have not yet determined if she was of the City of London originally or of Ashton Keynes, Wiltshire. Close by to Ashton Keynes is Somerford Keynes (2 miles), Cirencester (5 miles).

The marriage of Christian Blake and Robert Swaysland was celebrated 6 April 1779 at Saint Clement Danes, Westminster, London, England (M04160-1 Family Search).

There is a Sarah Stafford, widow, 66 years of age, born in 1785 on the 1851 Census at Newington, Surrey and she was born at Newington, Surrey (Stockwell, Surrey is a chapelry parish at Lambeth). I could not discover if her maiden name was Blake.

Is George Renals her brother George Blake? Perhaps the Surrey wills will shed some light on this family.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 28 Nov 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1516/434
Testator: Elinor alias Eleanor Blake
Place: As[h]ton Keynes, Wiltshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 17 Aug 1807, probated 28 Nov 1810
Condition: 19th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: Elinor
[Margin]: oth[erw]ise
[Margin]: Eleanor
[Margin]: Blake
[Margin]: 6

1    I Elinor Blake late of Bermondsey in the
2    City of London but now of Aston Keynes in the County of Wilts do
3    make and ordain this writing to be my last will and Testament in manner and
4    form following viz [a vit] I give bequeath to my Sister Christian Swaisland
5    wife of Robert Swaisland now residing at No 16 Maglin Street London
6    the Interest of Two hundred pounds now out at Interest during
7    the term of her natural life and at her decease I give and bequeath
8    the aforesaid sum of Two hundred pounds with all the Interest that may be due or remaining unpaid on the said Sum of two hundred pounds to be equally divided
9    betwixt the four following persons viz [a vit] George or otherwise Renals
10    Butcher now residing at No 50 Tooly Street London Elinor Swaisland
11    the daughter of Christian Swaisland Mary Manning the daughter of Sam[ue]l
12    Manning of the Town of Cirencester Cordwainer and Elinor Manning
13    the daughter of the said Samuel Manning Cirencester aforesaid to be
14    equally divided betwixt them in four equal parts I give and
15    bequeath to Sarah Stafford the wife of ___ Stafford of Stockwell Cordwainer
16    I give and bequeath to John Manning the Son of Samuel Manning
17    of Cirencester likewise I give unto Elinor Swaisland and Elizabeth Stinler
18    each of them the sum of five pounds apiece to be paid at the time of
19    my decease I give unto William Blake the Son of my Bro[the]r George
20    to be paid at the time of my decease the Sum of twenty pounds I
21    give unto George the Son of my Bro[the]r George Blake the Sum of
22    Twenty pounds to be paid at my decease all the rest and residue of my
23    money I give and bequeath unto Thomas Selby of Ashton Keynes
24    his two daughters viz [a vit] the wife of Isaac Mathews and the wife of Jno
25    White both of Somerford in the County of Wilts I likewise give and
26    bequeath unto Mary White my Chest of Drawers my will and desire
27    is that this my last mentioned property shall be equally divided
28    betwixt my Bro[th]er in law Thomas Selby and his two daughters as aforesaid
29    and I do nominate and appoint George or otherwise  Renals to be the Executor
30    of this my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have
31    hereunto set my hand and seal that is my hand to the first part and my hand and Seal to this second part this seventeenth
32    day of August in the Year of our Lord 1807 Elinor Blake
33    Signed sealed and declared in our presence and we in her presence
34    and in the presence of each other have subscribed our names as
35    Witnesses to the execution thereof John Savory Esther Savory
36    Proved at London 28th November 1810 before the worshipful John
37    Danbury d[octo]r of Laws and Surr[oga]te by the oath of George she app[ointed] other[wise]
38    Renals described in the will George otherwise Renals the sole Executor
39    being sworn to administer

Gen2.0 and Alleles 67 to 111 for Blake

Along with doing BritainsDNA Chromo2 which included both Fatherline and Motherline as well as All Your Ancestry (this last is still to come), I also did Gen2.0 from National Genographic DNA project and increased the Alleles from 67 to 111 for my Blake line. I am still awaiting the results from Gen2.0 (at 40% for a couple of weeks now) and the increase in alleles has just been batched at FT DNA for delivery mid January. This does appear to be the year for looking at the deep ancestry of my Blake yDNA and my mtDNA line following back through the mother line which on paper does not go back very far (my great grandmother Ellen Taylor died in 1897 at the age of 37 years and then family lore back another three generations to Mary Hudson baptized 1753 at Corley, Warwickshire but is this correct does tend to haunt me and so I have this broken line back before Ellen Taylor)  but the mutations takes me back to the west coast of Scotland in the Blood of the Isles database and before that crossing Doggerland to prehistoric Britain and before that wintering at Ukraina during the last great ice age 15,000 years ago.

I started doing genealogy after the computer age had already entered into genealogical research. In particular, DNA was starting to become a useful tool for genealogical research and it was this idea that indeed using my own DNA I could look backwards through the mists of time and learn more about my lines because the paper trails for the most part will only take most people back to the mid 1500s if you are descended from the British as I am and perhaps a little further with the manor records and wills which includes my Blake line back into the late 1400s and perhaps a little earlier still as I get around to reading those ancient documents.

Watching my husband research his lines these past 45 years, I have marveled at his patience going through all those books and documents both paper and film. I used to look up items for him before our children arrived but I could never really get into doing my own lines. Knowing all the migration stories of my ancestors, knowing all their places of birth back a number of generations I just couldn't acquire the interest necessary to get me to do genealogy way back then.

But seeing the explosion in DNA suitable for genealogical discovery quite swung the balance with me and along with that the desire to follow that paper trail. So now I am an avid genealogist with 42 courses to my credit from the National Institute of Genealogical Studies in Methodology, British and Canadian Studies. A graduate in both British and Canadian Records along with Methodology in 2007 I look back these six years now and I am amazed at how valuable all that course work has been to me. Granted I could have just listened to the lists but the tools of genealogy, the methods in particular have proved absolutely invaluable to me as I hunted down elusive points in order to more clearly show the lines hidden by time.

Now into one name studies of my Blake (fatherline) and Pincombe (motherline) families, I can see the years ahead of me continuing to transcribe all of these myriad of documents that I have acquired by traveling, by suggesting that instead of buying me that item that you think I would really like buy me wills instead from the county record offices for Christmas! I have years and years worth of transcription already at my fingertips and as I become more deeply entrenched in my daily occupation of transcription I am slowly drawing away from any commitments that take me away from my beloved transcriptions. But occasionally through the email a document reaches me that quite catches my interest and I set aside my planned transcription in favour of tasting this new piece of information.

For me it is as much about who I am when I busily transcribe these documents maintained by my Church (I am Anglican or Church of England in Canada as it was known) as it is about the discovery of Blake or Pincombe and who they all were. I can feel and sense the power of God in all of this but particularly in the older wills where one first satisfied one's duty to God before all else. The depth of the belief that our ancestors had in God and Jesus Christ made their lives so much more meaningful to them.

Happy Thanksgiving to our American neighbours as they share around the table of family this evening.

Will of Edward Blake - The National Archives PROB 11/148/64, probated 12 Jan 1626

Edward Blake, the testator, does not give his place of residence but does request to be buried in the Churchyard of the parish Church at Lu[d]gershall which is in Wiltshire so I have placed his will in Wiltshire. However, his property is at Andover which, as always, catches my eye as my Blake line was at Andover and environs. Is this Edward Blake grandson of Robert Blake (brother to Nicholas Blake who left his will in 1547 at [Knights] Enham? He would be quite elderly as his birth was estimated to be circa mid 1540s making him circa 85 years old. At this point he has son Edmont and daughters Margaret and Katterne mentioned in the will and the son of Edmont Nicholas and daughter Elizabeth. His daughter in law Elizabeth is perhaps the wife of Edmont but this isn’t mentioned. Nicholas appears to be old enough to inherit property so 21.

