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.

Will of John Blake, Hurstborne Tarrant, Hampshire - Hampshire Record Office 1559A-019, probated 31 Dec 1559

John Blake the testator does not give any ideas as to his siblings or parents. He has one older child since he mentions his daughter Christian Yong and a son in law John Bayly who was perhaps his wife’s child by an earlier marriage or another daughter of John who has married. His wife Annes is pregnant with another child. St Andrews Church is at Hurstborne Priors. The church at Hurstborne Tarrant is St Peter.

There is on Family Search under index M14667-1 a marriage between John Blake and Agnes Hendy at Hurstbourne Tarrant. Under FreeReg the marriage date is given a 15 Aug 1558.

There are a number of Blake marriages at Hurstbourne Tarrant:

Thomas Blake married Elizabeth Dowling 19 Oct 1601
Mr John Blake married Mrs Alice Reade 21 Jun 1664
John Blake married Margaret Harehood[sp] 27 Oct 1673
Peter Blake married An Godfery 24 Jun 1677
William Blake married Sarah Green 9 May 1749
John Blake married Mary Johnson 12 May 1773
Mary Blake married Edward Piper 18 Nov 1775
William Blake married Joanna Beer 19 Jul 1779
Mary Blake married Lazarus Guy 9 May 1785
Elizabeth Blake married Robert Worman 20 Jul 1795
Thomas Blake married Elizabeth Veryman 22 Dec 1806
Mary Blake married William Park 29 Apr 1811

And at Hurstbourne Priors

Sarah Blake married Silvester Deane 14 Nov 1607
Thomas Blake married Mary Harfell 12 May 1756
Mary Blake married William May 9 Apr 1780
Thomas Blake married Francis Appleton 12 Jun 1780
Thomas Blake married Jane Hull 29 May 1784
Sarah Blake married Thomas Self 18 Jan 1787

No baptisms or burials were entered into this database for Hurstbourne Tarrant or Hurstbourne Priors.

Could John be a son of Thomas who left his will in 1541?

Another Inventory with its very interesting items. This is a huge document I suspect as my copy is 11 inches by 17 inches on two pages. The handwriting is very large. These Hampshire wills appear to be the original documents printed probably from the microfilm. Having the similar surnames for witnesses is interesting – Munday, Goldyng. Does make one suspect that this is perhaps the same Blake family however the Munday and Goldyng families were also large in the areas.

I have just one will left from my bundle of 14 Hampshire wills that I got for Christmas. Such a very good idea and will pursue that thought in the future! The last will is for William Crowtch as he names his sister Margaret Blake so had to have that particular one. Acquiring this particular set of wills was as a result of the work of Charlou Dolan who painstakingly went through the Indexes for Hampshire Wills and prepared a list of over 100 pertinent wills for the Blake family. I have been ordering them from the Record Office and from Family Search. I will borrow the indexes eventually to collect the details for the wills from 1700 to 1900 for the Blake families in Hampshire.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 20 Feb 2014
Source: Hampshire Record Office, 1559A-019
Testator: John Blake
Place: Hurstborne Tarrant (burial location), Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 23 Dec 1558, probated 31 Dec 1559
Condition: 16th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: 1559A-019

