Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine Volume IX, 1866

 Volume IX of the Wiltshire Archeological and Natural History Magazine, published under the direction of the Society (formed in that County A.D. 1853) looking at Pages 223-224. There is an article which discusses descent and arms of families and was written by Mr. Clarence Hopper. He was using the notes of the Richmond Herald at the College of Arms appointed in 1721 and the notes referred back to Robert Dale (possibly he was an heraldic painter prior to  his appointment as Richmond Herald at the College of Arms). The information was principally from the time period of the Visitations of 1620. The notes were on the Blague/Blake/Blaake family. Looking back at the Visitation of 1565, Roger Blake and Mary (Baynard) Blake had three sons according to this Visitation namely Thomas Blake living at Pynnell, Robert Blake living at Lacock and John Blake living at Hilcott. Perhaps most startling they did not have a son William. 

The Blake Pedigree Chart is available for purchase from the Swindon and Wiltshire Archives and I did purchase eight images of this Chart which is 12 feet by four feet. 

 

It is this family in the centre pretty  much of this chart that is of interest. It is Roger Blake and Mary Baynard and their children. 

 Lifting this information out of the chart and enlarging it slightly the children are mentioned as Thomas, Sibil, John, Joane, William, Mary and Robert. The wills of Roger and his wife Mary (their parents) are semi-helpful. Although Roger only names Thomas (the eldest) and Mary (the youngest) in his will. Mary however mentions her sons Thomas, John and Robert. It is really a strange thing that William is not mentioned in one of  these wills. Even more interesting that Edward J Blake moves this William back several generations to another family on this same chart in terms of content and has the Hampshire Blake family connected at that point. But the individual who eventually was appointed the Richmond Herald at the College of Arms wrote in his notes (in 1693) I note that the College of Arms produced the first Blake Pedigree in 1690 and later additions were added in the early to mid 1700s:

Blague/Blake/Blaake family [these two alternative spelling are very interesting and I did find some information on Blage as a surname; doubling up the a sort of inconsequential I think]

Dorsetshire, 27. Blague, alias Blaake, now Blake of Quemberford [Quemerford], Calne and Pynhills - 1st, arg. a chevron between 3 garbs, sab. [this is the usual arms associated with the Calne Blake family but it was penciled in on the Andover Blake family in the Visitations]. 2nd, arg. on a pile, az. 3 martlets, sil. both by this name. Crest on a chapeau, gu. turned up erm. a martlet, arg. Kent 83.

Blague of Lacock, a second branch from Quemberford. Kent 83

Blague of Hilcot, a third house from Calne. Kent 83

This fits in with the Visitation of 1565 which states that Roger Blake and Mary Baynard had three sons - Thomas at Pynnell, Robert at Lacock and John at Hilcott which matches the information found in the Wiltshire Arms and Descents article mentioned above.

Why was Edward J Blake so interested? I suspect he was providing proof that the Somerset Blake line at Plainfield was descendant of the Calne Blake family. I have written about that and I suspect that they are actually. But a yDNA test for this family has not yet appeared with conclusive genealogical tree evidence as far as I know. I need to go into the yDNA results at FT DNA this next newsletter for Blake and perhaps write about that. It could drum up interest perhaps as sometimes when I write articles that directly refer to the study new testers do appear.  

All of this information fitted in perfectly with what my grandfather had said about Nicholas Blake being given siblings he didn't have and parents that were not his but still living at Old Hall, Enham. Why would he even talk about it I did wonder as I under covered all of this information. The reason somewhat obvious in that Horatio Gates Somerby's private book was published after his death. Other genealogists through the years have written on this very item and have declared Somerby to be a fraud writing "fancy" books to please people thinking that no one would ever find his machinations (they were private publications) and that he was quite safe writing such books perhaps. One of these genealogists was Paul Reed publishing an article in The American Genealogist (TAG), Volume 74, 1999 (Two Somerby Frauds or "Placing the Flesh on the Wrong Bones).  

