Will of William Blake, Gravesend, Kent - National Archives PROB 11/846/88, probated 2 May 1759

William Blake, the testator names his niece Esther Croome as his executrix. She was seventeen years of age by the 7 Mar 1769 giving her a year of birth 1752. I was not able to locate definitive records for the Croome family. No further information on the testator William Blake was located.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 24 Feb 2020
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/846/88
Testator: William Blake
Place: Gravesend, Kent
Type of Record:    Will
Date of document: 14 Apr 1759, probated 2 May 1759

[Margin]: William Blake

1    In the Name of God Amen
2    I William Blake of the parish of Gravesend in the County of
3    Kent being weak in body but of sound and perfect mind and
4    Memory blessed be Almighty God for the same do make and
5    Ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form
6    Following (that is to say) First and principally I recommend my
7    Soul to Almighty God who gave it And my Body I commit to
8    The Earth to be therein decently Buried and as touching the disposal
9    Of what Worldly Estate it hath pleased Almighty God to bless me with
10    I give and dispose of the same as follows (viz) First of all I Will
11    That all my Just Debts and Funeral Expences and the charges of
12    Proving this my Will be forthwith paid and Satisfied Item I give and
13    Bequeath unto my Cousin Elizabeth Goulding Wife of Thomas
14    Goulding in London the Sum of Four hundred pounds I also Give
15    And bequeath unto Mr Richard Bright of Stepney Causway the
16    Sum of One hundred pounds I also give and bequeath unto my
17    Niece Sarah Croome the Sum of fifty pounds I also give and
18    Bequeath unto Samuel Hazard of Gravesend afore said Malster
19    The Sum of twenty pounds I also Give and bequeath unto
20    Richard Stevenson of Gravesend aforesaid Gardener the sum of
21    Twenty pounds I also give and bequeath unto my Goddaughter
22    Rachael Amey of Gravesend aforesaid Spinster the Sum of
23    Twenty pounds all which said Several Legacies or Sums of Money
24    I Will and Order shall be paid to the said respective Legatees
25    By my Executrix hereinafter named within Twelve Calender
26    Months next and Immediately after my decease I also give
27    And bequeath unto my late Servant James Marshall of Gravesend
28    Aforesaid my Great long Ferry Boat with the Tackle and Furniture
29    Belonging unto her to be delivered unto him Immediately after
30    My decease I also give and bequeath unto George Eglintine
31    Of Gravesend aforesaid my Wash Streat Boat with the Tackle
32    And Furniture belonging unto her to be delivered unto him
33    Immediately after my decease I also give and bequeath unto
34    Herbert Bates of Gravesend aforesaid my little Boat with the
35    Tackle and Furniture belonging unto her to be delivered unto him
36    Immediately after my decease Item all the rest residue and
37    Remainder of my Goods Chattels Ready Money and Securities
38    For money and all other my Personal Estate whatsoever and
39    Wheresoever of what kind quality of nature soever the same are
40    I give and bequesth the same unto my Neice Esther Croome and
41    I do hereby make Ordain Constitute and appoint my said Neice
42    Esther Croome whole and Sole Executrix of this my last Will and
43    Testament And I do hereby Revoke all former Wills by me
44    Heretofore made and Declare this to be my last Will and Testament
45    In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal the
46    Fourteenth day of April In the Thirty Second year of the Reign
47    Of our Sovereign Lord King George the Second And in the year of
48    Our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and fiftynine Wm Blake
49    Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the said William Blake
50    The Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence
51    Of us who at his request and in his presence and in the presence of
52    Each other Subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto Witnesses
53    Jas Terry Thomas Caltinson
54    On the Second day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand
55    Seven hundred and fifty nine Administration with the Will annexed
56    Of all and Singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the William Blake
57    late of Gravesend in the County of Kent deceased was Granted to
58    Stephen Croome the Father and Curator lawfully assigned to
59    Esther Croome Spinster a Minor the Sole Executrix named in the
60    Said Will for the use and benefit of the said Minor until She
61    Shall attain the Age of Seventeen Years he having been first
62    Sworn duly to administer
63    Proved ____ and on the Seventh Day of
64    March 1769 before the Worshipful Thomas Bever Doctor of Laws and
65    Surrogate by the Oath of Esther Croome Spinster the Sole Executrix to
66    Whom Admon was granted having been first sworn duly to administer
67    The Letters of Admon with the Will annexed of the Goods of the said deceased
68    Granted in the Month of May 1759 to Stephen Croome the natural and lawful
69    Father and Curator or Guardian lawfully assigned to the said Esther Croome then a Minor
70    For her use and benefit and until She should attain the age of Seventeen Years
71    Being ceased and expired by reason of her having attained the said age.

Will of Thomas Blake, Midshipman of His Majesty's Ship Conqueror of Saint Mary Parish, Dover, Kent - The National Archives PROB 11/1104/285, probated 14 Jun 1783

Thomas Blake, testator, provides only the name of his mother Ann Blake.

There was a baptism at St Mary the Virgin, Dover Kent 3 Apr 1766 for Thomas Blake son of George and Ann Blake 3 Apr 1766. Interesting enough there was a marriage 19 Aug 1755 between George Blake and Ann Pohill (note one of the witnesses to the will was a W Polhill). The marriage registration states: George Blake and Ann Polhill Spinster both of this Parish were married in this Church by Banns this nineteenth day of August in the year of our Lord One Thousand Seven hundred and fifty five by me John Nairn Curate. This Marriage was solemnized between us Geo Blake (signed) Ann Polhill (X her mark) In the presence of Hughes Miner and S Jelly (Source Page 35, #52, Kent Canterbury Archdeaconry Marriages Image, Find My Past, viewed 24 Feb 2020). Of interest, an Indenture was also located with George Blake as Master Cooper.

I did not locate a burial for Thomas Blake the testator.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 16 Feb 2020
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1104/285
Testator: Thomas Blake, Midshipman of His Majesty’s Ship Conqueror of Saint Mary Parish
Place: Dover, Kent
Type of Record:    Will
Date of document: 6 Nov 1781, probated 14 Jun 1783

[Margin]: Thomas Blake

1    In the Name of God Amen
2    I Thomas Blake Midshipman of his Majesty’s Ship Conqueror
3    and belonging to the parish of Saint Marys in Dover in
4    the County of Kent being of sound and disposing Mind and
5    Memory do hereby make this my last Will and Testament
6    First and principally I recommend my soul into the hands
7    of Almighty God hoping for Remission of all my Sins
8    through the Merits of Jesus Christ my blessed Saviour
9    and Redeemer and my Body to the Earth or Sea as it
10    shall please God And as for such worldly Estate and
11    effects which I shall be possessed of or intitled unto at the
12    time of my decease I give and bequeath the same as
13    followeth that is to say I give and bequeath unto my
14    dearly beloved Mother Ann Blake of Dover in the County
15    of Kent all such Wages Sum and Sums of Money as now
16    or hereafter shall be due to me for my service or otherwise
17    on board the said ship or any other ship or vessel And I do
18    hereby nominate constitute and appoint my dearly beloved
19    Mother of Dover aforesaid Executrix of this my last Will
20    and Testament and I do give and bequeath unto my said
21    Executrix all the Rest and Residue of my Estate whatsoever
22    both real and personal hereby revoking and making void all
23    other and former Wills by me heretofore made And do declare
24    this to be my last Will and Testament In Witness whereof I
25    have hereunto set my hand and seal this sixth day of
26    november in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred
27    and eighty one And in the twenty First year of the Reign of
28    Our Soveraine Lord George the third by the Grace of God of
29    Great Britain France and Ireland King defender of the Faith
30    Thomas Blake Signed sealed published and
31    declared by the said Thomas Blake aforesaid as and for his
32    Last Will and Testament in the presence of us who have hereunto
33    subscribed our Names as Witnesses in the presence of the said
34    testator Jas Hammond one of his Majesty’s Justices of the
35    Peace Force Thos Boyton W Polhill
36    This Will was proved at London the
37    thirteenth day of June in the Year of our Lord one
38    thousand seven hundred and eighty three before the
39    worshipful George Harris doctor of Laws ans Surrogate
40    of the Right Worshipful Peter Calvert doctor of Laws
41    Master Keeper or Commissary of the Prerogative Court
42    of Canterbury lawfully constituted by the Oath of Ann
43    Blake Widow the Mother of the deceased and sole Executrix
44    named in the said Will to whom administration was
45    granted of all and singular the Goods Chattels and Credits
46    of the said deceased having been first sworn duly to
47    administer

BLAKE - BLAKE Museum at Bridgwater, Somerset

About 75% of the people who write to me about the BLAKE one-name Study are trying to connect back to the BLAKE family of Bridgwater, Somerset. They tend to have an oral history that includes a relationship (many times great uncle generally) to Robert BLAKE, Lord High Admiral during the Commonwealth period. They also, for the most part, are from American BLAKE families. The yDNA study which Bill BLEAK initiated around 2006 at Family Tree DNA was a bid to try and determine the yDNA line of the BLAKE family at Calne and area, Wiltshire which, by various charts, would include the BLAKE family at Bridgwater. What that yDNA study did uncover was that there are many founding lines for the BLAKE families in the British Isles. The website for the museum is quite extensive: https://www.bridgwatermuseum.org.uk/

Several years ago the museum added an interesting chart to their website and I am including a copy of one page in the chart which leads back to the earliest BLAKE on their chart. I did request permission to insert pages from this chart to my blog. The entire Chart is quite amazing and the details on the Somerset BLAKE family coincide well with the records that I have extracted from the various parish registers. My Question family of Dunster married into the Bridgwater BLAKE family (Jone Question married Nicholas BLAKE) but that is a whole other story!

