John Blake of Biddestone Saint Nicholas is the testator. Biddestone is four miles west of Chippenham. He names his wife as Elizabeth and his children as John, Elijah, Joseph, Michael, Benjamin, Mary, Martha, Job, Abraham and Sarah.
From the 1841 census at Biddestone St Nicholas
John Blake, 55, Maltster, born in Wiltshire
Elizabeth Blake, 47, , born in Wiltshire
Michael Blake, 25, , born in Wiltshire
Benjamin Blake, 20, , born in Wiltshire
Mary Blake, 20, , born in Wiltshire
Martha Blake, 20, , born in Wiltshire
Job Blake, 15, , born in Wiltshire
Abraham Blake, 12, , born in Wiltshire
Sarah Blake, 9, , born in Wiltshire
Separate household (Thomas Sumsion 75, independent, born in Wiltshire and John Osborne 40, Thatcher, born in Wiltshire)
Joseph Blake, 25, Butcher, born in Wiltshire
Mary Blake, 25, , born in Wiltshire
Luica Blake, 3 months, , born in Wiltshire
1851 Census at Biddestone St Nicholas
Elizabeth Blake, head, widow, 57, formerly farmer’s wife 140 acres, employing 5, born at Highworth
Martha Blake, daughter, unmarried, 30, born at Biddestone
Abraham Blake, son, unmarried, 22, born at Biddestone
Sarah Blake, daughter, unmarried, 19, born at Biddestone
John Blake, visitor, married, 37, cabinet maker, born at Biddestone
Sarah Blake, visitor, married, 39, born at Somerset, Bath
Elijah Blake, visitor, unmarried, 24, draper, born at Biddestone
Separate household
Joseph Blake, head, married, 39, maltster, born at Biddestone
Mary Blake, wife, married, 40, , born at Colerne
Louisa Blake, daughter, 10, , born at Biddestone
Rebecca Blake, daughter, 8, , born at Biddestone
John Blake, son, 6, , born at Biddestone
Albert Blake, son, 5, , born at Biddestone
Elizabeth Blake, daughter, 3, , born at Biddestone
Mary Blake, daughter, 1, , born at Biddestone
At Middle Pickwick Farm, Corsham, Chippenham RD
Michael Blake, head, unmarried, 35, Farmer of 180 acres, employing 6, born at Biddestone
Job Blake, brother, unmarried, 28, Assistant, born at Biddestone
Mary Blake, sister, unmarried, 30, , born at Biddestone
Bertha C Silliphant, visitor, unmarried, 30, , born in Dorset
John, the testator, has died before the census was taken and is likely the death in Chippenham registration district march quarter 1851 from Free BMD.
I will add to this blog later the relevant census down to 1911.
There was a John Blake baptized 19 Sep 1784 at Biddestone son of William and Sarah Blake and he was born 28 Aug 1784. This would fit well with the 1841 census. There were two other baptisms for this couple: Rebecca 1 Jan 1775 and William 15 Sep 1782. This is possibly William Blake who married Sarah Brinkworth 7 June 1773 at Corsham, Wiltshire. Corsham is just 3 miles southwest of Chippenham and 2 miles from Biddestone.
Looking further back, there is a couple John and Jane Blake baptizing children at Biddestone:
John Blake baptized 18 Aug 1735
William Blake baptized 25 Dec 1736
There are other Blake families at Biddestone which I must sort out at some point.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 16 Dec 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/2135/291
Testator: John Blake, Yeoman
Place: Biddestone Saint Nicholas, Wiltshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 21 Jul 1848, probated 21 Jul 1851
Condition: 19th century English, legible copy
[Margin]: John
[Margin]: Blake
[Margin]: 18
1 This is the last Will and Testament
2 of me John Blake of Biddestone Saint Nicholas in the County of
3 Wilts Yeoman and which (hereby revoking all former and other Wills
4 by me at any time heretofore made) I make publish and declare in
5 manner following, that is to say, First I give and bequeath to my
6 dear Wife Elizabeth Blake All the furniture and linen which shall be
7 in the bed room in which I normally sleep at the time of my decease
8 and my round Tea Table in the kitchen I also give to my said Wife
9 Elizabeth Blake All that my leasehold cottage or tenement with the
10 garden and appurtenances thereunto belonging situate and being at
11 Biddestone Saint Nicholas aforesaid and now in the occupation of Job
12 Taviner as my tenant To hold the same unto my said Wife and
13 executors administrators and assigns for and during all my estate term
14 and interest which shall be therein to come and unexpired at the
15 time of my decease I give to my Sons John Blake and Elijah Blake
16 the sum of one hundred pounds each of lawful English money to be
17 paid to them by my executors hereinafter named in one Calendar
18 month next after my decease I give to my Sons Joseph Blake and
19 Abraham Blake the sum of four hundred pounds of lawful English
20 money Upon trust that they the said Joseph Blake and Abraham
21 Blake do and shall lay out and invest the same monies in their or
22 his own names or name in or upon real or government or some other
23 good and sufficient security or securities and after and change such
24 security or securities when and so often as they or he shall think
25 necessary or expedient And I do hereby declare that they the said
26 Joseph Blake and Abraham Blake shall stand and be possessed of
27 and interested in the said trust monies or the stocks funds or securities
28 on which the same shall or may be invested and the interested dividends
29 and annual produce thereof Upon trust to pay such interest dividends
30 and annual produce of the said trust monies by half yearly payments
31 when and as the same shall become due and payable unto my dear
32 Wife Elizabeth Blake or her assigns for and during the term of her
33 natural life And from and immediately after the decease of my said
34 Wife Then Upon trust to pay and divide the said principal sum of
35 four hundred pounds together with all interest and dividends which
36 may be then due thereon and unapplied unto and equally between
37 my children Joseph Blake Michael Blake Benjamin Blake Mary
38 Blake Martha Blake Job Blake Abraham Blake and Sarah
39 Blake or such of them as shall be living at the time of the decease
40 of my said Wife share and share alike The share or shares of
41 such child or children respectively to become vested interests in him
42 her or them on his her or their attaining the age or respective ages
43 of twenty one years and to be paid or transferred at such age or ages
44 as aforesaid to each of the said children as shall arrive at that age
45 after the decease of my said Wife Provided and I do hereby declare