Basically the remainder of this chart above is mostly committed to the descendants of this William Blake of Easton Town (Hampshire) who died in 1582 and indeed there is a will for such a person but his father was Nicholas not Roger. 

Today is the basement cleaning day and this week has been a foray on my part into dealing with an item that had to be fixed. Namely my eavestrough. It is now fixed and I thought to get ahead of myself and set up an appointment in a month or so to have the eaves troughs cleaned out that we can not reach readily. I sort of regret it now as I do really hate having to enter back into the real world and so I will think about it for a bit because I just simply can not deal with so many new people. I am 80; that is normal for 80 really. I just want to work on my books. But I am pleased with the repair on the eavestrough - all fixed and the draining is as it should be; it no longer looks like it will fall off and indeed when he placed the ladder against it I was surprised that it was so solid. Anyway all done and it took him maybe 40 minutes but he was very efficient. I must say that. The Insurance Company that looks after the house has the link that takes you to this company and you send it the work you want done and a quote comes (actually two quotes). I just wanted one. I simply didn't want to deal with a whole lot of people but two quotes is probably a good idea. However, I sent off my requirements once again and got back a quote and I shall soon reply but must run it by my family and they are busy at the moment so will wait a couple of days. I am sure these people are very busy people - people in the trades are run off their feet I think often enough these days. There are not enough of them and I find that strange as the tools in the trades are fascinating. It is a busy life and you are not sitting behind a desk and many times now it is an AI doing the work that you were doing anyway. Going into the trades is a good move these days. Both my father and my grandfather were well read people and had very intelligent conversations but they chose the trades and they loved being in the trades. It is simply a different way of working and much healthier I think that sitting at a computer. My father was 94 years old when he passed back in 1998 and my grandfather was 79 years of age when he passed back in 1953. Both of these ages were quite good to live to in that time frame. They had very good retirements especially my grandfather as my father had a stroke which took away the use of his legs sadly at 88 although he was still working when he had the stroke. But still when I visited all day perhaps four or five times a year (sadly actually as I would have gone oftener if I lived closer) we had some lovely conversations that still come to mind. As I recall he did talk about the Blake family and the book that Edward had written (I did the leg work) and some of what he said reinforced what Grandpa had said. Interesting contemplating that. 

I will deal with the eaves trough cleaning soon but not today (actually my daughter cleaned the ones that she could reach readily which were full because of their location. The one at the front is likely full but the back ones never have much in them when Edward cleaned them. I need a rest away from people. Family is fine but I have spent too much time with people in my 80 years and now I just want to be away from people as much as possible unless they are family. I have done my work helping people for twelve years at the hospital and other jobs before that plus all that volunteer work; it is time for me to have a rest from people. 

Will this book of mine get published? I rather think it will although I am still debating some of the chapters that I might embargo and only publish in the copy I put into the Guild of one-name Studies Library and perhaps Family Search as they also do embargo I believe. I shall be careful to say that some of this is my thoughts and opinions based on conversations as a child with my grandfather and my father (although those conversations were as a child as well as an adult). 

Must do my solitaire puzzles but first breakfast. I am hungry. Listening to people having trouble losing weight; I am the opposite I tend to run it off in the day and have to remember to eat more or it slowly sinks down perhaps just a couple of pounds but I usually weight myself most days and then put effort into eating a bit more and bake my favourite banana bread which has 3/4 C of brown sugar - very tasty especially buttered. I prefer to butter cake rather than icing on cakes. I do not have a sweet tooth.  

 

  

Is the John Blake (son of Robert Blake) the same John who was a parliamentarian?

