I mentioned the marriage of a William Blake to Rebecca Milles 12 Jun 1754 at Duloe, Cornwall in the following blog.
http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2014/04/1248-blake-family-gloucestershire-notes.html
Also mentioned in this blog the baptisms of a son Richard 1 Dec 1760 at Bristol, a son William 3 Dec 1757 and a daughter Rebecca 21 Apr 1759 all at Bristol to William and Rebecca Blake. Only the baptism of Mary is missing. Judging by the coat of arms on the memorial table for Richard Blake husband of Anne Augusta Blake (formerly Hayward), this line uses the same coat of arms as the Blake family of Calne.
A relook at the marriage records now online for Cornish parishes does not reveal this marriage mentioned above (the marriage is listed in Ancestry as William Blake and Rebecca Blakey 12 Jun 1754 at Duloe). Find My Past, however, does list this as the marriage of William Blake and Rebecca Milles at Duloe 12 Jun 1754 (and a second reference has the surname of Rebecca as Blakey). But why not listed on the marriage records for Cornish parishes transcribed by the online parish clerks? That does appear somewhat confusing.
Who is this William Blake and how does he relate to the other members of the Ambrose Blake family in Gloucestershire or does he come down from another line also related to the Blake family at Calne?
Names mentioned in the will:
William Blake, Esquire, Bristol, testator
John Smith, tenant
Richard Blake, (married), son, child of first marriage
William Blake, (married), son, child of first marriage
____ Coriton Esquire, landlord
James Blake, son, child of second marriage
Mr Higgins, brazier, tenant
Mrs Hellier, tenant
John Marsh, Esquire, son in law
Clementia Blake, daughter, child of second marriage
Mr Hall, tenant
Mr Jeremiah Osborne, trustee (not for this testator)
Benjamin Pike, coach painter, tenant
Rebecca Mogg, daughter, wife of Jacob Mogg the younger
Jacob Mogg, the younger, gentleman, son in law
Mrs Tyler, tenant
Mr Jenkins, tenant
Mary Marsh, daughter, wife of John Marsh, Esquire
Maria Marsh, grand daughter
Carolina Marsh, grand daughter
Henry Marsh, grandson
Harriott Marsh, grand daughter
Mr Biggs, tenant
Mr Room, tenant
Mr Whitby, artist
____ Crattle
Mrs Dean, tenant
Mrs Blake, tenant
Joseph Dyer, distiller, tenant
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 12 May 2014
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1213/141
Testator: William Blake, esquire
Place: Bristol, Gloucestershire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 21 Mar 1791, probated 14 Jan 1792
Condition: 18th century English, legible copy
[Margin]: William
[Margin]: Blake
[Margin]: Esq[uie]r
1 The Last Will and Testament
2 of me William Blake of the City of Bristol Esquire made
3 the twenty first day of March one thousand seven
4 hundred and ninety one (that is to say) Whereas I
5 am seized or possessed of two Estates part of the Manor
6 of Salcomb Regis in the County of Devon which I hold
7 by Copy of Court Roll of the Dean and Chapter
8 of Exeter for Lives and Widowhoods consisting of
9 Messuages or Tenements and Lands part whereof is
10 in my own possession and other part let to John
11 Smith I give the said Copyhold Estates with their
12 Rights and appurtenances to my Son Richard Blake
13 To hold to him for his life and the life of his widow
14 according to the Custom of the said Manor and
15 after his decease I give the said Estates with their
16 Rights and appurtenances to my Son William Blake
17 To hold to him for his life and the life of his widow
18 according to the said Custom of I give and devise unto
19 my said Son Richard all and singular my Messuages
20 Lands and hereditaments called Hole in the parish
21 of Saint Veep in the County of Cornwall part
22 whereof is Freehold and other part Leasehold held of
23 _______ Coriton Esquire for ninety nine Years
24 determinable with lives To hold to my said Son
25 Richard his heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns
26 for all my Estate Term or Terms and Interest therein
27 respectively I give and devise to my Son James all those
28 three Messuages or Tenements adjoining and Garden
29 Ground behind the same with their appurtenances
30 situate in a place called Turnagain Lane leading from
31 Saint James’s Churchyard in Bridewell Bridge in the
32 parish of Saint James and City of Bristol in the
33 occupations of Mr Higgins Brazier and others and also
34 all that Messuage or Tenement with its appurtenances
35 situate on the East Side of Saint James’s Church
36 Yard in the Occupation of Mrs Hellier To hold to my
37 said Son James his heirs Executors Administrators and
38 Assigns for all my Estate and Interest therein respectively
39 and I acquit release and discharge my Son James
40 his heirs Executors and Administrators and also his Estate
41 and Effects Real and Personal from all claims and
42 demands which I my heirs Executors or Administrators
43 can or may have on him or them I give to my
44 Son Richard and Son in Law John Marsh Esquire
45 three hundred pounds upon Trust that they or the
46 Survivor of them his Executors or Administrators do
47 and shall best the same in an annuity for the
48 life and for use of my daughter Clementia Blake
49 the said annuity to be secured on Land and made
50 payable to her and her assigns by quarterly payments
51 and until such annuite shall be purchased to place
52 out the said Sum of three hundred pounds on Land
53 or Government Security in the Joint Names of my
54 said Trustees and the Interest or Dividends ensuing
55 their from shall be paid to my said Daughter I
56 give and devise to my said Daughter Clementia her
57 heirs and assigns a freehold Messuage or Tenement
58 situate on the East Side of Saint James’s Church
[Page 2]
60 Yard in the occupation of Mr. Hall Whereas the
61 Sum of two hundred and seventy pounds or thereabouts
62 which was placed out at Interest in the Name of
63 Mr Jeremiah Osborne a Trustee on that occasion
64 on Security of a Messuage in Kingswood Street
65 Bath now or late in the occupation of Benjamin
66 Pike Coach painter the possession of which is since
67 surrendered up to the Mortgagee also the Rents
68 received for the use of my said Daughter Clementia
69 It is my Will as far as I have any power or
70 Controul respectring the same that the Principal and
71 Interest Money due and to grow due therein shall
72 be had and received by my Executors hereinafter
73 named and paid to my said Daughter for her
74 use and benefit I give to my said Daughter
75 Clementia ten pounds per Annum during her life
76 to be paid to her and her assigns by my Son
77 Richard out of the Interest Money on his Bond
78 of Five hundred pounds given by him to me and
79 my Will and intention is that the before mentioned
80 devised and bequests to my Son James and Daughter
81 Clementia are upon Condition that each of them
82 shall hold and enjoy the same in full compensation
83 and discharge of any Claims or pretended Claim by
84 any of them upon me my heirs Executors or Admors
85 in respect to or by virtue of any Deed of Settlement
86 by me entered into for the benefit of the Children
87 or Issue of my first Marriage or otherwise and that
88 my said Son James and Daughter Clementia shall
89 on request to them made by my Executors Execute good and
90 valid Releases and Discharges in the Law to them
91 and also my Estate of all claims and demands
92 against me and my Estate upon any account
93 whatsoever and upon refusal so to do my devise and
94 bequest to them severally made and appointed by
95 this my Will shall be void and what is herein
96 given and devised to each of them I give and
97 devise to my said Son Richard and Son in Law
98 John Marsh To hold to them their heirs Executors
99 Administrators and assigns equally share and
100 share alike I give to the said Richard Blake
101 and John Marsh Five hundred pounds to be by
102 them or the Survivor his Executors or Administrators
103 vested in the publick Funds or on Land Security
104 in their Names In Trust to pay the dividends or Interest
105 thereof to my Daughter Rebecca wife of Jacob
106 Mogg the younger Gentleman during her life separate
107 from her present or any future husband and her
108 Receipt along from time to time shall be a
109 sufficient discharge for the same and after her
110 decease In Trust to pay and divide the said Sum
111 of Five hundred pounds equally between the Issue
[Page 3]
112 or Children of my said Daughter Rebecca at their
113 respective ages of twenty one years and in case of
114 the Death of either of them before attainment to
115 such age to the Survivors or Survivor of them and
116 in default of such Issue to such person or persons
117 said Daughter notwithstanding her Coverture shall
118 by Deed or Will give limit direct or appoint I give
119 to my said Daughter Rebecca Mogg ten pounds
120 per Annum During her life to be paid to her and
121 her Assigns by my Son Richard being the remainder
122 of the Interest Money on his said Bond of Five
123 hundred pounds and after the decease of the said
124 Clementia Blake and Rebecca Mogg I give the
125 Principal Sum of Five hundred pounds secured by
126 such Bond to my Son Richard his Executors or
127 Administrators I give and devise to my Son in Law
128 John Marsh a Freehold Messuage with inclosed
129 pieces of Garden Ground in Front of the said
130 Messuage and used therewith and appurts thereto
131 belonging situate in Dove Street in the Parish
132 of Saint James in the County of Gloucester wherein
133 I now Dwell Also a Freehold Messuage in Duke
134 Street near Kings Square Bristol in the occupation
135 of Mrs Tyler also a Messuage in Dowry Square
136 in the parish of Clifton in the said County of
137 Gloucester in the occupation of Mr Jenkins which I
138 hold for the remainder of a term of one thousand
139 Years To hold the said three Messuages with their
140 Appurtenances to the said John Marsh and his
141 Assigns for life and after his decease I give and
142 devise the same three Messuages Garden Ground
143 and Premises with their appurtenances unto my
144 Daughter Mary Wife of the said John Marsh
145 and her assigns for her life then keeping upholding
146 maintaining the said Messuages and premises
147 and each and every of them in good tenantable
148 repair and after the decease of the Survivor of them
149 the said John Marsh and Mary his Wife I give
150 and devise the Messuage in Dove Street with its
151 appurtenances to my Grand Daughter Maria
152 Marsh her heirs and Assigns and I give and
153 devise the said Messuage in Duke Street with its
154 appurtenances unto my Grand Daughter Carolina
155 Marsh her heirs and Assigns and I give the said
156 Messuage in Dowry Square with its appurtenances
157 to my Grandson Henry Marsh his Executors
158 Administrators and Assigns for all my Estate term
159 and Interest therein I give and devise to my
160 Grand Daughter Harriott Marsh her heirs and Assigns
161 my moiety or half part of a Freehold Messuage
162 or Tenement with the Appurtenances situate in
[Page 4]
163 Charles Street in the parish of Saint James aforesaid
164 in the Occupation of Mr Biggs and also my Moiety or
165 half part of a Messuage or Tenement with the Appurts
166 in Pipe Lane in the parish of Saint Augustine in
167 the City of Bristol in the occupation of Mr Room
168 which premises last mentioned are Leasehold and
169 held of the Feoffees of Saint Mary Redcliff parish
170 Lands determinable with lives to hold to my said
171 Grand Daughter Harriott her Executors Administrators ans Assigns
172 for and during all my Estate term and Interest therein
173 I give all my Books in my Dwelling house in Dove
174 Street to my Sons Richard and William Blake I give my
175 Silver Cup and Cover given me by Mr Corsers
176 Executor to my Son William I give the Rest of my
177 Plate to my daughters Mary Marsh and Rebecca
178 Mogg and my Son Richard Blake I give my China
179 in the House in Dove Street to my Daughter’s Mary
181 Marsh and Rebecca Mogg I give to my said Daughter
182 Mary Marsh my Portrait Drawn by Mr Whitby I give the
183 Household Goods and Implements of household and
184 other things appertaining thereto in my house at
185 Sidmouth in the County of Devon to my Son William
186 Blake I give the household Goods and Implements
187 of household and other things appertaining thereto
188 and my Books in my house at Egypt near Sidmouth
189 to my Son Richard Blake I give to my Nephews
190 Charles Blake Forty pounds I give to my now Servant
191 Maids three Guineas each and to my Servant Boy two
192 Guineas I give to the said Richard Blake and John
193 Marsh Fifty pounds to be applied for the benefit of
194 _______ Crattle by annual payments of ten pounds
195 I give and devise to the said Richard Blake and John
196 Marsh one fourth part of the Sugar house and
197 Dwelling house in Redcliff Street in the City of Bristol
198 part hold or Lease under the Chamber of the said
199 City as Feoffees of Forsters Alms houses and other
200 part under the Feoffees of Saint Thomas parish
201 Lands lately occupied by Mrs Dean and Blake as
202 Sugar house And now by Joseph Dyer Distiller together
203 with a Moiety of all the utensils Materials and
204 appurtenances used in carrying on the Sugar Refining
205 Business and one half of the Erections that now remain
206 there and also all my household Goods (except what
207 is herein otherwise disposed of in my house in Dove
208 Street aforesaid Also my three Shares in the Bristol
209 Fire office also my Bank Stock of two thousand three
210 hundred and sixty five pounds in the Four per cents also
211 my two hundred pounds Short Annuities and all and
211 singular other my Estate and Effects Real and personal
213 whatsoever and wheresoever after payment of my just
214 Debts Funeral Expences and discharges incident to whit trust
215 To hold to them the said Richard Blake and John Marsh
[Page 5]
216 their heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns
217 Upon Trust to sell transfer dispose of and receive
218 the same and every part thereof and the Moneys
219 arising by such Sale transfer disposition and Receipt
220 to pay and divide as hereinafter mentioned (that is to
221 say) One sixth part to my Son William one sixth part
222 to my Daughter Mary Marsh One sixth part to
223 my Daughter Rebecca Mogg one sixth part to my
224 Son Richard Blake one sixth part to be divided equally
225 between my Son James and Daughter Clementia
226 Blake and the remaining sixth part to be divided
227 equally between my Grand Children Son or Sons and
228 Daughters of my Son William Blake And I hereby
229 nominate and appoint the said Richard Blake and
230 John Marsh Executors in Trust of this my Will and
231 revoking all other Wills by me made do declare this
232 to be my last In Witness whereof I have to this my
233 last Will and Testament contained in Five Sheets of
234 paper to the first four Sheets thereof set my hand
235 and to this fifth and last Sheet my hand and
236 Seal the Day and year above written Willm
237 Blake Signed Sealed Published and Declared
238 by the above named William Blake the Testator
239 as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence
240 of us who in his presence at his request and in the
241 presence of each other have hereunto subscribed
242 our Names as Witnesses The word “three” being interlined
243 instead of five in the fourth line from the Bottom of
244 the first Sheet hereof Richard Milles Susan Milles
245 Fenwick Bird
246 This Will was proved at London the
247 fourteenth day of January in the year of our Lord
248 one thousand seven hundred and ninety two before the
249 Right honorable Sir William Wynne Knight Doctor
250 of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the
251 Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted
252 by the Oaths of Richard Blake the Son of the deceased
253 and John Marsh the Executors named in the said
254 Will to whom Administration was granted of all and
255 singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said
256 deceased having been first sworn (by Commission) duly
257 to administer.
