I agree with him as I did when he was Prime Minister until I didn't but that was ten years ago and more. Our best friend should ideally be the United States and They have been for over two hundred years; we share a huge border with them. A closer economic and custodial (we need to protect this continent) relationship would be even better and make us both stronger and I do like fresh fruit and vegetables (the American broccoli, cauliflower, and other items that I bought last week were excellent and fresh). Tariffs are a downer on the economy and it will be the farmers/manufacturers of goods and services in the United States who pay the price which is really not very fair to your own people to destroy their market and increase the prices they will pay everywhere for the raw materials that are cheaper to buy across this border than anywhere else. I do agree with PM Stephen Harper that giving the Americans a break on the price of oil being shipped by us to them to refine has always been a bonus for our good relationship. We could get a better price elsewhere but our good friends are right there to the south and we haven't done that (we have finished the pipeline to the ocean now for the surplus but the United States remains our preferred customer); friendship means a lot. It is really up to them to let their government know what they prefer (cheap gas at the pumps and a place to sell their produce/finished goods and we are eager to eat that for sure/buy their finished goods). We would put tariffs on reluctantly if the United States does because we value that great friendship. We will help defend the water border (and as Americans know we were into both World Wars right at the beginning in 1914 and 1939 so we can be counted on to defend Turtle Island as the First Nations refer to this part of North America if a foreign entity attacks this continent). I do think we need to spend far more on our military as I have been saying for a very long time; we need to provide more incentives to get the young people to enlist (free education at the end of their term of years and I understand that is a somewhat shorter period than I mentioned earlier in the United States so we could follow their guidelines on that they have years of experience). The loss of Canada as a buyer for cars and so many other items would be huge; we are after all 41 million people who buy a lot of cars (many people own two) and we continue to drive our wonderful Dodge Caravan made in Canada along with many other Canadians who own cars built by American companies on Canadian soil and they do go back and forth between Canada and the United States as they are built (and we are right next door so the cost of shipping it to us is pretty low comparatively). We are a country of raw materials with 75% of our exports to the United States being just that! We have to buy finished goods and foods during the long cold winter but we also store vegetables and other produce so can eat that but it would be a pity. There is a polar vortex coming just to remind us of how cold it can get here. But we are inventive and innovative and can build a manufacturing economy if we have to but the status quo has suited us as we are the same kind of people and our friendship is long standing.
Cleaning all accomplished and a work day. I shall be looking at the Blake Book once again although it should really be Pincombe but I will get to that next week. I am really very much into this le Blak/le Blake family of Berkshire/Wiltshire. I will be searching British History Online again today to have a look at what I can find. A John le Blake in Cam, Gloucestershire leasing a house and land in 1332 was most interesting especially given its proximity to Calne. John le Blake is the son of William le Blake of Rockhill. I will pursue this as I could not yet locate Rockhill. In Herefordshire there is a Roger le Blake in the early 1300s as noted earlier. But the coincidence of the Blake family of Calne moving to Gloucestershire after refusing a title and having their manor house destroyed for that by Charles I is a strong memory. The Blake family is stubborn for sure and I do have Blake cousins in the United States with some way back in time actually matching me on Ancestry but I have at least two Blake lines deep in the past perhaps doubling up on the DNA there! I do have so many cousins in the United States (and Canada too).
I will add to this as the day progresses but it is breakfast time.
Looking at the Parish Wargrave and its history one finds that the Manor of Wargrave was granted to Emma of Normandy (wife of Ethelred the Unready) circa 1061-5. Later Queen Edith held Wargrave. William, Duke of Normandy, later William I of England seized Wargrave and held it in demesne in 1086 and it belonged to the ancient demesne of the Crown. Henry I granted it to the see of Winchester circa 1189. I did not see any mention of Richard le Blak or his daughter Alicia although they appear on the Pipe Roll of the Bishopric of Winchester 1301-2 (Hampshire Record Series Volume 14) at Wargrave along with John Blak. Closeby at Waltham St Lawrence Hamo Blak and Walter Blak (son of Hamo). This area is 56 km NE of Andover by the road (somewhat shorter on horse back if one was so tempted).
