Transcription

Slowly moving ahead with transcription and Valentine Blake's, Clerk at Winchcomb, will of 1615 will be a challenge. It is four pages long with an inventory and somewhat of a scrawl (I believe it is his original writing as these are wills from the Diocese of Bristol). Probably I will not complete it for a few days and I believe I will also work on the Cornwall Blake family at the same time.

The new society "The Surname Society" has my time commitment only for meetings and the newsletter (I will primarily be copyediting other submissions which will mean a much shorter time commitment). That brings to three the number of newsletters that I prepare. My Blake newsletter is short (never more than 2 pages unless someone wants to add something) but all written by me and my Guild of one name Studies newsletter for Eastern Canada (trying for twice a year and again written by me). As I approach 70 (2015) I realize that I must continue to pass on some of my commitments to other like minded people so hope that someone will come forward to take on the Guild for Eastern Canada.

The will of Valentine Blake is rather an interesting one as I do have a Martin Blake married to Catherine Vaughan living at Winchcomb but no son Valentine and the father is said to be David. This information from the Blake Pedigree Chart held at the Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office. I did find a bit of information that gives me a possible date of birth for Valentine Blake. It is the recording of a case where he was a deponent 18 Jun 1612 and it is stated that Valentine has lived at Winchcombe for 15 years and that he was born at Fladbury, Worcestershire and he is aged 50 years. Hence a birth year circa 1562. Interesting that he is a curate at Winchcombe where the Blake family had lived earlier but also concurrent with Valentine's time there. Is he related?

Still working away on my exercises for my back which eats into my genealogy time quite markedly actually. I think that is the secret for recovery. When I tore my rotator cap a little more than ten years ago now I went to about half of a dozen therapy sessions which I found to be absolutely excellent. Being directed in such a way is very very beneficial and then doing those exercises for a number of years and my shoulder is completely healed. I hope the same for my back actually.