1    In the name of God Amen In the yere of o[u]r lorde god
2    an[n]o D[omin]I etc lviii th and the xxiij th day of December y
3    Joh[ahn]n[is] Blake beying sicke yn bodye but (thancks
4    be gevyn unto god) of a good mynde and memorie
5    do make my testament and last wyll after the
6    forme and man[ner] folowying first y gyve and
7    bequeth my sowle unto almyghtty god o[u] blesyd
8    lady seynte mary and all the holy co[m]pany yn hevyn
9    and my body to be buryed yn th[e] churchyard of seynt
10    androwys yn husb[or]n tarawnt It[em] y geve to th[e]
11    churche of husb[or]n tarawnt a shepe It[e]m y geve
12    to chrystyan yong my dowter vi shpe and my
13    best coverlet It[e]m y geve to the child that my
14    wyfe hath wyth[in] all vi shepe and a bullock
15    yf yt leve and be chryscenyd It[e]m y bequeth
16    to John bayly my son yn law a cow the The
17    rest of my goods not bequethyd y geve and
18    bequeth to annes my wyfe whome y mak
19    my hole executrix these being wytnessys to
20    this my last wyll Sy[r] Thomas statwood vicar
21    Robert munday John lake and George goldyng
22    Probate pe l[as]te day 1559___
23    etc etc
    [Page 2]
24    In primis    ij horssys    xiij s
25    It[e]m    xx shepe    xxxiij s iiij d
26    It[e]m    a weynlyng calf    iiij s
27    It[e]m    iiij pygs    x s
28    It[em]    iiij hens and a cock    xv d
29    It[em]    ij gess and a gander    xiij d
30    It[em]    iiij acars and an halfe of whete y[n] ye fleds     xvj s
31    It[em]     xij busshells of barley    x s
32    It[em]     a plow and a lytt and a lyttyll cart w[i]th all thynes longng unto the same    vij s
33    It[em]     ij brasse potts and ij posnetts    v s
34    It[em]    a cawdry and v kyttylls    x s
35    It[em]     vi platters iij potygers and iij sawcers    v s
36    It[em]    iij lyttyll candylstycke    vi d
37    It[em]    ij flocke beds and ij bolsters    v s
38    It[em]    iiij coverleds and iij pere of shetes    vj s viij d
39    It[em]    vj cofers    iiij s
40    It[e]m    a vate ij kevers and iiij barells and iiij kyvers and my tubbes    vj s viij d
41    It[e]m    a cubbert    ij s
43    It[em]    an ax and a byll    viij s
44    It[em]    a pot of ashes a pott hanggells and a broche    xij s
45    It[e]m    a borde and a forme    vj s
46        Su[mme] to[ta]ls    vij li ij s vij d

Will of Jone Blake, widow, Upton, Hurstbourne Tarrant, Hampshire - The Hampshire Record Office 1696A-014, probated 13 May 1696

The testator is Joan Blake, widow of Upton, Hurstbourne Tarrant in Hampshire. In her will she only mentions the children of her daughters.This one also has an interesting inventory.

Names mentioned in the will:

Jone Blake, testator, Upton, Hurstbourne Tarrant
John Salmon, son in law
Dorothy Salmon, daughter
Elizabeth Salmon, grand daughter
John Salmon, grandson
Ann Salmon, grand daughter
John Woollridg, grandson
Francis Woollridg, daughter, executrix
Thomas Woollridge, witness
Thomas Nalder, witness
Francis Nalder, witness, accessor
John Blake, accessor

One of the descendants of Robert Blake (son of Nicholas who left his will in 1547 at Enham) and he was descended of John Blake the Elder and named John living at Upton as he died there before 25 Feb 1605 and his will is to come; he is mentioned by Charlou Dolan:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2011/02/robert-blake-family-at-knights-enham.html

This John who left his will at Upton is traced down with his children named (by Charlou) as Agnes, Christian, Elizabeth and John.

There is a place called Blakes at Hurstbourne Tarrant and it is a Grade II building.

http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-139909-blakes-hurstbourne-tarrant-hampshire

A list I found online listing Blake and a date (will check these out so am saving them to the blog):

