Saturday, December 21, 2013

Will of Henry Blake of Hungerford, Wiltshire - Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office P23-809, probated 4 Aug 1798

The testator is Henry Blake, husband of Mary Blake, whose will is also blogged today. I decided to do them together. The one having been probated at PCC and the other at Windsor. The will of Mary Blake is probated at PCC because it discusses people in more than one diocese and hence has to move to a higher court for probate.

Henry has asked to be buried in Ramsbury Church yard and a review of British History online found the following at Ramsbury:

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=66514

BLAKE'S farm in Park Town tithing was in 1328 settled by Walter Blake on the marriage of his son Ralph (fl. 1341). (fn. 242) The farm descended in the Blake family, possibly with East Hayes manor in Ogbourne St. Andrew. (fn. 243) Thomas Blake held it in 1462 (fn. 244) and it descended to William Blake (d. c. 1550). (fn. 245) It belonged to the owners of East Hayes until, in the 18th century, it was acquired by one of the Pophams of Littlecote. Dorothy Popham, relict of Francis Popham (d. 1780), held it in 1780 when, as Ambrose farm, it was said to be in Ramsbury Town tithing. (fn. 246) The land has since remained part of the Littlecote estate. (fn. 247)

And a second reference:

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=115441

The second freehold in Stoford, 1¼ yardland, which was held with 1 yardland in South Newton, belonged in 1462 to William Stourton, Lord Stourton (d. 1478). (fn. 136) In 1468 William gave it to his son John (Lord Stourton from 1478, d. 1485) and John's wife Catherine (d. 1494), later wife of Sir John Brereton. (fn. 137) It passed in turn to John Stourton's brothers William, Lord Stourton (d. 1524), and Edward, Lord Stourton (d. 1535), and with the Stourton title to Edward's son William (d. 1548), that William's son Charles (d. 1557), Charles's sons John (d. 1588) and Edward (d. 1633), Edward's son William (d. 1672), William's grandson William Stourton (d. 1685), and that William's son Edward, (fn. 138) who sold it to Henry Blake between 1693 and 1704. In 1704 Henry conveyed it to John Blake, who sold it in 1720 to John Powell (fn. 139) (d. 1737). It passed in turn to Powell's son (Sir) Alexander (d. 1784), Alexander's son Francis (d. 1786), and Francis's son Alexander. (fn. 140) Between 1815 and 1820 Alexander sold the estate, 112 a., to George, earl of Pembroke and of Montgomery, who added it to South Newton manor. (fn. 141)

The Wiltshire Poll Book of 1772 has been put on line:

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~pobjoyoneill/ENGPOLLS/wil1772.html

Blake     Edward     Woottton Bassett     Uphaven
Blake     John         Burbage         Burbage
Blake     John         Millford         Ford
Blake     John         Purton             Rodborne Cheyney
Blake     John         Stratford         Stratford
Blake     Joseph         Sarum             Sarum
Blake     Richard     Woottton Bassett     Wootton Bassett
Blake     Robert         Woottton Bassett     Wootton Bassett
Blake     Thomas     Langford Steeple     Wishford
Blake     William     Bishopston         Bishopston
Blake     William     Woottton Bassett     Wootton Basset

I did check the Calendar of Patent Rolls to see if I could find Walter Blake at Ramsbury but need to have a little more time (scarce at the moment!) to really think about this Blake family. It is quite exciting finding them as they are living in the border areas of Wiltshire and Berkshire and not that far from where I found Blake in Berkshire in the 1500s on and this group were known to the Andover, Hampshire Blake family. The Berkshire Blake family rented land from the Andover, Hampshire Blake family. The 1328 period is coincidental with the time that the Blake family is first noted at Calne (1286 although I have not yet personally found this published reference to the Blake family there) by other authors.