Ludgershall is 8 miles WNW of Andover. The wills that I have coming from the Hampshire Record Office may help to understand this will somewhat better as they are dealing with the Blake family at Andover.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 26 Nov 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/148/64
Testator: Edward Blake
Place: England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 4 May 1625, probated 12 Jan 1626
Condition: 17th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: T[estament] Edwardi
[Margin]: Blake

1    In the Name of God Amen this is my will and testament made
2    the fourth daie of May, 1625 Item I bequeath my soule into the hand of God and his sonne
3    Jesus Christ which I hope to be my savior and my bodie to be buried in the churchyard of
4    Lurg[er]shall Item I give to my daughter Margaret lx pounds Item I give to my daughter Katte-
5    rne lxxx pounds Item I doe give to my sonne Edmont Blake his sonne Nicholas Blake all my
6    lands in Andever Item I doe give to his daughter Elizabeth xl pounds Item I give to his daughter
7    Marie x pounds Item I give to the church of Lurgeshall 5 shillings and all the rest of my goods moveable and
8    unmoveable I doe appoint my daughter in lawe Elizabeth Blake to be my sole executor of this
9    my last will and testament and the executor to have fell twelve monethes ende to paie those lega-
10    sies and I doe appoint to be my overseers William Maten of Tedworth and Thomas Andres
11    the elder of Collingborne Signed sealed and deliv[er]ed in the presence of us John Noyes his
12    marke Nicholas Gurton

Blake family of Upper Clatford/Andover/Penton Mewsey

With the testing now complete at BritainsDNA, I can now begin to forge ahead with my own Blake line as I work away at the Blake wills at PCC and County Record Offices. My own line has sat on the sidelines for a bit as I have no matches for the yDNA signature on the major databases (only on the Blood of the Isles database). Since I know that my line in Canada yDNA signature wise is only my brothers, I knew that finding more about that line had to come out of studies being done in the British Isles. I needed to have a comparison of my line with the databases that had been established in the Peoples of the British Isles study in particular.

My own line looked ancient to the British Isles as observed by several knowledgeable genetic genealogists who were looking carefully at the I haplogroup. But having this verified by BritainsDNA and labelling my line as pre-historic Britain is very helpful to learning more about my line.

In particular at what point in the past did the acquire the surname Blake? I know they carried it from the late 1400s on as a direct family line but at what point had they done so was a question in my mind. The why of doing so is probably going to be straightforward. My suspicion is that they married into the Blake family and simply took on their surname for whatever reason. At Andover they were referred to as Mr. [forename] Blake in the earliest registers although this disappeared in the latter part of the 1600s. The wills indicate that they did own some freehold property (Andover, Eastontown, Knights Enham and Penton Mewsey) and tended to be on the land initially but my ancestor became a draper in Andover (perhaps because he was the youngest son of five).

I now want to continue working on the Parish Registers for Abbots Ann and did finish a couple more pages yesterday but still only in the mid 1600s. My need to look at this parish in the early years is because the Blake family was there in the 1700s on and I want to determine if they had been there prior to that time.

Out of all this work on the Hampshire Parish Registers in this area I hope to discover the distinct Blake lines that lived in the area.

BritainsDNA Results - Blake yDNA and mtDNA

I received the results for my brother's Chromo2 test from BritainsDNA for both the yDNA and mtDNA.

First and foremost the results verify the testing already done at FT DNA (I-L161) and the Genographic 1.0 project. Still awaiting results from Gen 2.0 for our line.

The total number of snps listed in the raw data file number 14, 288 with 277 positive, 25 no call, 2 back mutations and 5 bracketed positive. Since there are no matches in any database for our line (other than the Blood of the Isles which has a limited number of markers), this result will help me to look at the deep ancestry of our Blake line which is found in the Andover, Hampshire, UK area on paper back into the late 1400s and with a couple of documents not yet transcribed/read probably back into the late 1300s with the surname. This yDNA line ends in this generation with my brothers (four in total) as they do not have any sons. However, there are known fourth and fifth cousins of my line still living in the Andover area. The debate has been in my mind these last six years as to whether or not I should call/write to them and introduce myself and ask them if they would be willing to test their yDNA line to verify the line at least back to Joseph Blake and further back if any descendants still exist from the larger family. In my line prior to Joseph there are two only children generations but the Blake family at Andover was larger prior to that time.

BritainsDNA does a marvelous job of displaying the results for their testers. The Fatherline is named as Deer Hunters and belonging to I haplogroup - S185. This is one of the founder lines of the prehistoric British Isles and in particular Britain and Ireland. The highest concentration of this particular haplogroup subclade is found in Ireland. This group will be further defined once there are enough data points to conclusively point to a more branched tree beyond S185. The genetic signature for this group has 285 SNPs which is an incredible number and will put geneticists/genetic  genealogists at work for a while coming up with the tree structure.

The world distribution of this group is equally interesting with the highest frequency in Ireland and then Great Britain and the Germanic states, followed by Wales, France and Sweden/Norway. This does tend to make me think that the original thought, that this particular haplogroup wintered through the last Ice Age in the Balkans, very plausible. Then as the ice retreated they would move naturally up towards the Germanic States and then move out from there into the Scandinavian Peninsula and France and across Doggerland to the now British Isles. The bulk of them moving right to the edge of this land form now known as Ireland.

Looking at the distribution of haplogroups within the study I haplogroup includes 18.1% of the participants which is actually very good representation for this haplogroup which occurs in around 10% of British peoples. I-S185 is just 0.9% of the entire I haplogroup in this study so can be seen to be quite infrequent (less than 0.2% of the participants at BritainsDNA).

The study also provides a world view, a regional view, a four nations maping and the phylogenetic tree of your study name.

Moving on to the Motherline information from the study (I did the Chromo2 and All my Ancestry or the complete package except the Red Head analysis and I may do that one time just out of interest) and it too exactly matched the haplogroup subclade which we tested at FT DNA. The title given to this haplogroup was Pioneers and the umbrella haplogroup is H with the subtype being H11a2a1. H is a huge haplogroup and 50% of Europeans belong to H and within the BritainsDNA study they show 25.9% of their members are H haplogroup and belong to the mother group R0 which is 46.8% of the participants. H1 has been separated out and it is 16.3% so a total value of H 42.2% which comes closer to the 50% anticipated in the British Isles.

Since I am the administrator for the H11 project at FT DNA, I have been able to do quite a bit of work looking at some branches of H11 and I am fairly convinced that my line wintered in Ukraina Refuge where the best matches to my H11a2a1 can be found outside of the British Isles. They would have come through Doggerland likely into Scotland where the Blood of the Isles database shows two members of this subclade in Argyllshire. Matches are also found in Northern Ireland.

My main interest in doing this testing was to look at the yDNA on a UK testing site and I am very pleased with the results. If they ever do a matching database it could prove interesting for my line.

The Blake yDNA study at FT DNA has successfully separated out two distinct Blake lines - Galway Blake and the Norfolk Blake which can be traced down to present day and back to the earliest records for these areas. More Blake yDNA carriers testing for the study can only increase the ancient ancestral knowledge of this incredible family. 

Will of Charles Blake, Upholsterer, Salisbury, Wiltshire - The National Archives PROB 11/375/449, probated 8 Apr 1684

The testator, Charles Blake, would appear to be the grandson of Charles Blake whose will was blogged yesterday. Charles identifies his father as Charles Blake of Chilhampton.

Charles, the testator, identifies his brothers as Richard Blake and Christopher Blake and his sisters as Mary Chalke, Ann Chase and Martha Blake. He has a cousin Charles Gilbert that is rather interesting to me.

Discovering the origins of the Blake family at South Newton could be rather revealing for the Blake families found in the Wiltshire/Hampshire area especially given that the Gilbert family and the Blake family also intermarried at Andover.

His father Charles Blake is still living in l684 and he was known to have been baptized at South Newton 2 Oct 1631. His marriage lines I have not yet found but if he married by 1652 then this son could be as old as 31. He does not have a wife so is probably a fairly young adult perhaps only in  his mid 20s although he is in business as an upholsterer.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 25 Nov 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/375/449
Testator: Charles Blake, Upholsterer
Place: Salisbury, Wiltshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 5 Mar 1683/84, probated 8 Apr 1684
Condition: 17th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: T[esta]m[ent] Carolus
[Margin]: Blake