http://www.frewin.com/hantprv1/haix_a_c.txt

BLAKE Elizabeth         20 Jul  1795                    HURSTBOURNE TARRANT
BLAKE John              15 Aug  1558                    HURSTBOURNE TARRANT
BLAKE John              27 Oct  1673                    HURSTBOURNE TARRANT
BLAKE John              12 May  1773                    HURSTBOURNE TARRANT
BLAKE John.Mr.          21 Jun  1664                    HURSTBOURNE TARRANT
BLAKE Mary              18 Nov  1775                    HURSTBOURNE TARRANT
BLAKE Mary              9 May  1785                     HURSTBOURNE TARRANT
BLAKE Mary              29 Apr  1811                    HURSTBOURNE TARRANT
BLAKE Mary              9 Apr  1780                     HURSTBOURNE PRIORS
BLAKE Peter             24 Jun  1677                    HURSTBOURNE TARRANT
BLAKE Sarah             14 Nov  1607                    HURSTBOURNE PRIORS
BLAKE Sarah             18 Jan  1787                    HURSTBOURNE PRIORS
BLAKE Thomas            19 Oct  1601                    HURSTBOURNE TARRANT
BLAKE Thomas            22 Dec  1806                    HURSTBOURNE TARRANT
BLAKE Thomas            12 May  1756                    HURSTBOURNE PRIORS
BLAKE Thomas            12 Jun  1780                    HURSTBOURNE PRIORS
BLAKE Thomas            29 May  1784                    HURSTBOURNE PRIORS
BLAKE William           9 May  1749                     HURSTBOURNE TARRANT
BLAKE William           19 Jul  1779                    HURSTBOURNE TARRANT

This is the Frewin/Frewen/Fruin/Fruen Website and is a collection of material for this family. I could not find the header page for the above information as I just discovered that you can not see the source code for a page in Firefox.

Checking Family Search, Find My Past and no sign of the Salmon family with Dorothy as mother. I will wait for more wills to be blogged in the Upton area.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 31 Jan 2014
Source: Hampshire Record Office, 1696A-014
Testator: Jone Blake
Place: Upton, Hurstbourne Tarrant, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 29 Jan 1690, probated 13 May 1696
Condition: 17th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: 1696A-014

1    In the name of god Amen the nine and Twentith day of January
2    In The yeare of our lord god one Thousand Six hundred and
3    nintie I Jone Blake of Upton in the parish of Husborn Tarrant
4    in the County of South[ampto]n of sound and perfect memory thankes
5    to allmigty god for the same doe make and constitute this my
6    Last will and Testament in maner and forme following that is
7    To say First and principally I comitt my soul unto
8    Allmighty god my mercyfull Creator hopeing for for mercy
9    and pardon for my sines and eternall life through the merits of
10    Jesus Christ my Blessed Saviour and Redeemer and my Body to
11    The Earth from whenc it was Taken and to be buried in such A decent
12    and Christian like maner as to my executo[r]s hereafter named
13    Shall be thought fit and convenient And as for such wordly Estat
14    which the Lord in mercy have Lent me my will and meaning is this
15    Should be impleyed and bestowed as here in this my Last Will and
16    Testament is expressed Item I give unto John Salmon my
17    sonn in law one Shilling It[e]m I give unto John Salmon wife
18    That is my daughter Dorithy one Shilling Item I give unto
19    John Salmons daughter Elizabeth my grand Child
20    Five Shillings Item I give unto John Salmon and Ann Salmon my
21    grand Children one Shilling A peece It[e]m I give unto John
22    Woollridg my grand Child my Bigest Bras pot and one Flagon,
23    and all the Rest of my goodes and Chattells whatsoe ever I
24    give unto my daughter Francis Woollridg whom I make my
25    Sole Executrix of this my Last will and Testament
26    In witness where of I have hereunto sett my hand
27    and Seall The day and yeare Above written
28    Jone Blake
29    S
30    her mark
31    Thomas Woollridg
32    Francis Nalder  N his marke
33    Thomas Nalder
34    13 May 1696
35    Jurat Joh[ann]es Wooldridge
36    _____ Executricij
37    Coram ____ Tho: Claverbuck
    [Page 2]
38    A True and perfect Inventary of all ye goods
39    and Chattells Moveable and UnMoveable of Joan
40    Blake late dec[ease]d of Upton in ye parish of
41    Husburne Tarrant in the County of South[amp]ton
43    Widdow made ye Fifth day of Aprill anno domini
44    1696 as followeth
45    Imprimis    all her wearing apparel   
46        and p[re]sent Money                     01     10      00
47    Item    in ye deceased Chamber one bed   
48        bed stead and all other furniture    04     11         6
49        belonging w[i]th 3 coffers and 1 Box   
50    Item    in ye hall 1 Table Board 1 Cupboard   
51        3 Chairs 1 forme 1 Iron spit 2 andirons    00      14      06
52        1 Toasting iron w[i]th other Lumber   
53    Item    in ye Kitching is disher of Pewter   
54        1 Flaggon 2 potts 1 Kettle 1 Skillett    01        09     06
55        and a Furnace of Brass   
56    Item    in ye Chamber over ye Kitching   
57        one boil and low bedstead with all    01        10     00
58        furniture belonging to itt   
59    Item    in ye Buttery 2 Barrells 2 kivers    00          16   00
60        2 Table and other lumber   
61    Item    1 great Bible book w[i]th all other    00          03    06
62        odd lumber Whatsoever   
63        The Whole sum is                    10       15      00
64           
65        Francis Nallder   
66        John Blake   