 Still working on the latin document and have picked my way through different parts of it. I  have to think how families that were prominent managed. The Pedigree lists the son of Richard Blague/Blaake/Blake as Henry and there isn't anything (as there is with the Baynard) to show a break (i.e. generations missing) in that chart so his son was said to be Henry and that he was son and heir. Now in British families at this time primogeniture ruled the path so younger sons would go into the military, the church or parliament. If we assume that John was a younger son of Robert (we know this to be correct because the document names Robert Blake (deceased), Joan (unknown) Blake widow, and John the son) then Robert would have had to have been a younger son perhaps since there isn't a Robert on the chart for several generations and that Robert had a Fulling Mill at Quemberford and was married to Avice (Wallop) (Malewyn) Blake. The document is dated 1386 and we know John Blake I (as listed in the Parliamentary Archives died in 1395 leaving a son John (7 years of age and born in 1388 so he is not the John in the document). What I want to gain from the document is some notion of the age of this John Blake I but haven't achieved that thus far. Since Robert was an adult at the time of the first record that I bought  in the 1330s then John Blake I was probably an older person when his son was born. The document synopsis states: "By Robert Devenyssh to Joan widow of Robert Blake and John her son of all his lands in Shawe by Savernake which he acquired from John Wyleye and Robert in Echelhampton. Witnesses: John Lye, John Warneford, John Webury, etc. Dated, Shawe, Fri Feast of St James [25 July] 10 Richard II [1386]. Seal. [Deed damaged by damp - text faint and illegible in places]." 

Perhaps I should be interested in why Robert Devenyssh passed this property to Joan (perhaps he was more interested in it going to his grandson) but I am somewhat suspicious that he was her father and the property was actually going to John himself - no ideas on that but it was perhaps promised at the time of the marriage as part of a dower but to pass to a grandson but again I haven't read the entire document yet. We will see. Anyway wanted to put this down since I was thinking about it. I did do a blog on this Robert Blake determining his proof of life at various times and the first presence I found for him was around 1310 but he would have very young at the time as I was working backwards from a document in the 1330s when he was likely an adult. This Robert did not appear on the 1301 Pipe Rolls for Wargrave but a John le Blak was at Wargrave with Richard le Blak and his daughter Alice la Blake. Since John Blake I died in 1395 leaving a seven year old son John Blake II one is left to think he was possibly older  (i.e. born in the 1330s) having served in Parliament a number of times - principally in the 1380s. That would perhaps place him in the 1380s in his late 40s or early 50s at that time if his father Robert was actually born circa 1310.

I want to have a look at the second document today as well. It is sharper and working with it will be easier. I will keep my blog up to date as I work away today.

Teatime.  

The second document was labeled as a land grant but it has a jagged edge which I understand is usually an indenture but this is a document from 1353 and perhaps when it was a transfer of land between two people they also used that method of recording (which I have now verified; this was an exchange of two acres between two people). So I have begun and this is in much better condition (but I did know that the other had weak spots and fuzzy in places; they say it in the catalogue) and it is between Robert le Blake and another individual. So in 1353 he is old enough to be managing property. Neither his wife Joan or his son John are mentioned in this document. John Blake I would have been born perhaps not long after this although difficult to determine that but he is old enough in 1386 to be on the document so likely by the early 1360s. Moving forward slowly. It is a while since I have read latin documents and this is older latin than I am used to since the wills I transcribed in Latin were from the late 1400s to the early 1500s. 

Is  he the same Robert Blake all the way through? That is always the question in my mind but the land that is being discussed is Kemerford (an earlier name for Quemberford). It is sort of hard to believe that the Blake found at Quemberford in the early 1400s wouldn't be the same Blake family but it is still I think necessary to find as much as I can to support that this is a continuous line of Blake (same family) at Quemberford through the 1300s into the 1400s and still in the 1500s. 

Good day thus far as I have done my Yoga, I cleared away the snow on the patios and then ran for 30 minutes and walked for 15 minutes. This afternoon, after a little more work, I will either do weightlifting or rowing. 

We are not going to be hit with double digit snow levels this weekend only about 5 cm. Sounds good and the more the merrier. The snow is still not that deep in the yard, perhaps half of a metre and we need a metre and a half standing to really have good moisture in the spring. 