1    In the Name of God Amen the
2    fifth day of March in the yeare of our Lord God 1683/4 Charles Blake of the
3    Citty New Sarum in the County of Wilts Upholsterer being sick and weake of body
4    but of perfect minde and memory thanks be given unto God therefore calling unto
5    minde the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men ev[er]ie
6    to die Doe make and ordaine this my last will and Testament in manner and
7    forme following that is to say First and principally I give my Soule into the hands of
8    God who gave it mee and for my body I commend it to the earth to be buried in
9    Christian and decent manner in the Church of St Thomas nothing doubting but
10    at the general resurrection I shall receive the same againe by the mighty power of
11    God And as touching such worldly estate as it hath pleased God to blesse mee
12    in this life I give devise bequeath and dispose the same in manner and forme
13    following Imp[rimi]s I give and bequeath for the good will I beare unto my brother
14    Richard Blake a hundred and Fifty pound and the Lease of the house I now
15    dwell in Item I give and bequeath unto my sister Mary Chalke Five pounds
16    Item I give and bequeath to my Sister Anne Chase Tenne pounds Item I
17    give and bequeath to my Brother Christopher Tenne pounds Item I give
18    and bequeath to my sister Martha Tenne pounds Item I give my Cousen
19    Charles Gilbert halfe a peece And of this my last Will I make and ordaine my
20    dearly beloved Father Charles Blake of Chilhampton in the parish of
21    Southnewton in the County of Wilts aforesaid and my Brother Richard Blake
22    of New Sarum aforesaid my joint Executors and I doe hereby utterly revoke
23    and Annull all other Testaments Wills Legacies bequests and Executors by
24    mee in any wise before this time named willed and bequeathed ratifying and
25    confirmeing this and noe other to bee my laste will and Testament In witness
26    whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the day and yeare above written
27    Signed Sealed pronounced and declared by the said Charles Blake as his last
28    will and Testament in the presence of us the marke of Katherine Stansmoore
29    the marke of Robert Styles Charles Gilbert Memorand[um] that at the Swearing
30    and examining of the Witnesses the said witnesses did sweare and declare that
31    they heard the Will read and published and the reason of his not signeing
32    nor sealing was because he was both blind and very weake in the small pox
33    soe that he was not able to doe it these words were spoken in the presence of us Sam: Iscotte Hugh Frome No[ta]ry Publicke

Will of Charles Blake, Chilhampton, Wiltshire - The National Archives PROB 11/209/485, probated 24 Oct 1649

Charles Blake is the testator and he has been identified in the earlier wills of Wiltshire which I blogged:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/10/will-of-john-blake-yeoman-of-stoverd.html

Entered into this blog are baptisms at South Newton from the IGI for the children of Charles Blake:

Agnes Blake baptized 7 Nov 1624
Joane Blake baptized 8 Apr 1626
Anne Blake baptized 1 May 1629; buried 2 Jul 1629
Charles Blake baptized 2 Oct 1631
Edith Blake baptized 2 Jul 1634 (mother was Joane)

As well the will of John Blake mentions interesting marriages which include Joane Blake married to Alexander Percye (overseer named in will below). There is also an Edward Blake married to Sarah Webbe which is rather interesting given the will of Ann Blake yesterday.

Another will blogged earlier from Wiltshire identifies the father of the testator Charles:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/10/will-of-william-blake-of-chilhampton.html

William Blake of Chilhampton, South Newton, is the father of John and Charles and has daughters Edith, Dorathie, Anconett, Agnis and Margaret. His wife was named Joane as was the wife of Charles it appears from the baptism of Edith.

Interestingly William has named his neighbor Henry Blake as overseer and likewise his son in this will appoints a Henry Blake as overseer.

From the will of Maud Blake we do know who Henry Blake is:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/10/will-of-maud-blake-of-stoverd-south.html

Henry Blake mentioned in Maud’s will has a son Henry. Plus Maud has a son Henry whether or not they are the same Henry is not answered by the will but is somewhat suspicious..

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 25 Nov 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/209/485
Testator: Charles Blake
Place: Chilhampton, Wiltshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 1 Mar 1646, probated 24 Oct 1649
Condition: 17th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: T[esta]m[ent] Caroli
[Margin]: Blake

1    In Nomine Dei Amen I Charles
2    Blake of Chilhampton sick and weake in body but of good and perfect memory thankes
3    bee to Almighty god doe make and constitute this my last will and testament in manner and
4    forme following Imprimis I bequeath and commend my Soule and sprit into the hands
5    of my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and my body to be buried in the Church or churchyard
6    of my parish of South Newton Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Anne Lawes forty
7    markes Item I give to my grandchild Joane the daughter twenty pounds Item I give to my
8    daughter Joane Hewes of Wilton twenty pounds Item I give to my daughter Mary three
9    score and ten pounds Item I give to my daughter Edith threescore and ten pounds Item
10    I give to my two daughters Mary and Edith five pounds apiece to be paid them out of the
11    Money till my sonne Charles come to the age of one and twenty yeares Item I give to my
12    Neece Warborowe Hayter five pounds Item I give to the poore of my parish of South
13    Newton ten shillings Item I make my sonne Charles Blake Executor of this my last will and
14    testament to whom I give and bequeath all the rest of my goods moveable and immoveable Item
15    I make Henry Blake and Alexander Pearcy both of them of South Newton Overseers of
16    this my will and testament and to each of them I give three Shillings foure pence a peece In
17    wittnes whereof I have hereunto sett my hand and seale the day and yeare above written
18    in the presence of Charles Blake his mark and seale Lees Dickenson Henry Blake
19    Math: Fewes

Will of Ann Blake, Spinster, Lucknam, Wiltshire - The National Archives PROB 11/1709/467, probated 31 Mar 1826

Ann Blake is the testatrix. She lives at Lucknam which lies within the parish of Colerne with North Wraxall being 2.4 miles North, Castle Combe being 4 miles NNE and West Littleton lying 5 miles WNW.

There is a Blake family that has been placed online that lived at Tormarton, West Littleton and Marshfield and I have been entering this family into a Legacy file in case the webpage disappears. It is perhaps a collateral line to this particular one since I do not find any of the undernamed individuals in the website.

http://www.payman.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/gloucestershire/descendants-of-william-blake-1742-to-1826.htm/odyframe.htm

The marriage of William Blake and Elizabeth Davis took place 15 Aug 1774 at West Littleton and they had nine children (most of the lines are traced down so I do not think this couple is the particular ancestor of the grouping below). Marshfield is 4 miles WNW of Colerne and Tormarton is 6 miles NNW. I came across this webpage by chance and decided to capture it for the Blake one name study. I have not yet attempted to discover the parents of William Blake married to Elizabeth Davis but perhaps this would be a good way to look at this particular will.

There was a William Blake born at North Wraxall and baptized there 31 Jul 1743 son of Abraham and Frances Blake. An Abraham Blake married a Frances Brown in 1737 at North Wraxall (Family Search M15251-1). An Abraham Blake was baptized 2 May 1708 at North Wraxall son of William Blake.

Children baptized to Abraham and Frances Blake at North Wraxall:

Sarah baptized 7 May 1738
Elizabeth baptized 3 Aug 1740
William baptized 31 Jul 1743
Hannah baptized 10 Aug 1746
June Jane baptized 25 May 1749
Ann baptized 13 May 1753

Interestingly this does fit the family grouping in the will of Ann with brother William and sisters Sarah and Elizabeth (Hannah and June Jane are not mentioned). The publisher of the family history of the William Blake and Elizabeth Davis did not take his family further back but some genealogists look only at the descendants of a particular couple.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 23 Nov 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1709/467
Testator: Ann Blake, Spinster
Place: Lucknam, Wiltshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 21 Feb 1820, probated 31 Mar 1826
Condition: 19th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: Ann
[Margin]: Blake
[Margin]: 4