Will of John Blake, Hurstborne Tarrant, Hampshire - Hampshire Record Office 1559A-019, probated 24 Mar 1559 (old style)

John Blake, the testator, lives at Hurstborne Tarrant. He is married to Annes and has a daughter Christian and his wife is expecting another baby. His son in law is John Bayly (perhaps he married a widow with a son John). I wonder if this Blake family is related to the Blake family at and near Andover. He doesn't mention them.

His inventory is lengthy and he was likely a tenant. No property is mentioned neither freehold, leasehold or copyhold. He has a lengthy inventory list amounting to seven pounds two shillings and seven pence. In todays terms this might be using the website: www.measuringworth.com

£2,290.00 using the retail price index

£34,200.00 using average earnings

There was a Mundy family at Hurstborne Tarrant into the 1700s and a charity founded by this family in 1706. I could not find mention of the Blake family at Hurstborne Tarrant in British History online where I found the information about the Mundy family. No mention of Stratgood, Lake or Golding families there.

There are several mentions for Blake in the present village of Hurstborne Tarrant.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 3 Jan 2014
Source: Hampshire Record Office, 1559A-019
Testator: John Blake
Place: Hurstborne Tarrant, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 23 Dec 1558, probated 24 Mar 1559
Condition: 19th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: 1559A/019/1

1    In the Name of god Amen In the yere of o[u]r lord god
2    M D and lviij th and the xxiij th day of December Y
3    John Blake beying sicke yn bodye but (thancks
4    be gevyn unto god) of a good mynde and reme[b]ra[nce]
5    do make my testament and last wyll after the
6    forme and man[ner] folowyng first y _____ and be
7    bequeath my sowle unto almyghtty god o[u]r blessyd
8    lady seynte mary and all the holy co[m]pany yn hevyn
9    and my body to be buryed y nth[e] churchyard of seyn
10    androwys yn husb[or]n tarawnt It[em] Y geve to th[e]
11    church of husb[or]n tarawnte a shepe It[e]m Y geve
12    to chrystyan yeng my dowter vj shpe and my
13    best coverlet It[e]m y geve to the child that my
14    wyfe doth wyth all vj shepe and a bullock and
15    yf yt lyve and be chryscenye It[e]m y bequeath
16    to John bayly my son yn law a cow the The
17    rest of my goods not bequethyd y geve and
18    bequeath to annes my wyfe whome y mak
19    my hole executrix these being wytnessys to
20    this my last wyll Thomas Stratgood vicar
21    Robert munday John lake and George goldyng
22    Probate geven upon the l[as]te day 1559 ________
23    etc etc
        [Inventory]
24    In primis ij horssys                 xiij s j d
25    It[e]m xx shepe                       xxxiij s iiij d
26    It[e]m a weynlying calf           iiij s
27    It[e]m iiij pygs                         x s
28    It[e]m iiij hens and a cock        x s
29    It[e]m ij gese and a gander       xiij s
30    It[e]m iiij acars and an halfe of whete y[n] ye fld    6 s vij d
31    It[e]m xij busshells of barley      x s
32    Ite[m] a plow and a lytt and a lyttyle cart w[i]th all    vij s
33    thym blongyng unto the same
34    It[em] ij brasse potts and ij posnetts       v s
35    It[em] a cawdry and skyttylls          x s
36    It[em] vi platters iiij potygers and iij sawcers    v s
37    It[em] iij lyttyle candylstycke         vi s
38    It[em] ij flocke bed and ij bolsters    v s
39    It[em] iiij coverleds and iij pere of shtes   vi s viij d
40    It[em] vi cofers       iij s
41    It[e]m a vate ij kevers and iiij barells        vi s viij d
43    and iiij kyvers and my tubes
44    It[e]m a cubbert                                     ij s
45    It[em] ax and a byll                   vij d
46    It[em] a pot of led a pott hanggells                xij d
47    and a broche
48    It[e]m a bedde and a forme              vi s
49    Su[m] to[ta]ls    vij li ij s vij d