Going to the Discovery catalogue at the National Archives there are for a search term le Blake 287 items but looking only at 1100-1199 (3), 1200-1299 (20), 1300-1399 (98), 1400-1499 (18). If I use only le Blak there are 14 items but looking only at 1200-1299 (3), 1300-1399 (7) 1400-1499 (3) and the timeline does have Robert Blake (married to Avis Wallop) owning a Fulling Mill at Quemerford and his date of death is 1515. There is material on this Blake and I tend to use him as a starting point going backwards.
I have blogged some of this material earlier but I want to concentrate on items that would show movement from Normandy to Hampshire to Berkshire to Wiltshire as I predict that would have been the movement following 1274 when Richard le Blak was awarded the right to set up a market in England. One had to remember he was a Norman and would have preference in this England conquered by William now replaced in this time frame by King Edward I of England whose attachment to Normandy was probably sufficiently strong to assist anyone coming from Normandy to be successful.
But before I do that I need to look at the documents showing a Richard le Blak along the Hampshire coast earlier. I find it interesting that he is near Windsor (Wargrave is in that area) on a King's demesne in 1301 having received the right to set up a market in England in 1274 as shown by the Calendar of Patent Rolls. One would not necessarily proceed immediately to England but would need to prepare somewhat and then select locations where such a market would be profitable. Certainly near Windsor would be very profitable! But likely one would start along the coast of Hampshire which is right across the Channel. Hampshire was a wealthier area as well compared to the other counties. Hence the search at the National Archives.
Looking at le Blake
1100-1199
Entry 1: There is a John le Blake in Worchestershire and he was the son of John Blake but the date range is up to 1500 on a conveyance and I do know there is a Blake family in Worchestershire and I do not believe they are related.
Entry 2: Margery le Blake widow at Haydoneswyke (Haydon Wick is suggested) and it is Tax but the date is 1100-1600. Since she is a widow I usually do not follow these items but Haydon Wick is just north of Swindon so close to the Berkshire border interestingly but one would need to read the document E 326/6191 to see whether the date refers to the land or the family (likely the land).
Entry 3: The third item is for a Roger le Blake and in Wiltshire interestingly enough with a date range of 1100 - 1603 but does not mean that the land was held by the Blake family in 1100. There is a Roger Blake of interest in the Calne Blake family who left his will in 1557. I will keep this as reference if I do indeed trace down the Calne Blake family. The property is at Ricardeston held by the Abbot of Stanleg' and there is a Stanley Abbey near Chippenham Wiltshire at Bremhill. Chippenham to Calne is about 11 kilometres. So an interesting find if I happen to trace this family down. Includes seals and legends so could be interesting. E 40/12128
1200-1299
Entry 1: A William le Blake is at Southampton, Hampshire in 1289. Interesting and I will keep track of this item. C 241/4/67A Certificate of Statute Merchant and Statute Staple
Entry 2: same as Entry 1 in 1100-1199 search
Entry 3: same as Entry 2 in 1100-1199 search
Entry 4: Richard le Blake, burgess of Shoreham (Sussex) in 1290. The other members on the certificate are noted as Alien merchants in Winchester. I found this item interesting. C241/14/70 (I may already have this record).
Entry 5: Stephen le Blake is named as a merchant of Southampton, Hampshire in 1286. C241/7/288.
Entry 6: Stephen le Blake (same location, same year). C241/6/36
Entry 7: John le Blake of Hatfeld Regis, Essex and a quitclaim in 1295.
Entry 8, 9, 10: Thomas le Blake and he is a witness on a Quitclaim 17 May 1293 at Swalecliffe (likely the County of Kent since the record is at Canterbury Cathedral Archives and Library). There is a Blake family in this early time period in East Anglia, London and down into Kent and Surrey. I suspect they are from The Netherlands as Blake entries continued into 1330 to 1550s from The Netherlands. The other argument for this are the yDNA results in the Blake yDNA study at FT DNA and more on that once I get into writing up. CCA-DCc-ChAnt/T/6
Entry 11: same as Entry 3 in 1100-1199 search
Entry 12: Robert le Blake of Southorpe, Lincolnshire, Road agreement 11 Apr 1272. This is before the Calendar of Patent Rolls grant to Richard le Blak. It is known that there were other Blake lines in England prior to and coincidental to the presence of Richard Blak at Wargrave in 1301.
Will complete tomorrow. Interesting day.
No comments:
Post a Comment