An interesting find when I did a quick search on Quemberford:

 https://www.oodwooc.co.uk/ph_quem_aub.htm

 It is a short history of Quemerford and Pinhill and there isn't a mention of the Blake name until the 1600s at Pinhills. There is a discussion on Quemberford which is also rather interesting:

 Wyly surname is on the grant that I am working on actually as a witness. But it is interesting that up to 1335 there is no mention of the Blake family being at Kemerford/Quemberford so this acquisition in 1353 is perhaps the beginning. I believe this plaque is in the Church at Quemberford and the image prepared by D. & M. Ball (as noted on the image above).

 

The 18th Prime Minister of Canada - Brian Mulroney

Rest in Peace Brian Mulroney you did your task very well and created a new Canada that still flourishes due to your foresight with the 7% GST (although I consider mistakenly taken to 5% by Prime Minister Harper) and NAFTA. Both enriched Canada by making anything possible in those years following their enactment.  I watched during the day while the coffin of our 18th Prime Minister was Laying in State here in Ottawa. He will be sadly missed by all of the current politicians of the day; he was a great Canadian with a reach down through the ages. I will watch his funeral on Saturday.

I must admit the demise of the NDP would suit me very well; I have never considered them to be an effective party but rather concentrating on one segment of the population only; the one that they think will vote them in. Folded back into the Liberal party where they belong they would continue giving that far left wing of the Liberal party a voice plus the percentage of our tax that goes to support democracy (i.e. the parties with enough seats in the house) would not be diced up quite so much. The idea of the individual tax payer having a box to check for their taxes to be directed at their discretion (or one could have a checkbox for the status quo) is an interesting idea that came to me yesterday as I considered the amendment to the bill first put forward by the mis-guided NDP member. Put more effort into getting the children out of Gaza and here where there is lots of food and no bombs and less into supporting the terrorists Hamas who live on hatred of the Jewish people. That the bill passed in the house is simply a matter of politics - the Block want to be there to vote for an independence movement (as they see it) as they see their own and has little to do with Gaza likely (breaking up Canada is their aim), the NDP serve no purpose as far as I can see but are simply Liberals with a different name and would save tax money being thinned out if they are the same party and the Green Party (although I am a great believer in greening Canada I think voting for this particular item was a poor choice - abstaining could express your horror at the state of Gaza better - it at least supports Israel's right to defend itself). So I am left with the Conservatives, which I am actually but their inability to leave the GST alone or at least put it back up to 7% or 10%, it is a wealth tax after all (lots of exempt items that are necessities), has put me into the Liberal camp where I do not really belong but they are getting the job done. The military is getting more hardware and support (but more is needed); we got through COVID relatively unscathed and our economy is moving along nicely. I have no objection to the Carbon Tax - we have to pay to green Canada and that is a fact (last year we had the worst air of any place in the world; the smoke was swirling around in our backyard here and all over the Ottawa Valley). Taxes are one of the great truths of life - death and taxes!

Cleaning day all accomplished and today will be a research day. Just debating on which one to work on today. I am still sorting Pencombe in my mind and concentrating on the descendants of the North Molton Pencombe family and leaving the Philip Pynkeham at Tawstock for another (although I know I will keep having a look here and there during the remainder of the throw-away month). Finding him on the 1524-7 (as well as the 1543-45 Lay Subsidies as a tax payer) as a wage earner was interesting. The individual on the line above him was not a relative and I can not see anything that helps me with who he is as he is likely at least 15-18 years of age in 1524 so born in the same time frame as the first generation's Pencombe children (but does not appear to belong to anyone at Tawstock (the forename Philip is somewhat unusual in this family although there was one in my 2x great grandfather John Pincombe's family; his youngest brother Philip but he had an uncle Philip and grandfather on his mother's side!)). Probably I should still consider alternative searches as this is my throw-away month to look at possibilities and work on the Blake family. Here I am looking at the Le Blac family of Rouen, Normandy and were they the ancestors of the Calne Blake family? Can I prove that the Richard (who actually belongs at the top of the Blake Family Chart (Blake Museum, Bridgwater) I do believe) Blague/Blaake was the same Richard who applied for a license to set up a market in England in 1274? I think continuing with my search through the Blake records would be a good step today.