Showing posts with label Osborne. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Osborne. Show all posts
Monday, January 2, 2017
Tuesday, March 31, 2015
Blake Newsletter, Volume 4, Issue 2
Blake Newsletter
Table of Contents
1. Family of Theophilus Blake (Susan Osborne)
2. Blake family in Cornwall
3. England’s Immigrant Database 1330-1550
4. Blake Family of Galway
5. Blake yDNA
1. Family of Theophilus Blake submitted by Susan Osborne
Theophilus Blake (Bleak) is likely at least 20 years old when we find him and his wife, Margaret (thought to be Margaret Kennet) on indenture records in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Efforts to go beyond this point in his life to an earlier time and place have so far eluded all who have been researching this line.
Before we proceed with his story we first need to clear up a problem that exists with the research on his family line connections that began with our research and the research of several others in the early 1980’s when researchers incorrectly linked the line of Theophilus Blake of the Virginia’s to the parents of a family in Hampton, New Hampshire.
It begins with page 210 of a book that was written by Carleton E. Blake titled "Descendants of Jasper Blake, Emigrant from England, to Hampton, New Hampshire, ca. 1643, 1649-1979". The research on this family is printed in its entirety in this book in a section titled "The Descendants of Jasper Blake of Hampton, N.H." by Perley Derby, A Handwritten Manuscript dated 1879 on file at the Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts.
On page 210 of this book is documented the family of Samuel and Ann (Ceilly) Blake and their children who were living in Hampton, New Hampshire. In 1722, this couple gave birth to a son they named Theophilus Blake after Theophilus Cotton, the first minister of the First Congregational Church (Unitarian) of Hampton Falls (NH) that was organized in 1711. Theophilus' parents, Samuel and Ann (Cealy) Blake, were among the first petitioners and signers of the church covenant.
Samuel and Ann (Seally) Blake gave birth to 8 children. Only 2 of those children are known to have survived childhood, Samuel Blake, Jr and Thomas Blake and it is thought that their son named Theophilus did not live beyond childhood because nothing more is known of him.
On paper this APPEARS to be a perfect match for the family of our Theophilus Blake, but as recent yDNA tests have shown, the Theophilus Blake of Hampton, New Hampshire is from an entirely different family that shares the same surname of Blake and is not evenly closely related to the Theophilus Blake (Bleak) found on records in Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
At the time of this writing, seven people representing the lines of descent of 4 of the children of Theophilus Blake (Bleak) of Bath County, Virginia have submitted yDNA tests at Family Tree DNA. The results of these tests are printed on a chart showing the results of others sharing the surname of Blake, including those who are descended from the family of the Blake’s of Hampton, New Hampshire.
These results are found at the following web link: https://www.familytreedna.com/public/blake/default.aspx?section=yresults . The results for the group of descendants of Theophilus Blake of Bath County, Virginia are listed in category C1, English Ancestry (2). The results are documented as having English ancestry although it is not currently known for sure if Theophilus immigrated from Northern Ireland, Scotland or England. The results of descent of those of the family lines of Hampton, New Hampshire are documented on this chart under F1 ENGLISH EAST ANGLIA (Norfolk) - INCLUDES BLAKES POSSIBLY DESCENDED FROM PETER BLAKE ..
2. Blake Family in Cornwall
Late July of 2014 I decided to work on the family trees of the Blake families in Cornwall. Unfortunately an accident to my back somewhat cancelled this work until I began again early in 2015. I extracted material for the Blake family around Landrake but was not seeing a set of trees that I could work with readily. I decided to move to Bodmin Cornwall and work around that area and I am still involved with that extraction. I hope to start displaying the information that I have found on the Cornwall Blake families. The mode of the display is still in my thought process. I do have subscriptions to Ancestry, Find My Past and My Heritage plus there is the ability to put trees up on Family Search. I will likely put them up on all sites.
3. England’s Immigrant Database 1330-1550 (http://www.englandsimmigrants.com/)
I see this particular set of documents from which the above database was constructed as perhaps the most meaningful for Blake research since I came across the Calendar of Patent Rolls a while ago. This new set of documents (blogged: http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2015/02/englands-immigrants-database-1330-1550.html) revealed a set of immigrants to England with the surname Blake in the time period mentioned. There appears to be 31 unique individuals but I still need to work on that material. They have come from Continental Europe and Ireland. They are found in various places in England (see blog). It was a John Blake who settled at Bodmin Cornwall before 16 Feb 1525. The parish registers begin early in Bodmin (marriages 1559, baptisms 1558, and burials 1558). An interesting time ahead with this database.
4. Blake Family of Galway
Finding in the Immigrants Database (above) a Richard Blake coming from Ireland to Salisbury, Wiltshire by 10 Jul 1440 was stunning to say the least. I felt compelled to finally begin a task I have thought about for a number of years. The extraction of the information that Marin J Blake published in his books on the Galway Blake family. At this time of writing I have now entered into Legacy Software the entire set of genealogical charts from Blake Family Records 1300 to 1600 A Chronological Catalogue with Copious Notes and Genealogies of many branches of the Blake Family which was published in London in 1902 by Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.C. I now must begin the long task of seeing if I can enhance this information (and find any possible errors) and eventually put this information up on websites. I do not know if this Richard is related to the Galway Blake family but I do need to understand Galway Blake family in Ireland. Plus I always planned to work on the Blake families of Ireland who are known to descend from other Blake families as well as the Galway Blake.
5. Blake yDNA Study
Susan has mentioned the Blake yDNA study in her article on Theophilus Blake and I will mention a few more items.
Project Statistics
Combined Gedcoms uploaded 13
Distinct mtDNA haplogroups 25
Distinct yDNA haplogroups 11
Family Finder 21
Paternal Ancestor Information 61
Total Members 92
Unreturned Kits 5
This is an extraction of some of the Project Statistics. With only 13 Gedcoms it is not really possible to look at everyone’s lines in the study. The mtDNA results are not overly helpful in yDNA surname studies but do give one an opportunity to look at the deep ancestry of your mother’s mother’s …. line which could be helpful. There are 11 distinct yDNA haplogroups which is expected given the stated assumption on my part that Blake is a surname that has a number of founders. The Family Finder is, to my way of thinking, the way forward for any female Blake looking at her Blake line and is also helpful for males looking at cousin relationships on the Blake line. Lacking paternal ancestor (Blake) information for 31 members is problematic for a yDNA study.
Thank you to Susan Osborne for her article on Theophilus Blake. Any other submissions greatly welcomed. Please submit to kippeeb@rogers.com.
Table of Contents
1. Family of Theophilus Blake (Susan Osborne)
2. Blake family in Cornwall
3. England’s Immigrant Database 1330-1550
4. Blake Family of Galway
5. Blake yDNA
1. Family of Theophilus Blake submitted by Susan Osborne
Theophilus Blake (Bleak) is likely at least 20 years old when we find him and his wife, Margaret (thought to be Margaret Kennet) on indenture records in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Efforts to go beyond this point in his life to an earlier time and place have so far eluded all who have been researching this line.
Before we proceed with his story we first need to clear up a problem that exists with the research on his family line connections that began with our research and the research of several others in the early 1980’s when researchers incorrectly linked the line of Theophilus Blake of the Virginia’s to the parents of a family in Hampton, New Hampshire.
It begins with page 210 of a book that was written by Carleton E. Blake titled "Descendants of Jasper Blake, Emigrant from England, to Hampton, New Hampshire, ca. 1643, 1649-1979". The research on this family is printed in its entirety in this book in a section titled "The Descendants of Jasper Blake of Hampton, N.H." by Perley Derby, A Handwritten Manuscript dated 1879 on file at the Essex Institute, Salem, Massachusetts.
On page 210 of this book is documented the family of Samuel and Ann (Ceilly) Blake and their children who were living in Hampton, New Hampshire. In 1722, this couple gave birth to a son they named Theophilus Blake after Theophilus Cotton, the first minister of the First Congregational Church (Unitarian) of Hampton Falls (NH) that was organized in 1711. Theophilus' parents, Samuel and Ann (Cealy) Blake, were among the first petitioners and signers of the church covenant.
Samuel and Ann (Seally) Blake gave birth to 8 children. Only 2 of those children are known to have survived childhood, Samuel Blake, Jr and Thomas Blake and it is thought that their son named Theophilus did not live beyond childhood because nothing more is known of him.
On paper this APPEARS to be a perfect match for the family of our Theophilus Blake, but as recent yDNA tests have shown, the Theophilus Blake of Hampton, New Hampshire is from an entirely different family that shares the same surname of Blake and is not evenly closely related to the Theophilus Blake (Bleak) found on records in Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
At the time of this writing, seven people representing the lines of descent of 4 of the children of Theophilus Blake (Bleak) of Bath County, Virginia have submitted yDNA tests at Family Tree DNA. The results of these tests are printed on a chart showing the results of others sharing the surname of Blake, including those who are descended from the family of the Blake’s of Hampton, New Hampshire.
