All accomplished

Tuesday and back to the work week (all work really but some is my strong interest). A glance at the will of Edward Blake (administration with just an inventory) yesterday did not reveal anything particularly new but will spend more time today on that. Sorting out these descendants of Nicholas and his brother Robert is the aim of this particular phase of the work. Others have assigned them particularly in the Blake Family Chart held by the Blake Museum in Bridgwater, Somerset and the Pedigree Chart created by the College of Arms but the object of the Blake Family chart was to prove the descent of the Somerset Blake family to the Blake family at Calne not particularly to do anything with the Blake family in Andover. Adding it in was perhaps an afterthought having discovered perhaps the Pedigree of the Blake Family created by the College of Arms in 1690 with additions into the 1700s. For the sake of this particular charting on the Somerset Blake family the William added to the family of Roger Blake and Mary (Baynard) Blake did not work well and so he added a line much earlier. The problem was dealing with Nicholas in the long run. Amazing really as the wills of this family were quite clear on their familial relationships with siblings being mentioned. Charlou Dolan did an excellent job of tracing down her Blake line which was from Robert brother to Nicholas although I do disagree with her on a couple of points as the wills and the timing do not work for Richard youngest son of William Blake (son of Nicholas Blake) whom she attributed to the Robert line. But I have dealt with that fairly thoroughly in the past. Lots of wills to look at in Hampshire. We do have the Blake family of Calne gradually moving south from Calne into Dorset and into Gloucestershire to the west. After Charles I had the manor house at Pinhills destroyed (home of the Calne Blake family at that time) their movement out was fairly rapid and smart of them for their own existence for sure. But that is the Calne Blake family and my primary interest is in the Andover Blake family. I do work on the Calne Blake family but only to the initial lines at Calne during the 1300s/1400s basically looking at the more likely link between these two families as being in this frame namely the early 1300s and not much later and not in the male line. 

I also need to get out there and do some weeding and will try to do some of that today whilst I can still recognize the plants. Fortunately plants do tend to come up first and the weeds are smaller but that will change - Mother Nature is powerful in her re-acquisition of what is hers.  I do like to let the dandelions bloom through the month of May but my daughter has returned to do her research term and will probably want to cut it down a little earlier than that as it is more difficult to get through the long thick grass with the lawn mower. We are going to plant the entire central garden with sunflowers - her suggestion and it will be lovely. The bunnies are back and we do not feed them but it is enjoyable to watch them enjoying all the fresh clover and other plants. The recycling bin at the back has not been emptied in years and we may try to do that and then take it down as it is difficult for me to manage it through the winter. 

Soon time to go kayaking once the waters recede somewhat at Petrie Island. It is still flooded at last look. This is a wonderful water area actually and so close to home. Ideally I would like to just walk out the back door and be at the water but that also means rats and mice and all sorts of little mammals in your yard for sure. I am not sure I actually mind them being in the yard but it is a health hazard for children so probably not a good idea. Perhaps better to have a small drive to get there! There are still a lot of children in the area as it is high density housing on my street. 

A whole day of research; how exciting. 

Teatime complete; solitaire games played perhaps a little work before breakfast.