*Used with permission

On seeing this chart for the first time I was struck by its resemblance to the BLAKE Pedigree Chart produced by the College of Arms for the BLAKE family using material from the Daniel BLAKE family of London, UK in 1690.

Having received permission from the Wiltshire and Swindon Archives I reproduce the similar chart from the BLAKE Pedigree. You can see the area of overlap between the two sections of the Chart. As mentioned it is possible to purchase this chart as eight images from the Wiltshire and Swindon Record Office (Reference Number 343/1MS).

I have not been able to ascertain at this time the author of the Chart held by the BLAKE Bridgwater Museum. The relationship of the Andover BLAKE family to the Calne BLAKE family is similar on both charts. The Chart produced by the College of Arms appears to be much older but there is more material on the Bridgwater Museum BLAKE chart.

I am somewhat suspicious that the older chart was used to produce the newer chart with additions. Both Charts appear to have been created in England as far as I am able to determine.

The BLAKE Chart on the Bridgewater Museum webpage does have an ancestor to the Richard BLAKE at the top of the College of Arms BLAKE Pedigree. Namely, Robert le BLAKE :

Robert le BLAKE is said to be "of Quemberford (Co Wiltshire) and named as a juror in an Inquisition postmortem dated 22 Jan 1336 and uncovered among deeds of Hungerford Bar [sp] footnote 1." I did do a search on the National Archives website in the Discovery Catalogue looking for BLAKE and Inquisition Postmortem. In the time period 1300-1399 there are ten records but I wonder if a juror would necessarily be part of the finding aid for a document (surprisingly there was a list of jurors as one of the documents). However there wasn't a record bearing date 1336. Having spent time at Kew they have done a tremendous job of organizing all this material into booklets and numbered appropriately). I am suspicious that perhaps this is in a County Archive (and not yet in the Discovery search engine) and Hungerford is in Wiltshire. Searching on the Wiltshire and Swindon Archival database located 27 records between 1200 and 1400. One particular record caught my attention in 1334 with Reference: 1720/120 and it was a Grant (at Calne) "By John de Fynemore to William Rolf of Blakelonde and Agnes his wife for their lives, of a piece of arable land in the field of Blakelonde (Blackland). Witnessed: John le Chamberleyn, Thomas de Takelberwe, Robert le Blake, William Asser, Adam le Schetere, William de Taseworthe. A second record in 1347 also mentions Robert le BLAKE as witness. Several more records in this time period with Robert BLAKE as witness. A record in 1353 with Reference 1720/148 of a Grant (at Chippenham) "By Richard le Scrivayn of Chippe[n]ham of licence to his tenant Juliana atte Slow, to exchange two acres of arable land at Kemerford (Quemerford in Calne) with Robert le Blake. Witnessed Roger le Tay..., John le Gode, John Waleys, John Bacon, William Cripce." This would seem to prove the presence of Robert le BLAKE in 1336 in the area mentioned.

There are a couple of notes added to this particular crop of the original chart. They appear on Blake_3.pdf in the set of pdf documents for this particular pedigree. 

I copy only the covering Notes, Note 1 and Note 4. 

Notes

Note 1 concerning the Blake Family copied from the "H" manuscripts ____

1690 "The Genealogie of the ancient and worthy Family of Blague or Blake of great antiquity in the County of Wilts where they had large possessions at Quemberford, Calne, Hillcott, with a fair mansion House at Pynhills now the seat of the Family. A younger Branch whereof transplanted themselves into Hampshire and sitting at Easton town were owners of several other Manors"

Note 4 The reference to Rob[er]t le Blake (1336) was discovered by Sir H Farnham _____ (Garter) who considers this link highly probable

The Note implies by the copying of the Title of the College of Arms BLAKE Pedigree that this earlier chart was used to construct the BLAKE Pedigree held by the Bridgwater Museum. I note that the descent of the BLAKE family in Hampshire is shown as a descent from Henry BLAKE and Margaret Bellett. Nicholas BLAKE of Enham (earlier blog in this series) whose will was probated 20 Jun 1547 is on the chart with siblings that are not mentioned in his will and the siblings that are mentioned not included other than Robert who is said to have died d.s.p. which is known to be incorrect from Robert's own will. However interestingly enough this chart does not name a Humphrey BLAKE as a brother which was the real reason that Horatio Somerby Gates used Nicholas BLAKE in his fraudulent genealogy of the BLAKE family in England incorporated into early BLAKE American genealogies. 

One is left to surmise that the Pedigree Chart at Bridgwater Museum has preceded the work of Horatio Somerby Gates and thus dated pre 1870s and Horatio Somerby Gates has utilized some of the information in this chart. It was interesting finding this as the possible source for the fraudulent work of Horatio Somerby Gates. That being said I can only think that the author of this Chart had acquired this material from another and that errors had crept into the BLAKE family at Enham, Hampshire. One notes on the chart below Robert BLAKE of Enham said to be married to unknown Snell with sons William, John, Richard and Robert. The transcription of this Robert's will (in Latin) was published by me as part of this Blogging Challenge:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.com/2020/02/blake-will-of-jone-blake-widow-enham.html

Robert does mention Thomas BLAKE and Richard BLAKE as sons in his will. There is a William BLAKE and a Robert BLAKE but relationship not clearly established in the will. I did not see a John BLAKE in that will. Not mentioning a child in the will has many reasons as I have discovered so tend to be benevolent in regard to that possibility. A crop of Chart 2 adds some imagery to this discussion.

Chart 2 includes a note which states "The exact connection of the Hampshire Blake with those of Wiltshire is not yet fully established the link here suggested seems the most probable." Possibly the best words of all since the will of Nicholas BLAKE of Enham does clearly show the chart to be inaccurate where he is concerned. I will discuss this particular section of the Chart in another blog at a later date.

Will of Susanna Blake, spinster of Dover, Kent - The National Archives PROB 11/2109/264, probated 20 Mar 1850

This will links back to the earlier will of the mother of the testatrix, Susanna Blake, and she was named Susannah Blake (late of Sittingbourne):

http://kippeeb.blogspot.com/2020/01/will-of-susanna-blake-widow-of.html

Susanna Blake, present testatrix, adds some more family information. The children of Thomas Blake (her brother) were named: Thomas Blake, George Blake, Richard Turner Blake, Frederick Blake, Francis Blake and Jane Blake. Susanna names her sister Elizabeth King’s daughters :  Eliza King and Emma King. Two nieces Anne Blake and Susan Grant. One more legatee is named Anne Grant Giret.

Again searching on these children did not lead me to this Blake family. It is somewhat of a mystery actually.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 4 Feb 2020
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/2109/264
Testator: Susanna Blake, spinster
Place: Dover, Kent
Type of Record:    Will
Date of document: 16 Oct 1846, probated 20 Mar 1850