These results are found at the following web link: https://www.familytreedna.com/public/blake/default.aspx?section=yresults . The results for the group of descendants of Theophilus Blake of Bath County, Virginia are listed in category C1, English Ancestry (2). The results are documented as having English ancestry although it is not currently known for sure if Theophilus immigrated from Northern Ireland, Scotland or England. The results of descent of those of the family lines of Hampton, New Hampshire are documented on this chart under F1 ENGLISH EAST ANGLIA (Norfolk) - INCLUDES BLAKES POSSIBLY DESCENDED FROM PETER BLAKE ..
2. Blake Family in Cornwall
Late July of 2014 I decided to work on the family trees of the Blake families in Cornwall. Unfortunately an accident to my back somewhat cancelled this work until I began again early in 2015. I extracted material for the Blake family around Landrake but was not seeing a set of trees that I could work with readily. I decided to move to Bodmin Cornwall and work around that area and I am still involved with that extraction. I hope to start displaying the information that I have found on the Cornwall Blake families. The mode of the display is still in my thought process. I do have subscriptions to Ancestry, Find My Past and My Heritage plus there is the ability to put trees up on Family Search. I will likely put them up on all sites.
3. England’s Immigrant Database 1330-1550 (http://www.englandsimmigrants.com/)
I see this particular set of documents from which the above database was constructed as perhaps the most meaningful for Blake research since I came across the Calendar of Patent Rolls a while ago. This new set of documents (blogged: http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2015/02/englands-immigrants-database-1330-1550.html) revealed a set of immigrants to England with the surname Blake in the time period mentioned. There appears to be 31 unique individuals but I still need to work on that material. They have come from Continental Europe and Ireland. They are found in various places in England (see blog). It was a John Blake who settled at Bodmin Cornwall before 16 Feb 1525. The parish registers begin early in Bodmin (marriages 1559, baptisms 1558, and burials 1558). An interesting time ahead with this database.
4. Blake Family of Galway
Finding in the Immigrants Database (above) a Richard Blake coming from Ireland to Salisbury, Wiltshire by 10 Jul 1440 was stunning to say the least. I felt compelled to finally begin a task I have thought about for a number of years. The extraction of the information that Marin J Blake published in his books on the Galway Blake family. At this time of writing I have now entered into Legacy Software the entire set of genealogical charts from Blake Family Records 1300 to 1600 A Chronological Catalogue with Copious Notes and Genealogies of many branches of the Blake Family which was published in London in 1902 by Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.C. I now must begin the long task of seeing if I can enhance this information (and find any possible errors) and eventually put this information up on websites. I do not know if this Richard is related to the Galway Blake family but I do need to understand Galway Blake family in Ireland. Plus I always planned to work on the Blake families of Ireland who are known to descend from other Blake families as well as the Galway Blake.
5. Blake yDNA Study
Susan has mentioned the Blake yDNA study in her article on Theophilus Blake and I will mention a few more items.
Project Statistics
Combined Gedcoms uploaded 13
Distinct mtDNA haplogroups 25
Distinct yDNA haplogroups 11
Family Finder 21
Paternal Ancestor Information 61
Total Members 92
Unreturned Kits 5
This is an extraction of some of the Project Statistics. With only 13 Gedcoms it is not really possible to look at everyone’s lines in the study. The mtDNA results are not overly helpful in yDNA surname studies but do give one an opportunity to look at the deep ancestry of your mother’s mother’s …. line which could be helpful. There are 11 distinct yDNA haplogroups which is expected given the stated assumption on my part that Blake is a surname that has a number of founders. The Family Finder is, to my way of thinking, the way forward for any female Blake looking at her Blake line and is also helpful for males looking at cousin relationships on the Blake line. Lacking paternal ancestor (Blake) information for 31 members is problematic for a yDNA study.
Thank you to Susan Osborne for her article on Theophilus Blake. Any other submissions greatly welcomed. Please submit to kippeeb@rogers.com.
Monday, May 19, 2014
Will of William Blake, esquire, Bristol - The National Archives PROB 11/1213/141, probated 14 Jan 1792
The testator is William Blake, esquire, of Bristol, Gloucestershire. He has been married twice as mentioned in his will. One marriage is Elizabeth Slade to William Blake 15 Dec 1765 at Bristol. Is she the second wife of William Blake with his first wife being Rebecca Milles (married in 1754 at Duloe Cornwall)? The witnesses to this will were the Milles family members.
The will of Clementia Blake, daughter of the present testator, was blogged:
http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2014/04/will-of-clementia-blake-spinster.html
I suspect that the transcription of the birth year for Clementia Blake is incorrect or this is not the daughter of the present testator although the will reads as if she is. She is from the younger family of the present testator so likely born after 1765 which would make her about 50 when she died.
Mary Blake married John Marsh 12 Feb 1778 at St James Bristol.
http://theplain.thornburyroots.co.uk/TP%20no10&11.htm
John Marsh - the 1766 conveyance referred to above shows John Marsh was already occupying Porch House at the time it was conveyed to him and the other of John Stone's creditors. The list of property owners made for the 'Assessment for Relief of the Poor' in 1770 shows John Marsh as being 'for late Stones' which indicates he was still in the property previously associated with the Stone family. We understand that John was an attorney at law in Thornbury. In 1763 John married Elizabeth Hollister at Almondsbury. Elizabeth was the daughter of Luke Hollister of Almondsbury. Elizabeth died in 1775. The Bath Chronicle of 12th February 1788 shows that John Marsh attorney of Thornbury then married Mary Blake the daughter of Mr Blake a merchant of Bristol. The Bath Chronicle of 20th October 1825 says that John Marsh died that day at Biddestone House in Wiltshire in his 90th year. The notice of his death adds that he resided many years near Taunton and formerly at Thornbury. The Wiltshire connection leads us to suppose that John was related to Aaron Marsh who lived at Gloucester House in Thornbury. Aaron may have been John's son.
A rather interesting item I did not notice previously. Although it does not assist in finding anything more on William, the present testator, it does mention William. Clementia mentions her sisters Rebecca Mogg, Mary Marsh and her brother William but does not mention Richard her brother or James her full brother (the others being half-siblings).
Having read William’s will now I am still contemplating whether his line is descendant of the Calne Blake line. His properties include land in Cornwall and in Devon. He is possibly the Mr. William Blake named in the will of Richard Blake, gentleman, Bristol blogged earlier:
In the writeup on that will I have mused that William, present testator, might be of the Calne Blake family which is interesting in reflection.
There is a marriage of a William Blake to Rebecca Milles 12 Jun 1754 at Duloe, Cornwall.
http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2014/04/1248-blake-family-gloucestershire-notes.html
Also mentioned in the blog the baptisms of Richard 1 Dec 1760 at Bristol, a son William 3 Dec 1757 and a daughter Rebecca 21 Apr 1759 all at Bristol to William and Rebecca Blake. Only the baptism of Mary is missing. Judging by the coat of arms on the memorial table for Richard Blake husband of Anne Augusta Blake (formerly Hayward), this line uses the same coat of arms as the Blake family of Calne.
Then who is William and how does he relate to the other members of the Ambrose Blake family in Gloucestershire or does he come down from another line also related to the Blake family at Calne?
Perhaps the set of Bristol Diocese Wills will assist with this set of Blake families.
Names mentioned in the will:
William Blake, Esquire, Bristol, testator
John Smith, tenant
Richard Blake, (married), son, child of first marriage
William Blake, (married), son, child of first marriage
____ Coriton Esquire, landlord
James Blake, son, child of second marriage
Mr Higgins, brazier, tenant
Mrs Hellier, tenant
John Marsh, Esquire, son in law
Clementia Blake, daughter, child of second marriage
Mr Hall, tenant
Mr Jeremiah Osborne, trustee (not for this testator)
Benjamin Pike, coach painter, tenant
Rebecca Mogg, daughter, wife of Jacob Mogg the younger
Jacob Mogg, the younger, gentleman, son in law
Mrs Tyler, tenant
Mr Jenkins, tenant
Mary Marsh, daughter, wife of John Marsh, Esquire
Maria Marsh, grand daughter
Carolina Marsh, grand daughter
Henry Marsh, grandson
Harriott Marsh, grand daughter
Mr Biggs, tenant
Mr Room, tenant
Mr Whitby, artist
____ Crattle
Mrs Dean, tenant
Mrs Blake, tenant
Joseph Dyer, distiller, tenant
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 12 May 2014
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1213/141
Testator: William Blake, esquire
Place: Bristol, Gloucestershire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 21 Mar 1791, probated 14 Jan 1792
Condition: 18th century English, legible copy
[Margin]: William
[Margin]: Blake
[Margin]: Esq[uie]r
1 The Last Will and Testament
2 of me William Blake of the City of Bristol Esquire made
3 the twenty first day of March one thousand seven
4 hundred and ninety one (that is to say) Whereas I
5 am seized or possessed of two Estates part of the Manor
6 of Salcomb Regis in the County of Devon which I hold
7 by Copy of Court Roll of the Dean and Chapter
8 of Exeter for Lives and Widowhoods consisting of
9 Messuages or Tenements and Lands part whereof is
10 in my own possession and other part let to John
11 Smith I give the said Copyhold Estates with their
12 Rights and appurtenances to my Son Richard Blake
13 To hold to him for his life and the life of his widow
14 according to the Custom of the said Manor and
15 after his decease I give the said Estates with their
16 Rights and appurtenances to my Son William Blake
17 To hold to him for his life and the life of his widow
18 according to the said Custom of I give and devise unto
19 my said Son Richard all and singular my Messuages
20 Lands and hereditaments called Hole in the parish
21 of Saint Veep in the County of Cornwall part
22 whereof is Freehold and other part Leasehold held of
23 _______ Coriton Esquire for ninety nine Years
24 determinable with lives To hold to my said Son
25 Richard his heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns
26 for all my Estate Term or Terms and Interest therein
27 respectively I give and devise to my Son James all those
28 three Messuages or Tenements adjoining and Garden
29 Ground behind the same with their appurtenances
30 situate in a place called Turnagain Lane leading from
31 Saint James’s Churchyard in Bridewell Bridge in the
32 parish of Saint James and City of Bristol in the
33 occupations of Mr Higgins Brazier and others and also
34 all that Messuage or Tenement with its appurtenances
35 situate on the East Side of Saint James’s Church
36 Yard in the Occupation of Mrs Hellier To hold to my
37 said Son James his heirs Executors Administrators and
38 Assigns for all my Estate and Interest therein respectively
39 and I acquit release and discharge my Son James
40 his heirs Executors and Administrators and also his Estate
41 and Effects Real and Personal from all claims and
42 demands which I my heirs Executors or Administrators
43 can or may have on him or them I give to my
44 Son Richard and Son in Law John Marsh Esquire
45 three hundred pounds upon Trust that they or the
46 Survivor of them his Executors or Administrators do
47 and shall best the same in an annuity for the
48 life and for use of my daughter Clementia Blake
49 the said annuity to be secured on Land and made
50 payable to her and her assigns by quarterly payments
51 and until such annuite shall be purchased to place
52 out the said Sum of three hundred pounds on Land
53 or Government Security in the Joint Names of my
54 said Trustees and the Interest or Dividends ensuing
55 their from shall be paid to my said Daughter I
56 give and devise to my said Daughter Clementia her
57 heirs and assigns a freehold Messuage or Tenement
58 situate on the East Side of Saint James’s Church
[Page 2]
60 Yard in the occupation of Mr. Hall Whereas the
61 Sum of two hundred and seventy pounds or thereabouts
62 which was placed out at Interest in the Name of
63 Mr Jeremiah Osborne a Trustee on that occasion
64 on Security of a Messuage in Kingswood Street
