Will of George Archer Blake, Esquire, District of Poorneah, Province of Bengal, India - The National Archives PROB 11/1769, probated 7 Apr 1830

The testator, George Archer Blake, was buried in London at St James Garlick Hill (Garlickhythe) the 24th February 1830. He was born (according to his burial registration) circa 1787. There is a records of his baptism 19 Apr 1790 son of Benjamin Blake at Fort St George, St Mary Church, Madras, India (Find My Past).

A Benjamin Blake was baptized 2 Mar 1789 at Fort St George, St Mary Church, Madras son of Benjamin and Elizabeth Blake.

A John Blake was baptized 19 Apr 1790 at Fort St George, St Mary Church, Madras son of Benjamin and Mary Blake.

A Mary Anna Blake was baptized 12 Nov 1793 at Fort St George, St Mary Church, Madras daughter of Benjamin and Mary Blake.

A Charles Henry Blake was baptized 26 Oct 1795 in Bengal son of Benjamin and Mary Blake.

A James Blake was baptized 2 Sep 1800 at Lucknow, Bengal son of Benjamin Blake.

In the will below the testator mentions a brother Benjamin and a brother Charles Henry (signed Charles Edward in the probate).

There is a burial for Benjamin Blake born 1790 and buried 25 Aug 1833 at the age of 43 years at St Mary Church, Madras.

An online tree at World Connect has been produced by laura foenander where she has the parents of George Archer Blake as Benjamin Blake and Mary Ann Powney. Benjamin said to be born 1754 in England. The death of Benjamin is said to be in 1820 in Poorneah, Bengal. He is said to be the son of John Blake (born circa 1713). Benjamin’s second wife has the name Mary Ann Powney in this tree on World Connect. His first wife appears to be Elizabeth (unknown).

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=lauza002&id=I7368

There is a Benjamin Blake baptized 14 Dec 1755 at Walton on the Hill, Surrey son of John and Ann Blake.


Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 30 Jan 2017
Source:  The National Archives, PROB 11/1769
Name of testator: George Archer Blake, Esquire
Place: District of Poorneah, Province of Bengal in the East Indies
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 7 Feb 1828, probated 7 Apr 1830