1    I Ann Blake of Lucknam Wiltshire Spinster being of
2    sound disposing mind and memory do publish and declare this as my last Will and
3    Testament revoking all others in manner following viz I give and bequeath the
4    yearly Interest or dividend of the whole of my three percent consolidater
5    annuities equally between my brother and my two Sisters equally share and
6    share alike viz To William Blake of West Littleton laborer one third part for his
7    life and in case of his decease to his Wife for her life and to my Sister Elizabeth
8    Webb of Castle Combe Wilts Widow a third part for her life and to my Sister
9    Mary Bullock Wife of Edward Bullock of North Wraxall Labourer a third part
10    for her life and after her decease to descend to her husband for his life and should my
11    brother and his Wife had died first then their part to descend to the other two
12    Survivors if any Sister Eliz[abe]th Webb died first her part to descend to Mary Bullock and
13    my Brother and if my Sister Mary Bullock and her husband dies first then their
14    part to descend between my brother and Eliz Webb and when all the before
15    mentioned persons are deceased I give devise and bequeath one fourth part of my three
16    per cent consolidated Annuities between my brother William Blake’s children
17    equally share and share alike I give and bequeath the other fourth part or share
18    of my three per cent consols equally between my Sister Eliz[abe]th Webbs children share
19    and share alike Likewise I give and bequeath another fourth part or share of
20    my three per cent consols equally between my Sister Mary Bullocks children
21    share and share alike and the other fourth part or share I give and bequeath
22    to my three Nephews Will[ia]m Wait Henry Wait and George Wait all of North Wraxall
23    equally between them share and share alike In Witness whereof I have put my
24    hand and seal this twenty first day of February in the Year of our Lord One thousand
25    Eighteen hundred and twenty Ann Blake Signed Sealed and
26    delivered in the presence of Witness John Tippett Jane Tippett
27    On 31st March 1826 Administration with the Will annexed of the Goods Chattels and
28    Credits of Ann Blake late of Lucknam in the County of Wilts Spinster deceased was granted
29    to Mary Bullock (wife of Edward Bullock) the Sister and one of the next of kin being first sworn
30    by Commission duly to Administer No Executor or Residuary Legatee
31    On the 2nd day of June 1848 Admon (with the Will annexed) of the Goods Chattels
32    and Credits of Ann Blake late  of Lucknam in the County of Wilts Spinster deceased
33    left unad[ministere]d by a Mary Bullock, Wife of Edward Bullock) deceased whilst living the
34    natural and lawful Sister and one of the next of kin of the said deceased was granted to
35    William Wait the lawful Nephew and one of the persons entitled in distribution to the
36    undisposer of Residuary Personal Estate and effects of the said deceased having been first
37    sworn by Commission duly to Administer. No Executor or Residuary Legatee named
38    in the said Will. William Blake and Elizabeth Webb Widow the natural and lawful
39    Brother and Sister and only other next of kin of the said deceased having died without having
40    taken upon themselves the Letters of Admon with the said Will annexed of the Goods
41    left unad[ministere]d of the said deceased

Will of Ann Blake, Spinster, New Sarum, Wiltshire - The National Archives PROB 11/1531/151, probated 11 Mar 1812

Ann Blake, Spinster, is the testatrix for this will. I found a tree online for the Kitson family which suggests that the parents of Margaret Blake, sister of Ann, were John Blake and Sarah Cartwright. I have not been able to verify this information. Ann has a brother Robert and two sisters Henrietta and Margaret.

Margaret Blake married the Reverend Edward Addicott Kitson (born circa 1773 and son of Reverend Walter Kitson and Martha Addicott) and Reverend Kitson was vicar of Clyst of St Lawrence and St Mary Church, Torquay. According to Find My Past Edward Addicott Kitson married Margaret Blake 25 Jun 1798 at Salisbury St Martin and they were both 26 years of age and Edward was of Clyst St Lawrence, Devon. The Bondsman was John Henry Jacob Clerk Salisbury Close (licence 21 Jun 1798). Children for this couple named in the World Connect database for the Kitson family:

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=sandberg&id=I43220&style=TEXT

Margaret
Edward
Walter Cartwright
John Thomas

Henrietta Blake married the Reverend Charles William Shuckburgh, Clerk of Downton, Wiltshire at the time of his decease as he has left a will in 1833. I may purchase this will but for the moment will see what I can discover about Henrietta and her husband. They were married at Saint Martin, Salisbury 16 July 1798 according to Find My Past (license 14 July 1798). He was of the parish of Salisbury Close, Wiltshire and 26 years of age and Henrietta was 23 years of age. This was from the Sarum Marriage Licence Bonds. Robert James Carr, Clerk, Salisbury Close was bondsman. 

Another online tree also suggests that Henrietta’s father was the daughter of John Blake (also from A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain, Volume 2 by John Burke (free on Google Books - search on Charles William Shuckburgh)

This online tree suggests children (http://www.merchantnetworks.com.au/genealogy/web/boothadam/pafg30.htm):

Diana Christian
Mariana
Henrietta
William Pigott
Robert Shirley
Charles Verney
Walter


Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 22 Nov 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1531/151
Testator: Ann Blake, Spinster
Place: New Sarum (Salisbury), Wiltshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 10 Feb 1808, probated 11 Mar 1812
Condition: 19th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: Ann
[Margin]: Blake

1    This is the last Will and Testament of me Ann
2    Blake of the City of New Sarum in the County of Wilts Spinster which I
3    make and ordain whilst I am of sound Mind Memory and Understanding
4    in manner following (that is to say) I give devise and bequeath unto the
5    Reverend Henry Jacob of the Close of New Sarum Clerk and my Brother
6    Robert Blake All those my Freehold and Leasehold Messuages or Tenements
7    and Gardens situate in the City of New Sarum aforesaid in a Street then called or
8    known by the Name of St Ann’s Street otherwise Tanner’s Street now
9    in the Occupation of my Mother and myself And also all that Freehold
10    Messuage or Ten[ament] in the City of New Sarum aforesaid situate at the
11    Corner of St Ann’s Street or Tanner Street and Drayhall Street or Exeter
12    Street with the appurt[ament]s thereto respectively belonging And which said
13    Freehold and Leasehold Messuages or Tenements I lately purchased of
14    the devisees named in the Will of my late Father deceased To hold the
15    same unto and to the use of the said Henry Jacob and Robert Blake their
16    heirs Exors Admors and Assigns according to my estate and Interest therein
17    respectively upon the Trusts herein after mentioned (that is to say|) upon
18    Trust to recovery sell and dispose of the same several Freehold and Leasehold
19    Messuages or Tenements and premises hereinbefore mentioned as soon as
20    may be after my decease in such manner and at such times as my
21    said Trustees shall see fit and as to the Money arising from such
22    Sale or Sales Upon Trust to pay and apply the same in such manner and for such
23    purposes as are hereinafter directed or and concerning the Residue of my
24    personal Estate And I hereby direct that the Receipt or Receipts of my
25    said Trustees and the Survivor of them his heirs Exors and Admors shall be
    [Page 2]
26    good and sufficient discharges from time to time to the respective purchasers
27    of my said Freehold and Leasehold Estates And such respective purchasers
28    shall not be obliged to see to the application thereof nor be answerable
29    for the Nonapplication of Misapplication of such purchase Monies
30    or of any part thereof Also I give devise and bequeath unto my Sisters
31    Margaret the Wife of the Reverend Edward Addicott Kitson and
32    Henrietta the Wife of the Reverend Charles William Shuckburgh all
33    my reversionary Estate and Interest after the decease of my Mother of and in
34    all that the Rectory and Manor of Poorstock in the County of Dorset held
35    by my late Father’s Trustees by Virtue of a devise in his Will upon the
36    Trusts therein mentioned. To hold the same unto and to the use of my said
37    Sisters their heirs and Assigns as Tenants in Common and not as joint
38    Tenants equally between them share and share alike I give unto my
39    said Trustees the Sum of twenty pounds each And as to all the rest
40    and residue of my personal Estate and Effects and of the Monies arising
41    from the Sale of my said Freehold and Leasehold Estates so made
42    Saleable by this my Will after payment of my debts Legacies and
43    Funeral Expences the Costs and Charges of proving this my Will and such
44    Costs and Charges as my said Trustees shall be put into in the
45    Execution of this my Will I give and bequeath the same to the said
46    Henry Jacob and Robert Blake and to the Survivor of them his Exors
47    Admors Upon Trust to pay and divide the same unto and equally between
48    my Nephews and Nieces Sons and daughters of my said Brother Robert Blake
49    and of my said two Sisters Margaret Kitson and Henrietta Shuckburgh
50    Share and Share alike and to their several and respective Exors and Admors And
51    I hereby authorize and direct my said Trustees to retain and reimburse themselves
52    out of my Estate and Effects All such Costs Charges and Expences which they
53    or either of them may be at sustain or be put unto in and about the such
54    Execution of the Trusts of this my Will And that neither of them shall be
55    answerable for the other of them or for the Acts deeds Receipts or
56    disbursements of the other of them but each of them for his own Acts
57    Receipts of disbursements only And I nominate and appoint the said
58    Henry Jacob and Robert Blake Exors of this my Will and I revoke and make
59    void all former Wills by me made and declare this only to be my last Will
60    and Testament In Witness whereof I have to this my last Will and Testament
61    contained in two Sheets of paper to the first Sheet whereof I have
62    set my hand and to this Sheet my hand and Seal the tenth day of
63    February in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eight
64    Ann Blake Signed sealed published and declared by the said
65    Ann Blake the Testatrix as and for her last Will and Testament in the
66    presence of us who have subscribed our Names as Witnesses thereto
67    at her request in her presence and in the presence of each other Margaret
68    Blake Sally Rogers Chr: Millett
69    By this Codicil to the last Will and Testament of me
70    Ann Blake of the City of New Sarum Spinster I declare my Will and
71    Meaning to be that the several Shares of my Nephew’s and Nieces the
72    Children of my Brother and Sisters respectively of the produce to arise from the sale of my Freehold and Leasehold property in my said Will described
73    and also of the Residue of my personal Estate therein mentioned or any
74    of them shall not by Virtue of my said Will vest or become payable
75    or transferable until when and as every of them my said Nephews and
76    Nieces shall respectively attain the Age of twenty five years And in
77    case any of them shall happen to die under that Age without Issue
78    living at or born in due time after his her of their deaths respectively
79    then the Share or respective Shares of him her of them so dying shall
80    go and be transferrable and payable to the Survivors or Survivor of them
81    of them But if any or either of them dying under the said age
82    shall leave or have any such Issue as aforesaid then the Share or
83    Shares which the parent or parents might or would otherwise have been
84    entitled to
    [Page 3]
85    entitled to shall go and be transferable and payable to such his her or their
86    Issue so always that such Issue shall stand in the place or places of
87    his her or their parent or respective parents and take a Share or Shares
88    accordingly And I further will and direct that this Codicil be deemed
89    and taken as and for part of my said last Will and Testament In Witness
90    whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal the 17th day of October in
91    in the Year of our Lord 1811 Ann Blake Signed sealed published
92    and declared by the Testatrix Ann Blake as and for a Codicil to her last Will
93    and Testament in the presence of us Sally Rogers Tho[ma]s Chubb
94    Proved at London with a Codicil 11th March 1812 before the
95    W[orshi]pful Augustine Gostling d[octo]r of Laws and Surr[ogat]e by the Oath of Robert
96    Blake Esquire the Brother of the deceased and one of the Executors to whom
97    Adm[inistrati]on was granted having been first sworn duly to administer The
98    Rev[erend] John Jacob Clerk in the Will written Henry Jacob the other Ex[ecut]or
99    having first renounced.