65 Bath now or late in the occupation of Benjamin
66 Pike Coach painter the possession of which is since
67 surrendered up to the Mortgagee also the Rents
68 received for the use of my said Daughter Clementia
69 It is my Will as far as I have any power or
70 Controul respectring the same that the Principal and
71 Interest Money due and to grow due therein shall
72 be had and received by my Executors hereinafter
73 named and paid to my said Daughter for her
74 use and benefit I give to my said Daughter
75 Clementia ten pounds per Annum during her life
76 to be paid to her and her assigns by my Son
77 Richard out of the Interest Money on his Bond
78 of Five hundred pounds given by him to me and
79 my Will and intention is that the before mentioned
80 devised and bequests to my Son James and Daughter
81 Clementia are upon Condition that each of them
82 shall hold and enjoy the same in full compensation
83 and discharge of any Claims or pretended Claim by
84 any of them upon me my heirs Executors or Admors
85 in respect to or by virtue of any Deed of Settlement
86 by me entered into for the benefit of the Children
87 or Issue of my first Marriage or otherwise and that
88 my said Son James and Daughter Clementia shall
89 on request to them made by my Executors Execute good and
90 valid Releases and Discharges in the Law to them
91 and also my Estate of all claims and demands
92 against me and my Estate upon any account
93 whatsoever and upon refusal so to do my devise and
94 bequest to them severally made and appointed by
95 this my Will shall be void and what is herein
96 given and devised to each of them I give and
97 devise to my said Son Richard and Son in Law
98 John Marsh To hold to them their heirs Executors
99 Administrators and assigns equally share and
100 share alike I give to the said Richard Blake
101 and John Marsh Five hundred pounds to be by
102 them or the Survivor his Executors or Administrators
103 vested in the publick Funds or on Land Security
104 in their Names In Trust to pay the dividends or Interest
105 thereof to my Daughter Rebecca wife of Jacob
106 Mogg the younger Gentleman during her life separate
107 from her present or any future husband and her
108 Receipt along from time to time shall be a
109 sufficient discharge for the same and after her
110 decease In Trust to pay and divide the said Sum
111 of Five hundred pounds equally between the Issue
[Page 3]
112 or Children of my said Daughter Rebecca at their
113 respective ages of twenty one years and in case of
114 the Death of either of them before attainment to
115 such age to the Survivors or Survivor of them and
116 in default of such Issue to such person or persons
117 said Daughter notwithstanding her Coverture shall
118 by Deed or Will give limit direct or appoint I give
119 to my said Daughter Rebecca Mogg ten pounds
120 per Annum During her life to be paid to her and
121 her Assigns by my Son Richard being the remainder
122 of the Interest Money on his said Bond of Five
123 hundred pounds and after the decease of the said
124 Clementia Blake and Rebecca Mogg I give the
125 Principal Sum of Five hundred pounds secured by
126 such Bond to my Son Richard his Executors or
127 Administrators I give and devise to my Son in Law
128 John Marsh a Freehold Messuage with inclosed
129 pieces of Garden Ground in Front of the said
130 Messuage and used therewith and appurts thereto
131 belonging situate in Dove Street in the Parish
132 of Saint James in the County of Gloucester wherein
133 I now Dwell Also a Freehold Messuage in Duke
134 Street near Kings Square Bristol in the occupation
135 of Mrs Tyler also a Messuage in Dowry Square
136 in the parish of Clifton in the said County of
137 Gloucester in the occupation of Mr Jenkins which I
138 hold for the remainder of a term of one thousand
139 Years To hold the said three Messuages with their
140 Appurtenances to the said John Marsh and his
141 Assigns for life and after his decease I give and
142 devise the same three Messuages Garden Ground
143 and Premises with their appurtenances unto my
144 Daughter Mary Wife of the said John Marsh
145 and her assigns for her life then keeping upholding
146 maintaining the said Messuages and premises
147 and each and every of them in good tenantable
148 repair and after the decease of the Survivor of them
149 the said John Marsh and Mary his Wife I give
150 and devise the Messuage in Dove Street with its
151 appurtenances to my Grand Daughter Maria
152 Marsh her heirs and Assigns and I give and
153 devise the said Messuage in Duke Street with its
154 appurtenances unto my Grand Daughter Carolina
155 Marsh her heirs and Assigns and I give the said
156 Messuage in Dowry Square with its appurtenances
157 to my Grandson Henry Marsh his Executors
158 Administrators and Assigns for all my Estate term
159 and Interest therein I give and devise to my
160 Grand Daughter Harriott Marsh her heirs and Assigns
161 my moiety or half part of a Freehold Messuage
162 or Tenement with the Appurtenances situate in
[Page 4]
163 Charles Street in the parish of Saint James aforesaid
164 in the Occupation of Mr Biggs and also my Moiety or
165 half part of a Messuage or Tenement with the Appurts
166 in Pipe Lane in the parish of Saint Augustine in
167 the City of Bristol in the occupation of Mr Room
168 which premises last mentioned are Leasehold and
169 held of the Feoffees of Saint Mary Redcliff parish
170 Lands determinable with lives to hold to my said
171 Grand Daughter Harriott her Executors Administrators ans Assigns
172 for and during all my Estate term and Interest therein
173 I give all my Books in my Dwelling house in Dove
174 Street to my Sons Richard and William Blake I give my
175 Silver Cup and Cover given me by Mr Corsers
176 Executor to my Son William I give the Rest of my
177 Plate to my daughters Mary Marsh and Rebecca
178 Mogg and my Son Richard Blake I give my China
179 in the House in Dove Street to my Daughter’s Mary
181 Marsh and Rebecca Mogg I give to my said Daughter
182 Mary Marsh my Portrait Drawn by Mr Whitby I give the
183 Household Goods and Implements of household and
184 other things appertaining thereto in my house at
185 Sidmouth in the County of Devon to my Son William
186 Blake I give the household Goods and Implements
187 of household and other things appertaining thereto
188 and my Books in my house at Egypt near Sidmouth
189 to my Son Richard Blake I give to my Nephews
190 Charles Blake Forty pounds I give to my now Servant
191 Maids three Guineas each and to my Servant Boy two
192 Guineas I give to the said Richard Blake and John
193 Marsh Fifty pounds to be applied for the benefit of
194 _______ Crattle by annual payments of ten pounds
195 I give and devise to the said Richard Blake and John
196 Marsh one fourth part of the Sugar house and
197 Dwelling house in Redcliff Street in the City of Bristol
198 part hold or Lease under the Chamber of the said
199 City as Feoffees of Forsters Alms houses and other
200 part under the Feoffees of Saint Thomas parish
201 Lands lately occupied by Mrs Dean and Blake as
202 Sugar house And now by Joseph Dyer Distiller together
203 with a Moiety of all the utensils Materials and
204 appurtenances used in carrying on the Sugar Refining
205 Business and one half of the Erections that now remain
206 there and also all my household Goods (except what
207 is herein otherwise disposed of in my house in Dove
208 Street aforesaid Also my three Shares in the Bristol
209 Fire office also my Bank Stock of two thousand three
210 hundred and sixty five pounds in the Four per cents also
211 my two hundred pounds Short Annuities and all and
211 singular other my Estate and Effects Real and personal
213 whatsoever and wheresoever after payment of my just
214 Debts Funeral Expences and discharges incident to whit trust
215 To hold to them the said Richard Blake and John Marsh
[Page 5]
216 their heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns
217 Upon Trust to sell transfer dispose of and receive
218 the same and every part thereof and the Moneys
219 arising by such Sale transfer disposition and Receipt
220 to pay and divide as hereinafter mentioned (that is to
221 say) One sixth part to my Son William one sixth part
222 to my Daughter Mary Marsh One sixth part to
223 my Daughter Rebecca Mogg one sixth part to my
224 Son Richard Blake one sixth part to be divided equally
225 between my Son James and Daughter Clementia
226 Blake and the remaining sixth part to be divided
227 equally between my Grand Children Son or Sons and
228 Daughters of my Son William Blake And I hereby
229 nominate and appoint the said Richard Blake and
230 John Marsh Executors in Trust of this my Will and
231 revoking all other Wills by me made do declare this
232 to be my last In Witness whereof I have to this my
233 last Will and Testament contained in Five Sheets of
234 paper to the first four Sheets thereof set my hand
235 and to this fifth and last Sheet my hand and
236 Seal the Day and year above written Willm
237 Blake Signed Sealed Published and Declared
238 by the above named William Blake the Testator
239 as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence
240 of us who in his presence at his request and in the
241 presence of each other have hereunto subscribed
242 our Names as Witnesses The word “three” being interlined
243 instead of five in the fourth line from the Bottom of
244 the first Sheet hereof Richard Milles Susan Milles
245 Fenwick Bird
246 This Will was proved at London the
247 fourteenth day of January in the year of our Lord
248 one thousand seven hundred and ninety two before the
249 Right honorable Sir William Wynne Knight Doctor
250 of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the
251 Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted
252 by the Oaths of Richard Blake the Son of the deceased
253 and John Marsh the Executors named in the said
254 Will to whom Administration was granted of all and
255 singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said
256 deceased having been first sworn (by Commission) duly
257 to administer.
The will of Clementia Blake, daughter of the present testator, was blogged:
http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2014/04/will-of-clementia-blake-spinster.html
I suspect that the transcription of the birth year for Clementia Blake is incorrect or this is not the daughter of the present testator although the will reads as if she is. She is from the younger family of the present testator so likely born after 1765 which would make her about 50 when she died.
Mary Blake married John Marsh 12 Feb 1778 at St James Bristol.
http://theplain.thornburyroots.co.uk/TP%20no10&11.htm
John Marsh - the 1766 conveyance referred to above shows John Marsh was already occupying Porch House at the time it was conveyed to him and the other of John Stone's creditors. The list of property owners made for the 'Assessment for Relief of the Poor' in 1770 shows John Marsh as being 'for late Stones' which indicates he was still in the property previously associated with the Stone family. We understand that John was an attorney at law in Thornbury. In 1763 John married Elizabeth Hollister at Almondsbury. Elizabeth was the daughter of Luke Hollister of Almondsbury. Elizabeth died in 1775. The Bath Chronicle of 12th February 1788 shows that John Marsh attorney of Thornbury then married Mary Blake the daughter of Mr Blake a merchant of Bristol. The Bath Chronicle of 20th October 1825 says that John Marsh died that day at Biddestone House in Wiltshire in his 90th year. The notice of his death adds that he resided many years near Taunton and formerly at Thornbury. The Wiltshire connection leads us to suppose that John was related to Aaron Marsh who lived at Gloucester House in Thornbury. Aaron may have been John's son.
A rather interesting item I did not notice previously. Although it does not assist in finding anything more on William, the present testator, it does mention William. Clementia mentions her sisters Rebecca Mogg, Mary Marsh and her brother William but does not mention Richard her brother or James her full brother (the others being half-siblings).
Having read William’s will now I am still contemplating whether his line is descendant of the Calne Blake line. His properties include land in Cornwall and in Devon. He is possibly the Mr. William Blake named in the will of Richard Blake, gentleman, Bristol blogged earlier:
In the writeup on that will I have mused that William, present testator, might be of the Calne Blake family which is interesting in reflection.
There is a marriage of a William Blake to Rebecca Milles 12 Jun 1754 at Duloe, Cornwall.
http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2014/04/1248-blake-family-gloucestershire-notes.html
Also mentioned in the blog the baptisms of Richard 1 Dec 1760 at Bristol, a son William 3 Dec 1757 and a daughter Rebecca 21 Apr 1759 all at Bristol to William and Rebecca Blake. Only the baptism of Mary is missing. Judging by the coat of arms on the memorial table for Richard Blake husband of Anne Augusta Blake (formerly Hayward), this line uses the same coat of arms as the Blake family of Calne.
