Snow all plowed by the company and I cleared the patio and porch. There was a lot of snow - perhaps the full 40 centimetres. Earthquakes in California - strange time of year for earthquakes. I wonder why there are so many. No damage or injuries reported fortunately.
Continuing with South Newton which I rather think is likely the Calne Blake family moving out from Calne to the south.
South Newton (19 miles WSW of Andover, 30 miles S of Calne).
The Blake family at South Newton continues from the 1500s to the present. A freehold in Stoford (close to South Newton) was purchased by Henry Blake (between 1693 and 1704) and in 1704 Henry passed it to John Blake and John sold it in 1720 (British History Online). Could this be the Calne Blake family? Certainly Henry was a forename in the Blake family of Calne at the time of the destruction of the family home at Pinhills in 1643. But there were Blakes at South Newton in the 1500s.
Thomas Blake, 1550, Stofford, South Newton (wife Alice Blake 1566) This couple had a son William Blake with a son John Blake mentioned in the will of Alice 1566 and a daughter Miriam also mentioned. Thomas in his will mentions children: William, Robert, Johane, John and Maryan.
John Blake, 1545, Stowford, South Newton, wife is Edithe father of Thomas, the son of Thomas is Robert, father of John (has a number of grandchildren).
John Blake, 1554, South Newton, children mentioned: daughters:Margery, Elisabeth, Alys, Christian, Maryan, sons: Walter, Gylys, William, Edward, Robert. Wife is Edythe (second wife, she has children as well not mentioned by name). He does not appear to be at Stowford/Stofford although he is a husbandman.
John Blake, 1572, Stoweford, South Newton (wool merchant). children mention: son: John, William, Thomas, daughter Johan, Alyce, granddaughter Grace (daughter: Johan deceased).
In that four of these Blake families are living in the same estate area, one might conjecture that they are related and Stoford is a freehold with more information on a purchase there in the latter part of the 1600s/early 1700s. They do not however, mention each other particularly in their wills. They could be all related when one remembers that first cousins are close; second cousins are kin but beyond that there is not much relationship in these days for the most part.
Warminster (22 miles SWS of Calne) Two distinct Blake families at Warminster. One is likely descendant of the Calne Blake family but one could not say that the other isn't related for the same reason as above.
Thomas Blake, 1584 (brother to a William Blake no will located), Thomas has just one child over 21, namely John, with Edward, Barbara and Edith all under 21.
William Blake, 1538, Warminster, married to Syssley, sons Harry, Stephyn, Thomas, Nycholas and John, daughters Elizabeth, Agnes. This family of Blake I think is descendant of the Blake family of Calne. Similar forenames and they own land. This is the oldest will of the group of Blake wills in Wiltshire that I downloaded and transcribed maybe 10 years ago (they ranged from 1538 into the early 1700s).
Stephan Blake 1564 (brothers Nicholas and John mentioned, no wills located, son of William Blake 1538). This is likely given the siblings mentioned. The forenames are common in the Calne Blake family). So you can see the movement southward and it is tempting to see this as moving out from Windsor into the various parts of the country.
West Lavington (14 miles S of Calne, 10 miles E Warminster)
Thomas Blake 1573 (brothers Robert Blake and John Blake, a Robert Blake is mentioned in one of the Warminster wills). Thomas is a merchant (brother John is at Earlestoke close by). This will is a jewel as it mentions so many local names in this time frame (owed money to Thomas). Both John and Robert have children and he does not.
Erlestoke (3 miles E of West Lavington, 15 miles S Calne, 9 miles NE of Warminster)
John Blake 1574, Erlestoke (brothers Robert and John (not unusual in the Blake family to have a John Blake the elder and John Blake the younger). He only mentions daughters so male line daughtered out.
Deverill Longbridge ( 3 miles S of Warminster)
John Blake 1538, Deverill Longbridge (he mentions three sons Thomas, William and John and three daughters Alice, Margaret and Philip). He is a clothier. He does not mention siblings although a contemporary to William at Warminster who left his will in 1538.
Platyford (now in Hampshire near Southampton and 13 miles SE of Salisbury, 46 miles SSE of Calne, 33 miles SE Warminster)
Richard Blake 1572, Plaitford/Platyford (Husbandman, son Thomas and daughter Aldyce). Interesting as in correspondence with a possible Blake descendant of the Calne Blake family (could not at that persuade him to test) he hinted at the idea that the Calne Blake family had moved both westward into Gloucestershire and southward towards the New Forest area.
Thomas Blake, 1565, Playtford (Hsubandman, father of Richard 1572). He mentions sons Richard and John, daughter John and Elizabeth. Also mentions siblings Nycholas, Robert and Edith. A reminder of the Blake family at Warminster in particular the will of William 1538. This does seem like the Calne Blake family again as they moved south towards the New Forest area.
That completes the Blake wills from the 1500s in Wiltshire. I will look at Hampshire today more out of curiosity as at the time of transcribing wills in Hampshire I did not necessarily record any thoughts on siblings mentioned in the will with regard to kinship. I want to check that. Since I did recall ten years ago my grandfather's thoughts on the family lore of ancient relationship to the Calne Blake family although far more on the very ancient relationship that his Blake line had with Andover area. Perhaps even back then he was more attached to the idea of being ancient British than Norman. Certainly my brother found that very interesting and did recall our grandfather expressing his opinion on the long period of time that his family had been in the Andover area. Grandpa was both a proud Canadian and a proud Englishman (and they can be compatible especially if you are born in England). I think it was interesting that on his death certificate it said Canadian (this was in 1953 so just six years after Canadian citizenship was created by Statue).
Interesting, looking at the painting today I can see these small plants (probably 15 to 20 cm tall) under the trees have ice clinging to their branches and obviously not flat against the tree. I couldn't differentiate the little plants before but the extra is I would not have seen the gap behind them where they stand in front of the large tree. Amazing really, I do understand now why people sit and look at pictures for hours now although I do not plan to do that.
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