Will of James Blake, Laborer, Upton Hampshire - PROB11/2090/398, probated 13 Apr 1849

James Blake is not known to me. I could not find a marriage that would fit in with the likely dates nor could I isolate him using the three children's baptisms. He is likely the James Blake who died in Mar quarter 1849 in Andover Registration District  (Free BMD) where his grand daughter is living with her husband James Ball. The will indicates that James Ball is of Upton. Upton is only 2 miles north west of Hurstborne Tarrant not to be confused with Upton Grey in Hampshire.

On the 1841 census (District 4) there is a John Blake family at Hurstborne Tarrant: John Blake 30, Charlotte Blake 30, Edward Blake 8, Sarah Blake 6 and Thomas Blake 4.    There is also a John Blake 60, Mary Blake 50 and Elizabeth Blake 15. There were a number of Ball families but did not find James and Elizabeth in District 4 but there is a James Ball 30 and Elizabeth Ball 20 (actually she would have been 24 or 25 so they have rounded her age down) with James 5 years in District 5 Hurstborne Tarrant (Brickleton Upton). I expected to find James Blake in Upton but could not locate him there. James did have two sons John and James and perhaps the Johns at Hurstborne Tarrant are his son and grandson. No sign of the younger James Blake either.At Vernham's Dean there is a William Blake shoemaker 50, Harriett Blake 45 (not born in Hampshire), William 9, Goerge 7. There is a Parker family there: William Parker 20, Lucy Parker 20, Charles Parker 7, Jane Parker 5, Charlotte Parker 2, James Parker 6 mo. Also a William Parker 25, Jane Parker 20, Alfred Parker 8 mo.

James' daughter Mary Blake married William Parker 29 Apr 1811 at Hurstbourne Tarrant.

Children of William Parker and Mary Blake:

James Parker born 16 Dec 1813 and baptized 26 Dec 1813 at Hurstbourne Tarrant (C02265-3 Family Search)

Elizabeth Parker born 15 May 1816 and baptized 26 May 1816 at Hurstbourne Tarrant (C02265-3 Family Search)

John Parker born 3 Apr 1819 and baptized 16 May 1819 at Hurstbourne Tarrant (C02265-3 Family Search)

Did not find a Thomas Parker that I could definitely place with these parents in a place that fitted with the rest. There was one in Warwickshire but does seem quite far removed from Hurstborne Tarrant where the rest were born. Only Thomas Parker and Elizabeth (Parker) Ball were mentioned in the will below.

Elizabeth Parker married James Ball 15 Oct 1835 at Vernham's Dean which is 2 miles north west of Upton (M13672-2 Family Search).