Then who is William and how does he relate to the other members of the Ambrose Blake family in Gloucestershire or does he come down from another line also related to the Blake family at Calne?
Perhaps the set of Bristol Diocese Wills will assist with this set of Blake families.
Names mentioned in the will:
William Blake, Esquire, Bristol, testator
John Smith, tenant
Richard Blake, (married), son, child of first marriage
William Blake, (married), son, child of first marriage
____ Coriton Esquire, landlord
James Blake, son, child of second marriage
Mr Higgins, brazier, tenant
Mrs Hellier, tenant
John Marsh, Esquire, son in law
Clementia Blake, daughter, child of second marriage
Mr Hall, tenant
Mr Jeremiah Osborne, trustee (not for this testator)
Benjamin Pike, coach painter, tenant
Rebecca Mogg, daughter, wife of Jacob Mogg the younger
Jacob Mogg, the younger, gentleman, son in law
Mrs Tyler, tenant
Mr Jenkins, tenant
Mary Marsh, daughter, wife of John Marsh, Esquire
Maria Marsh, grand daughter
Carolina Marsh, grand daughter
Henry Marsh, grandson
Harriott Marsh, grand daughter
Mr Biggs, tenant
Mr Room, tenant
Mr Whitby, artist
____ Crattle
Mrs Dean, tenant
Mrs Blake, tenant
Joseph Dyer, distiller, tenant
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 12 May 2014
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/1213/141
Testator: William Blake, esquire
Place: Bristol, Gloucestershire, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 21 Mar 1791, probated 14 Jan 1792
Condition: 18th century English, legible copy
[Margin]: William
[Margin]: Blake
[Margin]: Esq[uie]r
1 The Last Will and Testament
2 of me William Blake of the City of Bristol Esquire made
3 the twenty first day of March one thousand seven
4 hundred and ninety one (that is to say) Whereas I
5 am seized or possessed of two Estates part of the Manor
6 of Salcomb Regis in the County of Devon which I hold
7 by Copy of Court Roll of the Dean and Chapter
8 of Exeter for Lives and Widowhoods consisting of
9 Messuages or Tenements and Lands part whereof is
10 in my own possession and other part let to John
11 Smith I give the said Copyhold Estates with their
12 Rights and appurtenances to my Son Richard Blake
13 To hold to him for his life and the life of his widow
14 according to the Custom of the said Manor and
15 after his decease I give the said Estates with their
16 Rights and appurtenances to my Son William Blake
17 To hold to him for his life and the life of his widow
18 according to the said Custom of I give and devise unto
19 my said Son Richard all and singular my Messuages
20 Lands and hereditaments called Hole in the parish
21 of Saint Veep in the County of Cornwall part
22 whereof is Freehold and other part Leasehold held of
23 _______ Coriton Esquire for ninety nine Years
24 determinable with lives To hold to my said Son
25 Richard his heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns
26 for all my Estate Term or Terms and Interest therein
27 respectively I give and devise to my Son James all those
28 three Messuages or Tenements adjoining and Garden
29 Ground behind the same with their appurtenances
30 situate in a place called Turnagain Lane leading from
31 Saint James’s Churchyard in Bridewell Bridge in the
32 parish of Saint James and City of Bristol in the
33 occupations of Mr Higgins Brazier and others and also
34 all that Messuage or Tenement with its appurtenances
35 situate on the East Side of Saint James’s Church
36 Yard in the Occupation of Mrs Hellier To hold to my
37 said Son James his heirs Executors Administrators and
38 Assigns for all my Estate and Interest therein respectively
39 and I acquit release and discharge my Son James
40 his heirs Executors and Administrators and also his Estate
41 and Effects Real and Personal from all claims and
42 demands which I my heirs Executors or Administrators
43 can or may have on him or them I give to my
44 Son Richard and Son in Law John Marsh Esquire
45 three hundred pounds upon Trust that they or the
46 Survivor of them his Executors or Administrators do
47 and shall best the same in an annuity for the
48 life and for use of my daughter Clementia Blake
49 the said annuity to be secured on Land and made
50 payable to her and her assigns by quarterly payments
51 and until such annuite shall be purchased to place
52 out the said Sum of three hundred pounds on Land
53 or Government Security in the Joint Names of my
54 said Trustees and the Interest or Dividends ensuing
55 their from shall be paid to my said Daughter I
56 give and devise to my said Daughter Clementia her
57 heirs and assigns a freehold Messuage or Tenement
58 situate on the East Side of Saint James’s Church
[Page 2]
60 Yard in the occupation of Mr. Hall Whereas the
61 Sum of two hundred and seventy pounds or thereabouts
62 which was placed out at Interest in the Name of
63 Mr Jeremiah Osborne a Trustee on that occasion
64 on Security of a Messuage in Kingswood Street
65 Bath now or late in the occupation of Benjamin
66 Pike Coach painter the possession of which is since
67 surrendered up to the Mortgagee also the Rents
68 received for the use of my said Daughter Clementia
69 It is my Will as far as I have any power or
70 Controul respectring the same that the Principal and
71 Interest Money due and to grow due therein shall
72 be had and received by my Executors hereinafter
73 named and paid to my said Daughter for her
74 use and benefit I give to my said Daughter
75 Clementia ten pounds per Annum during her life
76 to be paid to her and her assigns by my Son
77 Richard out of the Interest Money on his Bond
78 of Five hundred pounds given by him to me and
79 my Will and intention is that the before mentioned
80 devised and bequests to my Son James and Daughter
81 Clementia are upon Condition that each of them
82 shall hold and enjoy the same in full compensation
83 and discharge of any Claims or pretended Claim by
84 any of them upon me my heirs Executors or Admors
85 in respect to or by virtue of any Deed of Settlement
86 by me entered into for the benefit of the Children
87 or Issue of my first Marriage or otherwise and that
88 my said Son James and Daughter Clementia shall
89 on request to them made by my Executors Execute good and
90 valid Releases and Discharges in the Law to them
91 and also my Estate of all claims and demands
92 against me and my Estate upon any account
93 whatsoever and upon refusal so to do my devise and
94 bequest to them severally made and appointed by
95 this my Will shall be void and what is herein
96 given and devised to each of them I give and
97 devise to my said Son Richard and Son in Law
98 John Marsh To hold to them their heirs Executors
99 Administrators and assigns equally share and
100 share alike I give to the said Richard Blake
101 and John Marsh Five hundred pounds to be by
102 them or the Survivor his Executors or Administrators
103 vested in the publick Funds or on Land Security
104 in their Names In Trust to pay the dividends or Interest
105 thereof to my Daughter Rebecca wife of Jacob
106 Mogg the younger Gentleman during her life separate
107 from her present or any future husband and her
108 Receipt along from time to time shall be a
109 sufficient discharge for the same and after her
110 decease In Trust to pay and divide the said Sum
111 of Five hundred pounds equally between the Issue
[Page 3]
112 or Children of my said Daughter Rebecca at their
113 respective ages of twenty one years and in case of
114 the Death of either of them before attainment to
115 such age to the Survivors or Survivor of them and
116 in default of such Issue to such person or persons
117 said Daughter notwithstanding her Coverture shall
118 by Deed or Will give limit direct or appoint I give
119 to my said Daughter Rebecca Mogg ten pounds
120 per Annum During her life to be paid to her and
121 her Assigns by my Son Richard being the remainder
122 of the Interest Money on his said Bond of Five
123 hundred pounds and after the decease of the said
124 Clementia Blake and Rebecca Mogg I give the
125 Principal Sum of Five hundred pounds secured by
126 such Bond to my Son Richard his Executors or
127 Administrators I give and devise to my Son in Law
128 John Marsh a Freehold Messuage with inclosed
129 pieces of Garden Ground in Front of the said
130 Messuage and used therewith and appurts thereto
131 belonging situate in Dove Street in the Parish
132 of Saint James in the County of Gloucester wherein
133 I now Dwell Also a Freehold Messuage in Duke
134 Street near Kings Square Bristol in the occupation
135 of Mrs Tyler also a Messuage in Dowry Square
136 in the parish of Clifton in the said County of
137 Gloucester in the occupation of Mr Jenkins which I
138 hold for the remainder of a term of one thousand
139 Years To hold the said three Messuages with their
140 Appurtenances to the said John Marsh and his
141 Assigns for life and after his decease I give and
142 devise the same three Messuages Garden Ground
143 and Premises with their appurtenances unto my
144 Daughter Mary Wife of the said John Marsh
145 and her assigns for her life then keeping upholding
146 maintaining the said Messuages and premises
147 and each and every of them in good tenantable
148 repair and after the decease of the Survivor of them
149 the said John Marsh and Mary his Wife I give
150 and devise the Messuage in Dove Street with its
151 appurtenances to my Grand Daughter Maria
152 Marsh her heirs and Assigns and I give and
153 devise the said Messuage in Duke Street with its
154 appurtenances unto my Grand Daughter Carolina
155 Marsh her heirs and Assigns and I give the said
156 Messuage in Dowry Square with its appurtenances
157 to my Grandson Henry Marsh his Executors
158 Administrators and Assigns for all my Estate term
159 and Interest therein I give and devise to my
160 Grand Daughter Harriott Marsh her heirs and Assigns
161 my moiety or half part of a Freehold Messuage
162 or Tenement with the Appurtenances situate in
[Page 4]
163 Charles Street in the parish of Saint James aforesaid
164 in the Occupation of Mr Biggs and also my Moiety or
165 half part of a Messuage or Tenement with the Appurts
166 in Pipe Lane in the parish of Saint Augustine in
167 the City of Bristol in the occupation of Mr Room
168 which premises last mentioned are Leasehold and
169 held of the Feoffees of Saint Mary Redcliff parish
170 Lands determinable with lives to hold to my said
171 Grand Daughter Harriott her Executors Administrators ans Assigns
172 for and during all my Estate term and Interest therein
173 I give all my Books in my Dwelling house in Dove
174 Street to my Sons Richard and William Blake I give my
175 Silver Cup and Cover given me by Mr Corsers
176 Executor to my Son William I give the Rest of my
177 Plate to my daughters Mary Marsh and Rebecca
178 Mogg and my Son Richard Blake I give my China
179 in the House in Dove Street to my Daughter’s Mary
181 Marsh and Rebecca Mogg I give to my said Daughter
182 Mary Marsh my Portrait Drawn by Mr Whitby I give the
183 Household Goods and Implements of household and
184 other things appertaining thereto in my house at
185 Sidmouth in the County of Devon to my Son William
186 Blake I give the household Goods and Implements
187 of household and other things appertaining thereto
188 and my Books in my house at Egypt near Sidmouth
189 to my Son Richard Blake I give to my Nephews
190 Charles Blake Forty pounds I give to my now Servant
191 Maids three Guineas each and to my Servant Boy two
192 Guineas I give to the said Richard Blake and John
193 Marsh Fifty pounds to be applied for the benefit of
194 _______ Crattle by annual payments of ten pounds
195 I give and devise to the said Richard Blake and John
196 Marsh one fourth part of the Sugar house and
197 Dwelling house in Redcliff Street in the City of Bristol
198 part hold or Lease under the Chamber of the said
199 City as Feoffees of Forsters Alms houses and other
200 part under the Feoffees of Saint Thomas parish
201 Lands lately occupied by Mrs Dean and Blake as
202 Sugar house And now by Joseph Dyer Distiller together
203 with a Moiety of all the utensils Materials and
204 appurtenances used in carrying on the Sugar Refining
205 Business and one half of the Erections that now remain
206 there and also all my household Goods (except what
207 is herein otherwise disposed of in my house in Dove
208 Street aforesaid Also my three Shares in the Bristol
209 Fire office also my Bank Stock of two thousand three
210 hundred and sixty five pounds in the Four per cents also
211 my two hundred pounds Short Annuities and all and
211 singular other my Estate and Effects Real and personal
213 whatsoever and wheresoever after payment of my just
214 Debts Funeral Expences and discharges incident to whit trust
215 To hold to them the said Richard Blake and John Marsh
[Page 5]
216 their heirs Executors Administrators and Assigns
217 Upon Trust to sell transfer dispose of and receive
218 the same and every part thereof and the Moneys
219 arising by such Sale transfer disposition and Receipt
220 to pay and divide as hereinafter mentioned (that is to
221 say) One sixth part to my Son William one sixth part
222 to my Daughter Mary Marsh One sixth part to
223 my Daughter Rebecca Mogg one sixth part to my
224 Son Richard Blake one sixth part to be divided equally
225 between my Son James and Daughter Clementia
226 Blake and the remaining sixth part to be divided
227 equally between my Grand Children Son or Sons and
228 Daughters of my Son William Blake And I hereby
229 nominate and appoint the said Richard Blake and
230 John Marsh Executors in Trust of this my Will and
231 revoking all other Wills by me made do declare this
232 to be my last In Witness whereof I have to this my
233 last Will and Testament contained in Five Sheets of
234 paper to the first four Sheets thereof set my hand
235 and to this fifth and last Sheet my hand and
236 Seal the Day and year above written Willm
237 Blake Signed Sealed Published and Declared
238 by the above named William Blake the Testator
239 as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence
240 of us who in his presence at his request and in the
241 presence of each other have hereunto subscribed
242 our Names as Witnesses The word “three” being interlined
243 instead of five in the fourth line from the Bottom of
244 the first Sheet hereof Richard Milles Susan Milles
245 Fenwick Bird
246 This Will was proved at London the
247 fourteenth day of January in the year of our Lord
248 one thousand seven hundred and ninety two before the
249 Right honorable Sir William Wynne Knight Doctor
250 of Laws Master Keeper or Commissary of the
251 Prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted
252 by the Oaths of Richard Blake the Son of the deceased
253 and John Marsh the Executors named in the said
254 Will to whom Administration was granted of all and
255 singular the Goods Chattels and Credits of the said
256 deceased having been first sworn (by Commission) duly
257 to administer.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Will of John Blake, Mariner, Redderith Surrey -- The National Archives PROB 11/171/26, probated 8 May 1636
The first of my five wills for Blake family members in Surrey with John Blake as Testator and he is a mariner living at Redderith (or Rotherhithe or Rotherhithe St Mary).
