Using Blake as a search term

 I may once again when I have all of these records create a map showing county location for the records. The map I showed yesterday that I created from the Calendar of Patent Rolls does show where Blake was found in England during that time periods and it fits rather well with the family lore that shows up as people trace their lines back. To day I want to work on the next search in the National Archives using blake as my search term. A search today corrects yesterdays search. Interesting but I must admit as the end of the day approaches I tend to be thinking of other items and missed seeing that the numbers were rather less than one would anticipate. I believe I will look at the sets only which is pretty much what I was going to do. The numbers are just somewhat higher!

1100-1199 5

1200-1299 32

1300-1399 172

I want to do the same with the Archives at Winchester as there are Blake documents there. I have purchased a number of them and want to see if there are others that I would like to read. Today is actually at zero degrees celsius and snow is mentioned; the heaviest come here when it is around zero. I have not really looked at the Wiltshire or Berkshire archives and should do that as part of my one month study. So busy times ahead looking for data. 

If I do not find data that supports my theory then I will continue with the current chapter on the le Blak family of Berkshire and my thoughts on their connection to the Calne Blake family without adding in much more text. It reads as I want it to but it would be interesting if I could prove this particular premise or at least provide enough proof to make it seem like a reasonable idea that could be examined by others in the future. 

1100-1199

Entry 1: Surname is actually Blaking

Entry 2: Worcestershire

Entry 3: same as entry 2 1100-1199

 Entry 4: Norfolk

Entry 5: same as entry 3 1100-1199

1200-1299

Reading through I only discovered a couple that I had not seen before although will check as I reviewed quite a bit yesterday.

One entry in Cornwall, where I did not really expect to find any entries, 23 Sat 1277 and 30th Jan 1277 and it refers to a piece of property known as Blakes Keiro in St Minver. 

The Stephen le Blake in Southampton is interesting actually in 1286 (already noted in the earlier search). An Inquisition and return revealed his presence (Reference: C241/7/188). 

Winchester Archives (Hampshire)

 1100-1400

search term: Blake 7

Entry 1: Lymington, Joan le Blake daughter of Thomas le Blake, Land grant father to daughter. 29M82/109 20 Apr 1361. 

Entry 2: Lymington, Joan Blake (perhaps deceased) 29M82/93-104 (sewn together) 11 Jan 1366.

Entry 3: Lymington, Joan la blake, daughter and heiress of Thomas le Blake (witness John le Blake) 29M82/76 31 Dec 1360.

Entry 4: Lymington, Joan Blake (perhaps deceased) 29M82/103 11 Jan 1366.

Entry 5:  Worcestershire perhaps as this particular refines the spelling.  Lega is actually Leigh and explains an earlier record but why does one find it in Hampshire with John le Blake as a witness. 17 Oct 1331 44M69/C67. It is a quitclaim and John is a witness. Interesting for sure. 

Entry 6: Robert le Blake (also entered in the catalogue as le Blak'), Alice his daughter with regard to a tenement at East Oakley near Basingstoke. 15 Oct 1282 - 10 October 1285, DC/J14/32/2. Alice is giving this property to St Swithun Wincester. A very interesting document that I shall try to acquire from the Archives. 

Entry 7: John Blake, witness, Lease, 2 Feb 1386, DC/J15/50/17. 

search term: Blak 2

Entry 1: same as Entry 6 above except spelling is Robert le Blak'

Entry 2: Joan la Blak' is the widow of Robert le Blak' living at East Oakley. 25 Mar (1286). The year was estimated because it occurred on Monday, the feast of the Annunciation Edward 1. (source: Hampshire Archives: During the reign of Edward I the feast of the Annuciation fell on a Monday in 1275, 1280, 1286 and 1303. William of Basingstoke, prior, ruled from 1283-95, which suggests that the present deed must date to 1286). DC/J14/32/3 and is the same as Entry 6 but more information. 

I am wondering if I have made a great discovery as this is just 1286 and already this family has a surname. I am looking for a John Blake in the early 1300s known to be in the Enham area (near Andover and now part of Andover). The spelling of their name does tend to make one think of the Norman overlords in England as it is now two hundred years since the Conquest of England by the Duke of Normandy. The presence of Robert le Blak (now deceased in 1286) at East Oakley is very interesting. I know that Robert Blake who left his will in 1521 at Enham was elderly so likely born in the mid 1400s but the time span is still very large from 1286 to circa 1450. 

I will review the Calendar of Patent Rolls for Hampshire to just see once again what I have there in this time period.  When I visited Rouen Cathedral in 2014 and saw the effigy of Richard le Blak it did make me wonder if he had returned to Rouen from England. Finding likely children of a Richard le Blak at Wargrave was most interesting and I will do a search of the Berkshire archives next to see if anything emerges and I do have the wills from the Speen Blake family which I can review once again.

The Manor Records for Andover are also my next thought and I must see how I can look at them from afar. The other alternative find them and see if they can be scanned. 

Time to run nearly; the morning is passing quickly. I really do not have an interest at this time in moving. That will change and when it does I will sell. It could be that happens in the next couple of years although certainly I will want to move by 2029. I could move earlier of course if anything interesting comes along but for the moment 2029 is my thought.

The Berkshire Archives had 137 items for Blake but only a couple of them were prior to 1500 and really I was looking for 1200s-1400 really. They do not have the Pipe Rolls but they were administered by the Bishopric of Winchester so probably why they are not included. Wargrave brought up  1022 items but refining the search did not bring up any material between 1000 - 1400. I may double check that but for the moment I will stay with the material I have collected for the Berkshire Blake/Le Blak family in the 1200s/1300s/1400s/1500s. One interesting item was finding a road named "Blakes Road." it runs as Blakes Road through Wargrave and then becomes Blakes Lane at Tag Lane. Blakes Lane continues to run to the A4 or Bath Road and does not appear to exist beyond that. I shall have to pull up the Pipe Roll and she if there is anything else written there of which I did not take particular notice. 

So a productive day and a few thoughts I items I may acquire. There is a lot more to look at though before I make a final decision on items to order. I need to check on the material that I have since I did photograph quite a bit of material already. I was taking the easy way of using the catalogue and then using my index which is based on their accession numbering. 

It is snowing lightly and 0 degrees celsius but very cold weather is coming.