[Margin]: Susanna Blake 14

1    This is the last Will and Testament
2    of me Susanna Blake late of Sittingbourne in the County of Kent
3    but now of Dover in the same county spinster whereas my Mother
4    Susannah Blake late of Sittingbourne aforesaid widow deceased by
5    her last will and testament bearing date the thirty first day of May
6    one thousand eight hundred and forty one did give all her personal
7    Estate and Effects unto me the said Susanna Blake her nephew George
8    Blake and Thomas Pain of Dover aforesaid Gentleman their executors
9    administrators and assigns Upon trust for sale as in the said Will is
10    particularly mentioned with a direction that the said trustees should
11    invest a sum of three thousand pounds in their his or her names or
12    name in the purchase of any of the parliamentary Stocks or public
13    funds of Great Britain or at Interest upon Government or real securities
14    in England to be varied for other Stocks funds or securities of the like
15    nature at the direction of the said trustees and that the said Trustees
16    should stand possessed of the said sum of three thousand pounds and
17    the Stocks funds and securities upon which the same should be invested
18    and the interest dividends and annual produce thereof upon such
19    trusts intents and purposes and under and subject to such powers pro
20    visoes and declarations as I the said Susanna Blake should legally
21    Deed or Will appoint and dispose of the same or any part thereof
22    unto or in favor of all or any of the children of my said Mother and
23    their issue in such manner and portions in all respects as I the
24    said Susanna Blake should think proper Now I do hereby by virtue
25    of the said power and authority enabling me in this behalf con
26    tained in the said Will of my said Mother and of every other power
27    or authority in anywise enabling me in this behalf appoint and
28    dispose that immediately after my decease the said sum of three
29    thousand pounds or the Stocks funds and securities upon which
30    the same shall be invested in the manner and proportions after
31    mentioned as to the sum of one thousand pounds part thereof I
32    give unto my cousin the said George Blake his executors and
33    administrators Upon trust to pay the interest dividends and annual
34    produce of such one thousand pounds unto my sister Elizabeth King
35    during her life and from and immediately after her decease upon
36    trust to pay the interest dividends and annual produce thereof unto
37    and equally between her two daughters Eliza King and Emma King
38    for and during and so long as they shall both remain single and in
39    case of the marriage of one of them then the whole of such interest
40    dividends and annual produce thereof to be In trust for such one
41    as shall so remain single and from and after the marriage of both
42    of them the said Eliza King and Emma King then upon trust to
43    pay the said sum of one thousand pounds or the Stocks Funds or secu
44    rities upon which the same shall be invested unto and equally
45    between the said Eliza King and Emma King but if they both shall
46    die single Then I direct the the said sum of one thousand pounds or the
47    Stocks Funds and securities upon which the same shall be invested
48    and the interest dividends and annual produce thereof shall be paid
49    unto and equally between all the brothers and sister of the said Eliza
50    King and Emma King and as to the sum of one thousand pounds
51    further part of the said sum of three thousand pounds Upon trust
52    to the interest dividends and annual produce thereof unto my Sister
53    Ann Smith during her life free from the control of her present or any
54    future husband so that her receipt along shall be a sufficient discharge
55    to my trustee or trustees for the time being for the same and from
56    and immediately after the decease of the said Ann Smith upon trust to
57    pay the said sum of one thousand pounds or the Stocks Funds and secu
58    rities Upon which the same shall be invested unto Anne Grant Giret
59    and as to the sum of five hundred pounds further part of the said sum
60    of three thousand pounds upon trust to pay the same or the Stocks Funds
61    and securities upon which the same shall be invested unto and
62    equally between my five Nephews Thomas Blake, George Blake, Richard
63    Turner Blake, Frederick Blake and Francis Blake and my niece Jane
64    Blake children of my late brother Thomas Blake and as to the sum of
65    five hundred pounds (the remaining part of the said sum of three
66    thousand pounds upon trust to pay the same or the Stocks Funds and
67    Securities upon which the same shall be invested unto and equally
68    between my nieces Susan Grant and Anne Blake and I declare that
69    the receipts of my said trustee or trustees for the time being for all monies
70    Stocks funds and securities as shall be paid or transferred to him or
71    them by virtue of this my Will shall effectually discharge the persons
72    paying or transferring the same from maturity to see to the application
73    thereof and I do declare that my said trustees shall be answerable for
74    their respective acts receipts and defaults only and shall be _____ to retain
75    and to allow to each other out of the monies coming to their hands by
76    virtue of this my Will all expences incurred in the activities of the
77    trust thereof and I declare that on the death refusal or incapacity of
78    the said trustee or of any trustees or trustees to be appointed under this
79    clause it shall be lawful for my said trustee or trustees or the survi
80    vor of them and after the death of such survivor for the capable
81    trustees or trustee if any for the time being of this my Will whether
82    refusing further to act or not of if none for the executors or administrators
83    of  the last deceased trustee to appoint a fit person or persons to supply
84    the place of the deceased refusing or incapable trustees or trustee And I
85    declare that the previous clauses so far as they concern my trustees
86    herein before named shall extend and be applied to the trustees and
87    trustee for the time being of this my Will And I do hereby nominate
88    and appoint my said Cousin George Blake Sole Executor of this my
89    last Will and testament In witness whereof I have to this my last Will
90    and testament in three sheets of paper contained set my hand this
91    sixteenth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
92    hundred and forty six Susanna Blake Signed by the said
93    testatrix in the presence of us present at the same time who in her
94    presence at her request and in the presence of each other have hereunto
95    subscribed our names as Witnesses the words “so long as” between the
96    second and third lines the word “Sister” between the fourteenth and fif
97    tenth lines and the words “and my niece Jane Blake” between the twenty
98    ninth and thirtieth lines of the second sheet being first severally made
99    and interlined Nic Isaac Notary Public Dover Geo Rose his Clerk
100    Proved at London 20th March 1850 before the Worshipful Robert
101    Joseph Phillimore doctor of Laws and Surrogate by the oath of George
102    Blake the sole Executor to whom Admon limited to the sum of three
103    thousand pounds and the Stocks funds and securities upon which the
104    same hath been invested and the dividends or interest thereof but
105    no which or otherwise was granted having been first Sworn duly
106    to administer Special Admon of rest of goods passed this month
107    On the 1st June 1869 Admon of the rest of the personal estate and effects
108    (in respect of which she is dead intestate) of Susanna Blake Sittingbourne in the
109    County of Kent afterwards of Dover in the said County But late of Boulogne
110    Sur Mer in France deceased who died 14 December 1849 at Boulogne Sur Mer
111    aforesaid a Spinster without a Parent left was administered by Ann Smith (Wife
112    of John Grant Smith) deceased whilst living the natural and lawful Sister and one of
113    the next of kin of the said deceased was granted to Ann Marshall (wife of Robert
114    Marshall) the lawful niece and one of the persons entitled in distribution to the
115    Personal estate and effects of the said deceased All _____ of _____ ______ ______
116    George Blake the natural and lawful Brother and Elizabeth King Widow the natural
117    and lawful Sister also and only Sister next of Kin of the said deceased having _______
118    her interest without having taken upon herself the Letters of Administration of
119    the rest of the personal estate and effects of the said deceased left unadministered
120    as aforesaid

BLAKE - Calendar of Patent Rolls Henry III to Henry VI (1230 - 1452)

The online repository that had the Calendar of Patent Rolls was a freely searchable set of files made available as a project of Professor G.R. Boynton and the University of Iowa Libraries. Thanks to them for making this set of documents available at that time.

I extracted 210 items with the surname le BLAKE, BLAKE, le BLAC, BLAC, and BLAYKE from the Calendar of Patent Rolls with the earliest item being 30 Jan 1230 and the latest item being 16 Jun 1452. The time period covered the reigns of Henry III, Edward I, Edward II, Edward III, Richard II, Henry IV, Henry V and Henry VI. I was able to utilize 207 of these entries (3 entries did not have sufficient data to place the item into a particular location). Most  of the locations were in the Counties of England, a few items in Ireland and Wales and one particularly interesting one from France.

Berkshire 3
Buckinghamshire 3
Cambridgeshire 2
Cheshire 1
Cornwall 4
Cumberland 1
Devonshire 36
Dorsetshire 2
Durham 1
Essex 9
Gloucestershire 5
Hampshire 13
Herefordshire 3
Hertfordshire 11
Kent 9
Leicestershire 4
Lincolnshire 7
London 15
Norfolk 14
Northamptonshire 2
Oxfordshire 6
Shropshire 1
Somersetshire 13
Staffordshire 1
Suffolk 1
Surrey 6
Sussex 3
Warwickshire 1
Wiltshire 5
Worcestershire 12
Yorkshire 5

Ireland  8
Wales 1
France 1

I found a free map online and inserted the numbers into the counties:

The Devon numbers are very large because John BLAKE/BLAK was Clerk of the King's Works during the reign of Richard II and suffered confiscation of his estates so that the number of records directly related to him include 21 of the 36 leaving a substantial number of records nevertheless for Devonshire. There is a clustering around Worcestershire. There are a substantial number of entries in "traditional" BLAKE area across Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire and Hampshire. London has BLAKE entries dating back to 1342. The Blake family was located at Swaffham Norfolk in 1450 with Simon BLAKE being named as keeper of the seal in the town, lordship and warren of Swaffham (28 Henry VI, volume 5, page 329). Hampshire having more entries than Wiltshire rather surprised me and a good number of these were from the Portsmouth/Southampton area.

There is some clustering but it is noticeable that even in this early time period the BLAKE family could be found in many of the counties of England.

The surprise find though was the entry concerning France. I am including it in its entirety because the entry (although only one BLAKE) is from 30 May 1274 and located on membrane 15 in the 24th year of the reign of Edward I, volume 3, page 189. The entry below includes Richard le BLAK of Rouen. Rouen is located in Normandy on the River Seine and is the capital of Upper Normandy in modern times and was the historic capital city of Normandy.

"Licence, until Michaelmas, for Walter le Aketon, merchant of Rouen, to
come to England to trade and to carry his wools and merchandise to the
usual fairs and markets by the public streets and common ways, provided
he do not carry or cause to be carried his wools or merchandise out of the
kingdom, nor deal with the Flemings or others of the power of the countess
of Flanders in the kingdom, or in any way communicate with them, during
the contention between the king and the said countess.
[30 May 1274 Westminster, 2 Edward I, volume 1, pages 51 - 52, Calendar of Patent Rolls]