The other four wills include:
Will of Humfry Blake, Nailsmith of Saint Olave Southwark, probated 15 Feb 1638
Will of Elizabeth Blake, widow of Ebbisham, probated 16 Mar 1647
Will of Ellen Blake, widow of Croydon, probated 10 Jul 1647
Will of Elizabeth Blake, widow of Rederith, probated 11 Sep 1654
After yesterday's difficult will this one was a pleasure to transcribe.
The testator identifies his brother Peter Blake, his sons John and James Blake and his wife Mary/Marie Blake. Interestingly he identifies his mother as Johan Hamond and his father in law as John Hamond and his mother in law as Francie Browne. That sounds like an interesting story and perhaps explains the comment in his will if his wife makes a second choice if he is dead and remarries. The mother in law is confusing though as divorce was pretty unusual in those days. There are a few other names in the will but they are not related to the testator as far as one can tell in the reading.
As always I go to the Family Search website to see if there is any information on this family.
There is a burial for Peter Blake 26 Nov 1643 at St Mary Rotherhithe Surrey and a marriage 5 Jun 1620 for Peter Blake and Abigail Mulford at St Mary Rotherhithe Surrey. Nothing conclusive on the rest.
An interesting finding with regard to William Blake, Poet Laureate, England, and he was born 28 Nov 1757 in St James parish, Westminster. The grandfather of William Blake was a James Blake from Rotherhithe. The older brothers of William were James and John. History records that James Blake, a gentleman of Rotherhithe was sufficiently prosperous to pay sixty pounds to apprentice his son James Blake (father of William above) as a draper but this son would have been born in the 1720s so not likely the son of the testator above plus his brother Peter Blake was also living in Rotherhithe but it is rather interesting. As time permits I will try to collect more information on the Blake families in Surrey.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 27 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/171/26
Testator: John Blake, Mariner
Place: Redderith, Surrey, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 25 Jan 1632, probated 8 May 1636
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing legible, bold copy
[Margin] T[estament] Johannis
[Margin] Blake
1 In the name of God Amen
2 the Five and Twentith daie of Januarie Anno Dom[ini], one
3 Thousand Sixe hundred Thirtie Two. And in the Eight yeare
4 of the raigne of our soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace
5 of God kinge of England, Scotland, Fraunce, and Ireland
6 defender of the faith etc I John Blake of Redderith in the Countie
7 of Surrey Marriner being att this p[oi]nte in good health, and p[er]fecte
8 memorie (thankes bee therefore given unto Almightie God, But
9 being nowe bound for sea, and my returne being uncertaine, doe
10 therefore make, and declare this my last will, and Testament in
11 wrytinge in manner and forme followinge, That is to saie First and
12 principallie I doe com[m]end my soule into the hands of my most
13 gracious and mercifull God hopeing and undoubtedlie beleevinge
14 through the merritts death passion and resurrection of my Lord and Saviour
15 Jesus Christ to have free pardon, and forgivenes of all my Sinnes, and to
16 enioy everlasting blessednes with him in the kingdome of heaven hereaft[e]r
17 And my Body I committ the same to the Earth to bee buried in decent
18 manner att the discretion of my Executrixe hereafter named, And
19 as for such lande, goods, and estate whatsoever which it hath pleased God
20 to lend to mee I doe dispose of the same manner and forme following
21 That is to say Imprimis I doe give and bequeath unto my Lovinge wife
22 Mary Blake All those my Three messuages or Tenements with their
23 appurten[an]cs, and the Garden and wharfs thereunto adioyninge and
24 belonging which I latelie purchased to mee and my heires and
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25 and assignes forever of Robert Osborne Cittizen and draper of
26 London scittuate lying and being in Redderith beforesaid in the said
27 countie of Surrey and now in the severall tenures or occupa[t]ions of M[aste]r
28 Berrisford Mr Preston and Goodman Burroughes, To have and to
29 hold the saiid Three messuages or Tenements, and other the premiss[e]s
30 unto the said Marie my wife, and her assignes for and duringe her
31 naturall life And from, and after the decease of the said Marie
32 my wife, Then I doe give and bequeath the sake Three messuages, or
33 Tenements with th[e ]appurten[an]cs and the said Garden and wharfe
34 unto my Two sonnes namely John Blake and James Blake equallie
35 betweene them to be devided, To have and to hould unto them my said
36 sonnes John Blake and James Blake equally betweene them, and to
37 their heires, and assignes forever. Item I doe give and bequeath unto
38 my said Two sonnes John Blake, and James Blake the lease of my
39 nowe dwellinge house in Redderith aforesaid to mee grannted from my
40 father in lawe James Hamond with my Interest tytle and terme of
41 yeares of in and to the same house with th[e ]appurten[an]cs equallie betwixte
42 them, To have, and to hold the same my dwellinge house with th[e ]appurten[a]ncs
43 unto them my said Twoe sonnes equallie betweene them, and their executors
44 and assignes for and duringe all such terme as shal[l ]bee to come, and unexpired
45 by vertue of the Indenture of Lease by which I hold the same att the tyme
46 of my decease provided alwaies that they my said sonnes doe pay
47 and performe such Rent Covenants and agreements as if my Executors
48 and assignes are, and stand charged to pay by vertue of the said lease
49 provided alsoe that they my said sonnes doe permitt and suffer the said
50 Marie my wife peaceably and quietly to have and enioy the same my
51 dwelling house with th[e ]appurten[a]ncs for, and during her naturall life
52 upon condition that shee or her assignes doe pay the rent and performe
53 the covenante, conteined in the said Lease. Item I doe desire my said
54 wife to permitt, and suffer my said sonne John Blake to have and enioy
55 the noyety or one halfe of my said nowe dwellinge house ymediately
56 from and after my decease for, and duringe the naturall life of her
57 my said wife, hee payinge his rateable share of the rent, and for the
58 repara[t]ions thereof. But yf shee the said Mary Blake my wife shall
59 refuse to suffer my said sonne to have and enioy the moyetie of my
60 said dwellinge house as aforesaid, Then I doe give and bequeath unto
61 my said sonne John Blake his executors and assignes one Annuity
62 or yearelie payment of Fyve pounds of lawfull money To bee
63 paid unto him my said sonne John his executors and assignes
64 halfe yearelie out of my personall estate duringe the life of the
65 said Marie my wife. Item I doe give and bequeath unto my said
66 sonne John Blake the somme of One hundred pounds of lawfull
67 money of England, To be paid unto him within Twentie dayes next
68 after the marriage of the said Mary my wife (yf in case shee shall
69 make a second choice) or within Twenty daies next after her decease
70 which shall first, and next happen, And if in case the said John my sonne
71 shall fortune to decease before the same one hundred pounds shal[l ]be
72 due, and payable unto him as aforesaid, Then I doe give the same
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73 One hundred pounds unto, and amongst such children as my said
74 sonne John now hath or shall have of his body lawfully begotten equally
75 amongst them share and share like. And if my said sonne John shall
76 then have noe child or children livinge, Then I doe give the same one
77 hundred pounds unto my said sonne James Blake his Brother Item
78 I doe give, and bequeath unto my said sonne James Blake the somme
79 of One hundred pounds of Lawfull money of England, To be paid unto
80 him within twenty daies next after the marriage of the said Mary my
81 wife (if in case shee shall make a second choice) or within Twenty
82 dayes next after her decease which shall first, and next happen, And
83 yf in case the said James my sonne shall fortune to decease before
84 the same One hundred pounds shal[l ]be due, and payable unto him
85 as aforesaid, Then I doe give the same One hundred pounds unto
86 and amongst such child or children as it shall please God my sonne James
87 to have of his bodie lawfully begotten equally amongst them and the
88 survivors of them share and share like. And if my said sonne James
89 shall then have noe child or children livinge, Then I doe give the same
90 One hundred pounds unto my said sonne John his brother. And if my
91 said sonne John shal[l ]bee then dead, Then I doe give the same One
92 hundred pounds unto, and amongst such child or children as my said
93 sonne John now hath, and then shall have of his body lawfully begotten
94 share, and share like Item I doe give and bequeath unto my said
95 sonne James One hundred pounds more of lawfull money of
96 England, To be paid unto him my said sonne James at such tyme,
97 and when as he shall attaine to the full age of Twenty and one
98 yeares. And yf in case my said sonne James shall decease before
99 hee shall ataine the said age Then I doe give the same one hundred
100 pounds unto my said sonne John. And yf hee shal[l ]bee then dead
101 Then I doe give the same one hundred pounds unto and amongst
102 such child or children as my said sonne John shall then have of his
103 Body lawfully begotten equally, and propor[t]ionably share and
104 share like. Item I doe give and bequeath unto my said Twoe sonnes
105 John Blake and James Blake the moyety, or one half of such
106 plate as I shall have att the tyme of my decease, or Twenty pounds
107 in money at the election and choice of the said Mary my wife equallie
108 betwixt them share and share like. Item I doe will and appoint that my
109 Executrix hereafter named shall find provide and allow unto my
110 said sonne James meate, drinke, Apparrell, and other necessaryes
111 duringe his minoritie, and shall keepe him att schoole, Item I doe
112 give and bequeath unto John Blake sonne unto my said sonne John
113 Blake the somme of Fiftie pounds of lawfull money of England
114 To be paid unto him my said grand sonne within Twentie daies next
115 after the decease of the said Mary my wife. And if my said grand sonne
116 shal[l ]bee then dead then I doe give the same Fifty pounds unto
117 and amongst such child or children as my said sonne John shall
118 then have equally, and propor[t]ionablyshare, and share like, And yf
119 my said sonne John shall then have noe child, or children livinge
120 Then I doe give the same Fifty pounds to my said sonne John, And
121 yf hee shal[l ]bee then dead, Then I doe give the same Fifty pounds to
122 my said sonne James Blake. Item I doe give and bequeath unto my
[Page 4]
123 Brother Peter Blake the somme of Five pounds of lawfull money
124 of England, To bee paid unto him within Twentie dayes next after
125 the decease of the said Mary my wife, And if my said Brother Peter
126 Shal[l ]bee then dead Then I doe give the same Fyve pounds unto, and
127 betwixt my said Two sonnes John Blake and James Blake equally, and
128 the survivor of them. And yf they shal[l ]bee then both dead then I doe give
129 the same Five pounds unto and amongst such children as my said sonnes
130 shall then have lyvinge equally amongst them. Item I doe give unto my
131 mother Mrs. Johan Hamond Fortie shillings, To my Father in lawe James
132 Hamond Twenty shillings, And to my mother in law Francie Browne
133 Twenty shillings, To be paid unto them, or such of them as shal[l ]bee lyvinge
134 within twenty dayes next after the decease of the said Mary my wife.