[In margin] George Archer Blake, Esquire 12

1    In the Name of God Amen, I
2    George Archer Blake merchant of the District of Poorneah in the province
3    of Bengal in the East Indies but now about to embark from Calcutta to England
4    do make this my last Will and Testament (hereby revoking any other Will or
5    Wills heretofore by me made of subscribed to) in form and manner following
6    Imprimis Being possessed of a half share with Mr Alexander Abberlee (also
7    of Poorneah) who has the other moiety of several Indigo Factories (named
8    Rajah, Bissonpoor and Bimbang) all situated in the said District of Poorneah
9    I will and devise that my said share and interest therein shall be disposed of to
10    the best advantage as soon as my decease shall be ascertained but in conformity
11    with the Terms of an Agreement entered into between me and the said Alexander
12    Abberlee which Agreement (of which he holds a Counterpart Copy) is lodged
13    in the hands of my agents Messrs Alexander and Co of Calcutta and when the
14    proceeds thereof shall be ascertained or collected together with any other money
15    effects or property real or personal belonging to me or that may accrue to me from
16    Bequests or otherwise whether in England or in India I will that the same
17    shall be disposed of as follows 1st I bequeath to Mrs Mary Blake (widow of
18    my lamented Father now in England so much in cash or money as will purchase
19    for her a clear Annuity in the English Funds of Sixty pounds Sterling (60 £ S[terli]ng) per
20    annum for her natural life and I strictly enjoin my Executors or Administrators
21    that the same is without fail purchased immediately and secured to her for her
22    sole use and behoof 2nd I bequeath to Harriet (now Mrs Woodward Wife of
23    Lieut Woodward of the Madras Army) Sister to Celina the Wife of my Brother
24    Benjamin Blake the sum of Five thousand Sicca Rupees (SaR 5000) to be
25    paid to her upon her sole receipt 3rd I give and bequeath to Helen Napier
26    daughter of the late Adam Napier (late a Surgeon in the Service of the hon[ourab]le
27    Company) and a Ward of the Bengal Orphan Institution now in England the
28    sum of five thousand Sicca Rupees (SaR 5000) to be held in Trust by my
29    constituted Executors for her use until she be married when the principal
30    amount together with any Interest that has accumulated thereon shall be
31    paid to her as a marriage portion Should the said Helen Napier die before
32    marriage then the said Sum of SaR 5000 shall go to and be divided between
33    my Brothers Benjamin and Charles Henry Blake and in case of their or
34    either of their deaths to their respective Offspring heirs or Survivors to be
35    shared in equal portions between then 4th I give and bequeath to my
36    Godson Horatio George Cowan Share Son of Thos A Share Esquire of
37    the Hon[oura]ble Companys Civil Service the sum of Three thousand Sicca Rupees
38    (SaR 3000) and if the said Horatio George Share be yet an infant at the
39    time of my decease the said Sum of 3000 Rs  shall be paid to his Father or
40    Mother Mrs Emma Share in Trust for his use 5th I give and bequeath all
41    the Residue of my property real or personal remaining after the above
42    mentioned Bequests are paid or disposed of to my Brothers Benjamin Blake
43    now a Captain in the Hon[our]able Company’s Military Service and Charles Henry
44    Blake late of Bengal Indigo planter and now in England to be divided between
45    then share and share alike their lawful Offspring heirs or Survivors
46    respectively It is my meaning and intention that should my said Brothers
47    Benjamin and Charles Henry Blake or either of them die before me or before
48    the operation of this Will this share of the residue of my property that would
49    fall or go to them respectively shall devolve or descend to their respective
50    Children (Sons and Daughters alike) in equal proportions or to whomsoever of
51    them shall be surviving at the time of my decease or of the execution of this
52    my Will and Testament I do hereby constitute nominate and appoint my
53    Brother Charles Henry Blake George Ballard Esquire of Calcutta of the Firm
54    of Alexander and Company and John Archer Esquire of Busear Indigo planter to
55    be Executors of this my last Will and Testament In Witness and
56    confirmation whereof I have hereunto put my Seal and Signature this
57    Seventh day of February in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
58    and twenty eight G A Blake Signed sealed and declared to be the
59    Testators last Will and Testament in the presence of us (Signed) James Hay
60    Jas Meliss Hissen Mohun Bhosr of Baug Barar
61    Additional Clause to my Will from the circumstance
62    of my property and Cash funds being partly in India and partly in England and
63    considering that some time may elapse before the amount thereof might be
64    realized and collected for payment and distribution as bequeathed in any Will I
65    hereby enjoin my Executors hereinbefore named that they will immediately on
66    the realization of every item or sum of my property when the same shall
67    amount to 1000 £ in England and 5000 Rs in India place or invest the same in
68    the Government Funds for security and for the eventual benefit of those concerned
69    in the disposition of my Will and Testament Wittness my hand this 9th day of
70    February in the year of our Lord above written G A Blake
71    Copy of my last Will and Testament left in the hands of Messrs Alexander and Co my
72    agents at Calcutta G A Blake Feby 1829
73    Proved at London with a Codicil 7th April 1830 before the Worshipful
74    Jesse Addams doctor of Laws and Surrogate by the Oaths of Charles Edward
75    Blake Esquire the Brother and George Ballard Esquire two of the Executors by whom
76    Administration was granted Limited until the Original Will and Codicil or a more
77    authoritive Copy thereof shall be brought into and left in the Registry of the
78    Prerogative Court of Canterbury having been first sworn duly to Administer
79    power reserved of making the like Grant to John Archer Esquire the other Executor
80    when he shall apply for the same The Original Will and Codicil being in the
81    hands of Messrs Alexander and Co the deceaseds Agents at Calcutta in the East
82    Indies as by Acts of Court appears

Will of Anne Augusta Blake, widow, Bristol - The National Archives PROB 11/2065/303, probated 8 Dec 1847

Anne Augusta Blake is the testatrix and a writeup can be found in The Gentleman’s Magazine, Volume 182 page 667:

4 Nov 1847, Aged 84. Anne Augusta Blake, relict of Richard Blake, esquire and daughter of the late Very Reverend Charles Harward, formerly Dean of Exeter. Anne Augusta Harward would have been born circa 1763.

