The entire day was spent on the Blake family of Andover. I continued pondering why my grandfather and father mentioned Nicholas of Old Hall. My grandfather could recite all the way back to Nicholas and actually beyond but this memory of an eight year old did over time lose direction and scramble some of that. It was mostly missing him and not wanting to think about him and thinking about the things he especially taught me did bring back the sadness of losing him. Nowadays one would write it all down but memory was relied on heavily in those days still and one just didn't forget perhaps. But time passes and fortunately as I worked my way back the memory seemed to fit with the results amazingly!
Looking at the cause of this renewed thought about Nicholas in the last twenty years in the 1800s and the early 1900s I checked the dates for Horatio Gates Somerby and he lived from 1805 to 1872. In 1881 a book was published "A Record of the Blakes of Somersetshire, Especially in the line of William Blake, of Dorchester, Massachusetts The Emigrant to New England: With one branch of his descendants from the notes of the late Horatio G Somerby." Actually this was published posthumously by W.H.W. So who was his ghost writer? I have not yet discovered that. This originally was a private publication which was produced for a particular Blake family by Horatio Gates Somerby and this family permitted the publication after the death of Somerby. Interesting really. At some point it gathered interest and many people with the Blake surname were able to trace back through their American lines and discovered Humphrey Blake who was the first well known Somerset Blake. And, most importantly, for this narrative said to be the brother of Nicholas Blake of Andover with both of these men said to be the sons of a William Blake and his wife Mary Coles. Mary said to be the daughter of Humphrey Coles of Somersetshire. The pedigree that leads to this William is also somewhat false or unknown coming down from the Calne Blake family but that is another story. Concentrating on this William said to be married to Mary Coles and have a son Nicholas of Old Hall, Eastonton, Hampshire and Humphrey (said to have moved to Over Stowey, Somerset). Nicholas does leave his will dated 31 May 1547 and probated 20 June 1547 and he is married to Margaret and has sons William and Edmund and daughters Elizabeth and Alice. However he also mentions his brother Robert and these two men are known to be the sons of Jone Blake who left her will as a widow dated 23 Mar 1527 appearing to still live at Enham, Hampshire. She mentions her son Nycolas Blake, her son Robert Blake and her daughter Elsabet Mylne. Her religious donations are to the Church at Enham. No mention of a son Humphrey and of course her name is Jone not Mary.
At this moment in time more and more Americans were interested in finding their ancestral locations and perhaps the traffic to Andover, Hampshire in this quest had increased enough that it came to the notice of the Blake family there which resulted in discussion amongst those families which lead to the name of Nicholas known to have lived at Old Hall (which by then was a pile of rubble according to my great grandfather when he was a child). It did strike me as I was working my way back from my line at Upper Clatford that something must have caused this family to attach so much importance to Nicholas Blake at Old Hall. Joseph Blake did live in Andover before he married Joanna King at Upper Clatford (recorded by the priest in the Marriage lines) and his older son William returned to live at Andover but I have never investigated that actually so will have a look as time passes. My line comes down from the youngest son Thomas born posthumously several months after his father and older brother Thomas died. I wondered why Thomas and not Joseph for his name actually but a mother might select her baby's name over her husband's name - I can see that. There wasn't anyone from the Blake family (other than her other children) to encourage calling the baby Joseph. Both of Joseph's parents were dead and his only sibling, a brother Thomas was also deceased. Joseph's father Thomas was an only child and also deceased. So very interesting really and does provide a likely reason for the interest in Nicholas at Old Hall in the latter part of the 1800s after the publication of the above mentioned book in memory of Horatio Gates Somerby!
On to the day and I continue working and sorting the William Blake entries and I pulled out the Blake entries in The Hampshire Lay Subsidy Rolls, 1586, edited by C.R. Davy in 1981, Hampshire County Council. I purchased this book at Upper Clatford All Saints Church when we visited there in 2008. I actually threw out clothes so that I could get all my book purchases in on the return trip. I had had good suggestions on how to pack for a one month trip to England and really did appreciate that notion. It was a gradual thing throwing out clothes as we traveled the length and breadth of the British Isles that lovely spring of 2008. My husband was rather shocked as I never really throw anything out until it is absolutely unwearable. It always reminds me of my jumper actually that was given away when I was eight and I have always sort of clung to my clothes until there literally was no wear left.
Hundred Tithing Abode Year Surname Forename Suffix Type Amount
Andever Knights Enham Enham Militis 1586 Blake Edward G 15/15
Andever Knights Enham Enham Militis 1586 Blake John younger G 5/5
Andever Andever Extra Penton Mewsy 1586 Blake John elder G 4/4
Andever Andever Extra Penton Mewsy 1586 Blake Thomas G 3/3
Andever Andever Extra Charleton 1586 Blake Nicholas G 6/6
Andever Andever Infra Andever 1586 Blake Peter gent L 4/5/4
Andever Andever Infra Andever 1586 Blake Richard G 3/3
Andever Andever Infra Andever 1586 Blake William G 15/15
Andever Thorngate West Titherly 1586 Blake Richard G 3/3
Andever Thornegate West Titherly 1586 Blake Tristram G 3/3
Andever Andever Infra Enham Regis 1586 Blake Robert G 4/4
Buddlesgate Fawley Houghton 1586 Blake John G 3/3
Buddlesgate Fawley Sparshott 1586 Blake John G 6/6
Kingsclere Pastroe Coombe 1586 Blake John G 4/4
New Forest Christchurch Walampton and Sharprickes 1586 Blake Richard G 3/3
New Forest Christchurch Walampton and Sharprickes 1586 Blake Thomas G 3/3
New Forest Christchurch Bure 1586 Blake widow G 3/3
New Forest Christchurch Bure 1586 Blake Henry G 5/5
I did attend the Ash Wednesday Service online but it was earlier in the day and a Roman Catholic Service in the United States on You-Tube. Evening is always going to be late for me as I like to not fall asleep watching the service. But one of the gifts of Internet is this ability to find a Church Service whenever you want. It is wonderful. They addressed the online worshipers to make them feel part of the service. It was very like the Anglican Service without all the music. I watched the Anglican Service this afternoon.
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