The like for the following :—
Peter de Bules, merchant of Rouen
William Burnell, merchant of Rouen
Hugh le Coynte, merchant of Rouen
Robert le Balauncer, merchant of Rouen
William de Toftes, merchant of Rouen
Matthew de Walle Richeri, merchant of Rouen
Richard le Mynnot, merchant of Rouen
William de Cryel, merchant of Rouen
Nicholas Veisin, merchant of Rouen
Antonin de Beuvays, merchant of Rouen
Nicholas de Fovill, merchant of Rouen
John de Alneto, merchant of Rouen
6 June [1274 Westminster etc]
Richard le Vilein, merchant of Rouen
Henry Lovet, merchant of Rouen
Walter Peitevin, merchant of Rouen
Hubin de Sancto Martino, of Huy.
John Tafurnawe, of Huy, merchant of Almain.
Henry le Soriz, of Huy, merchant of Almain.
Ralph de Leges, merchant of Leges.
John Henneman, merchant of Leges.
Libert de Leges, merchant of Leges.
John Nicholas, merchant of Deu.
Herewail, merchant of Huy.
Cono Dain, merchant of Huy.
Donrician Daundevale, merchant of Huy.
John Fox, of Brabant, merchant.
John Proppe, merchant of Malins.
John Perewez, of Huy, merchant of Brabant.
John Nicard, merchant of Huy.
Peter de Sauveye, merchant of Rouecestre.
Peter Cosyn, citizen of London.
Reginald de Menachato, merchant of Piacenza.
Conrad Nerbode, merchant of Almain.
Arnold de Dik, merchant of Malyns.
Nicholas Flambard, merchant of Rouen.
John de Torpmimie, merchant of Almain.
Geoffrey Aungevyn, merchant of Rouen.
William Cirurgyen, of Northampton.
William Bek, of London,
Henry Lovet, of Rouen.
Atinus Pruudalis, of Piacenza.
Hugelin Hugelinell, fellow of Nicholas Teste.
Nicholas Teste, fellow of Aldebrand Malagale.
John Winterman, merchant of Almain,
Luke de Lukes, merchant of Lucca.
Gotmar de Lubek, merchant of Almain.
Conrad de Affle, merchant of Almain.
Godschalc le Wyse, merchant of Almain.
Christopher de Munchy, merchant of Beuvays
Robert de Messegewell, merchant of Rouen.
John Donadeu, merchant of Cahors.
Everard de Duncy, merchant of Amiens
James Piket, merchant of Amiens
Warin Piket, merchant of Amiens
Warin Reinevall, merchant of Amiens.
Giles de Mundider, merchant of Amiens
Jacomin de Sancto Fuscencio, merchant of Amiens
Everard le Franceis, merchant of Amiens
Richard le Blak, merchant of Rouen.
Reyner de Furnar', merchant of Florence.
John Weremund, merchant of Caumbrey,
Alan de Sakintot, merchant of Rouen.
John Parwale, merchant of Malines.
Henry de Laghene, merchant of Malines.
Henry de Lewe, merchant of Brabant.
John de Mes, merchant of Amiens.
Walter Aketon, merchant of Fouen,
John Dunadeu, merchant of Cahors.
John de Burgundia, merchant of Amiens
Drogo Malherbe, merchant of Amiens
John Dare, merchant of Amiens
Ingelram Beremere, merchant of Amiens
Gilbert Bonnavel, merchant of Amiens"

The earliest BLAKE entry (prior to the one for Richard le BLAK from Rouen, France) is for Willelmum le BLAKE and he was located in Hertfordshire during the reign of Henry III and the time period is the 30 Jan 1230. The entry is in Latin:

Hertford.—Adam filiis Willelmi, Petrus de Goldinton, Petrus de
Welles et Johannes de Marcham justiciarii ad assisam nove dissaisine
capiendam apud Hertford in octabis clausi [Pasche], quam Radulfus de
Wudiford aramiavit versus Petrum de Essewell, Walterum Coleman,
Augustinum Juvenem, Willelmum le Blake, Walterum filiurn Geroldi,
Ricardurn Stiward et Galfridum de Sandon de tenemento in Eswell;
salvis etc. Teste rege, apud Westmonasterium, xxx die Januarii.[1230]

I believe that it concerns a land dispute and one of these days I will translate it into English but putting it into a translator online:

Hertford.-the sons of Adam, William, Peter de Goldinton, Peter of
Welles and John MARCH of justices of assize of novel restored
taken at Hertford in the octave closed [Easter], which Ralph de
Wudiford aramiavit against Peter de Essewell, Walter Coleman,
Young Augustine, William le Blake, his son Walter Gerold,
Ricardurn Stiward and Geoffrey of Sandon Eswell tenement in;
compliance etc.. Witnessed by the king, at Westminster, on the thirtieth day of January.

The entry for Richard le BLAK merchant at Rouen, France was a rather interesting entry. Many of the BLAKE families in England were involved in the wool trade either as farmers or tradesmen. At this early point in time finding a William le BLAKE already involved in land dealings as early as 1230 and then a Richard le BLAK a merchant from Rouen, France in 1274 were certainly very interesting entries. It does suggest the possible entry into England of BLAKE families over a time period. Have these names been anglicized for entry into the rolls? A lot of questions arise from these Calendar Rolls. If BLAKE came in 1066 would you see such a wide distribution of families in several hundred years? With surnames coming later to the British Isles, can one assume that all of the early members of the le BLAKE, le BLAK families were originally from France? A few interesting queries and I do now wonder if French Archives would add to the information on this family.To add to this is the family head on the Blake Pedigree Chart held at the Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office is named Richard Blaake/Blake/Blague living in the time period of Edward I and Edward II. The Chart does include the note with respect to the property in Essex which was deeded to Knights Templar but the document held by The National Archives has a Roger le Blake in that transaction. Possibly an error in reading the old document at the time that the chart was produced (1690) or a misunderstanding or is Roger related to Richard. I am thinking it is an error and that two distinct Blake lines were confused at the time of the making of the Chart especially as Roger was living in Herefordshire and not Wiltshire whereas it is known that a Robert Blake (married to Avis Wallop) was in Wiltshire  at Quemerford in the late 1400s and early 1500s (buried circa 1515). It is this line that traced back to Richard Blake living during the reigns of Edward I and Edward II.


Searching on the National Archives of the UK site gives three documents for le Blak and 55 for le Blake but none earlier than 1286. Finding the document for Richard le Blak of Rouen, France has given me more pause for thought with regard to the deep origins of the Blake families of the British Isles.

The distinct haplogroups for Blake in the Blake yDNA study are even more interesting with respect to the distribution for Blake/Blak found in an examination of the Calendar of Patent Rolls. More people testing their yDNA for Blake can only lead to a greater understanding of the deep ancestry of the Blake family of the British Isles. 

http://www.familytreedna.com/group-join.aspx?code=A70410&Group=Blake

Along with the other Administrators of the yDNA project, we are slowly revising the headings for the various groupings of the BLAKE family. But definitely BLAKE has arisen in the British Isles from a number of founders given the difference in the haplogroups for lines where more than one individual has tested.

BLAKE - Will of Jone BLAKE, widow, Enham - Consistory Court of Winchester, Register D, folio 118, will dated 23 Mar 1527

Continuing with the story of the BLAKE family at Knights Enham near Andover. Nicholas BLAKE's will was blogged last blog (along with the will of his widow Margaret (BLAKE) Munday). Moving back one more generation it was possible to locate the will of the mother of Nicholas. This will of Jone Blake, widow, of Enham in 1527 was most kindly written in English; my latin skills are weak at best and the treat of discovering that this will was indeed in English was marvelous. I believe her husband to be Richard BLAKE who left his will in 1522 and Jone was a widow in 1527. 

Who Jone was remains a mystery unless her surname was Jesra as she mentions a Thomas Jesra of Foskett (perhaps Foxcott).

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 19 Feb 2014
Source: Family Search, Film # 186682, Catalogue A-377, page 163
Testator: Jone Blake, widow
Place: Enham, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 23 Mar 1527/1528

[Margin]: copied test[ament]

1    In die no[m]i[n]e Ame[n] the yer of owre lord god oon thowsand fyve hundredth xxvij the xxiij day of the month of marche
2    I Jone Blake widdow w[i]t[h] a hoyll mynde and a good memorye maketh my laste wyll and testamente in thys man[ner] Fyrste I
3    Com[m]end my soll unto allmyghty god owre lady saynt marey to all the saynts in hevyn and my Body to be buryd in
4    the chyrche or the chyrche lyttyn of saynt mykell of enahm It[em] I gyffe and bequeth onto ye mother chyrche of saynt swe
5    thyns xij d It[em] I gyvv and bequeth to ye chyrche of enahm vj s viij d It[em] I gyvv and bequeth xxvj s viij d to be dystrybute
6    unto poor pepyll in pen[n]y doyll It[em] I gyff and bequeth unto my curat Sy[r] Rychard Mersser xx d It[em] I gyff and bequethe
7    to Sy[r] John Batte xx d It[em] I gyff and bequeth to mayntenyg of the mo[r]row masse prest in Andover xx d It[em] I gyff and bequeth
8    to mayntenyg of Jhe masse in ye chyrche of Andover xx d It[em] I gyff  and bequeth unto the p[ri]or of the freer Augustines
9    in wynchest[er] xx d It[em] I gyff and bequeth to Sy[r] Joh[a]n[nis] Whyte freer xx d It[em] I gyff and bequeth unto ev[er]y of freer of ye
10    sayd Augustynes th[a]t ys prest iiij d and to ev[er]y novesse ij d of ye sayd place It[em] I gyff and bequeth to ye chyrche of Fosket
11    to mayntenyg of ye light before saynt Jamys and saynt Sonday xx d It[em] I gyff and bequeth unto my dowghter Elsabet
12    mylne xx shepe beside yos y[a]t she hathe allredy and oon Cowe y[a]t I bowght of hyr and xiij s iiij d of money and my gretst
13    pan and fowre plat[t]erst I gyff and bequeth unto my son Nycolas Blake ye tabyll in ye hall and oon clothe callyd ye hallyg
14    and two yryne racks It[em] I gyff and bequeth unto my son Robert Blake oon yryne broche and xviij shepe ye wheche
15    shepe he hath in kepyng It[em] I gyff and bequeth unto Thome Jesra of Fosket oon yryne broche The resydew of
16    all my goods moveabyll and unmoveabyll I have not legate I gyff and bequeth unto my chyld[er]ne Nycolas Blake
17    Robert Blake and to Thome Jefra of Fosket and ye sayd goods to be devydytt emongys them equaly ev[er]y oon of
18    them elyke mo[r]e[or]l[e]ss It[em] I make my sonys Nycolas Blake and Robert Blake my trell executors and Thome Jefra of
19    Fosket my sup[er]visor y[a]t he see my last wyll and testament Inplet[ed] and fulfyllyd and the foresaid executors to dypo
20    se for the heylth of my soll as thay shall see moyst expedient thes wytnesses Sy[r] Rychard Mersser Syr
21    Joh[a]n[nis] Batte Nycolas Blake Robert Blake w[i]t[h] other

No probate was located for this will of Jone BLAKE, widow of Enham.