There is a monument in St Stephen’s Parish Church, Bristol erected by Anne Augusta Blake to commemorate her husband Richard Blake who died in 1829. http://www.speel.me.uk/sculptplaces/bristolststephen.htm
The Gentleman’s Magazine (London, England), Volume 146 page 188 notes that Richard Blake, esquire, a member of the Corporation died 6Aug 1829.

In an earlier will that I transcribed I picked up the following item:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/08/will-of-sarah-blake-spinster-cotleigh.html

In the Gentleman’s Magazine and Historical Review, Volume 61, Part 2 under Marriages and Deaths of Eminent Persons I found on page 680 for July 14, 1791:

At Plymtree, Devon, Richard Blake, esquire. Merchant, of Bristol, to Miss Harward, daughter of the Dean of Exeter. Later in the Harward family the name “Blake” was used as a middle name (namely the monumental inscriptions at Plymtree as noted in the following website:

http://www.plymtree.org.uk/st-john-the-baptist/churchyard-and-monument-inscriptions

I do not know how Richard fits into the Plymtree Blake family as he is not mentioned in William Blake’s will of 1812:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/08/will-of-william-blake-esquire-of.html

The introduction to the will of Thomas Blake at Plymtree 1777 does mention a Richard Blake but I have not been able to locate him in the family or trace him down.

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/08/will-of-william-blake-esquire-of.html

More information found on this Blake line in Gloucestershire Notes and Queries Volume 3 blogged:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2014/04/1248-blake-family-gloucestershire-notes.html 

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 11 Apr 2014
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/2065/303
Testator: Anne Augusta Blake, Widow
Place: Bristol, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 1 Apr 1843, probated 8 Dec 1847
Condition: 19th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: Anne
[Margin]: Augusta
[Margin]: Blake
[Margin]: 5

1    This is the last Will and Testament
2    of me Anne Augusta Blake of the City of Bristol widow and Relict
3    and Universal devisee and Legatee of Richard Blake of the same City Esquire
4    deceased I appoint the Reverend John Noble Shipton of Othery near Bridg-
5    water in the County of Somerset Cleric Sole Executor of this my Will and I
6    bequeath to him the sum of fifty pounds sterling as a token of my esteem
7    and in acknowledgement of his kindness in undertaking the execution of this my
8    Will I give and devise all that my Freehold Estate called Holl situate in the
9    Parish of Saint Veepe in the County of Cornwall with all appurtenances thereto
10    belonging unto my Nephew the Reverend Charles Harward his heirs and
11    assigns for ever I give and bequeath unto my Nephew Henry Marsh the
12    Sum of one hundred pounds sterling and I give and bequeath unto my Niece
13    Charlotte Catherine Gordon the Sum of fifty pounds sterling and I give and bequeath
14    all my Books and plate unto and equally between my Great Nieces Anne Augusta
15    Archer and Elizabeth Archer and I give and bequeath unto my faithful and at-
16    tentative servant Elizabeth Moorman in case she shall be living with me at the
17    time of my decease the Sum of eighty pounds sterling and all my wearing
18    apparel of every description and my bed and Table Linen and all the Furniture
19    of my own Bed Room and all my kitchen Furniture and Culinary utensils the
20    same to be paid free from Legacy duty which I want to be paid out of my residuary personal Estate and I direct all the said
21    Legacies to be paid and delivered within three months after my decease and I
22    give devise and bequeath all other my real Estate (if any) and all the residue and
23    remainder of my Personal Estate and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever
24    unto my Great Nephew Samuel Harward Archer and the said Anne Augusta
25    Archer and Elizabeth Archer and their respective heirs executors administrators
26    and assigns according to the nature and quality thereof respectively in equal
27    shares as tenants in common Witness my hand the first day of April one
28    thousand eight hundred and forty three Anne Augusta Blake Signed
29    by the said Testatrix in the presence of us who in her presence simultane-
30    ously subscribe our names as Witnesses George H Tomlett Bookseller
31    Cottage Green Bristol Brooke Smith Sol[icito]r Bristol
32    Proved at London 8th Dec[embe]r 1847 before the Judge by the Oath of the
33    Reverend John Noble Shipton Clerk doctor in divinity the sole Executor to
34    whom admon was granted having been first sworn by commission duly to
35    administer