Will of John Blake, labourer, Prestbury, Gloucestershire - Diocese of Bristol Wills on Ancestry, probated 2 Oct 1801

The testator is John Blake of Prestbury, Gloucester. He is married to Dorcas. There is a marriage on FamilySearch 15 Aug 1779 at Prestbury of John Bleake to Dorcas Sollers "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NL8C-TM2 : accessed 13 Aug 2014), John Bleake and Dorcas Sollers, 15 Aug 1779; citing Prestbury,Gloucester,England, reference ; FHL microfilm 91313. There are two baptisms at Prestbury to John and Dorcas Blake, Sarah Blake 30 Jul 1780 "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NLJK-J41 : accessed 13 Aug 2014), John Blake in entry for Sarah Blake, 30 Jul 1780; citing PRESTBURY,GLOUCESTER,ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 417146, and Margaret Blake 8 Apr 1781, "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/J3MQ-654 : accessed 13 Aug 2014), John Blake in entry for Margt Blake, 08 Apr 1781; citing PRESTBURY,GLOUCESTER,ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 417146. 

I was not able to find information on his daughter Jane married to Thomas Serwin and living at Fairford, Gloucestershire.

There was a John Blake baptized 31 Mar 1751 at Prestbury son of John and Mary Blake. "England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JM74-WFW : accessed 13 Aug 2014), John Blake, 31 Mar 1751; citing PRESTBURY,GLOUCESTER,ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 417146.

There were a number of children baptized to a John and Mary Blake at Prestbury:

Sarah 24 Dec 1740
Margaret 1 Apr 1743; buried 30 Dec 1750
Jane 14 Apr 1745
Ann 29 Mar 1747; buried 3 Jan 1750
Mary 25 Dec 1748
John 31 Mar 1751

There was a marriage of John Blake to Mary Lawrence 3 Aug 1738 at Prestbury. "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NL8Z-8XM : accessed 13 Aug 2014), John Blake and Mary Lawrence, 03 Aug 1738; citing Prestbury,Gloucester,England, reference ; FHL microfilm 91313.

There was a baptism to William and Sarah Blake at Prestbury of John baptized 19 Jul 1714. England Births and Christenings, 1538-1975," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JQ2G-ZJT : accessed 13 Aug 2014), John Blake, 19 Jul 1714; citing PRESTBURY,GLOUCESTER,ENGLAND, reference ; FHL microfilm 417146.

There were a number of children baptized to a William and Sarah Blake at Prestbury:

William 15 Nov 1707
Sarah 19 Oct 1709
Margaret 17 Mar 1711; buried 7 Jun 1725
John 19 Jul 1714
Francis 28 Sep 1716
Mary 16 Jun 1721
Richard 13 May 1724
Richard 30 Jun 1727

I do have a will for John Blake dated 1732 at Prestbury already blogged:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2014/07/will-of-john-blake-yeoman-prestbury_31.html

This will mentions sons Thomas, John, William and Robert.

There was a marriage between William Blake and Sarah Lester at Deerhurst which is 8 miles from Prestbury 30 Dec 1706. "England Marriages, 1538–1973 ," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NVKN-MVH : accessed 13 Aug 2014), Will. Blake and Sarah Lester, 30 Dec 1706; citing Deerhurst,Gloucester,England, reference ; FHL microfilm 425393.

There is a baptism of William Blake 16 Aug 1685 at Charlton Kings (2 miles from Prestbury) 16 Aug 1685 with parents William and Anne Blake. I do have an administration for a William Blake dated in 1706 but it names the widow as Margaret and son William Blake although at Prestbury. This William Blake is named as a labourer so is perhaps the correct ancestor for this John. Linking these families at Prestbury does appear to be somewhat of a challenge.