135 Item I doe give, and bequeath unto all my Godchildren that shall bee
136 lyvinge Twenty dayes next after my said wives decease the somme of
137 Twenty shillings apeece. All the rest and residue of my goods chattells
138 shipping money, plate household stuff, wages, and estate whatsoever
139 after my debts paid, and my funerall expences discharged I doe give
140 and bequeath unto my kind and Lovinge wife Mary Blake, And I
141 doe hereby make ordaine and appoint the said Mary my wife to bee
142 sole executrix of this my Last will, and Testament intreatinge her of
143 all Loves heretofore betwixt us, And as I have beene kind to her in
144 giveinge unto her the greatest part of my estate by this my will,
145 That soe shee would be kind to my sonnes duringe her life and
146 liberall to them att her death And I doe nominate, and appointe
147 my said Brother Peter Blake, and my said sonne John Blake to
148 bee overseers of this my will intreating them to bee aydinge and
149 assistinge and assisting unto my said wife in the due execu[t]ion thereof
150 And I doe hereby renounce, anihilate, and Revoke all former wills
151 and testaments by mee made, And I doe pronounce this pre[sen]te to
152 be my last will and Testament In witnes whereof I the said John
153 Blake th[e ]elder to this my Last will and Testament have putt my
154 hand and seale geven the day and yeare first written p[er] me Jno
155 Blake, This present will concisting of Nyne sheets was by the said
156 John Blake, signed sealed, and delivered as his Laste will, and
157 Testament after the interlyninge of the word Fyve in the seaventh
158 sheete of his Brother Peters Legacie in the p[re]sence of us, John Davids
159 Scr John Harvey Cittizen and Merchantaylor of London dwellinge in
160 Saint Swithins Lane in London, Fra: Harrison servant to the said Scr
The other four wills include:
Will of Humfry Blake, Nailsmith of Saint Olave Southwark, probated 15 Feb 1638
Will of Elizabeth Blake, widow of Ebbisham, probated 16 Mar 1647
Will of Ellen Blake, widow of Croydon, probated 10 Jul 1647
Will of Elizabeth Blake, widow of Rederith, probated 11 Sep 1654
After yesterday's difficult will this one was a pleasure to transcribe.
The testator identifies his brother Peter Blake, his sons John and James Blake and his wife Mary/Marie Blake. Interestingly he identifies his mother as Johan Hamond and his father in law as John Hamond and his mother in law as Francie Browne. That sounds like an interesting story and perhaps explains the comment in his will if his wife makes a second choice if he is dead and remarries. The mother in law is confusing though as divorce was pretty unusual in those days. There are a few other names in the will but they are not related to the testator as far as one can tell in the reading.
As always I go to the Family Search website to see if there is any information on this family.
There is a burial for Peter Blake 26 Nov 1643 at St Mary Rotherhithe Surrey and a marriage 5 Jun 1620 for Peter Blake and Abigail Mulford at St Mary Rotherhithe Surrey. Nothing conclusive on the rest.
An interesting finding with regard to William Blake, Poet Laureate, England, and he was born 28 Nov 1757 in St James parish, Westminster. The grandfather of William Blake was a James Blake from Rotherhithe. The older brothers of William were James and John. History records that James Blake, a gentleman of Rotherhithe was sufficiently prosperous to pay sixty pounds to apprentice his son James Blake (father of William above) as a draper but this son would have been born in the 1720s so not likely the son of the testator above plus his brother Peter Blake was also living in Rotherhithe but it is rather interesting. As time permits I will try to collect more information on the Blake families in Surrey.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 27 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/171/26
Testator: John Blake, Mariner
Place: Redderith, Surrey, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 25 Jan 1632, probated 8 May 1636
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing legible, bold copy
[Margin] T[estament] Johannis
[Margin] Blake
1 In the name of God Amen
2 the Five and Twentith daie of Januarie Anno Dom[ini], one
3 Thousand Sixe hundred Thirtie Two. And in the Eight yeare
4 of the raigne of our soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace
5 of God kinge of England, Scotland, Fraunce, and Ireland
6 defender of the faith etc I John Blake of Redderith in the Countie
7 of Surrey Marriner being att this p[oi]nte in good health, and p[er]fecte
8 memorie (thankes bee therefore given unto Almightie God, But
9 being nowe bound for sea, and my returne being uncertaine, doe
10 therefore make, and declare this my last will, and Testament in
11 wrytinge in manner and forme followinge, That is to saie First and
12 principallie I doe com[m]end my soule into the hands of my most
13 gracious and mercifull God hopeing and undoubtedlie beleevinge
14 through the merritts death passion and resurrection of my Lord and Saviour
15 Jesus Christ to have free pardon, and forgivenes of all my Sinnes, and to
16 enioy everlasting blessednes with him in the kingdome of heaven hereaft[e]r
17 And my Body I committ the same to the Earth to bee buried in decent
18 manner att the discretion of my Executrixe hereafter named, And
19 as for such lande, goods, and estate whatsoever which it hath pleased God
20 to lend to mee I doe dispose of the same manner and forme following
21 That is to say Imprimis I doe give and bequeath unto my Lovinge wife
22 Mary Blake All those my Three messuages or Tenements with their
23 appurten[an]cs, and the Garden and wharfs thereunto adioyninge and
24 belonging which I latelie purchased to mee and my heires and
[Page 2]
25 and assignes forever of Robert Osborne Cittizen and draper of
26 London scittuate lying and being in Redderith beforesaid in the said
27 countie of Surrey and now in the severall tenures or occupa[t]ions of M[aste]r
28 Berrisford Mr Preston and Goodman Burroughes, To have and to
29 hold the saiid Three messuages or Tenements, and other the premiss[e]s
30 unto the said Marie my wife, and her assignes for and duringe her
31 naturall life And from, and after the decease of the said Marie
32 my wife, Then I doe give and bequeath the sake Three messuages, or
33 Tenements with th[e ]appurten[an]cs and the said Garden and wharfe
34 unto my Two sonnes namely John Blake and James Blake equallie
35 betweene them to be devided, To have and to hould unto them my said
36 sonnes John Blake and James Blake equally betweene them, and to
37 their heires, and assignes forever. Item I doe give and bequeath unto
38 my said Two sonnes John Blake, and James Blake the lease of my
39 nowe dwellinge house in Redderith aforesaid to mee grannted from my
40 father in lawe James Hamond with my Interest tytle and terme of
41 yeares of in and to the same house with th[e ]appurten[an]cs equallie betwixte
42 them, To have, and to hold the same my dwellinge house with th[e ]appurten[a]ncs
43 unto them my said Twoe sonnes equallie betweene them, and their executors
44 and assignes for and duringe all such terme as shal[l ]bee to come, and unexpired
45 by vertue of the Indenture of Lease by which I hold the same att the tyme
46 of my decease provided alwaies that they my said sonnes doe pay
47 and performe such Rent Covenants and agreements as if my Executors
48 and assignes are, and stand charged to pay by vertue of the said lease
49 provided alsoe that they my said sonnes doe permitt and suffer the said
50 Marie my wife peaceably and quietly to have and enioy the same my
51 dwelling house with th[e ]appurten[a]ncs for, and during her naturall life
52 upon condition that shee or her assignes doe pay the rent and performe
53 the covenante, conteined in the said Lease. Item I doe desire my said
54 wife to permitt, and suffer my said sonne John Blake to have and enioy
55 the noyety or one halfe of my said nowe dwellinge house ymediately
56 from and after my decease for, and duringe the naturall life of her
57 my said wife, hee payinge his rateable share of the rent, and for the
58 repara[t]ions thereof. But yf shee the said Mary Blake my wife shall
59 refuse to suffer my said sonne to have and enioy the moyetie of my
60 said dwellinge house as aforesaid, Then I doe give and bequeath unto
61 my said sonne John Blake his executors and assignes one Annuity
62 or yearelie payment of Fyve pounds of lawfull money To bee
63 paid unto him my said sonne John his executors and assignes
64 halfe yearelie out of my personall estate duringe the life of the
65 said Marie my wife. Item I doe give and bequeath unto my said
66 sonne John Blake the somme of One hundred pounds of lawfull
67 money of England, To be paid unto him within Twentie dayes next
68 after the marriage of the said Mary my wife (yf in case shee shall
69 make a second choice) or within Twenty daies next after her decease
70 which shall first, and next happen, And if in case the said John my sonne
71 shall fortune to decease before the same one hundred pounds shal[l ]be
72 due, and payable unto him as aforesaid, Then I doe give the same
[Page 3]
73 One hundred pounds unto, and amongst such children as my said
74 sonne John now hath or shall have of his body lawfully begotten equally
75 amongst them share and share like. And if my said sonne John shall
76 then have noe child or children livinge, Then I doe give the same one
77 hundred pounds unto my said sonne James Blake his Brother Item
78 I doe give, and bequeath unto my said sonne James Blake the somme
79 of One hundred pounds of Lawfull money of England, To be paid unto
80 him within twenty daies next after the marriage of the said Mary my
81 wife (if in case shee shall make a second choice) or within Twenty
82 dayes next after her decease which shall first, and next happen, And
83 yf in case the said James my sonne shall fortune to decease before
84 the same One hundred pounds shal[l ]be due, and payable unto him
85 as aforesaid, Then I doe give the same One hundred pounds unto
86 and amongst such child or children as it shall please God my sonne James
87 to have of his bodie lawfully begotten equally amongst them and the
88 survivors of them share and share like. And if my said sonne James
89 shall then have noe child or children livinge, Then I doe give the same
90 One hundred pounds unto my said sonne John his brother. And if my
91 said sonne John shal[l ]bee then dead, Then I doe give the same One
92 hundred pounds unto, and amongst such child or children as my said
93 sonne John now hath, and then shall have of his body lawfully begotten
94 share, and share like Item I doe give and bequeath unto my said
95 sonne James One hundred pounds more of lawfull money of
96 England, To be paid unto him my said sonne James at such tyme,
97 and when as he shall attaine to the full age of Twenty and one
98 yeares. And yf in case my said sonne James shall decease before
99 hee shall ataine the said age Then I doe give the same one hundred
100 pounds unto my said sonne John. And yf hee shal[l ]bee then dead
101 Then I doe give the same one hundred pounds unto and amongst
102 such child or children as my said sonne John shall then have of his
103 Body lawfully begotten equally, and propor[t]ionably share and
104 share like. Item I doe give and bequeath unto my said Twoe sonnes
105 John Blake and James Blake the moyety, or one half of such
106 plate as I shall have att the tyme of my decease, or Twenty pounds
107 in money at the election and choice of the said Mary my wife equallie
108 betwixt them share and share like. Item I doe will and appoint that my
109 Executrix hereafter named shall find provide and allow unto my
110 said sonne James meate, drinke, Apparrell, and other necessaryes
111 duringe his minoritie, and shall keepe him att schoole, Item I doe
112 give and bequeath unto John Blake sonne unto my said sonne John
113 Blake the somme of Fiftie pounds of lawfull money of England
114 To be paid unto him my said grand sonne within Twentie daies next
115 after the decease of the said Mary my wife. And if my said grand sonne
116 shal[l ]bee then dead then I doe give the same Fifty pounds unto
117 and amongst such child or children as my said sonne John shall
118 then have equally, and propor[t]ionablyshare, and share like, And yf
119 my said sonne John shall then have noe child, or children livinge
120 Then I doe give the same Fifty pounds to my said sonne John, And
121 yf hee shal[l ]bee then dead, Then I doe give the same Fifty pounds to
122 my said sonne James Blake. Item I doe give and bequeath unto my
[Page 4]
123 Brother Peter Blake the somme of Five pounds of lawfull money
124 of England, To bee paid unto him within Twentie dayes next after
125 the decease of the said Mary my wife, And if my said Brother Peter
126 Shal[l ]bee then dead Then I doe give the same Fyve pounds unto, and
127 betwixt my said Two sonnes John Blake and James Blake equally, and
128 the survivor of them. And yf they shal[l ]bee then both dead then I doe give
129 the same Five pounds unto and amongst such children as my said sonnes
130 shall then have lyvinge equally amongst them. Item I doe give unto my
131 mother Mrs. Johan Hamond Fortie shillings, To my Father in lawe James
132 Hamond Twenty shillings, And to my mother in law Francie Browne
133 Twenty shillings, To be paid unto them, or such of them as shal[l ]bee lyvinge
134 within twenty dayes next after the decease of the said Mary my wife.