Richard BLAKE (Blayke), Knights Enham, left his will dated  12 Apr 1522 and probated 23 May 1522. Unfortunately, I have not found tax records for Knights Enham earlier than 1598 but these later records indicate only one BLAKE line as both of these individuals are descendant of Jone BLAKE whose will is blogged above. Hence I put forward the thought that this will left by Richard BLA[Y]KE was the husband of Jone BLAKE.

British History Online has a very interesting section of Knight's Enham and King's Enham which at the time of the Domesday Book was regarded as Enham but two different holdings equal in size:

https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/hants/vol4/pp377-379

Continuing to read this early history found online an interesting comment under "Manor" last line first paragraph: " At the end of the 15th century it was said, like so many neighbouring manors, to be held of the freemen of Andover by fealty (Chan. Inq. p.m. (ser. 2), xi, 110). One notes that Lord Sandys is referred to in a number of the wills of the BLAKE family at Enham (see blog posts for William BLAKE and Nicholas BLAKE). Further on under the "Manor" section:" ....SirWilliam Sandys, died seised of the manor jointly with his wife in 1496, before which date it had been entailed on them and their heirs (Chan. Inq. p. m. (Ser. 2), xi, 110). His descendants, the Lords Sandys of the Vyne, continued to hold it until the  middle of the 17th century (Recov. R. Mich. 4 Edw. VI, rot. 535; Mich. 42 Eliz. rot. 172; Trin. 1649, rot. 42; Feet of F. Div Co. Trin. 1649)."

Richard mentions his wife (but not by name), his son Nichi[las]. He mentions his brothers Robert and Thomas who are still living at this time. He does not mention his son Robert or his daughter Elizabeth as far as my rough transcription of Latin seems to indicate.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 13 Aug 2013
Source: Family Search – Film 186681, A-658 and Item 195
Testator: Richard Blayke
Place: Knights Enham, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 12 April 1522, probated 23 May 1522

Wrapper: 1522 Rich[ard]us Blake De Enham
Wrapper: P[ro]batu[m] fuit  xxiij de Maij mu[ ]day infra villa de Andev[er]

1    In die no[min]e Ame[n] xij  die m[en]si[s] d’Ap[ri]lis  Anno d[omi]ni M ccccc xxij Ergo Richardus blayke cy[m]pos
2    me[n]t[i]s sane q[ue] memorie t[ame]n eg[e]r corpore condo et ordino testament[um] meu[m] de mea[m] labor[aci]on[em] volu[n]tat[em]
3    in h[u]nc modu[m] In p[ri]mis et lego A[n]i[m]am mea[m] deo patri o[mni]pote[n]ti be[ate] marie v[ir]gini o[mn]ibus s[anc]tis
4    Corpus q[ue] meu[m] sepeliendu[m] in cimitt[er]io p[a]rochialis eccl[es]ie s[anc]ta michaelie archang[e]li de
5     enham It[e]m lego mat[ric]e eccl[es]ie winton xij d It[e]m lego p[re]dute eccl[es]ie de enham xl d
6    It[e]m do eccl[es]ie p[a]rochiali[s] de Andov[er] xx d It[e]m lego fr[atr]i meo Thome Blayke xl s
7    ut ip[s]e videar ____ mea vlv volunt[at]us suit testam[entu]s in Jurius duslerat et p[er]vient
cum tenementas It[e]m volo q[uod] Uxor[i] mea habeat
8    Firmam mea p[ro] tempo exp[re]sso in endentua iux[ta] as[s]ignatorum Roberti Blayke pri[mi]s
9    mei nichi et uxori mee de h[er]edibus u[ost]ris fait It[e]m do p[ar]ochiali presbicto[rum] xl d w[i]t[h]
10    ip[s]e oret p[ro] salute ai[nim]e mee It[e]m volo q[uod] uxor mea h[ab]eat custodia[t] talus mei
11    dura[n]te vita sua et post decessu[m] p[r]imo yedder sup[ra]dict eccl[es]ie de enham It[e]m lego
12    unicuiq[u]e Filiora[m] meor[um] cowes It[e]m do matri mee xl d ac volo q[uod] h[ab]eat victu et
13    vestitu[m] de bo__e meus q[uod] duo vixit It[e]m lego et unicuiq[ue] filior[am] meor[um] unden
14    vacta[ ] et vi[su]m lactu[ ] cum p[er]tin[en]ces Residuum v[er]o omn[ium] bonor[um] meor[um] do et lego uxori
15    mee qua[m] ordino de constituo executore[m] mea[m] et mi[ni]strare ut ipsa h[ab]eat acinde
16    Disponat p[re]sente die mee et sua ep[iscop]a utilitate s[ic]ut ei melius videbit[ur] insutu[r]
17    expedire deo place[r]e et an[im]e mee p[ro]fice[re] d[omi]ni dat[um] die Anno sup[ra]dict[i]s p[ertin]entibus
18    d[omi]no J[o]h[n]e battey curat[e] Thoma Blayke and Richarde Goldyn cum aliis dimis[s]is
19    P[ro]batu[m] fuit xxiij de me[n]sis maij in
20    cum du sup[ra]dicta in Capella infra villa de Andev[er]
21    Ergo fuit B bo____


The will of Robert BLAKE of Enham, written in Latin and following), does have one line at the end in English which is rather interesting. "Also I reserve to my sonne Richarde my farme and my tenemente that I do dwelth nowe." Finding these wills as I worked my way back in time through the BLAKE family from Upper Clatford back to Andover and then back to Enham was amazing. Robert was likely quite elderly when he died so born in the mid 1400s more or less. There were BLAKE names in the Manor Books of Andover but I have yet to tackle those "all in Latin" documents but do plan to make that attempt in the future. The earliest record that I found was in 1305 and that is a whole other story which I have discussed in my blogs through the years.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 3 Jan 2014
Source: Hampshire Record Office, 1522B-04 (should be 1521B-??)
Testator: Robert Blake
Place: Enham, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 16 Dec 1521
Condition: 16th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: 1522B-04 (should be 1521B-??)

1    In die no[m]i[n]e Ame[n] xvj die dece[m]b[r]is An[n]o d[omi]ni M ccccc xxj Ergo robertij  blayke co[m]pos me[n]t[i]s et sane memoyre
2    asti[pula]tus testame[n]tu[m] [i]n hunc modu[m] In primis do et lego a[n]i[m]am mea[m] deo p[at]ri o[mn]ipote[n]ti corpus qu[e] meu[m] sepeliendu[m] [i]n cimit[t]erio
3    p[ar]ochialij eccl[es]i[a]e s[an]cti michaels de Enh[a]m It[e]m do et lego ad mat[ri]ce ecclesie xii d It[e]m do et lego ecclesie de enh[a]m
4    xl s et una[m] vaccam It[e]m do et lego ecclesis de andever xl oves vef p[or]cus eap quod er iij £ quas yearly kyne
5    habet i[n] custodia Item do et lego uxori mee x £ q[uod] joh[han]es howton debet It[e]m do et lego uxori mee x quarte
6    _uas frume[n]ti et xx ordeu[m] It[e]m do et lego tome filio meo cc omn[ia] It[e]m do et lego andre blayke una[m] tenem[entum]
7    gra[tia] victus It[e]m do et lego tome longe unu[s] diplade et una came[ra]cia It[e]m do et lego tome filio mee una bictel[  ] and una whipblade
8    cu[m] p[ar]ts et un[u]m par[ ] notay monay It[e]m do et lego thome filio una ara[bilis] terra que vocato bene semers
9    cu[m] ______ It[e]m do et lego Wyllimo gelzeyr una[m] toga[m] It[e]m do et lego rycardo goldyng alia[m] toga[m] It[e]m do et lego
10    Robarto tary una tunica[m] It[e]m do et lego unicum que suor[or] meor[um] videlicet viro[rum] ac mulier[is] una[m] ane[llus] It[e]m do et
11    lego tome filio meo duas diplades ab It[e]m do et lego robarto Galavay una[m] toga[m] It[e]m do et lego tome
12    filio meo duas diplades It[e]m do et lego Wyllmo blayke una[m] vacca[m] It[e]m do et lego tome filio meo duas pullos
13    et duo verv[ex] It[e]m wyllmo Fuynere debet m[eo] ppt viij modios frume[n]tie et quoliket modio[s] xvi s It[e]m Assigno
14    Tome filio meo una t[enement]a que vacat[o] Rawkynys It[e]m do et lego volo q[uod] una[m] p[re]sbite[r] celebr[at] et in ecclie par[is]h de Enh[a]m
15    p[ro] salute a[n]i[m]e meo et p[ro] ecclie _______ p[ro] spac[iu]m un[ius] anni It[e]m do et lego robarto blayke una[m] vacca[m] et residuum om[n]i[um] bonor[um]
16    meor[um] test[amentu]m mobilium q[uam] immobilium It[em] do et lego ricardo filio meo quo[s] ordino meos veros executores ut
17    ip[s]e disponat p[ro] salute a[n]i[m]e meo hiis testib[u]s d[omi]no johane battey thoma blayke robarto tary
18    et aliis
19    Also I reserve to my sonne Richarde my farme and my tenemente that I do dwelth nowe

I do have copies of the wills of Thomas and Robert sons of Robert Bla[y]ke which I have read but not yet transcribed. One is left to ponder did my line choose the surname Blayke which gradually became BLAKE? Or did they acquire the surname BLAKE by marriage.