Looking at my own Blake family as this is very close to Andover where my family lived, James's daughter Mary married in 1811 so she was likely born around 1790 and he names her last in the will which may mean that she is the youngest but not necessarily. However, James would have been born likely before 1770. I have a singleton 4x great grandfather in Joseph Blake born in 1730, married in 1757 and he left only two sons William who lived at Andover (and does not appear to have left children) and Thomas who lived at Upper Clatford. These two are in the right time frame but I do not have a James in my line. Joseph's father was also an only child so that I go back to his father Thomas (b 1685) and he had four brothers - John baptized 23 Nov 1690 at Andover (buried 27 Nov 1729 at Andover), Richard (b 23 Nov 1691 and buried 25 May 1694 at Andover), William (b 9 Jan 1698 at Andover and no further information) and Joseph (b 24 Feb 1702 at Andover) married to Mary Holdway 11 Feb 1730 at Penton Mewsey with son Joseph who was buried 1746 at Andover (I have the will of Joseph and he did not have a son James). Once I return to working on Andover Parish Registers (I stopped at 1757) then I may be able to trace the Blake lines down there that I do not yet have. I do not have the parish registers for Hurstbourne Tarrant or Vernham's Dean but will acquire them one of these days.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 8 Oct 2012
Source:  The National Archives, PROB 11/2090/398
Name of testator: James Blake, Laborer
Place: Upton, Hampshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated:, 16 Jan 1847, Codicil 5 Oct 1848, probated 13 Apr 1849
Read: Electronic file images
Condition: 19th century, smudged tiny print
[In margin] James
[In margin] Blake
[In margin] 6

1    I James Blake of Upton Hants Laborer do by this my
2    last Will and Testament give and bequeath unto and equally between
3    my three children John Blake James Blake and Mary Parker all my mo-
4    nies security for money funded property household goods and all other
5    Estate and Effects  of which I may die possessed or entitled to and whether in
6    possession or otherwise To hold the same unto these my said three children
7    in equal shares for their own use and benefit And in case of any or
8    either of them dying in my lifetime then it is my will and I do hereof
9    give and bequeath unto and equally between the Children of such of these
10    my said children the share or shares of him her or them so dying and
11    which he she or they would have taken and been entitled to under this my
12    will if alive at my death And I hereby constitute and appoint my Son
13    James Blake the Executor of this my will In witness whereof I have here
14    with set my hand this sixteenth day of January 1847 James Blake X
15    his mark Signed and published by the said James Blake the Testator
16    as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who in his pre-
17    sence at his request and in the presence of each other have hereto set our
18    names as witnesses and declare that the said James Blake made his mark
19    hereto in our presence and that we signed our names in his presence and in
20    the presence of each other Henry Earle [signed] William Henry Earle [signed]
21    This is a Codicil to the within will of me James Blake
22    of Upton hants Laborer I hereby revoke and make void the appointment of
23    my Son James Blake as Executor of my Will and in lieu and instead there-
24    of I hereby nominate and appoint James Ball of Upton aforesaid Laborer
25    the husband of my Granddaughter Sole Executor of my said Will and this
26    Codicil and my daughter Mary Parker in my will named being dead I give
27    and bequeath unto and equally between her two children Thomas Parker
28    and Elizabeth Ball, the wife of my Executor; the one third part or share of my
29    monies and personal estate which she the said Mary Parker would have
30    been entitled to under my will if alive at my death And I revoke the bequest
31    of my household goods and furniture and other household Effects as included
32    under the general bequest in my will and do hereby give and bequeath
33    my said household goods furniture china and other articles of household
34    Goods unto my said grand daughter Elizabeth Ball for her own use and
35    benefit and I confirm my will in other respects In witness whereof I have
36    hereto set my hand this fifth day of October 1848 James Blake X his mark
37    Signed by the said James Blake as a Codicil to his will in the presence of us
38    who in his presence  at his request and in the presence of each other have
39    hereto set our names as witnesses and we declare that the said James Blake
40    made his mark in our presence the above Codicil having been first read over
41    to him and we signed in the presence of each other and all present at the same
42    time Henry Earle [signed] Lloyd Joorey [signed]
43    Proved at London with a Codicil 13th April 1848 before the Judge by the
44    Oath of James Ball the Executor named in the said Codicil to whom admon
45    was granted having been first sworn by Commission to administer.
   

