1248. The Blake Family (Discussion inserted)
1. In St. Stephen's Church, Bristol, there is a marble tablet with the following inscription: "Near this place, in the same vault with his father and mother, William and Rebecca Blake, lie the remains of Richard Blake, Esquire, who died August 6th, 1829, aged 69." And above, on a small tablet, is an inscription to his widow, Anne Augusta, described as the daughter of the Very Reverend Charles Harward, of Hayne, County Devon, Dean of Chichester, etc. She died November 4th, 1847, aged 84. Arms - Ar. a chev. between 3 garbs sa. empaling gu. a crosse crosslet or. Creet - On a cap of maintenance gu. turned up erm. a martlet sa.
The will of Anne Augusta Blake was blogged:
http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2014/04/will-of-anne-augusta-blake-widow.html
Richard Blake, husband of Anne Augusta Blake, was the son of William and Rebecca Blake according to the memorial in St Stephen's Church, Bristol. Now, the question is, can I discover the parents of William Blake. Richard would have been born circa 1760. The coat of arms mentioned on the memorial tablet do not appear to be the registered arm of the Harward family. The first mentioned coat of arms does belong to the Blake family. An Alphabetical Dictionary of Coats of Arms Belonging to Families ....., volume 2 has "Gu. on a cross croslet arg. betw. four gouttes d'eau five annulets az. Harward, Hayne, Co. Devon; a heiress m. Blake." I have little knowledge of heraldry although I am starting to look at a little because of the Blake coats of arms. I did find on Family Search the baptism of Richard Blake 1 Dec 1760 at Bristol with parents William and Rebecca Blake. They also baptized a son William 3 Dec 1757 and a daughter Rebecca 21 Apr 1759 both at Bristol. Interestingly there is a marriage of a William Blake to Rebecca Milles 12 Jun 1754 at Duloe, Cornwall. Since this is a known Blake area it is possible that this line is from Cornwall. There is a will for William Blake (1792) at Bristol to come.
2. In St. Werburgh's Church, Bristol, there was this inscription: "To the memory of Mr Richard Blake, many years an inhabitant of this parish, who died the 3rd day of January, 1771, aged 70. In the same vault where his remains are deposited, also are interred Mary Blake, his mother, Samuel and Mary Greenway, whose ony daughter he married, and five of his children, who died in their infancy. Likewise the remains of Mary, his wife, who died the 21st October, 1781, aged 82."
I found this reference most interesting as I am in the midst of transcribing the will of Mary, the widow of this Richard Blake who was the father of Susanna Woodward and Hannah Deverell. The mother of this Richard was Mary Greenway and in the will of Mary there is mention of a Joseph Greenway. Put together with the reference at Chipping Sodbury, is this the same family? That Richard would have been born circa 1646, died 1724 (aged 78). Chipping Sodbury is nine miles ENE of Bristol. Still to come is the will of Richard Blake who died in 1771 and another Richard Blake will from 1642 which may help to fill this family line in.
3. In Chipping Sodbury Church there are (or were) the following inscriptions: " To the memory of his father, Richard Blake, late of this town, and of his brothers Joseph and Samuel, whose remains are interred near this place. This monument is erected by Richard Blake, of the city of Bristol." "In memory of Richard Blake, Senior, who was buried April 19th, A.D. 1724, aged 78." "In memory of Joseph Blake, son of Richard and Mary Blake, of this borough, who deceased the 18th day of May, A.D. 1715, in the 23rd year of his age." "Thomas Coombe died September 26th, 1724, aged 42. Joanna Coombe, his wife, died February 27, 1748/49, aged 63. Joanna Blake, relict of Robert Blake, and daughter of Thomas and Joanna Coombe, died April 20th, 1790, aged 82."
From Aubrey's Collections for North Wilts I find that Robert Hungerford, of Studley, near Calne, by his will (1754) bequeated his parsonage of Avon (between Chippenham and Christian Malford) to his nephew George, after of Studley, for his life - in tail to Robert Blake, of Sodbury, who had married one of his nieces.
4. In St. John's Church, Glastonbury, there was an inscription to Elizabeth, the wife of Francis Blake, of Clifton, Gent.; she died January 1st, 1736, aged 50. This Francis Blake died at Glastonbury in 1768, having been ten times mayor of that borough, from 1717 to 1768. He had a son William, who predeceased him, having resided in the parish of Clifton.
For Francis Blake buried at Glastonbury this is a known Blake line which is collateral to the Admiral Robert Blake line according to the Potbury Blake website: http://www.portbury-hundred.co.uk/admiralreport.htm . This Francis Blake who was married to Elizabeth Porch 14 Feb 1708 at Wells. He was the son of Roger Blake and Susannah Taylor with Roger's father being Humphry the elder who married Elizabeth Upton. This Humphry was the son of Humphry Blake who married Elizabeth Giles. Continuing back this Humphrey was the son of Humphrey Blake and Agnus/Ann James. Then John Blake the elder and his wife Johan were the parents of Humphrey and this John Blake was a brother to Admiral Robert Blake. I have blogged on this line several times and I am confident that indeed this Francis Blake is related to Admiral Robert Blake.
I shall be glad to be supplied with any information relative to any of these Blakes, and particularly as to the parentage of Francis and Elizabeth Blake, and whether they were connected with the Bristol and Gloucestershire family. Francis was, I know, related to the Blakes of Spaxton, Somerset, and bore for arms, Ar. a chev. between 3 garbs, sa.
Edward Fry Wade, Axbridge, Somerset.
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