Will of William Blake, Gravesend, Kent - National Archives PROB 11/846/88, probated 2 May 1759

William Blake, the testator names his niece Esther Croome as his executrix. She was seventeen years of age by the 7 Mar 1769 giving her a year of birth 1752. I was not able to locate definitive records for the Croome family. No further information on the testator William Blake was located.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 24 Feb 2020
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/846/88
Testator: William Blake
Place: Gravesend, Kent
Type of Record:    Will
Date of document: 14 Apr 1759, probated 2 May 1759

[Margin]: William Blake

1    In the Name of God Amen
2    I William Blake of the parish of Gravesend in the County of
3    Kent being weak in body but of sound and perfect mind and
4    Memory blessed be Almighty God for the same do make and
5    Ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form
6    Following (that is to say) First and principally I recommend my
7    Soul to Almighty God who gave it And my Body I commit to
8    The Earth to be therein decently Buried and as touching the disposal
9    Of what Worldly Estate it hath pleased Almighty God to bless me with
10    I give and dispose of the same as follows (viz) First of all I Will
11    That all my Just Debts and Funeral Expences and the charges of
12    Proving this my Will be forthwith paid and Satisfied Item I give and
13    Bequeath unto my Cousin Elizabeth Goulding Wife of Thomas
14    Goulding in London the Sum of Four hundred pounds I also Give
15    And bequeath unto Mr Richard Bright of Stepney Causway the
16    Sum of One hundred pounds I also give and bequeath unto my
17    Niece Sarah Croome the Sum of fifty pounds I also give and
18    Bequeath unto Samuel Hazard of Gravesend afore said Malster
19    The Sum of twenty pounds I also Give and bequeath unto
20    Richard Stevenson of Gravesend aforesaid Gardener the sum of
21    Twenty pounds I also give and bequeath unto my Goddaughter
22    Rachael Amey of Gravesend aforesaid Spinster the Sum of
23    Twenty pounds all which said Several Legacies or Sums of Money
24    I Will and Order shall be paid to the said respective Legatees
25    By my Executrix hereinafter named within Twelve Calender
26    Months next and Immediately after my decease I also give
27    And bequeath unto my late Servant James Marshall of Gravesend
28    Aforesaid my Great long Ferry Boat with the Tackle and Furniture
29    Belonging unto her to be delivered unto him Immediately after
30    My decease I also give and bequeath unto George Eglintine
31    Of Gravesend aforesaid my Wash Streat Boat with the Tackle
32    And Furniture belonging unto her to be delivered unto him
33    Immediately after my decease I also give and bequeath unto
34    Herbert Bates of Gravesend aforesaid my little Boat with the
35    Tackle and Furniture belonging unto her to be delivered unto him
36    Immediately after my decease Item all the rest residue and
37    Remainder of my Goods Chattels Ready Money and Securities
38    For money and all other my Personal Estate whatsoever and
39    Wheresoever of what kind quality of nature soever the same are
40    I give and bequesth the same unto my Neice Esther Croome and
41    I do hereby make Ordain Constitute and appoint my said Neice
42    Esther Croome whole and Sole Executrix of this my last Will and
43    Testament And I do hereby Revoke all former Wills by me
44    Heretofore made and Declare this to be my last Will and Testament
45    In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and Seal the
46    Fourteenth day of April In the Thirty Second year of the Reign
47    Of our Sovereign Lord King George the Second And in the year of
48    Our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and fiftynine Wm Blake
49    Signed Sealed Published and Declared by the said William Blake
50    The Testator as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence
51    Of us who at his request and in his presence and in the presence of
52    Each other Subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto Witnesses
53    Jas Terry Thomas Caltinson
54    On the Second day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand
55    Seven hundred and fifty nine Administration with the Will annexed
56    Of all and Singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the William Blake
57    late of Gravesend in the County of Kent deceased was Granted to
58    Stephen Croome the Father and Curator lawfully assigned to
59    Esther Croome Spinster a Minor the Sole Executrix named in the
60    Said Will for the use and benefit of the said Minor until She
61    Shall attain the Age of Seventeen Years he having been first
62    Sworn duly to administer
63    Proved ____ and on the Seventh Day of
64    March 1769 before the Worshipful Thomas Bever Doctor of Laws and
65    Surrogate by the Oath of Esther Croome Spinster the Sole Executrix to
66    Whom Admon was granted having been first sworn duly to administer
67    The Letters of Admon with the Will annexed of the Goods of the said deceased
68    Granted in the Month of May 1759 to Stephen Croome the natural and lawful
69    Father and Curator or Guardian lawfully assigned to the said Esther Croome then a Minor
70    For her use and benefit and until She should attain the age of Seventeen Years
71    Being ceased and expired by reason of her having attained the said age.