Will of Thomas Blake of Finkley, National Archives PROB 11/364 Image Reference 173/168, probated 26 Nov 1680

Thomas Blake left his will in 1680 with only the notation that he was of Finkley. I found only two Finkley references in England. The one is Finkley Street in Tankersley (South Riding Yorkshire (was West Riding Yorkshire)) and the other is located in Andover Registration District along the Roman Road. There is Finkley Manor Farm and Finkley Ho about five miles east of Andover (and Finkley Forest).

From the British History Online: A  History of the County of Hampshire: Volume 4 -

Smannell is situated 2½ miles north-east of the town, it contains the hamlets of Woodhouse, East Anton, Little London and Finkley. Finkley House is the seat of the Rev. Robert Finch. The northeastern part of the parish is well wooded, including the southern portion of Doles Wood, which was parcel of Finkley Park or Finkley Forest. A survey of this park, taken by order of the Parliamentary Commissioners in 1652, exists at the Public Record Office.  At that date it contained 841 a. 1 r. 17 p., together with a lodge standing therein. There were 7,149 timber trees and saplings growing in it, and there were also various copses in the park, usually fenced in, and containing 620a. 2r. The 150 deer in the park were valued at £100 and the rabbits at £50. 'The wood and woody ground called the Ridges,'  which was parcel of Finkley Forest, contained 5,120 trees, and the underwoods there were worth £40. Richard Cromwell was then the chief ranger, and William Cooke the keeper. The inhabitants of King's Enham, Knight's Enham and East Anton had certain rights of common of pasture in Finkley Park, and 20s. yearly and 9s. yearly were paid to the ranger and the keeper respectively towards the making of fences by the tenants of King's Enham farm, under Magdalen College, Oxford, who from time immemorial had had common of pasture there for seventy cows and one bull from Mayday to Michaelmas. Four years after his accession Charles II granted Finkley Park to George Duke of Albemarle and his heirs for ever.

In 1680 Charles II is King of England (Date of Restoration 29 May 1660) so Finkley Park belonged to George Duke of Albemarle likely and perhaps the common of pasture was still observed.

The will does make it sound as if Thomas is indebted and Peter his second son is to clear his debts. He mentions three sons Richard, Peter and Charles and three daughters.  It is possible that this is the Peter Blake who married Ann Godfrey 26 Jun 1677 at Penton Mewsey with banns read at Hurstbourne Tarrant (Ann Godfrey was born at Hurstborne Tarrant). Still working on this particular line but Peter and Ann had two children Peter and Ann with Peter marrying Joan (unknown) and their children were Ann, Mary, Peter, Jacob and John. Jacob married Mary Mosdown 20 May 1744 at Penton Mewsey. The other Peter Blake (said to be born at Upper Clatford) married Ann Noyes 26 Jun 1677 at Penton Mewsey (interestingly the same day) and their children were Katheren, Mary and Peter. This family lived at Upper Clatford and their children were baptized at Upper Clatford. Penton Mewsey was another Blake family home area in the 1600s and my line was there. Sorting the Peter Blake lines out is a challenge and this is a forename that goes back to the mid 1500s in the Blake family at Andover.

There is a Charles Blake baptized at Hurstbourne Tarrant, Hampshire 12 Apr 1653 son of Thomas Blake. Charles is not a common Blake forename in this area in this time period. There is a Richard Blake baptized 24 Mar 1650 at Hurstbourne Tarrant. Hurstbourne Tarrant is to the north of Finkley and further away than Andover. However it is interesting to find a Charles and a Richard who would have been 27 and 30 years of age in 1680 when Thomas is writing his will.

A parochial history of St Mary Bourne has a chapter on the Forest of Chute and Finkley. Finkley Forest is bordered along the south by Eastanton which belongs to Mr. W. Blake. This is likely Eastontown where the family of William Blake has lived since the mid 1500s. The William Blake there in 1652 would be the great grandson of William Blake who left his will in 1582 naming himself as William Blake of Eastontown. His son William inherited this property and willed it to his eldest son William in 1607. This William left the property to his son William.