This concludes my recitation of the BLAKE family of Andover and surrounding area. In hopes that as I continue to blog on and talk about this BLAKE family the errors made by Horatio Somerby Gates will gradually disappear from genealogies of BLAKE families. Nicholas BLAKE earned his place in history and it is a proud although small part that he played. If I accomplish nothing else with my BLAKE one-name study I at least feel that I have informed, over time, a wide audience of the actual descendancy of this BLAKE family of Andover and area. My own line lived its life mostly within a couple of kilometres of the centre of Andover. My father was born at Eastleigh but his memories of Upper Clatford/Goodworth Clatford were strong as he visited with his grandparents often and knew all of his cousins before coming to Canada as a child of nine years of age with his parents (Samuel George BLAKE and Ada Bessie Cotterill Rawlings (aka Edith Bessie Taylor)) in 1913.

BLAKE - Will of Nic[h]olas BLAKE of Enham, Hampshire, England

Old Hall and Nicholas BLAKE at Knights Enham, Hampshire, England was a childhood memory for me. My husband and I visited the New England Historic and Genealogical Society Library (NEHGS) in Boston for a Genealogical Session in 2004. I was at the very beginning of my research having neatly avoided it for the first nearly fourty years of our marriage. I was somewhat convinced that I really knew a great deal about my family until my mother wanted my husband to create a 50th Wedding Anniversary Book for them (my parents were married for 50 years on the 20th May 1988 and they actually celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in 1998 as well). My husband, with my mother's notes started to delve into my family and discovered that there were difficult portions that he could not readily discover without extensive research. I did help somewhat going through parish registers at the Family History Library (which my mother had already done to a certain extent but my husband did borrow film from the Family History Library in Utah to assist with the project so did take it somewhat further). It did take hours to read through all the registers and I must admit at the time I did not find it particularly interesting. I needed an incentive and in the late 1980s I really didn't have that desire to learn or discover the missing areas in my family history now that my husband had discovered that they were missing!

 In 2001 I had the opportunity to go to Rome for the Consecration of a new Bishop which took place at St Paul's Within the Walls. The Anglican Group that I belonged to online had been invited to this Convocation (we were a small group (about a dozen people staying at a Monastery mostly doing our own thing but going together to the Convocation)). We spent eight days in Rome in total (my pilgrimage and for me this was my first airline flight ever and there were three flights in total) which involved going to the Vatican every day of that week along with many many historic Christian sites). We then flew to London, UK on our way back to Canada. I experienced this incredible feeling of being home when we arrived at our hotel in the City of London itself. I couldn't put a finger on why I felt that way at that time but the feeling stayed with me as we visited a number of historic sites in London. Serendipity it is called apparently by genealogists!

My husband, always very involved with genealogy, persuaded me, as usual, to attend (and help) with Gene-O-Rama (a genealogical weekend in Ottawa sponsored by the Ontario Genealogical Society Ottawa Branch now Ontario Ancestors Ottawa Branch). That was the first time that I really noticed the National Institute for Genealogical Studies and I picked up a brochure. This was just 2002 though and I had not yet become involved personally in genealogical research. The winter of 2002-2003 one of my cousins in London, Ontario emailed me to ask if I would write up a profile of my Pincombe family for the Westminster-Delaware History Book that he was editing. I wrote back to say that I really didn't think I was a good choice but he was persistent writing back that another cousin of mine would do it but he thought that my grandfather had a grocery store on Wharncliffe Road. That was my uncle actually and I decided that at least the article should be correct and I had at hand the brochure to help me! I had two years to produce the Pincombe Profile so I signed up for English and Canadian studies at the National Institute for Genealogical Studies. Using the studies, and I had a copy of my cousin's book on our early families which did include a short section on my Pincombe family, I now used my homework exercises to search for information. Two years later I did produce, with the help of several of my siblings and a number of Pincombe cousins, the Pincombe Profile now found in the published history books on Westminster and Delaware Townships of Middlesex County, Ontario .

As I continued with my studies, I did become quite intrigued by all that I could find. But it was the advent of DNA testing that really convinced me that genealogy was doable. We tested our DNA in 2005 and the sixteen years since have been a time of great discovery as matches with cousins flowed into my account helping me to phase my grandparent's DNA and keeping me on a good trace-back. My feeling of being home in London was finally solved with the discovery that the hotel that we stayed in in London was right around the corner from my 2x great grandparent's Pork Butcher Shop (Henry Christopher Buller and Anne Welch). They lived there during the 1840s.

During this time I was also looking at the BLAKE family but I kept finding my Nicholas BLAKE being attached to different families that were quite impossible. Tracing back to their sources I came upon Horatio Somerby Gates whom I now know was a fraud. He created stories for Americans searching for their ancestry that were false. Had he troubled to look at the Prerogative Court of Canterbury (PCC) Wills he would have quickly discovered that Nicholas BLAKE was not the person that he used to try and add authenticity to his stories. That BLAKE line over five generations (Robert 1521, Richard 1522, Nicholas 1547, William 1582, Richard 1622) left their wills and clearly indicated their place in the BLAKE family of Andover, Hampshire, England. Most of the discoveries about the fraudulent reporting were discovered at the NEHGS Library in Boston. Having provided this bit of background on my journey, I return to the intent of the post.
 
The will of Nic[h]olas BLAKE was written 31 May 1547 and probated 20 Jun 1547. Initially this will had been catalogued as Nicolas Blake of Essington but I sent in a correction and quite quickly they did get back to me and let me know that verification of his will had shown that it should have been Nicolas Blake of Enham. At that point I purchased it and transcribed it. I have transcribed over 500 wills mostly BLAKE and plan to complete the PCC BLAKE wills in the next year or so. I do have them separated into counties and I will publish them as a unit by county in *.pdf format and put links on my website to each county. I have normally done research on each will, where available, and written a short (or sometimes long but hopefully interesting!) introduction which is one of the take-a-ways from my one-name study that I will archive in the future with the Society of Genealogists and the Guild.

Nicholas BLAKE names his wife Margaret and as of this date I have no ideas on her maiden family surname. He names his children as William BLAKE eldest, Edmund BLAKE under 21 years of age, Alice Goodwyn (married daughter) and Elizabeth unmarried. Nicholas says that William is married and has children as the inheritance of Nicholas' daughters, if they die before inheriting, is to be divided up amongst the children of William. We can see the property in this will which has passed to William and mentioned in William's will in the last blog of this Challenge. William has added greatly to his father's holdings and again Lord Sandys continues as the Lord of the Manor. The holdings are all in Andover, Knights Enham and Kings Enham in Nicholas' will. William BLAKE is the first in this family to state that he lives at Eastontown and his holdings are much more extensive but still in the area of Andover.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 6th May 2009
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/31/549
Name of Testator: Nic[h]olas Blake
Place: Enham (near Andover), Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 31 May 1547, probated 20 Jun 1547