Will of Hester Blake, widow, Winton - The National Archives, PROB 11/396/432, probated 5 Oct 1689

Hester Blake of Winton (Winchester) Southampton has left her will naming her only son John as Executor. Since she refers primarily to members of her family with the surname Taylor then perhaps she was Hester Taylor.

There is one interesting baptism 2 Jun 1668 for a John Blake son of Robert Blake and Esther at Devizes St Mary in Wiltshire on Find my Past. Hester is not that common a name so shall make note of that particular baptism here. I did not however locate a marriage with a Robert Blake between 1650 and 1668 in Wiltshire or Hampshire. Nor was there a burial for a Robert Blake that would fit into this area and time frame. No burials for Hester Blake either in 1689 +/- 1 year.

Looking at the Taylor family Mrs. Joane Taylor in Burnham Wiltshire is mentioned as aunt and Mr. William Taylor as uncle  in Eaton Wiltshire with three children. Hester Taylor (daughter of William) is less than 21 years in 1689 but did not locate a baptism for her.

Having just done a will for a Hester Blake, spinster, who died at Winchester in 1781 it does raise the question as to whether this Hester who names a sister Mary who married in 1725 might be a descendant of the John Blake (son of Hester Blake widow). Possibly the family mentioned in Hester Blake's will of 1781 of Hester, Mary and Martha and a brother who has died already are the children of John Blake son of Hester Blake widow. He would have been 21 years of age in 1689 and his daughter Mary was probably born in the early 1700s along with Martha who was married in 1727. In the Burials collection on Find my past there is a Martha Soley buried at Southampton All Saints 14 Mar 1798 at the age of 95 years putting her baptism possibly around 1703. Mary Imber was buried 23 Apr 1783 at Winchester St Thomas but no age given.

It would certainly be nice to link these wills together and perhaps I will be able to find more clues to do so. Looking ahead at the wills and I discover that one of the last wills that I have to transcribe is for the father of Martha, Mary and Hester and his wife is named as Martha. A nice linking detail although would still need to prove that this Hester Blake widow is this John's mother.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 12 Oct 2012
Source:  The National Archives, PROB 11/396/432
Name of testator: Hester Blake, Widow
Place: Winton, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated:, 25 Apr 1689, probated 5 Oct 1689
Read: Electronic file images
Condition: middle English, 17th century, smudged but legible copy
[In margin] T[esta]m[ent]
[In margin] Hesterie Blake

1    The twenty fifth day of Aprill
2    in the yeare of our Lord One Thousand Six
3    hundred Eighty and Nine I Hester Blake of the Citty of Winton
    [Page 2]
4    in the County of Southampton widdow being sick and weake in body but of
5    sound and perfect mind and good memory praised bee my God revoakeing all
6    former Wills and Testaments doe make and ordaine this my last Will
7    and Testament in manner and forme following First and before all worldly
8    respects I commend my Soule to God my heavenly Father that gave it
9    whoe of his free Grace and exceeding withes of his love hath Redeemed it
10    by the blood of his only sonne my Saviour our Lord Jesus Christ And my
11    body to bee decently Interred at the discretion of my Executor hereafter
12    named to rest in assured hope to bee partaker of the resurrection of the Just
13    And as concerning those goods and worldly estate which as it hath pleased
14    God of his abundant goodnesse to blesse mee withall I give and bestowe the
15    same in manner and forme following Imprimis I give unto tenn poore widdowes
16    the summe of five pounds Item I give unto Mr Samuel Booreman in the
17    parish of Came in the County of Wilts five pounds to bee paid in two moneths
18    after my decease Item I give to my loveing Aunt Mrs Joane Taylor
19    in the parish of Burnham in the County of Wilts six pounds to bee paid
20    in six moneths after my decease Item I give to my uncle Mr William
21    Taylor in the parish of Eaton in the County of Wilts five pounds to bee
22    paid in six moneths after my decease Item I give to my Neice Hester
23    Taylor to bee paid her when shee is at the age of twenty yeares or the
24    day of marriage twenty pounds Item I give to my two Nephews John
25    Taylor and Isaack Tayler a guinney apeece Item I give to Mr Samuel
26    Spring the Elder of Clatford in the County of Southampton five pounds
27    to bee paid in two moneths after my decease Item I give to Mr Samuel
28    Tomblins the elder in the parish of Kilcutt in the County of Wilts five
29    pounds to bee paid in three moneths after my decease All the rest of my
30    goods chattells moveable and immoveable ready money plate Jewells what
31    soever not before formerly bequeathed and given my debts and funerall
32    expences first discharged I give and bequeath to my only sonne John Blake
33    whoe I make and ordaine my sole Executor of this my last Will and Testam[en]t
34    And that this is my last Will and Testament I doe here set my hand and
35    seale publishing and declareing of it to bee such in the presence of Hester
36    Blake Witnesse hereonto Henry Ghost, Thomas Bates, Elizabeth
37    Chukock