Continuing the look at the Discovery Catalogue at the UK National Archives for the unfinished group of Blake beginning with John Blake.  Publication of The Harleian Society Volume LXXIX (1928). There are Blake entries namely John Blak, Rawlyn Blak, Richard Blak, Andrew Blake, Edmond Blake, Edmund Blake (6 entries), John Blake (4 entries), Simon Blake (2 entries), Thomas Blake (4 entries), Walter Blake, William Blake (3 entries). 

Name                      Page              Suit#

John Blake           16                 10

John Blake           20               103 

John Blake         204               490

John Blake         295              353

Simon Blake      144              240

Simon Blake      238              174

Thomas Blake   134              329

Thomas Blake   285               74

Thomas Blake   293             307

Thomas Blake   390               13

Walter Blake     154             505

 William Blake   30             131

William Blake    30             148

William Blake  166              88

I have completed the first group of Blake way back last week; my the time passes quickly. I shall continue that process looking up these items on the Discovery Catalogue at Kew today (I shall continue adding to this post all day). 

Teatime and Latin first. 

 John Blake (77 items - 11 relevant)

1.  C136/83/5 and it is the Inquisition Postmortem for John Blake I (MP for Calne). This would be an interesting document and I may yet order it.

2. Grant (at Calne) by Geoffrey Symple of Wynterbourne Whitcherch (Dorset) to John Blake of Quemerford, of an acre of land in the field called Westytone. 1386 Reference: 1720/199

3. 1395; John Blake witnesses a document (Whetham (a parish in Calne), Wiltshire, lease). Reference: 1720/213

4. Eaaster, 1395. Attorney: By John Blake of Quemerford to Robert Welyknowe to deliver seisin to Rober Saleman and his co-feoffees of pasture of his manor of Shawe and other lands there. Reference: DD/WHb/2026.

5. 1393. John Blake witnessed a Grant (at Wodelond) by  .... Reference: 1720/210

6. 1390. Quitclaim (at Calne), witnessed by John Blake Reference 1720/206

7. 1393. Quitclaim (at Calne), witnessed by John Blake. Reference 1720/207

8. 1384. Grant (at Whetham), witnessed by John Blake. Reference: 1720/193

9. 1387. Grant (at le Northehethe), witnessed by John Blake. Reference: 1720/202

10. 1460 Aug 18. John Blake (Nether Wallop), Robert Blake (Calne), Alexander Blake (Calne), sued by a London merchant. Reference C241/243/39

11. 1463; lease, widow of Robert Blake (Calne), Avice Blake, and John Blake, Robert Blake her sons, for 13 years to Nicholas Redeman of a barn and pasture at Sohawe. Reference DD/WHb/2144.

Simon Blake  - 14 records - 13 Norfolk, 1 Devon

Thomas Blake - 21 records - 1 Kent, 1 Suffolk, most Norfolk, some London

Walter Blake - 1 record - East Anglia

William Blake -  20 Records - Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Sheffield,

1. early 1400s. Mortgage of tenement in Salisbury, Wiltshire. William Blake, plaintiff (might be interesting since the grandfather of Robert (fulling mill at Quemerford) Blake was said to be a William Blake. Reference C 1/6/131 (must check and see if this is one that I imaged at Kew in 2013).

2. 1404-1426. Same as above. Reference C 1/6/148

3. 1489, Letter of Attorney - Wheddon in Cutcombe, Somerset which William Blake holds. Reference: 1782/M/T 21 (two entries)

The William Blake records could be interesting as it is the first that I have found for a William Blake in the right area. The John Blake records are expected in that John Blake I and John Blake II were both Members of Parliament. 

William being in Salisbury especially interesting because Whiteparish is just south of Salisbury and if  the unknown Blake (grandson of William, son of Henry) who moved from Whiteparish to Andover area (dying there in 1471) it could prove quite interesting. Although the third record itself is in Cutcombe, Somerset so curious mostly. Will consider ordering these three records if I do not already have them.