[Left hand corner] Test[at]or Nichi[las] Blake

1    In the name of God amen In the yere of our Lord god a Thousand fyve hundred
2    Fourtie and sevyn and the last day of May I Nicolas Blake of the p[ar]ishe of Enh[a]m in the Dioc[ese] of Wynchest[e]r
3    being sicke of body but of good and p[er]fite remembrance make and ordeyn this my last will and testament
4    in maner and fourme folowing First I Bequith my soule to almightie god to oure Blessed Lady and to all the
5    Blessed company of heaven. And my body to be buried w[i]t[h]in the Church of Saint Michaell Th[e ]archangell Item
6    I geve to the Trinite Church of Wynchester vj d Item I geve to the church of Andever oon quarter of whete
7    It[e]m I give to Enh[a]m Church a quarter of wheat Item I geve and bequeth to Will[ia]m Blake my eldest sonne
8    the halfe of the Farme of Andever of my Lord Sandys holding which Robert Boswell occupyeth Also I geve
9    and bequeth to the said Will[ia]m the Tenement in Kings Enham of my Lord Sandys holding w[i]t[h] all the La[m]mes
10    lande lying in Andever feld that the said William nowe occupieth and holdith Also I geve to the said Will[ia]m
11    Blake my sonne my Leasse of the Tenement of the Lord Sandys called the olde hall w[i]t[h] all the app[ur]ten[an]cs ther unto
12    belonginge or lying in Knyghts Enh[a]m Also I geve to the said William Blake my free holde in Knyights Enh[a]m w[i]t[h] all
13    the appurten[an]cs there unto belonging Item I geve and bequeth to Edmund Blake my sonne the Leasse of the
14    Farme of Andever called Semers Farme w[i]t[h] all the appurten[an]cs ther[e ]unto belonging and walworth of my
15    Lord Sandys holding And a leasse of a Tenement in Kyngs Enh[a]m which is John Catts gentilman holde w[i]t[h]
16    all the appurten[an]cs ther[e ]unto belonging Also I geve to the said Edmund my sonne my freeholde in Andever
17    with seven acres and a half of arable land that Thomas Wescombe now holdeth with all the rest of myn[e]
18    erable lands grains pastures and com[m]ons of pastures of what nature kynde name and degre soever they be
19    which I do holde and kepe of any man[ner] at the making of this my last wille and testament Also I wille that
20    the forsaid Thomas Wescombe shal[l ]have the forsaid house that he dwelleth in for the terms of thurtie yeres
21    next folowing paying yerely therfor and to agree w[i]t[h] Margaret Blake my wife and Edmund Blake my son[ne]
22    Item I geve to Elizabeth Blake my daughter one hundreth of shepe and Twentie poundes of money at the day of
23    her mariage and her apparill. Item I give and bequeth to Alice my daughter twentie shepe and fyve quarters of
24    barley to be delivered at Michelmas next commyng Item I give to Sir Thomas Upton my curate to pray for my soule
25    and all Christ[ai]n soules x s. Also yf that it fortune Edmund Blake my sonne to dye before he be of lawfull age Then I wille
26    that my freholde w[i]t[h] all the other leases geven and bequethed by me to the said Edmond to remayn to William Blake
27    my sonne his heires and assignes And the goods to remayne to Alice Goodwyn and Elizabeth Blake my daughters equally
28    to be devided betwixt them And if it fortune the said Alice and Elizabeth to dye Then I will the said goodes to be devided
29    betwene the children of William Blake my son Provided also I will that Margaret Blake my wife shall have and
30    kepe all my free landes tenements holds leases with all th[e ]appurtenancs to them belonging which I doe holde of any man[ne]r
31    of man[ner] at the making of this my last will and testament during the terme of her life The residue of my goods and
32    c[h]attalls not gevyn or bequethed I geve and bequeth to Margaret Blake my wife and Edmunde Blake my sonne
33    whom I make and ordeyn myn executors of this my last will and testament Also I make and ordeyn William
34    Hopkins and Willi[a]m Aldred my Overseers of this my last will and testament for to se it p[er]formed according to
35    my mynde above specified Witnesse to this Sir Thomas Upton Curate Stevyn Smyth Will[ia]m Blake w[i]t[h] other
36         Probatum fuit test[ament]um suprascripti defuncti h[ab]entis etc xxth die mensis Juinij Anno D[o]m[in]o Mill[es]imo quingen[tesimo]
37    xlvij [1547] Coram d[o]m[in]o apud London aucto[ritate] d[o]m[in]o n[ost]ri Regis etc Iurament[o] Margarete Relicte executoris in h[uius]mo[d]i test[ament]o no[m]i[n]at[i] In persona
38    Stephe[n] Smyth procur[atoris] sui in hac p[ar]te Ac approbatum et insinuatum Com[m]issa fuit admi[ni]stracio o[mn]i[u]m et singulorom bonorum Jurium
39    Et creditorum d[i]c[t]i defuncti prefat[o] executrici In p[er]sona die proc[urato]ris De b[e]n[e] et fidel[ite]r admi[ni]strando Ac de pleno et fideli In[venta]rio secondo die post
40    festum s[an]c[t]e Anne prox[imum] futur[um] exhibend[o] necnon de plano et vero compoto reddend[o] Ad s[an]c[t]a dei Ev[a]ngelia in debit iuris forma jurat
41    Reservata po[tes]tate Edmund Blake executori etiam in h[uius]mo[d]i test[ament]o no[m]i[n]at cum venerit etc


The will of Margaret Mundaye now completed (an earlier blog post included only the first page and the inventory) as I have finally managed to get the second page as that film is now available at the local Family History Library. Margaret, at the time of writing her will was the widow of Richard Munday whose will was blogged earlier and also the widow of Nicholas BLAKE. She married Richard Munday sometime after the death of Nicholas BLAKE (deceased by 20th June 1547) and before the 11th May 1551 when Richard Munday wrote his will.

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2014/03/will-of-richard-munday-monxton.html

The spelling is very novel in this will and I am wondering if she has written it herself. Margaret remembers her son William BLAKE’s children with 18 sheep and Edmund BLAKE’s child Steven with just 2 sheep. I am left to wonder did William have 9 children and indeed in his will he mentions ten children which may give me an idea that his last child Richard (my likely ancestor) was born after February of 1558 which does rather match my thinking. He is married likely by 1583 to 84 which would make him about 23 to 25 years of age at the time. So that was an exciting find in this will if I have correctly interpreted Margaret (my likely 12 x great grandmother).

This will also clarifies why William BLAKE ends up with all the properties of his father Nicholas mentioned in the will of Nicholas BLAKE. Evidently Edmund BLAKE did not clear his debts with step-brother William Munday and his brother William BLAKE so he forfeited all the properties and cattle left to him by his father. Perhaps 200 pounds was more interesting. I never see anything of Edmund BLAKE again except the mention of him in his brother William BLAKE’s will so he is still living in 1582. This is eleven years after the will of Nicholas BLAKE and Edmund is obviously an adult and has married. The page that was missing perhaps talks about Elizabeth (her daughter) and I may learn which Munday she married if she was married by the time of her mother’s death. Elizabeth’s brother William BLAKE mentions Elizabeth Munday in his will of 1582.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 28 Feb 2014
Source: Family Search Film 186697, Hampshire Record Office 1559B/066
Testator: Margaret Mundaye
Place: Monkstone, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 18 Dec 1558, probated 13 Feb 1558/59

1    In the name of god amen In the yere of o[u]r lord god m ccccc
2    fyfe hundred fyfty viij the xviij daye of decymber yn
3    the fyrst yere of o[u]r souffrane lady quene Elysabethe by the
4    grace of god of Ingland France and Ierland quene defynder of
5    the faythe I margeret mondy of the p[a]ri[s]he of
6    monkston syke of body and of parfett remymbrance make and or
7    der thys my last wyll and testemynte in manar and forme
8    foloyng fyrst I bequese my soule to almyty god and my body
9    in to the Chyrche of monkston Item I geve to the moth[e]r
10    chyrche of Wynchyster xij d Item I geve to the parrashe chyrche
11    of Enh[a]m vj s viij d Item I geve to Edemond blake
12    my son ij hundard Sheppe ij horsys and ij keue and a belloke
13    and the one halfe of my hoggs whyche be in the costody of wyll[ia]m
14    blake my son and the howse that Alyxandar modell dwyllyth
15    in and xx £ of lawfull mony of Ingland so the sayd Edemend
16    do bryng ij suffycyent suertys to w[i]t in thre monythes
17    nexte after the deythe of hys mother and be bounde
18    in oblygacyan and in ij hundarde ponds to cleerly dyscharge
19    and requete wyllm mondy hys executor and wyllm blake
20    brother to the sayd Edemund of Al[l ]manar of detts
21    both pa[r]ts quarylls  leygesys and demands the whyche
22    aperythe in hys father wyll and yf the sayd
23    Edemunds refuse so to do that thyn all suche goods
24    and lands afor sayd to remayne to wyllm mondy and to
25    hys assines for eve[r] Item I geve to Wyllm blake Chyllydarrne
26    xviij shepe and to Steven blake the son of Edemend blake
27    ij shepe Item I geve to the Chylldarryne of wyllm hopkyns
28    Ev[er]y one of thym a ewe shepe Item I geve to alys klene
29    my wosted kyetyll at Inh[a]m and my best frockes and a petycote
30    Item I geve to Wyllm Mondy the son of Wyllim Mondy of monk
31    ston ston one cowe and alys the dowter of the sayd wyllm
32    To have the fyrste cowse of the sayd hewfer all so
33    I wyll that Alysandar meddell shall have the howse
34    in Andever for x yeres next awter hys leyse be exspi
35    red Item I geve to Johan dyer my god dowter one bolle
36    and the resedew of my goods moveabell and unmoveabell
37    I geve and bequeue to wyllm mondy my son whome
38    I make my full executor of thys my last wyll and teste
39    mynte all so I wyll that wyll that wyllm blake and
40    Robard blake and Rychard dyer Alysandar meddell for to
41    be my ov[er]sears of thys my laste wyll and testemynt
43    that yt may be fulfyllyd and kept and they to have for ther
44    paynys x s apeese witness here of Sir Thomas blesse
45    Clarke wyllm blake Robte blake ayhyre
46    Dyer Alysandar meddall w[i]t[h] other mee
47    P[ro]bat[um] f[ui]t hu[jus]mo[di] test[amentu]m v[ica]rio Robt
48    Baynolil leg[um] d[oc]tre  _______  gen[er]ali xiij die
49    Februarij 1558 p[er] e[unde]m approba[tu]m etc com[m]issa
50    f[ui]t ad[mini]str[at]io bono[rum] def[un]cti exec[utor]is
51    ______ patris ______ Jurat
52  
53    Overseer Richard Hopkyns      
54    son John Mody, executor      
55    deceased husband Rychard Mody      
56    appraisers:  William Mody, John Smyth, Ryhchard Buxe, Rychard Spenser      
57    witness:  Sir Martyn Vaysee      
58    The Invetorye of the goods and cattells of      
59    Margaret mu[n]dy yn the parryshe of M[o]nkston      
60    yn the cowntye of sowth[ampton]e praysed by Rychard      
61    eyer alexander muddel the viijth day of      
62    February anno domini 1558      
63    In primis j folding table      
64    It[e]m j cobbard ij chayres    x s  
65    It[e]m j whytche ij coffers    vj s viij d  
66    It[e]m j featherbed j bolster j pillow iij coverletts    vj s viij d  
67    It[e]m vij peyre of sheets    xxvj s viij d  
68    It[e]m ij dosen of platters j dosen of potyngers j dosen of sawcers    xx s  
69    It[e]m j bassoon j bassoon ewer    xxvj s viij d  
70    It[e]m j sylv[er] salt vj sylv[er] spons     ij s  
71    It[e]m iij candelstycks    iij £ vj s viij d  
72    It[e]m ij pewter potts ij serving dyssys j tynnyn salt    ij s  
73    It[e]m iij potts    ij s  
74    It[e]m iij panns    xv s  
75    It[e]m iiij cawdrons    x s  
76    It[e]m j chaffer j morter j skyllet    x s  
77    It[e]m ij arrondyrons and ij broches    viij s  
78    It[e]m iiij table clothes ij cusshens    vj s viij d  
79    It[e]m iiij score shepe    vij s  
80    It[e]m j fornas    viij £  
81    It[e]m xxxvij ewes    iij s iiij d  
82    It[e]m ij horsys    liij s iiij d  
83    It[e]m iij kyne a bulle j bullocke    iij £ vj s viij d  
84    It[e]m yn barly xx quarters v £ vj s viij d    iiij £  
85    The su[m] xxxiiij £ viij s ij d      

