I did continue with Blake yesterday and did not hear back yet from the other repository where I requested a document but they are busy places. I find them to be most helpful.
No new thoughts on Richard le Blak found at Wargrave other than he is simply not there in records that I have looked up at the Berkshire Archives. Possibly he was there just a short time fortunately when the Pipe Rolls were taken. Since Windsor is close to Wargrave it might explain that as a Norman coming to England might for reasons of placement gravitate to this area first. I suspect he arrived along the coast and then gradually moved inward trying to decide where to settle. Choosing Wiltshire is perhaps not a surprise although I think some of his family is found in Hampshire in the areas around Andover. I am still in the mode of proving that. Not sure if I will ever have more than family lore to go on but I think that the two charts that have been produced are very interesting. Obviously this was of interest in the latter part of the 1600s although the family that contracted to have the Blake Pedigree Chart produced by the College of Arms no longer carried the Blake surname and had been gone from the Andover area for several generations. Thomas Blake (ancestor of Diana, Princess of Wales), does not in his will mention any family in London and he lived at Finkley near Andover. It is my understanding that one considers first cousins to be close family but second cousin and beyond is not quite so close (that would appear to be the British way). The Blake Family Chart held by the Blake Museum in Bridgwater was, I think, created by Edward Blake of Crewkerne but I have no proof of that but certainly he was interested in linking the Somerset family to the Blake family at Calne and probably chanced upon the Blake Pedigree at the College of Arms and noted the lovely little circle which had a John Blake as the ancestor of Robert, Lord High Admiral during the Commonwealth Period. Again there are a few problems with that section of the Blake Pedigree. The Blake Family Chart is in general a genealogical chart of the Somerset Blake family with two inserts - one the line back to Calne and two the line from the Andover Blake family back to the Calne Blake family. Neither of which really has what I would call solid proof but records of family events like marriages, births, deaths were maintained very locally and thus more difficult to prove in that early time period.
I also started to read the Pencombe book that I am writing and today will be a Pencombe day although I have a couple of projects for Blake that I will also continue through today and tomorrow.
Lots of excitement here in Canada with the Liberal Party now replacing PM Justin Trudeau as the leader and there are seven so should be interesting and I was happy to see Jaime Battiste enter into the leadership race. He is First Nations and I am really happy to see so many First Nations coming forward to lead our country. They bring with them the thousands of years of history that belong to this area of North America called Canada or Turtle Island (it is growing on me).
President Trump attended the Davos Economic Forum remotely and is still not happy with Canada. That is sad actually as I do believe we are the best friend of the United States of America (as well so many Canadians are related to Americans). Although I think the idea of the 13 provinces/territories becoming 13 new states is an interesting idea; it does appear to be less interesting to the Republican party in power at the moment (I do not believe the Democratic Party or the Independents have commented on the idea). It would certainly have a huge effect on their Congress bringing in 41 million people in thirteen states and all the resultant new senators and members of the house. Together though we will protect, maintain and defend this continent (and whomever forms the next government really does need to get their act together and supply the military appropriately, enrich the value of a term of service in the military and provide free education when they retire as they are often still quite young). I still think the idea of a closer economic union between Canada and the United States is an excellent idea put forward by Premier Doug Ford of Ontario (Ontario being my province) and I would humbly suggest that our federal policing forces become more merged so that it is easier to maintain this very very large continent north of Mexico. Then we would have only water borders and intake only at the airports or oceanports and all individuals wanting to come would have to be approved by both countries. I do like that idea personally and think there is a great opportunity to really, the two countries, be a major powerhouse of economic activity. We have an enormous amount of natural resources and we ship 75% of these natural resources to the United States of everything we send to them. It is the oil that causes us to have a deficit otherwise the deficit would be the other way around as we purchase enormous amounts of food, finished products from the United States or from American companies that operate in Canada. We did have a number of automobile manufacturers long ago bought up by American companies which is one of the many reasons that cars continue to be produced right here in Canada and we buy them in great numbers. But I am avoiding politics at the moment as it reduces my thinking time for the books and that is my first priority as I move towards 79.5 years of age. I like the name "Gulf of America" actually; it suits that body of water as the whole continent is composed of North, Central and South America surrounding it. A nice legacy item for President Trump for sure.
Breakfast time, tea drank and yoga next.
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