Looking at that particular item once again from the Blake Family Chart, Blake Museum. Bridgwater:

This unknown Blake is said to be the grand son of William Blake and Elizabeth (Power) Blake.

 I will look at this chart next Blake day and review the problems that exist when one looks at the wills for these individuals. They kindly left them! Interesting in a way that this chart was created for the Hampshire Blake Family. The actual chart doesn't use it. It doesn't help anyone with the Blake Pedigree Chart at Swindon - perhaps just throwing a little fat into the fire type of thing. It does use some of the material from the Blake Pedigree Chart though one does notice that. It would be interesting to discover the origin of the first generations  

Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine - Volume 9

Nearly spring and the snow is all gone pretty much here. The ground looks dry instead of muddy like it usually is. Time will tell. A yellow sunrise in God's world in the east. What is God thinking as He looks at the world spread out in front of Him? He must have wept for Alexei Navalny - one of His children.  The people of Russia deserve so much more than they are getting - a war is always hardest on its people. Those at the top just live in luxury already greedy for more. The Palestinians here have not brought any children to Canada as far as I can see - they could be safe and well fed here and with very little difficulty since they are little and not a worry; They will not cause any problems for our 600,000 + Jewish people. I think the children is the saddest part; they did nothing to bring this on and it is usual to protect the children and I have a hard time understanding why they are not being protected by people who have all the luxuries of living in Canada. Protest marches are a waste of time - feed the children; bring them to safety.

Very busy working this last week as I spend this "throw-away" month looking at two possibilities - one that Richard le Blak was the founder of the Calne Blake family and two that the Pencombe family at North Molton was descendant of the Pencombe family in Pencombe, Herefordshire. Both have interesting possibilities but provable that is the question. I have looked and looked at the Blake Family Chart on the Blake Museum website (Bridgwater, Somerset) and finally I suddenly saw that perhaps Richard and Robert were interchanged at the top of the Chart and the "proof of life" details for Robert (who has a number of items in various records) did perhaps reveal that they are accidentally interchanged with Richard actually being the father of Robert. There were just too many generations between the two Roberts and not enough years. Perhaps I noted that before but I needed more data on Robert to really see it. With the Pencombe family, not finding a lot of new details but I am just getting into that. Still trying to link Philip Pynkeham at Tawstock but I think one needs to look at land documents to really sort him out. That is not going to happen in my study likely; time will tell.

The Wiltshire Archaeological and Natural History Magazine, Volume 9 (Pages 223-224) which was published in 1866 and is also available from Internet.Archive.org

 http://archive.org/details/wiltshirearchaeo09arch

There is an article in this particular magazine which discusses descent and arms of families and was produced from the notes of the Richmond Herald at the College of Arms about 1693 although he was not appointed Richmond Herald until 1721. The article Wiltshire Arms and Descents was written by Mr. Clarence Hopper and the author of the notes was Robert Dale ( he was perhaps an heraldic painter prior to his appointment is suggested ). The comment is made that the information was principally from the Visitations of 1620 time period.

His notes on the Blague/Blake/Blaake family

Dorsetshire, 27. Blague, alias Blaake, now Blake of Quemberford [Quemerford], Calne and Pynhills - 1st, arg. a chevron between 3 garbs, sab. (this is the usual arms associated with the Blake family). 2nd, arg. on a pile, az. 3 martlets, sil. both by this name. Crest on a chapeau, gu. turned up erm. a martlet, arg. Kent 83.

Blague of Lacock, a second branch from Quemberford. Kent 83

Blague of Hilcot, a third house from Calne. Kent 83

This fits in with the Visitation of 1565 which states that Roger Blake and Mary Baynard had three sons - Thomas at Pynnell, Robert at Lacock and John at Hilcott which matches the information found in the Wiltshire Arms and Descents article mentioned above.