Will of John Blake, labourer, 2 Oct 1801, Will number 131, GDR/Wills/1801 (131).
Ancestry.com. Gloucestershire, England, Wills and Inventories, 1541-1858 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.
Original data: Gloucestershire Probate Records. Diocese of Gloucestershire, Finding Reference GDR, Wills and Inventories. Gloucestershire Archives, Gloucester, UK.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 1 Aug 2014
Source: Ancestry – Diocese of Bristol Wills
Testator:  John Blake, labourer
Place: Prestbury, Gloucestershire, England
Type of Record: Probate
Date of document: 8 May 1800; probated 2 Oct 1801
Condition: 19th century English, legible copy

1    The last Will and Testament of me John
2    Blake of Prestbury in the County of Gloucester
3    Labourer whereby I give devise and bequeath
4    unto my Wife Dorcas and her assigns during
5    the term of her natural life All those my
6    Cottages Tenements or Dwellinghouses with the
7    Gardens Outhouses and appurtenances thereunto
8    belonging, one in my own Possession the other void
9    And from and after her decease I give and devise
10    the Cottage Tenement or Dwellinghouse with the
11    Garden and Appurtenances now in my Possession
12    to my Daughter Margaret And the Cottage Tenement
13    or Dwellinghouse now void with the Garden and
14    Appurtenances thereto belonging, and lately occupied
15    by Richard Green as my Tenant I give devise
16    and bequeath unto my other Daughter Sarah
17    To have and to hold the said Cottages Tenements
18    or Dwellinghouses Garden and Appurtenances so
19    respectively devised as aforesaid unto my said
20    Daughter their Heirs and assigns for ever I Give
21    and bequeath unto my said Wife the Use of all
22    and singular my Household Goods and other my
23    personal Estate for her life And after her Decease
24    I give and bequeath the said Household Goods and
25    personal Estate unto my said two Daughters Share
26    and Share alike I also give and bequeath unto
27    my Daughter Jane Wife of Thomas Serwin of
28    Fairford in the said County One Guinea to be
29    laid out by my said Wife immediately after my
    [Page 2]
30    decease for Clothes for the said Jane Serwin and
31    I charge my Estate for the Payment thereof
32    I nominate and appoint my said two Daughters
33    Margaret and Sarah Executrises of this my Will
34    hereby revoking all former Wills by me heretofore
35    made and declaring this only to be my last Will
36    and Testament In Witness whereof I the
37    said John Blake the Testator have hereunto set
38    my Hand and Seal this Eighth day of May
39    in the Year one thousand Eight Hundred
40    The mark X of
41    John Blake
42    Signed sealed published and
43    declared by the said John Blake
44    The Testator as and for his last Will
45    and Testament in the presence of
46    us who at his Request and in his
47    presence and the presence of each
48    other have subscribed our Names
49    as Witnesses thereto
50    the mark X of
51    Sarah Little
52    Edw: Church
    [Page 3]   
53    2d day of October 1801   
54    The before named Margaret Blake and
55    Sarah Blake the Daughters and joint Executrixes
56    were duly sworn
57    before me
58    Tho: Rudge Sur:
60    Sworn to less
61    than £20
62    This Will was proved the 2nd day of Oct 1801
63    before the Revd Tho: Rudge Sur: to the worshipful Edward
64    Cook kA. M. Vicar genl. In Spirituals of the right Revd
65    Father in God Richard by Divine permission Lord Bishop
66    Lord Bishop of the Diocese of Gloucester and of his Episcopal
67    Consistory Official Principal Lawfully constituted by
68    Margaret Blake and Sarah Blake Daus and Exectrixes etc
    [Page 4]
69    A true and perfect Inventory of all and
70    singular the Goods Chattles Rights and Credits
71    of John Blake late of Prestbury
72    in the County and Diocese of Gloucester Labourer
73    deceases
74    Exhibited into the Registry of the Lord Bishop of
75    Gloucester this second day of October in the
76    Year of our Lord 1801 by Margaret Blake and Sarah
77    Blake the Daughters and joint Executrixes named
78    in the last Will and Testament of the said John
79    Blake deceased
80    Personal Estate of every sort and     £  .  s  .  d
81    kind not exceeding the sum of    15 .  0  .  0
82    Exhibited by us   
83    The Mark of   
84    X   
85    Margaret Blake   
86    The mark of   
87    X    
88    Sarah Blake   

Will of John Blake, Clerk, Feyreford, Gloucestershire - The National Archives PROB 11/37/293, probated 4 Apr 1555

This, the will of John Blake, Cleric gives as his location Fairford, Gloucestershire but in the Diocese of Worcester. It isn’t particularly close to any known Blake area. From the Blake Pedigree Chart held at the Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office there is a John Blake Lord Abbot of Cirencester in County Gloucestershire. The time frame would be similar to this John. He does not, however, mention any family although his brother William would be living in Lacock in this time period. Feyreford is nine miles east of Cirencester. This is after the dissolution of the monasteries during the Reign of Henry VIII which continued through the Reign of Edward VI. The fate of the Lord Abbot of Cirencester is unknown and could he have moved on to Feyreford where there was a house that still remained? There was a large church there dedicated to Saint Mary.