Will of Amy Blake, widow, Poulton, Wiltshire - The National Archives PROB 11/742/345, probated 21 Oct 1745

Amy Blake, Widow, is testatrix and this is the first of the Wiltshire Blake wills. In total there are 31 wills. This will bring me close to Christmas if I continue with my pace of one will per day up to that point but rather think I will take a break over Christmas and New Years although one never knows! At that time I will have my new wills and will probably do the Devon, Cornwall and Somerset ones in particular whilst the memory of those Blake wills is still fresh in my mind. When Wiltshire is complete I will do Hampshire and I have another about fifty wills for Hampshire including by then the oldest ones that I particularly want to look at. Perhaps they will assist me with completing the will of Richard Blake from 1522 which still has gaps. The surprise is that I may have a surname for the wife of William Blake who left his will in 1582 – Elizabeth was his wife.

This year for Christmas I decided to ask for will copies. I will acquire the oldest Blake ones that I want from Hampshire Record Office (14 of them). I just discovered this cache of Internal Revenue Will Abstracts at the National Archives and they especially fill the Devon/Cornwall/Somerset void of wills that were lost during the bombing of the Exeter Record Office in 1942 during World War II.

The reference to Poulton in Wiltshire is perhaps a reference to The priory of St Mary, Poulton.

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=36544

This village was historically part of the County of Wiltshire although physically detached from Wiltshire as it lies within the borders of Gloucestershire. It is now part of Gloucestershire and is in the Cotswolds. Having driven partly through the Cotswolds this is an area of great natural beauty.

Perhaps when the wills of Gloucestershire for the Blake family come in their turn to be transcribed I will be able to relate this Blake will to a particular family line. There are 19 wills for Blake in Gloucestershire and rightly they should be done with this group as I proceed forward so will likely follow Hampshire with Gloucestershire.

But Wiltshire is only just begun and it will likely be the new year before I progress beyond Wiltshire.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 21 Nov 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/742/345
Testator: Amy Blake, Widow
Place: Poulton, Wiltshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 8 Jun 1744, probated 21 Oct 1745
Condition: 18th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: Amy Blake

1    In the Name of God Amen
2    I Amy Blake of Poulton in the County of Wilts Widow being weak
3    in Body but of sound mine and memory praised be Almighty God for
4    the same do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form
5    following that is to say First and principally I recommend my
6    Soul to God that gave it hoping to obtain pardon and Remission
7    of all my Sins and my Body I commit to the Earth to be
8    frugally buried and as touching and concerning such Temporal Estate
9    as the Lord hath blessed me withal I give and dispose thereof
10    as followeth Imprimis all and singular my Goods and Chattels Tenements
11    Leases Ready Money Plate whatsoever which I shall be possessed
12    of or Intituled unto at the time of my decease I give devise
13    and bequeath unto my Grandson William Wooddeson and his
14    Executors upon Confidence nevertheless that he the said William
15    Wooddeson shall give of pay unto his Brother John Wooddeson
16    if he shall be then living the Sum of Ten pounds and Whereas the
17    said John Wooddeson is indebted to me in a penal Bond of
18    Fifty pounds with Interest on the same I do hereby Release
19    the same and I do likewise Release the said John Wooddeson of
20    the Sum of Fifty pounds which he Received of mine at Antigua
21    Item I give and bequeath unto my four Great Grandaughters
22    Elizabeth Heneretta Mary and Esther Wooddeson all my wearing
23    apparel and Linnen share and share alike to be given to them by
24    their Father William Wooddeson aforesaid at such times and in such
25    parcels as he shall think proper Item I give and bequeath unto
26    my Great Grandson William Wooddeson all my Books and
27    small Gold pocket piece and my two Silver Spoons Lastly I do
28    hereby Nominate Constitute ordain and appoint my said Grandson
29    William Wooddeson to be my whole and Sole Executor of this
30    my last Will and Testament hereby revoking any former Will or
31    Wills at any time by me made declaring this to be my last
32    Will and Testament whereunto I have put my hand and
33    Seal this present 8 day of June 1744 Amy Blake Signed
34    Sealed and delivered in the presence of us Richard Pearson
35    William Harbut Eliz: Ripper
36    This Will was proved at London before the Worshipfull
37    Robert Chapman doctor of Laws Surrogate of the Right Worshipfull
38    John Bettesworth also doctor of Laws Master keeper or Commissary

Will of William Blake Esquire, Upton, Somerset - The National Archives PROB 11/1799/186, probated 9 May 1832

The testator William Blake was a barrister at law living at Venne in the parish of Upton, Somerset. He does not appear to have children but leaves his property to his ward Silas Wood Norman. William does have a sister Elizabeth Rawle who has predeceased him. From the Minehead marriages Elizabeth Blake married Joseph Rawle 1 Dec 1796 by Licence with witnesses W Blake and C Rawle.

In the will of Andrew Blake I did chart the Blake families at Minehead:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/09/will-of-andrew-blake-merchant-at.html

However, I am not able to fit William and Elizabeth into these families.

An interesting article from the Gazette (Page 2419) dated 20 Oct 1832 at Whitehall, London:

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/18990/pages/2419/page.pdf

The King has been pleased to give and grant unto Silas Wood Norman, of Venne, in the parish of Upton, and county of Somerset, Gent. His royal licence and authority, that he may take and henceforth use the surname of Blake only, out of gratitude and affectionate regard to the memory of William Blake, late of Venne aforesaid, Esquire Barrister at Law, deceased, and that he may also bear the arms of Blake, with proper distinctions; such arms being first duly exemplified according to the laws of arms, and recorded in the Heralds’ Office, otherwise His Majesty’s said royal licence and permission to be void and of none effect. And also to order, that the said royal concession and declaration be recorded in His Majesty’s College of Arms.

Another item from the book: Robert Blake, Admiral and General at Sea, based on family and state papers by Hepworth Dixon. London: Chapman and Hall, 193 Piccadilly, 1852 as follows in a quote:

“Nor must I omit to express my grateful sense of the kindness of Silas Wood Blakc, Esq., of Venne House, Wiviliscombe, the present owner of Admiral Blake’s property at Knoll and of many other family relics, in furnishing me with various family papers, deeds, wills and genealogies.”

Was William Blake, the testator, descended from a collateral line to Admiral Robert Blake? The marriage of Joseph Rawle and Elizabeth Blake, sister to the testator, had a witness C Rawle. The will ofFrancis Blake, Merchant, Minehead probated in 1803 had as witness Christian Rawle:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/10/will-of-francis-blake-merchant-minehead.html

but Francis doesn’t mention a William Blake in his will.


Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 20 Nov 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1799/186
Testator: William Blake Esquire
Place: Upton, Somerset, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 27 Oct 1815, probated 9 May 1832
Condition: 19th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: William
[Margin]: Blake
[Margin]: Esquire
[Margin]: 9

1    This is the last Will and Testament of me
2    William Blake of Upton in the County of Somerset Esquire I give devise and bequeath unto
3    Silas Wood Norman who is now living with me and whom I have brought up and maintained
4    from his Childhood All that my Messuage or Tenement Lands and hereditaments called
5    Venne with the rights royalties and appurtenances thereunto belonging now in my own occupation
6    and also all messuage or Tenement Lands and hereditaments called Higher Cooksley now in the
7    occupation of William Curdel with the rights royalties and appurtenances thereunto belonging
8    which said two several Estates are situated in the said parish of Upton To hold to him the
9    said Silas Wood Norman all my household goods and furniture plate linen and china books
10    all other articles and things now in my dwellinghouse and premises where I reside and also all
11    my out door stock Farming Stock and Implements of husbandry of what kind or sort soever To hold
12    the same to him the said Silas Wood Norman his executors administrators and assigns for his
13    and their own use and benefit All the Rest Residue and Remainder of my Messuages
14    Lands Tenements and hereditaments Goods Chattels personal and Testamentary Estate substance
15    and Effects whatsoever I do give devise and bequeath the same unto my dear sister Elizabeth
16    Rawle and I do hereby constitute her my said sister sole Executrix of this my will In
17    testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and affixed my Seal this twenty sixth day of
18    March one thousand eight hundred and twenty eight nine W Blake Signed
19    sealed published and declared by the said William Blake as and for his last will and Testament
20    in the presence of us who at his request in his presence and also in the presence of each other
21    have hereto subscribed our names as witnesses William Cundes Elizabeth Davies
22    Criddle John Tarr
23    This is a Codicil to the last Will and Testament of me William Blake of Upton in
24    the County of Somerset Esquire First I give and devise unto The Reverend John Frederick
25    Doveton of Marksbury in the County of Somerset Clerk All that Messuage or Tenement
26    situate at Willton within the parish of Saint Decumans in the said County of Somerset and
27    now in the possession of Mr Thomas Hawkes To hold to him the said John Frederick
28    Doveton and his assigns during his natural life and from and after his decease I give and
29    devise the same unto all and every the children of the said John Frederick Doveton their
30    respective heirs and assigns as Tenants in common whereas since the making and publishing my
31    last Will and Testament bearing date on or about the twenty sixth day of March one
32    thousand eight hundred and twenty nine my sister Elizabeth Rawle whom I hereby appointed
33    my residuary Legatee and Executrix hath departed this life Now I do hereby give devise
34    and bequeath unto Silas Wood Norman now living with me all my Messuages Lands Tenements
35    and hereditaments whatsoever and wheresoever situate and all my Goods Chattels personal
36    and Testamentary Estate substance and effects of what nature kind or sort soever To hold unto
37    him the said Silas Wood Norman his heirs executors administrators and assigns And I do
38    hereby nominate constitute and appoint him the said Silas Wood Norman whole and sole
39    Executor of this my last Will and Testament In testimony whereof I have hereunto set
40    my hand and affixed my seal this twenty second day of October one thousand eight hundred and
41    thrity one W[illiam] Blake Signed sealed published and declared by the said
42    William Blake as a Codicil to his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who at his
43    request in his presence and in the presence of each other subscribe our names as witnesses
44    thereto James Waldron Jno Crewys John Tarr
45    Proved at London with a Codicil 9th May 1832 before the worshipful Joseph
46    Chillimore d[octo]r of Laws and Surrogate by the Oath Silas Wood Norman Esquire the sole
47    Executor to whom admon was granted being first sworn duly to administer

Will of the Reverend William Blake of Crewkerne, Somerset - The National Archives PROB 11/1647/409, probated 14 Sep 1821

Again as with the past couple of wills, this William Blake is known and he is the son of William Blake whose will was blogged yesterday:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/11/will-of-reverend-william-blake-clerk-of.html

His wife Elizabeth Blake’s will was blogged earlier:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/09/will-of-elizabeth-blake-widow-of.html

The will of his brother Malachi Blake, M.D. was also blogged earlier:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/10/will-of-malachi-blake-doctor-of-physic.html

He too is in a collateral line to Admiral Robert Blake.

Relationship Chart

Admiral Robert Blake [101] is the 2nd cousin 5 times removed of Reverend William-178 Blake [607]

                                Common Ancestor

                              * Humphrey-21 Blake [1]
                                  (Cir 1499-1558)
                                    * Agnis [2]
                                 (          -1585)
                                   Married  [1]
                                        |
                    --------------------------------------------------------------
                    |                                                                |
                    |                                                                |
     * John-27 (the elder) Blake [3]                 * Robert-28 Blake [4]
          (Cir 1521-After 1576)                          (Cir 1523-Cir 1592)
               Johan [12]                                         Margaret Symonds [22]
            (          -1595)                                             (          -1600)
          Married Cir 1541 [4]                                            Married  [5]
                    |                                                                |
                    |                                                                |
         * William-39 Blake [18]                           * Humphry-43 Blake [25]
           (Cir 1559-Cir 1642)                                      (Cir 1563-1625)
                Anne [84]                                   Sarah Swithers formerly Williams [100]
            (          -1644)                                                  (          -1638)
              Married  [21]                                          Married 5 Oct 1597 [26]
                    |                                                                |
                    |                                                                |
          * John-59 Blake [88]                             * Admiral Robert Blake [101]
               (1597-1645)                                                 (1598-1657)
             Elizabeth [155]
              Married  [38]
                    |
                    |
          * John-86 Blake [158]
               (1629-1682)
           Mary Wilkins [276]
        Married 20 Jun 1648 [84]
                    |
                    |
   * Reverend Malachi-112 Blake [278]
               (1651-1705)
             Mary Mico [414]
             Married  [140]
                    |
                    |
        * William-140 Blake [419]
               (1688-1772)
           Jane A'Court [529]
               (1689-1769)
        Married 21 Oct 1712 [186]
                    |
                    |
   * Reverend William-161 Blake [537]
               (1730-1799)
          Hannah Downing [604]
        Married 1 Sep 1768 [212]
                    |
                    |
   * Reverend William-178 Blake [607]
               (1773-1821)

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 17 Nov 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1647/409
Testator: The Reverend William Blake
Place: Crewkerne, Somerset, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 27 Oct 1815, probated 14 Sep 1821
Condition: 19th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: The Reverend
[Margin]: William
[Margin]: Blake
[Margin]: 18