I did review "Index of Persons Named in Early Chancery Proceedings 1385-1467" produced as The Publication of The Harleian Society Volume LXXIX (1928).There are Blake entries namely John Blak, Rawlyn Blak, Richard Blak, Andrew Blake, Edmond Blake, Edmund Blake (6 entries), John Blake (4 entries), Simon Blake (2 entries), Thomas Blake (4 entries), Walter Blake, William Blake (3 entries). 

Name                      Page              Suit#

John Blak                62                 243

Rawlyn Blak          176               345

Richard Blak          62                243

Andrew Blake         3                  69

Edmond Blake      238              174

Edmund Blake     134               319

Edmund Blake     134               325

Edmund Blake     144               240

Edmund Blake     158               606

Edmund Blake     221              164

Edmund Blake     239              204

John Blake           16                 10

John Blake           20               103 

John Blake         204               490

John Blake         295              353

Simon Blake      144              240

Simon Blake      238              174

Thomas Blake   134              329

Thomas Blake   285               74

Thomas Blake   293             307

Thomas Blake   390               13

Walter Blake     154             505

 William Blake   30             131

William Blake    30             148

William Blake  166              88

I will check for Wiltshire, Hampshire, Berkshire in Discovery Catalogue at the UK National Archives for all of these entries.

 John Blak - 13 records from 1300-1499 -  10 are mostly from Norfolk with one from Devon

1. 1400s. Ogbourne St Andrew, Wiltshire C 1/1495/32, grandson William Blake plaintiff. 

2. 1382. Document witnessed by John Blak (dealt with Calne area, Wiltshire).

3. 1489. Thornbury, Gloucestershire E 40/13329-13344. Joan wife of Thomas Pacche daughter and heir of John Blak. Interesting in that the Blake family of Calne is found in Gloucestershire after leaving Calne area.

Rawlyn Blak -  1 record from 1400-1499 - Leicestershire

Richard Blak - 1 record from 1400-1499 - Norfolk

Andrew Blake - 2 records from 1300-1499 - Kent, Sussex

Edmond Blake - 0 records from 1300-1499

Edmund Blake - 12 records from 1300-1499 - 10 Norfolk, 1 Essex, 1 Surrey

To be continued the next Blake day.

Calendar of Patent Rolls and my first task is to check for Robert le Blake and Robert Blake and this is between  1230 and 1452:

1357 21 Oct Westminster  (membrane 12)

Pardon in like terms to John Gosegh merchant of Salisbury on,

his outlawry in the county of Wilts for non-appearance to answer

touching a plea of Robert Blake, Thomas son of Walter de Hungerford

Edward Cokerel and Henry Flemyng,executors of the will of Henry

Russel, citizen of Salisbury, late executor of the will of John

Godhyne late burgess and merchant of Marlebergh that he render

to them 110 l

31 Edward III, volume 10, page 630

One mention only of Robert Blake and it involves a case in Salisbury and Marlebergh which is likely Marlborough and not too far from Calne and Devizes so an interesting find to have a Robert, adult since he is  the executor of a will (although there are exceptions but generally so), in 1357. Continuing proof of life for this Robert and since he is not named at all in the Chancery Proceedings commencing in 1385 he is likely deceased by then as his likely wife Joan and son John were involved in a land transaction in 1386 where Joan is named as a widow. The land mentioned is Shawe by Savernake. I did locate a Shaw in Wiltshire  which is Shaw cum Donnington and of all things it is not too distant from Speen which I mentioned as being another Blake location associated with the Andover Blake family (A genealogical Gazetteer of England, Frank Smith, Baltimore, 1987). It is also close enough to Marlborough which is east of Calne and Devizes. An interesting find perhaps. 

I will have a look for Richard la Blak or Richard Blake in the Calendar of Patent Rolls. The one in Rouen, Normandy,  in 1274 is known as that was his permission to set up a market in England. Any of the references have no connection to Wiltshire. 

So I think Robert le Blake is now verified and the wife of Robert was likely Joan and at least one son John. 