The next blog for the Blogging Challenge will include the wills of the known mother of Nicholas BLAKE and that of the likely father of Nicholas BLAKE.

This blog marks the seventh blog I will have completed for this Challenge and the two wills next blog will be the eighth blog. I believe for the last two blogs I will look at a different aspect of my BLAKE one-name study. I considered moving to another mystery in the BLAKE family but may change that idea!

Physiotherapy once again

Forgot to record my latest physiotherapy appointment last Friday. I had had trouble with one of the exercises so had to give it up for a few days after the appointment before last. Then decided to try it again a few days before the last appointment. I took it a little slower and this time it worked out with a slight modification that I added to it. I am finding that I need a longer time between appointments to get the full benefit of the exercises. That is probably because I am 74 I am thinking. Plus with all of my husband's appointments and my work I just do not really have time to go oftener I find. Every two weeks will suit me much better.

I am now up to 16,000 steps plus most days and doing about 2 to 2.5 hours of exercise per day. I am still not running and have decided not to start running until at least April or May when the nicer weather comes. I am biking at Level 2 now for 12 minutes of the 30 minutes that I bike. That is working out well for me. I was doing 20,000 steps per day so will continue to move towards that as a goal. Because I do work at the computer five to six hours per day it is really necessary for me to put a decided effort into walking as much as can be fitted into a day.

I had thought that I would like to do physiotherapy once a month from now on but I am changing my mind and will just complete this set of appointments working on my sprained meniscus and strained hamstring and then go back to organizing my own exercises. Hopefully I can now avoid any injury although falls are something that are much more difficult to prevent given my poor eyesight. I shall just be much more careful.

Will of Susannah Blake, widow, Faversham, Kent - The National Archives PROB 11/1745/320, probated 22 Sep 1828

There was a marriage for Susanna Collier to Caleb Blake 29 Nov 1767 at Faversham, Kent.

Isaac Topping Packman married Sarah Mary Blake 21 Feb 1790 at Faversham, Kent.

No other pertinent information located.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 19 Jan 2020
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1745/320
Testator: Susannah Blake, widow
Place: Faversham, Kent
Type of Record:    Will
Date of document: 14 Nov 1827, probated 22 Sep 1828

[Margin]: Susannah Blake 12

1    This is the last Will and Testament of me
2    Susannah Blake of the Town of Faversham in the County of Kent Widow made
3    and published this fourteenth day of November in the Year of our Lord one thousand
4    eight hundred and twenty seven I do hereby revoke and make void all former and
5    other Wills by me at any time heretofore made and of this my last Will and
6    Testament do hereby nominate constitute and appoint Edward Crow of Faversham
7    aforesaid, Watchmaker and David Jones of Faversham aforesaid Gentleman joint
8    executors I do hereby will and direct that all my just debts and funeral and
9    Testamentary expences shall in the first place be fully paid and satisfied I do
10    hereby give and bequeath all my furniture household goods and implements of
11    household plate linen china and all other my personal estate and others what
12    soever and wheresoever and of what nature of kind soever this same may be
13    whereof I shall die possessed (except my ready money securities for money and
14    money upon mortgage or in the public stocks of funds) unto my daughter Sarah
15    Mary Packman the wife of Isaac Topping Packman of Langdon hills in the
16    County of Essex Gentleman her executors administrators and assigns absolutely
17    for ever And as to all my ready money and securities for money money upon mortgage
18    belonging to me (at the time of my decease I give and bequeath the same
19    every part thereof unto the said Edward Crow and David Jones their ex[ecut]ors
20    and Administrators upon trust that they or the survivor of them his
21    executors or administrators do and shall stand and be possessed thereof
22    and urge to shall collect receive and get in the same or any part
23    thereof and do and shall lay out and invest the same upon interest upon
24    government real or other good and valuable securities and also from time
25    to time call in alter vary and change the same or any part thereof as they or
26    the survivor of them his executors or administrators shall see occasion and
27    shall and do pay and apply the interest dividends or annual proceeds thereof as
28    the same shall from time to time come in and be received by them unto and
29    for the sole and only separate use and benefit of my said daughter Sarah
30    Mary Packman for and during the term of her natural life and I do declare
31    that the several bequests by me hereinbefore made to my said daughter Sarah Mary
32    Packman are to be to and for her own separate use and benefit independent of her
33    said husband and not be subject to the control debts or intermediary and for that
34    purpose I do hereby also declare that her receipt alone notwithstanding her coverture
35    shall from time to time be a sufficient discharge and discharges to my said Trustees
36    for the same rightes hereinbefore directed to be paid or given to her and from and immediately after the decease than upon trust that
37    they the said Edward Crow and David Jones and the survivor of them his exors
38    or administrators do and shall pay assign and transfer the said principal money and
39    every part thereof and also the stocks funds and securities in or upon which the
40    same shall be invested unto and amongst all and every the child and children of
41    my said daughter Sarah Mary Packman as shall be living at the time of my
42    decease equally to be divided between them share and share alike and their
43    several and respective executors administrators and assigns absolutely to and for
44    their own separate use and benefit and I do hereby declare that they my said
45    executors their executors or administrators or any of them shall not be
46    charged or chargeable with or accountable for any more of the said trust
47    monies and premises then what they shall actually receive by virtue of the
48    trusts aforesaid nor with or for any loss which shall happen in or to the same or
49    in execution of the trusts aforesaid or otherwise so as such loss happen without
50    their or either of their willful default nor one of them for the other of them
51    but each of them only for his own acts deeds receipts disbursements and defaults
52    notwithstanding their or either of them joining in any act or receipt for the
53    sake of conformity and also that it shall and may be lawful to and for them
54    my said Executors and each of them their and each of their executors and
55    administrators in the first place by and out of the said trust estate monies
56    premises to deduct retain and reimburse themselves and himself respectively all or
57    such loss costs charges damages and expences as they or either or any of them
58    shall sustain expend or which shall or may be to them or any of them
59    occasioned for or by reason of the trusts so exposed in them or in the
60    maintenance or execution thereof or any thing in any wise relating thereto
61    together with a suitable and proper allowance for their journies trouble and
62    loss of time in and about the same trusts In witness whereof I the said
63    Susannah Blake the Testatrix have to this my last Will and Testament
64    contained in this and the preceding sheet of paper set and affixed my hand and
65    seal to wit my hand to the preceding sheet of paper and my hand and seal to
66    this last sheet thereof the day and year above written Susannah Blake
67    signed sealed published and declared by the said Susannah Blake the
68    testatrix as and for her last Will and Testament in the presence of us
69    and in her presence at the request and in the presence of each other have
70    hereunto subscribed our names as witnesses thereto The mark X of Maria
71    Herd Servant to Mrs Blake____Trell Green Shepherd
72    Proved at London 22nd Septr 1828 before the Judge by the oath of David Jones one
73    of the Executors to whom Admon was granted having been first sworn by comon duly to
74    admin Power reserved to Edward Crow the other Exeor