1    I William Blake of Crewkerne in the
2    County of Somerset do make this my last Will and Testament in
3    manner and form following that is to say I give and bequeath to my
4    Brother Malachi Blake the sum of twenty pounds to my brother
5    Downing Blake the sum of twenty pounds to my sister Mary Collins
6    the sum of twenty pounds to John Buncombe of Taunton Attorney at Law
7    the sum of ten pounds to Edward Jarman Esq[uie]r of Charterhouse Square
8    London the sum of ten pounds to Frances Tett and Caroline Tett the
9    children of the late Francis Tett of Crewkerne the sum of five pounds each
10    and to each of my servants living in my house at the time of my decease the
11    sum of five pounds I hereby give and bequeath to my dear and beloved
12    wife Elizabeth all my household Goods and furniture Books Plate linen and Wines
13    stock in my dwelling house and also whatever Cash or Cash notes I may
14    have in my dwelling hose at the time of my decease and I hereby
15    nominate and appoint my brother Malachi Blake Edward Jarman
16    esq[uie]r of Charterhouse Square London and John Buncombe attorney at law of Taunton
17    the executors of this my last will and Testament and after the payment of
18    all my just debts and funeral expences and of the several legacies which
19    I have hereinbefore given I give and bequeath unto my said executors
20    whatever I have the power to dispose of under the provisions of an
21    Indenture of Settlement made on my marriage with Hannah Jarman and
22    bearing date the third day of May 1808 whether such power is vested in me immediately and absolutely
23    or contingently on the decease of my daughter Hannah before her attainment
24    of the age of twenty one years and also all my estates and moieties of estates
25    both freehold and leasehold and all monies and securities for money and all
26    the residue of my property of every kind whatever and wherever it may be
    [Page 2]
27    In trust for the purposes hereinafter mentioned that is to say that
28    them or the survivors of them or his executors administrators and assigns shall pay or cause to be paid the rents interest and profits of the
29    same to my beloved wife Elizabeth during the term of her natural life and
30    it is my will that my executors in trust or the survivor of them or their exors admors and assigns with the consent and approbation of my said
31    wife Eliz[abe]th first had and obtained in writing and attested by two credible
32    witnesses shall have the power of selling any part of my property and of
33    vesting the same in real or Government securities for the benefit and advantage
34    of my said wife during the term of her natural life and after the decease
35    of my said wife it is my will that all my property which by this my will
36    I have bequeathed unto my executors In trust shall be duly valued and
37    divided by them the survivor of them or his exors admors or assigns without being sold if such division can be made with
38    facility amongst all my Children by my wife Eliz[abe]th share and share alike
39    when they shall respectively attain the age of twenty one years and during
40    the minority of any or either of my s[ai]d Children by my s[ai]d wife Eliz[abeth] after her
41    decease I hereby direct my said Exors In trust or the survivor of them or his exors admors and assigns to apply the annual interest
42    or profits of the portion belonging to such child or children to his her or
43    their maintenance and education during the term of his her or their
44    minority and if only one of my children by my s[ai]d wife Eliz[abe]th shall attain
45    the age of twenty one years then it is my will that all my property left to
46    my exors In trust shall vest in such child and his or her heirs for ever and
47    if all my children by my said wife Eliz[abeth] shall die before they attain the age
48    of twenty one years then it is my will that my exors in trust the survivors of them or his exors admors or assigns shall pay the
49    rents is[ue]s interest and profits of my property hereby bequeath to them for the
50    purposes and trusts herein mentioned to my sister Mary Collins during the
51    term of her natural life to and for her own sole and proper use and benefit
52    and without being liable to the payment of the debts of her husband or in any way or manner subject to his control and after her decease that they shall divide my s[ai]d property between the
53    children of my s[ai]d Sister Mary Collins share and share alike when they shall
54    respectively attain the age of twenty one years I have not mentioned the made any bequests to
55    sum of to my dear and afflicted daughter Hannah in my foregoing this my will
56    because should it please Providence to spare her life she will be amply
57    provided for in and by the settlement made on my marriage with her
58    mother my late wife Hannah should my beloved wife Eliz[abe]th at the time
59    of her decease leave any or either of our children in a state of minority
60    it is my will that the care of the education of such child or children
61    shall be left to my brother Malichi Blake whom I have in this my
62    will nominated one of my exors In trust and it is also my wish that my
63    dear wife during her life in regard to the education of our Children will
64    always consult my dear said brother and be guided by his advice To the
65    protection and guidance of the Almighty I commend my dear wife my
66    beloved children and all my friends and into his hands I commend my own
67    spirit the foregoing writing I declare to be my last Will and Testament
68    In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my name and seal this twenty
69    seventh day of October in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and fifteen
70    Wm Blake Signed sealed and published by the Rev[eren]d Wm Blake as and
71    for his last will and Testament in the presence of us who at his request
72    and in his presence and in the presence of each other have hereunto
73    subscribed our names Sam[ue]l Sparks H Stembridge Josh Stembridge
74    Appeared personally Samuel Sparks of Crewkerne in the County of
75    Somerset Gentleman and being sworn maketh oath that he is one of the
76    subscribed witnesses to the last Will and Testament of the reverend William
77    Blake late of Crewkerne in the county of Somerset Clerk deceased hereunto
78    annexed beginning thus “I William Blake of Crewkerne in the County
79    of Somerset do make this my last Will and Testament” ending thus “In
80    witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my name and seal this twenty
81    seventh day of October in the year of our Lord eighteen hundred and fifteen
82    and thus subscribed “Wm Blake” “ and that on now viewing and carefully
    [Page 3]
83    perusing the said Will and particularly observant the obliterations
84    and interlineations appearing therein that is to say the word “each”
85    interlined between the sixth and seventh lines the obliteration of the
86    word “Stock in my dwelling house” in the ninth line the interlineation
87    of the words “such power is vested in me” between the eighteenth and nineteenth
88    lines the interlineation of the words “or the survivor of them or his Exors
89    administrators and assigns shall” between the eighteenth and nineteenth
90    lines the interlineation of the words “in trust or the survivor of them or his
91    executors admors and assigns” between the nineteenth and twentieth lines
92    the interlineation of the words “or the survivor of them or his exors
93    admors and assgns” between the twenty third and twenty fourth lines the
94    interlineation of the name “Eliz[abe]th” between the twenty fifth and twenty
95    sixth lines the interlineation of the words “the survivor of them of his exors
96    admors and assigns” between the twenty sixth and twenty seventh lines the
97    interlineation of the words “the survivor of them or his executors admors
98    and assigns” between the thirtieth and thirty first lines the interlineation
99    of the words “without being liable to the payment of the debts of her
100    husband or in any way or manner subject to his control” between the
101    thirty second and thirty third lines the interlineation of the words
102    “made any bequest to” between the thirty third and thirty fourth lines
103    the obliteration of the words “mentioned the sum of” in the thirty fourth
104    line and the interlineation of the words “this my” between the thirty
105    fourth and thirty fifth lines and the obliteration of the words “my foregoing”
106    in the said thirty fourth line of the said Will to be respectively computed
107    from the top thereof he maketh oath and saith that the said recited
108    obliterations and interlineations were made previous to his executing
109    the said will and he lastly maketh oath and saith that he doth
110    verily and in his conscience believe the said Will to be all in the hand
111    writing of the said reverend William Blake and in every respect in the
112    same plight and condition as it was when executed by the said reverend
113    William Blake deceased in the presence of the deponent and Joseph Stembridge
114    and Henry Stembridge the other subscribed witnesses Sam[ue]l Sparks the seventh
115    day of September one thousand eight hundred and twenty one the said
116    Samuel Sparks was duly sworn to the truth of this affidavit by virtue of
117    the annexed Commission before me John Allen Comm[issione]r
118    Proved at London 14th September 1821 before the Judge by the oaths
119    of Malachi Blake Doctor of Medicine the brother Edward Jarman and
120    John Buncombe the executors to whom administration was granted
121    having been first sworn that is to say the said Malachi Blake and
122    John Buncombe by Commission and the said Edward Jarman before
123    the worshipful Samuel Rush Meyrick doctor of Laws and Surrogate
124    duly to administer

Will of Reverend William Blake, Clerk of Crewkerne, Somerset - The National Archives PROB 11/1321/255, probated 22 Apr 1799

The Reverend William Blake Clerk at Crewkerne is the son of William Blake of Taunton who died in 1772 at Taunton whose will was blogged yesterday.

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/11/will-of-william-blake-of-taunton.html

William, the testator, is also the brother of the Reverend Malachi Blake whose will was blogged earlier:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/10/will-of-malachi-blake-esquire-taunton.html

This is a known collateral line of Admiral Robert Blake


Admiral Robert Blake [101] is the 2nd cousin 4 times removed of Reverend William-161 Blake [537]

                                Common Ancestor

                              * Humphrey-21 Blake [1]
                                  (Cir 1499-1558)
                                    * Agnis [2]
                                 (          -1585)
                                   Married  [1]
                                        |
                    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                    |                                                                    |
                    |                                                                    |
     * John-27 (the elder) Blake [3]              * Robert-28 Blake [4]
          (Cir 1521-After 1576)                        (Cir 1523-Cir 1592)
               Johan [12]                                      Margaret Symonds [22]
            (          -1595)                                          (          -1600)
          Married Cir 1541 [4]                                   Married  [5]
                    |                                                                    |
                    |                                                                    |
         * William-39 Blake [18]                   * Humphry-43 Blake [25]
           (Cir 1559-Cir 1642)                               (Cir 1563-1625)
                Anne [84]                              Sarah Swithers formerly Williams [100]
            (          -1644)                                         (          -1638)
              Married  [21]                                  Married 5 Oct 1597 [26]
                    |                                                                   |
                    |                                                                   |
          * John-59 Blake [88]                           * Admiral Robert Blake [101]
               (1597-1645)                                             (1598-1657)
             Elizabeth [155]
              Married  [38]
                    |
                    |
          * John-86 Blake [158]
               (1629-1682)
           Mary Wilkins [276]
        Married 20 Jun 1648 [84]
                    |
                    |
   * Reverend Malachi-112 Blake [278]
               (1651-1705)
             Mary Mico [414]
             Married  [140]
                    |
                    |
        * William-140 Blake [419]
               (1688-1772)
           Jane A'Court [529]
               (1689-1769)
        Married 21 Oct 1712 [186]
                    |
                    |
   * Reverend William-161 Blake [537]
               (1730-1799)

It is in the will of Malachi Blake that a second daughter is mentioned for William namely Hannah but she must have died between the time of the writing of Malachi’s will and William’s will. Malachi was buried 13 Apr 1795 and the will of William was written 28 May 1795. Possibly the death of his brother spurred on the writing of his own will.

