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.

Working on the Blake family at Andover

 Perhaps ten years ago or more I acquired images of a Blake Pedigree Chart created by the College of Arms for a Blake family line that lived in London at that time. Previously they  had lived in the Andover Hampshire area up until the 1600s. The chart is absolutely beautiful and I would agree with a great deal of it but there is a William (d 1582) that was said to have lived at Eastontown (I think this is East Anton actually) and descended from Roger Blake and Mary (Baynard) Blake and they lived at Lackham, Wiltshire England. Roger was descendant of the Blake family at Calne. On the Visitation of Wiltshire 1623

The Visitation of Wiltshire 1623 begins with Robert Blake married to Avice Wallop and they live at Quemberford and are perhaps the first Blake to live in the Calne area (I have a theory that they were found in Berkshire earlier). Robert's and Mary's son Robert married Margaret Englefield and their son Roger married Mary Baynard. The Visitation above lists their children as Sibil, Joan, Maria, John, Robert and Thomas. Roger Blake in his will only mentions his oldest child (Thomas) and his youngest Mary. 

I have discussed this before because the Pedigree Chart adds in a son William dying in 1582 and living at Eastontown, Hampshire near Andover. 

I do think that part of this is the eldest son of William Blake married Margaret Blake and has her father also as a William Blake. My thought is that this Margaret is actually related to the Calne line and not her husband John. He is descendant of William Blake at Eastontown who is the son of Nicholas which is made quite clear in his will listing his siblings. 

I have decided to now accept this idea as a reasonable genealogical descent for both of these Blake families although figuring out the parents of Margaret might be an added plus. The Blake family at Calne was large and the visitation in particular does not list the descendants of John Blake and his wife Joane (Clarke) although does mention three sons. Sons are sometimes left off of visitations but it is more likely to be the daughters omitted unless they married into a family that resulted in their being listed in that family's visitation. William names his wife as Elizabeth in his will but was she a second wife (the family was very large and there does appear to be a large gap).  He has a daughter Margaret but she is married to (unknown) Jarvis.

I had not actually planned such a long blog post. 

This is Sunday and Church online once again and I wonder which Church in England will be chosen to do the service. 

We are still somewhat in our warming period which is predicted to be much colder in a couple of days more reminiscent of winter. Climate Change is a challenge for certain and all the bombing that is going on in two major conflicts does not help the situation. 

Free the hostages Hamas as the International Court of Justice demanded. Leave Gaza so that the people there can make a life for themselves which doesn't consist of playing the injured for the cameras. It must be terrible to be in Rafah and I sorrow for all the children trapped there. Children are really pawns in the hands of Hamas and their parents; they can not escape. I wish the world would bring them out; they would surely go home again when this is all over. They deserve to grow up in a world without constant war waged by Hamas. They are literally being held by Hamas as victims for Hamas's desire to make money by fleecing the world and the people of Gaza. Save the Children. What do I really think? I wish that Hamas would release the hostages; that Israel would return to their borders and Hamas leave Gaza. Find another place to live; your time in Gaza has destroyed so many lives. But Russia started all of this just two years ago; complete abandonment of the world order that worked very well after the Second World War with the United Nations by invading a sovereign country. But they too are a greedy satanic people who have no consideration for the world but only themselves. Were we at a crossroads?; I do not think so although there was tension but it was more economic tension. Does no one think ahead; destruction of the world with atomic weapons is very final. Get along people. Grow up! Follow the commandments of God. Give the United Nations more power to stop these wars. Most people want peace but if we must fight then we can do that too. God look down on your world and see that peace could have a chance if the satanic Russians and satanic Hamas/Iran disappeared from the face of the earth. They are truly evil. Is all of Russia evil; no but they must discard the evil in their midst?

On to the day. Latin completed. Soon time for Church.

Parents of Nathanael Lambden, Brick Wall Number 7

Brick Wall Number 7: Parents of Nathanael Lambden

Nathanael Lambden doesn't appear very often in the records but he signed the marriage registration of his daughter Elizabeth and Isaac Farmer. Isaac Farmer also neatly signed this marriage registration. Elizabeth, however, did not sign but made an X. It is possible that Nathanael was a wheelwright at Woodhouse in Andover but his parentage is somewhat of a mystery. The spelling of his name Nathanael might be a clue and there is a baptism for a Nathanael Lambden 26 Jul 1724 at Bradfield, Berkshire son of John Lambden and Joan Baruttine (married 11 Oct 1721 at Bradfield). When Nathanael and his wife Sarah baptized their children they were named: Nathaniel, John, William and Elizabeth. The children of John and Joan Lambden all baptized at Bradfield: Nathanael (1724), Sarah (1727), Mary (1729), John (1733), Benjamin (1736), Joseph (1739).

I have not yet persued the original record of the Berkshire baptism but the Lambden family is most prevalent in Berkshire in the earlier records (looking at the Public Profiler the most frequent location for Lambden in 1881 was Berkshire and secondly in North Hampshire/Wiltshire). Later records find this family at St Mary Bourne, Hampshire (larger in numbers than in Andover) but no Nathanael found there. Interestingly, Elizabeth's brother Nathaniel Lambden married Catherine Cook at Hurstborne Tarrant 8 Oct 1794 and they named their sons: Nathaniel, William, Thomas and John. This family lived at Hurstborne Tarrant.

Again this brick wall could come down with a more dedicated pursuit of the Lambden family in Bradfield and discovering if Nathanael was a wheelwright as mentioned in another website.

Elizabeth (Lambden) Farmer was my 3x great grandmother and she lived to be 96 years old. My grandfather mentioned her when I was a child as she had died in 1862 (baptized 16 Mar 1766 at Andover) and by 1875 when he was born they must have still been talking about her long life. Her daughter Ann had married John Blake and Ann in her widowhood had lived right next door to my grandfather and likely was the source of many of the stories that he passed on to me about his Farmer/Lambden family. I do not clearly remember if he said that Nathanael was a wheelwright. That memory is too vague - I was just eight years old when he died.

The oldest records for the Lambden family in Berkshire date back to the 1260s. But I have not seen this family researched to any great extent. Until I can actually link back to John and Joan Lambden as the parents of Nathanael, I am brickwalled at this point. It would appear that this family has taken its name from a property known as Lambden.

http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-40041-lambden-s-farmhouse-englefield-

This website points to a farmhouse known as Lambden at Englefield, Berkshire. Englefield is just 1.9 miles from Bradfield.