The Blake family at Hurstborne Tarrant is known to me and descendant of Robert Blake brother to Nicholas Blake. Robert's son John Blake the Elder died before 8 Apr 1572 at Knights Enham and he mentions his son John Blake, then a minor, who died before 25 Feb 1605 at Upton, Hurstborne Tarrant. The children of this John Blake, yeoman, Upton, Hurstborne Tarrant and his wife (unknown) had four children Agnes, Christian, Elizabeth and John who was single in 1605 but not listed as underage.

There was a Thomas Blake baptized 30 Sep 1621 at Hurstbourne Tarrant and the son of John Blake. By 1680 this Thomas would have been 59 years of age and could be the Thomas Blake in this will. Why he lists himself at Finkley is a mystery if indeed the children baptized at Hurstbourne Tarrant (Charles and Richard) were indeed the children of the Thomas Blake at Finkley listed in his will.

In the 1841 census of Hurstbourne Tarrant there were nine Blake members listed including John, Edward and Richard. In the 1851 census of Hurstbourne Tarrant there were eight Blake members listed including John Charles, Edward Walter, Richard, Charles Henry, and James. This is one family with John Charles Blake as the head married to Charlotte (John Charles Blake married Charlotte Eyeles in 1831 at Hurstbourne Tarrant according to the LDS website). John Charles Blake was born in 1810 at Hurstbourne Tarrant. In 1861 there were 16 Blake members at Hurstbourne Tarrant but not all were born at Hurstbourne Tarrant. John Charles and Charlotte Blake are still there and there is a new family Thomas Blake married to Susanna Pibworth 3 Jul 1830 Hurstborne Tarrant (she was born at Hurstbourne Tarrant) and this Thomas is a brother to my 2x great grandfather John Blake (both were born/baptized at Upper Clatford).I am ever mindful though that proximity is not a sufficient proof for family relationships. The Blake family that was at Upper Clatford in the 1600s was not directly related to the Blake family (mine) that was at Upper Clatford from the mid 1700s on. Their common ancestor, William Blake of Eastontown, was six generations earlier in the mid 1700s Upper Clatford Blake family. No descendants of the Peter Blake family of Upper Clatford in the 1600s lived at Upper Clatford in the mid 1700s.

Checking the LDS website John Charles Blake (1851 census) was born 8 Oct 1809 and baptized 22 Oct 1809 at Hurstbourne Tarrant and he was the son of Richard and Mary Blake.  There isn't a marriage on the LDS website at Hurstbourne Tarrant for a Richard Blake in the appropriate time frame Although there was a Richard on the 1841 census.

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 16 May 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/364 Image Reference 173/168
Place: Finkley, Hampshire, England
Testator: Thomas Blake, Finkley
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 4 Oct 1680, probated 26 Nov 1680
Read: Electronic copy
Condition: image, small script, light text

[In margin] Thomas Blake

1    In the Name of God Amen I
2    Thomas Blake of Finkley being infirm and weak in bodye but of sound and p[er]fect
3    mind and memory doe make and ordaine this my last Will and Testament in manner
4    and forme following That is to say Imprimis I commend my Soule unto the hands of
5    God Almighty hopeing through the merritts of my Saviour Jesus Christ to receive full
6    pardon from all my Sinns and to Inheritt eternall life And my Body I committ to the Earth
7    to bee decently buried at the discre[t]ion of my Executor hereafter named and as to my temporall
8    estate I dispose of it as followeth / Item I give and bequeath to my Sonne Richard the
9    Summe of twelve pence / Item I make my sonne Peter Blake my Executor / Item I give
10    him all my Lands goods and Chattells to pay all his Engagements that he standeth bound
11    for mee and the overplus for him to devide amongst my Wife and three daughters and my
12    Sonne Charles the marke of Thomas Blake In witnes whereof / I have hereunto sett my
13    hand and Seale The Fourth day of October 1680 in the yeare of  Edward Noyle the mark of
14    Anne Pecke the marke of William Nowell