This Blake line daughters out and Henry does not indicate that he has any brothers. If the James Blake he mentions at Overton is also the James Blake at Preshute he would be more of the age of Uncle to Henry and the rather interesting marriage of Henry Blake and Ann Dismore mentioned in the will of Mary Blake, wife of the present testator, does make one wonder if he is related to this family – perhaps cousin. More research, as always, is needed. The records are there. It is finding the time to pursue them that is lacking.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 20 Dec 2013
Source:  Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office P23-809
Name of testator: Henry Blake
Place: Hungerford, Wiltshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 6 Apr 1797, probated 4 Aug 1798
Read: Electronic file images

1    This is the last Will and Testament of me Henry Blake of
2    Charnham Street in the parish of Hungerford in the County of Wilts Victualler First
3    I desire that all my Just Debts and General Expences may be fully paid and ie
4    discharged by my Executors hereinafter Named And I desire that my Body may be buried
5    in Ramsbury Church yard near the Spot where my Father and Mother were laid I Give and
6    Bequeath unto my Friends James Blake of Overton in the County of Wilts Gentleman
7    and Francis Williams of Baydon in the same County Gentleman All that my personal
8    Estate Goods Chattels and Effects of what Nature or kind soever To hold to them
9    the said James Blake and Francis Williams and the Survivor of them his
10    Executors and Administrators Upon Trust that they my said Trustees and the Survivor
11    of them his executors and Administrators shall and will as soon as Convenient
12    next after my Decease Sell and Dispose of my Stock and Effects and call in and
13    Receive all Sum and Sums of Money that shall be then due and owing to me
14    and the Money arising thereby to place and lay out the same upon
15    Government or other good Securities and pay and Apply the Interest Dividends
16    and Annual produce thereof to my Dear and Loving Wife Mary Blake during
17    her live to and for her Sole use and Benefit but in case my said Trustees
18    and the Survivor of them his Executors and Administrators shall think it more
19    for the benefit and Advantage of my said Wife to continue in the Business at
20    the Red Lion Inn or any other that shall be for her Advancement in Life
21    Then I do hereby Authorize and Impower my said Trustees and the Survivor
22    of them his Executors and Administrators to act in such way and manner
    [Page 2]
23    As they in their Judgment shall think most expedient And from and
24    immediately after the Decease of my said Wife I direct my said Trustees and
25    the Survivor of them his executors and Administrators to pay unto my Daughters
26    Martha Ann and Hannah the Sum of Forty Pounds apiece out of my principal
27    Stock or Land and as to the Rest Residue and Remainder of my said personal Estate
28    and Effects I Give the same unto all and every my Daughter Namely Elizabeth Gould
29    Mary Pike and my said Daughters Martha Ann and Hannah to be Equally
30    divided between them Share and Share alike but as to the Share of my said
31    Daughter Mary Pike I desire my said Trustees and the Survivor of them
32    his Executors and Administrators to place out upon Government or other good
33    Security as aforesaid and permit and suffer my said daughter Mary Pike
34    to Receive only the Interest dividends and Annual Produce thereof for and
35    During her Natural Life and from and immediately after her decease I Give
36    and bequeath the part or Share of her my said Daughter Mary Pike unto
37    her Children Mary Ann and Elizabeth to be Equally Divided between them
38    Share and Share alike But in case it shall happen that any or
39    other of my said Daughters shall Depart this Life before she or they shall
40    become Intitled to her or their Share or Shares of my Personal Estate and
41    Effects as aforesaid leaving Issue of her or their Body or Bodies Lawfully
42    begotten Then it is my Will and Mind and I hereby Direct that the Child
43    or Children of her or them so dying as aforesaid shall have Receive and take
    [Page 3]
44    The like Share and proportion of my said Personal Estate and Effects as his her or
45    their Mothers would be intitled to if living under law by virtue of this my Will And
46    Further I hereby declare it shall be lawful for my said Trustees to deduct and
47    reimburse himself and themselves All Costs Charges and Expences incurred in the execution of the Trusts
48    hereby in them reposed And that they shall be Answerable Respectively only for such
49    Monies as shall come to their Respective Hands and not for the Receipts or acts of Each other
50    And lastly I hereby make Constitute and Appoint the said James Blake and Francis Williams
51    Sole Executors of this my Will hereby Revoking and making void all former and other Wills by
52    me at any Time heretofore made and Do declare this present Writing Contained in three
53    Sheets of Paper to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I have to the first and
54    Second Sheet Set my Hand and to this last Sheet my Hand and Seal this Sixth day of April
55    in the year of our Lord one thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety Seven
56    Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the Testator
57    as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us
58    who at his Request in his Presence and in the Presence of each
59    other have Subscribed our Names as Witnesses hereto
60    James Hall
61    Jos. Cundell
62    Henry Blake
63    At Ramsbury on the 4th day of August 1798
64    Francis Williams one of the joint Exors above named
65    (the like power being reserved to James Blake the other
66    joint Exor) was duly sworn before me
67    Henry Hesly Official dio:
68    Effects under 300£

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