46 it to be my Will that in case any or either of my said children
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47 shall happen to depart this life before he she or they shall attain
48 his her or their age or respective ages of twenty one years That then
49 the share or shares of him her or them so dying shall from time to
50 time go and accrue to the survivors or survivor of such children and
51 be equally divided amongst them (if more than one) share and share
52 alike and the same shall become vested and payable or transfera-
53 ble at such age or ages as his her and their original portion and por-
54 tions are hereby directed to become vested and payable or transferable
55 as aforesaid And in case of the death of any other of the said child-
56 ren before such accruing or surviving share or shares shall become
57 vested as aforesaid Then every such accruing or surviving part or
58 share shall again be subject and liable to such right chance con-
59 tangency or condition of accrue to and amongst the survivors or sur-
60 vivor and others or other of the said children as hereinbefore is pro-
61 vided touching the said original portion or portions And upon this
62 further trust that they my said trustees and the survivor of them
63 his executors and administrators do and shall in the meantime and
64 until the share or shares of such child or children respectively shall
65 severally become vested due and payable continue such share or
66 shares at interest and pay and apply the interest dividends and pro-
67 ceeds thereof or so much of the same as shall be deemed sufficient
68 by my said trustees or trustee for the time being in for or towards the
69 maintenance and education of such child or children respectively per-
70 mitting the surplus or residue if any to accumulate for his her or
71 their benefit respectively And as to all the rest residue and remainder
72 of my monies and securities for money and other my effects whatsoever
73 and wheresoever and of what nature or kind soever I give and be-
74 queath the same unto and equally between my children Joseph
75 Blake Michael Blake Benjamin Blake Mary Blake Martha
76 Blake Job Blake Abraham Blake and Sarah Blake Subject never-
77 theless to the payment of all and every my just debts my funeral
78 expences and the costs and charges of the proof and execution of this
79 my Will Provided always And I do hereby declare it to be my Will
80 that it shall and may be lawful to and for my said Sons Joseph
81 Blake and Abraham Blake or the survivor of them his executors
82 or administrators during the minority of any or either of my said
83 children to raise and apply for or towards the apprenticeship education
84 or advancement in life or for the benefit of any or either of my said
85 children any part or parts of his her or their presumptive portion
86 or portions under the trusts hereinbefore contained And as to all the
87 rest residue and remainder of my monies and securities for money
88 and other my personal estate and effects not hereinbefore bequeathed
89 I give and bequeath the same and every part there of unto and equally
90 between my Children Joseph Blake Michael Blake Benjamin Blake
91 Mary Blake Martha Blake Job Blake Abraham Blake and Sarah
92 Blake share and share alike Subject nevertheless to the payment of
93 all and every my just debts my funeral expences and the costs and
94 charges of the proof and execution of this my Will provided also
95 and my Will further is and I do hereby direct that it shall and
96 may be lawful to and for my said trustees and executors and their
97 respective heirs executors and administrators by and out of all or
98 any of the aforesaid trust monies and effects to deduct retain to and
99 reimburse to himself and themselves respectively all such costs charges
100 and expences as they or either of them shall be put unto pay suffer
101 or sustain for or by reason or means of the execution of this my Will
102 or the trusts hereby in them reposed or the management or execution
103 thereof And I do also will and direct that my said trustees and executors
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104 or either of them their or either of their heirs executors or administrators shall
105 not be charged or chargeable with or be accountable for any more of the
106 said trust monies and effects than they shall respectively actually receive
107 or shall receive to their respective hands by virtue of this my Will not
108 with or for any loss which shall happen of the same so as such loss
109 happen without their wilful neglect or default nor one of them for the
110 acts of them but each of them only for his own acts receipts neglects or
111 defaults And I do make nominate constitute and appoint my said
112 Sons Joseph Blake and Abraham Blake joint Executors In trust of
113 this my Will And I do hereby declare that it shall be lawful for
114 them the said Joseph Blake and Abraham Blake and the survivor
115 of them his executors and administrators by and out of all or any of my
116 monies and effects to deduct and reimburse to himself and themselves
117 respectively all costs and expences to be incurred by them in the execu-
118 tion of this my Will And that they shall not be answerable or
119 accountable the one for the other of them but each of them only for
120 his own separate act and default In witness whereof I the said
121 John Blake the Testator have to this my last Will and Testament
122 contained in four sheets of paper to the three first sheets thereof set
123 my hand and to this fourth and last sheet set my hand
124 and seal the twenty first day of
125 July in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty
126 eight John Blake Signed sealed published and
127 declared by the said John Blake the Testator as and for his last
128 Will and Testament in the presence of us who at his request in his
129 presence and in the presence of each other present at the same time
130 have hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses thereto Wm Wilmot
131 Solicitor Chippenham Frances Stewart Wilmot
132 Proved at London 21st July 1851 before the Worshipful Thomas
133 Spinks doctor of Laws and Surrogate by the oaths of Joseph Blake
134 and Abraham Blake the Sons the executors to whom admon was
135 granted having been first sworn duly to administer.
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