I am tempted though to suspect that Robert is a son of Richard le Blak located at Wargrave, Berkshire in 1301 on the Pipe Rolls of the Bishopric of Winchester. Richard Blague does not bring up any hits on the Discovery catalogue. Is it possible that Robert should come after Richard as his son although not mentioned on the Pipe Rolls at Wargrave but there is a John Blak at Wargrave (although he is not named as a son of Richard in that record). But Robert was not likely born until 1313 or shortly before that and he does name a son John. 

Jumping ahead to Robert Blake  of Quemberford and dates online are 1412-1474 for his lifespan. I was not successful on Wednesday with the middle members of the chart above namely Henry, William and Henry but whipping ahead might be helpful. So if we have a date for the first Robert let us say of 1313 to 1386 then this Robert is born 100 years later approximately. If we eliminate Richard from this line coming down then we are left with Henry, William and Henry. This would have Henry as a son of the first Robert (and I suspect he is born before 1313 so Henry born circa 1330s and a William born circa 1350s and a Henry born circa 1380s and that is likely a reasonable span of years for most generations  (actually short when I consider my own generations). But I am suggesting that Richard le Blak is the father of the first Robert and the two just need to be interchanged. 

Quemberford is rather interesting because a Robert Blake is said to have owned a fulling mill in Quemerford. Looking at the British History website (https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol17/pp17-27 ), and Blackland in particular there is a small map on this page which is rather interesting:

In the writeup about Blacklands the Manor and House both known as Blackland was held by Richard de Canville in 1194 and before that date was part of the King's large estate called Calne. At some point after 1086 the land was part of the Calstone estate and was granted away giving some prehistory to Richard de Canville holding the property in 1194. It then descended in the Canville line with a little bit of interesting history and was given or sold to Malmesbury abbey before 1262. It was then held until 1539 by the Abbey until it was dissolved and the manor then passed to the Crown. It then passed into several families until the late 1780s when it passed to the Maundrell family who apparently held property in Compton Bassett which was called Blake. Somewhat interesting but it does not appear that a Robert (le) Blake held Blacklands at any time. 

Continuing to look at British History Online under Calne:Economic History (originally published by Victoria County History, London, 2002) and Mills, Trade and Industry (Source: 'Calne: Economic history', in A History of the County of Wiltshire: Volume 17, Calne, (London, 2002) pp. 79-94. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/wilts/vol17/pp79-94 [accessed 12 March 2024])."A fulling mill in Quemberford belonged to Robert Blake (d. 1515 (Public Record Office, C142/31, no. 53)) and was on the estate at Quemerford conveyed by Robert's grandson Thomas Blake to Henry Chivers in 1560." 

 Robert Blake married to Avis (Wallop) (Malwyn) Blake's son John named his brother Robert (married to Margaret Englefield) as heir to the property which included the Fulling Mill at Quemberford in 1504. Their son Roger Blake married to Mary Baynard had a son Thomas who is noted above as inheriting the mill and selling it. This is seen clearly on the Blake Pedigree Chart held by the Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office.

The value of these two charts is quite huge even if over time one notes difficulties with the Chart but overall the parts of the chart that can be verified by records are a great addition to this Blake family. The intent of the Blake Family Chart at the Blake Museum Bridgwater is to illustrate the Blake Family in Somerset and it does it very well actually. I have blogged on it in the past. I did not see it but I am sure it is a treasure to do so especially if you descend from the Somerset Blake line. 

So today finding the Robert Blake record near Speen is most interesting and continues my thought that at some point in the far past (I suspect late 1200s early 1300s) the Calne Blake and the Andover Blake families were related on the female side and their friendship is still seen in the wills in the 1500s. Having so much material in one place whether you might not quite agree with all the entries is a great asset to the Blake family. 

But I  have still not actually proven that Richard Le Blak is the progenitor of the Calne Blake family but I think there are not a lot of choices looking at the Blake records in the 1200s/1300s. The 1274 permit to set up a market was a great opportunity for Richard le Blak in England but there is an effigy in the Rouen Cathedral in Normandy and it wasn't possible to determine exactly who this person was. Perhaps a look at the French records might be in order.