I still have about 70 wills from the Gloucestershire Record Office and included in that group are more wills from this early time period.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 12 Apr 2014
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/37/293
Testator:  John Blake, Clerk
Place: Feyreford, Gloucestershire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 2 Jan 1552, probated 4 Apr 1555
Condition: 16th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: T[estament] Joh[an]n Blake clerc

1    In dei nomine Amen seconde die Januarij Anno d[omi]ni Mell[is]imo quinqentisimo quinquagesimo
2    secondo et Anno Regni d[omi]ni uird Edwardi Sexti dei gracia Anglie Franciae et Hibernie Rexs fidei
3    defensores et in terra Ecclesia[e] Anglicane et Hibernice supremum capits Sexto I Joh[an]n Blake of
4    Feyreford in the dioc[ese] of Wurcestor Clerke being sicke in bodye and hole of mynd and in parfict
5    Remembrannce do make and ordeyne this my last will and testament in maner and forme folowinge
6    First I bequeathe my soule to th[e ]handes of Almyghtie god my Savior and Redemer whiche by the power
7    of his most precious blod have delyv[er]ed me from all my synnes and reconciled me unto god the father
8    by the merits of his deathe and my bodye to be buried wher yt shall please myne Executours John Hill and
9    John Dawbeney Jun[jior] my servantes and this to paye all my debts whiche I do owe And also to parforme
10    and paye all my legacies as hereafter folowith Fyrst I bequeathe and give to the poore mens boxe
11    In FeyreFord iijs viij d Item I bequeathe to John Wall my chapelyn Sixe pounds in money and A gowne
12    Item I give to Thomas Liggen gentleman xl s and his lyverie Item I give to Thomas Clarke my s[er]vant
13    Twenty shillings in money and his lyverie Item to Richard Merynge xxxv s iiij d and his lyverye Item
14    to Willyam Carter xxxiiij s and his lyv[er]ye Item to Roger Wyatt xxvj s vij d and his lyv[er]ye  Item to
15    Richard Hall xxvj s viij d and his lyverie Item to John Faregose xxxs and his Lyverye  Item to
16    Reynold Hooles xxxs and his lyverie Item to Richard Woodward xxs and his Lyverie Item to
17    Margery Levcy xxv s and one petycote Item to Faith Bryger xxiij s and one petycote Item to
18    Katheryn Ewen xxiij s and one peticote All this I give ev[er]y of them in full payment of their wages
19    and lyvereys All the rest of my goodes and cattalls moveable and unmoveable not given nor
20    bequeathed after my debts and Legacies be fully contentyd and paide and my funeral done I give
21    and bequeathe unto John Hill and John Dawbeney Jun[ior] above said my s[er]vantes whom I make and
22    ordeyne my sole Executors And further I make Overseers of this my last Will and testament Sir
23    Anthony Kyngston knight Sir Walter Buckeler knight and John George gent to the intent that they
24    shall see all my debts and Legacies abovesaid paide and fulfilled and myne Executors quyatly to
25    Incyon all the rest of my goodes above bequeathed and geven to them And they and ev[er]y of them myne
26    Overseers abovesaid to have for their Labors and paynes in the premises fower marks apece in money
27    to be paid to them by myne Executors Thes p[er]sons insigng baring wytnes of this my last will
28    Mathew Glame they being Curate Richard Stychall Richard More Thomas Smieth
29    Willyam Grene By me John Blake prest
30    Probatum fuit testum apud London coram et Capitlo Ecclie Metrovo xxi Cant
31    Sei Archie pali ibin Jain Vacan quarto die mensis Aprilis Anno domini Millesimo quingentisimo quinqua
32    gesimo quinto Juramento Johis Dawbeney Executor in humoi testament noiat ac approbatum etc
33    insumatum etc comissa fuit adminstraro omi bonor etc defuncti preset etc de bene et fideler
34    administrand ead Acde pleno Juro etc Exhibend Ao sumta dei Singelia Jurate Johanne Hill
35    Executore etiam in humoi testament moiate demortico