Although this is a lengthy will it mostly deals with William’s own family although he does remember his servants in his will.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 18 Nov 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1321/255
Testator: Reverend William Blake, Clerk
Place: Crewkerne, Somerset, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 28 May 1795, probated 22 Apr 1799
Condition: 18th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: The Reverend
[Margin]: William
[Margin]: Blake
[Margin]: Clerk

1    This is the Last Will
2    and Testament of me William Blake of Crewkerne in the
3    County of Somerset Clerk made and published this
4    twenty eighth day of May in the year of Our Lord one
5    thousand seven hundred and ninety five in manner
6    following (that is to say) First I will that all my just debts
7    and Funeral Expences shall be paid and satisfied and
8    I give and bequeath unto my Son Malachi Blake and
9    to his Wife Mary the Sum of fifty pounds a peece to
10    buy their Mourning and I hereby ratify and confirm
11    all and every Surrender and Surrenders that I have
12    lately made to my said Son Malachi of all my Lands
13    Tenements and hereditaments within and parcel of the
14    Manor of Taunton Deane Also I give and bequeath
15    unto my daughter Mary Blake the Sum of One
16    thousand two hundred pounds of lawful Money of
17    Great Britain to be paid her in one year after my
18    decease with Interest at the Rate of four pounds per
19    centum per Annum from my decease and which said
20    Legacy I will shall be paid her over and above the Sum
21    of one hundred pounds given her by her Grand Mother
22    Downings Will and charged on the Estate and Lands
23    called Yatford hereinafter mentioned and for payment
24    of the Said Sum of One thousand two hundred pounds
25    I hereby charge and subject all and every my Lands
26    Tenements and hereditaments residuary Estate and Effects both Real and
27    personal and I do hereby in pursuance and in Exercise
28    of the power and Authority given to and vested in
29    me in and by the last Will and Testament of my late Mother in Law
30    Betty Downing deceased and of all
31    other powers and Authorities whatsoever in thereto
32    enabling give devise and bequeath limit and appoint
33    unto my two Sons William and Downing Blake all
34    that Messuage dwelling house and Tenement and the
35    Outhouses Gardens Orchards Closes Fields hereditaments
36    and
    [Page 2]
37    and premises thereto belonging with the appurtenances called
38    Yatfords and the Reversion and Remainder thereof situate in the
39    parish of Ilminster in the County aforesaid in the occupation
40    of Thomas Jugg as Tenant thereof to hold the same unto and
41    to the use of them my said Sons William and Downing
42    Blake their heirs and assigns for ever as Tenants in
43    Common and not as Joint Tenants charged and chargeable
44    nevertheless in and by the said Will of their Grandmother
45    Downing with the payment of the Sum of one hundred
46    pounds to my said Son Malachi and with the like sum
47    of one hundred pounds to my said daughter on her
48    attaining the age of twenty one years Also I do hereby
49    in pursuance and in exercise of the power and authority
50    given to and vested in me in and by a certain deed of
51    Settlement bearing date on or about the eighth day of
52    August one thousand seven hundred and sixty eight
53    made after my Marriage with Hannah my late Wife
54    and of all other powers and authorities whatsoever me
55    thereto enabling give devise and bequeath limit and
56    appoint unto my said two Sons William and Downing
57    Blake all and every my Messuages dwelling houses
58    Outhouses Gardens Orchards Closes Lands Tenements and
59    hereditaments whatsoever with the appurtenances and
60    as well Freehold as Leasehold and Copyhold now in the
61    occupation of David Symes as Tenant thereof called Rapps
62    situate within the several parishes of Broadway Hilton and
63    Ashill in the County aforesaid or some or one of them
64    and all other my Lands Tenements and hereditaments
65    whatsoever within the said several parishes of Ilminster
66    Broadway Hilton and Ashill To hold the same unto and to
67    the use of my said Sons William and Downing Blake their
68    heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns according to the
69    Tenures- and natures of the said premises respectively as
70    Tenants in Common and not as Joint Tenants and I give and
71    bequeath unto my said two Sons William and Downing
72    and to my daughter Mary all my household Goods
73    and Furniture plate China and Books equally to be
74    divided between them Share and Share alike all the rest and
75    residue of my Messuages Lands Tenements and heredit[ament]s
76    whatsoever and wheresoever and Also all the rest and
77    residue of my Monies and Securities for Money Mortgages
78    in Fee and other Mortgages debts sum and Sums of Money
79    personal Estate and Effects whatsoever I give devise and
80    bequeath the same and every part thereof unto my
81    said two Sons William and Downing Blake their heirs
82    Executors Administrators and Assigns equally to be divided
83    between them as Tenants in Common and not as Joint
84    Tenants to and for their own proper use and benefit but
85    charged and chargeable nevertheless with the said sum of
    [Page 3]
86    one thousand two hundred pounds to my said daughter Mary
87    as aforesaid) and lastly I do hereby make and appoint my
88    said two Sons William and Downing Blake to be joint
89    Executors of this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking
90    and making void all former and other wills by me made
91    In witness whereof I the said William Blake the Testator
92    have to ev[er]ie Sheet of this my last Will and Testament
93    contained in two Sheets of paper set my hand and Seal the
94    day and year first above written W[illia]m Blake Signed Sealed
95    published and declared by the said William Blake the
96    Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the
97    presence of us who have hereunto at his request in his
98    presence and in the presence of each other subscribed our
99    Names as witnesses hereto Samuel Sparks Joseph Kennaway
100    Isaac Sparks
101    I annex this as a Codicil to my last Will and Testament I
102    give to Susanna Morgan if she lives with me at the time of
103    my death the Sum of thirty pounds besides Mourning and it
104    is my Will that my Executors pay her the thirty pounds
105    within six Months after my decease besides any wages that
106    may be due to her at the time of my decease I give to
107    Joseph Mumford two Guineas and a Sack of my cloathes
108    and I give one Guinea to Sarah Stembridge the Wife of
109    John Stembridge and three of my old Shirts Witness my
110    hand this 29th of May 1795 W[ilia]m Blake
111    Whereas I have by my last Will and Testament
112    dated the twenty eighth day of May one thousand seven
113    hundred and ninety five given and bequeath the Sum of
114    one thousand two hundred pounds unto my daughter
115    Mary Blake and for payment thereof charged all my
116    Lands Tenements hereditaments residuary Estate and effects
117    both Real and personal and I do by this Codicil which I
118    direct Shall be added to and taken as part of my said last
119    Will and Testament annul revoke and make void the Sum
120    of one thousand pounds part of the said Legacy and do
121    direct that the remaining Sum of two hundred pounds
122    which I give and confirm to her shall not be paid or
123    payable to my said daughter until the expiration of three
124    years after my decease and paid without Interest and in
125    lieu of the said Sum of one thousand pounds hereby revoked
126    I give and bequeath to my said daughter Mary the Sum of
127    one thousand two hundred pounds stock which I have
128    in the three per cent Consolidated Annuities and
129    also the Sum of two hundred pounds which I have in
130    the four percent Annuities and do order the Executors of my
131    said Will to transfer the same to her immediately after my
    [Page 4]
132    death but should I not have so much Stock as aforesaid at my
133    death then I direct my Executors to purchase so much as shall be
134    deficient of the said Stocks respectively and to transfer the same to
135    my said daughter who it is my Will shall be at the Expence of
136    buying Mourning for my Servant Susanna and not my
137    Executors and I do hereby confirm my said Will and this a
138    Codicil indorsed herein in every other respect In witness
139    whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal the sixth
140    day of March one thousand seven hundred and ninety nine
141    Wm Blake Signed Sealed published and declared by
142    the said William Blake as and for a Codicil to his last will
143    and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunder
144    subscribed our names in the presence of the said William Blake
145    Samuel Sparks Joseph Kennaway Isaac Sparks
146    This Will was proved at London with two Codicils
147    the twenty second day of April in the year of Our Lord one
148    thousand Seven hundred and ninety nine before the Right
149    Honourable Sir William Wynne Knight Doctor of Laws Master
150    keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury
151    lawfully Constituted by the Oaths of William Blake and
152    Downing Blake the Sons of the deceased and Executors named
153    in the said Will to whom Administration was granted of all
154    and singular the Goods Chattles and Credits of the said
155    deceased having been first Sworn by Commission duly to administer