135 Item I doe give, and bequeath unto all my Godchildren that shall bee
136 lyvinge Twenty dayes next after my said wives decease the somme of
137 Twenty shillings apeece. All the rest and residue of my goods chattells
138 shipping money, plate household stuff, wages, and estate whatsoever
139 after my debts paid, and my funerall expences discharged I doe give
140 and bequeath unto my kind and Lovinge wife Mary Blake, And I
141 doe hereby make ordaine and appoint the said Mary my wife to bee
142 sole executrix of this my Last will, and Testament intreatinge her of
143 all Loves heretofore betwixt us, And as I have beene kind to her in
144 giveinge unto her the greatest part of my estate by this my will,
145 That soe shee would be kind to my sonnes duringe her life and
146 liberall to them att her death And I doe nominate, and appointe
147 my said Brother Peter Blake, and my said sonne John Blake to
148 bee overseers of this my will intreating them to bee aydinge and
149 assistinge and assisting unto my said wife in the due execu[t]ion thereof
150 And I doe hereby renounce, anihilate, and Revoke all former wills
151 and testaments by mee made, And I doe pronounce this pre[sen]te to
152 be my last will and Testament In witnes whereof I the said John
153 Blake th[e ]elder to this my Last will and Testament have putt my
154 hand and seale geven the day and yeare first written p[er] me Jno
155 Blake, This present will concisting of Nyne sheets was by the said
156 John Blake, signed sealed, and delivered as his Laste will, and
157 Testament after the interlyninge of the word Fyve in the seaventh
158 sheete of his Brother Peters Legacie in the p[re]sence of us, John Davids
159 Scr John Harvey Cittizen and Merchantaylor of London dwellinge in
160 Saint Swithins Lane in London, Fra: Harrison servant to the said Scr
Friday, November 2, 2012
Will of Robert Blake yeoman of Castle Coombe - National Archives PROB 11/163/729, probated 4 Jun 1633
Another interesting will by a Robert Blake. He does not appear to leave any descendants and Castle Combe is 11 miles WNW of Calne Wiltshire. He is married to Margaret and no children are mentioned. He has a couple of godsons but no other Blake mentioned in the will than himself and his wife. His wife has several relatives including Elizabeth Wallop and Marie Smith wife of John Smith.
Probably the most interesting item is the closeness to Calne Wiltshire where the Blake family lived from the 13th century on and probably earlier.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 28 Oct 2012
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/163/729
Name of testator: Robert Blake, yeoman
Place: Castle Combe, Wiltshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated 23 Nov 1632, probated 4 Jun 1633
Read: Electronic file images
Condition: fine light text, middle English writing, 17th century
[In margin] T [estator] Robti Blake
1 In the name of God Amen the three and Twentieth of
[Page 2]
2 November in the yeare of our Lord Christ one thousand six hundred thirtie and two And in the eight yeare of the
3 raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace of God king of England Scotland Frannce and Ireland, defender
4 of the Faith etc I Robert Blake of Castle Combe in the Countie of Wiltes yeoman being weake in bodie but
5 of good and perfect memorie thanks bee to God and being taught and instructed by the word of God that it is
6 appoynted that all men shall die As is nothyng is more certayne than death soe, nothing more uncertayne
7 then the houre of death in a true and unfayned acknowledgement and confession of all my sinnes unto allmightie
8 whom I have as a most wretched sinner most grevouslie offended and whereof by the onely merritts perfect
9 obedience and suffering of Jesus Christ my all sufficient Lord and Savyour apprehended and taken hereby upon
10 by a true and lively faith I assuredly beleeve to have free pardon and forgivenes of all my sinnes the same never
11 to bee layd to my Charge doe ordayne appoynt and declare and make this my last Will and Testament in
12 manner and forme following First I commend my soule and spritt unto God that gave it mee as unto a most
13 faithfull Creator And my bodie unto the Earth from whence it came to bee buried in the parish Church of
14 of Castle Combe aforesaid at the care and discre[c]ion of my Executors verely beleveing according to the
15 truth of the holy Scripture that I shall receive the same legacie att the generall resurrec[t]ion of all Flesh
16 to bee reunyted to my soule noe more from thenceforth subject to corruption but mortall glorious and
17 incorruptible like unto the glorious bodie of the sonne our Lord and Savyour Jesus Christ of whom I hope
18 to receive life everlasting and glory in the Communion of S[ai]nts for ever And touching those temporall blessings
19 and goods which the Lord in mercy hath bestowed upon mee in this transitorie life I thus dispose of them
20 Imprimis I give and bequeath unto the poore of the parish of Castle Combe fortie shillings to bee given and
21 distributed att my Funerall Item I give and bequeath to the poore of Yatton Keinill tenne shillings to
22 bee paid within five weeks after my funerall Item I give and bequeath unto Marie Smith wife to
23 John Smith of Castle Combe in the Countie of Wiltes my Wife's kinsewoman fortie pounds to bee paid
24 on St John Baptists daie next and immediately after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto
25 Elizabeth Wallop my now household servant and wife's kinsewoman Fortie pounds to bee paid on St John
26 Baptists day next and immediately after my decease Item I give and bequeath to William Osborne of
27 Marshfield Tayler in the Countie of Gloucester tenne pounds to bee paid him at Michaelmas next and
28 immediately after my decease Item I give and bequeath to Robert Smith sonne to John Smith of Castle
29 Combe my Godsonne one sheep Item I give and bequeath to Robert Moodie my Godsonne one sheepe
30 All the rest of my goods chattell plate and Implements of housholdstuffe whatsoever not before bequeathed
31 and disposed I give and bequeath unto my wife Margarett Blake whom I make my full and sole Executrix
32 of this my last Will and Testament nothing doubting but that shee will see this my last Will and
33 Testament here expressed and declared in all things performed according to the trust and confidence I
34 repose on her my loveing wife And allso I doe nommyate and entreate my severall good friends Mr Thomas
35 Cullenor and Robert Smith both of Castle Combe in the Countie of Wiltes aforesaid to bee
36 overseers of this my last Will and Testament desireing them and either of them to bee aideng and
37 assisting unto my said Executrix to the best of their advice and power in the execu[t]ion and performance
38 of the premisses And for their paines and diligence to bee taken therein I doe give unto them twelve
39 pence apeece in remembrance of mee In wittnes whereof I have sett my hand and Seale to this my last
40 will and Testament the daie and yeare first abovewritten in the presence of Robert Blake his kres[t]
41 and marke Thomas Cullynor Robert Smith his marke
Probably the most interesting item is the closeness to Calne Wiltshire where the Blake family lived from the 13th century on and probably earlier.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 28 Oct 2012
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/163/729
Name of testator: Robert Blake, yeoman
Place: Castle Combe, Wiltshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated 23 Nov 1632, probated 4 Jun 1633
Read: Electronic file images
Condition: fine light text, middle English writing, 17th century
[In margin] T [estator] Robti Blake
1 In the name of God Amen the three and Twentieth of
[Page 2]
2 November in the yeare of our Lord Christ one thousand six hundred thirtie and two And in the eight yeare of the
3 raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace of God king of England Scotland Frannce and Ireland, defender
4 of the Faith etc I Robert Blake of Castle Combe in the Countie of Wiltes yeoman being weake in bodie but
5 of good and perfect memorie thanks bee to God and being taught and instructed by the word of God that it is
6 appoynted that all men shall die As is nothyng is more certayne than death soe, nothing more uncertayne
7 then the houre of death in a true and unfayned acknowledgement and confession of all my sinnes unto allmightie
8 whom I have as a most wretched sinner most grevouslie offended and whereof by the onely merritts perfect
9 obedience and suffering of Jesus Christ my all sufficient Lord and Savyour apprehended and taken hereby upon
10 by a true and lively faith I assuredly beleeve to have free pardon and forgivenes of all my sinnes the same never
11 to bee layd to my Charge doe ordayne appoynt and declare and make this my last Will and Testament in
12 manner and forme following First I commend my soule and spritt unto God that gave it mee as unto a most
13 faithfull Creator And my bodie unto the Earth from whence it came to bee buried in the parish Church of
14 of Castle Combe aforesaid at the care and discre[c]ion of my Executors verely beleveing according to the
15 truth of the holy Scripture that I shall receive the same legacie att the generall resurrec[t]ion of all Flesh
16 to bee reunyted to my soule noe more from thenceforth subject to corruption but mortall glorious and
17 incorruptible like unto the glorious bodie of the sonne our Lord and Savyour Jesus Christ of whom I hope
18 to receive life everlasting and glory in the Communion of S[ai]nts for ever And touching those temporall blessings
19 and goods which the Lord in mercy hath bestowed upon mee in this transitorie life I thus dispose of them
20 Imprimis I give and bequeath unto the poore of the parish of Castle Combe fortie shillings to bee given and
21 distributed att my Funerall Item I give and bequeath to the poore of Yatton Keinill tenne shillings to
22 bee paid within five weeks after my funerall Item I give and bequeath unto Marie Smith wife to
23 John Smith of Castle Combe in the Countie of Wiltes my Wife's kinsewoman fortie pounds to bee paid
24 on St John Baptists daie next and immediately after my decease Item I give and bequeath unto
25 Elizabeth Wallop my now household servant and wife's kinsewoman Fortie pounds to bee paid on St John
26 Baptists day next and immediately after my decease Item I give and bequeath to William Osborne of
27 Marshfield Tayler in the Countie of Gloucester tenne pounds to bee paid him at Michaelmas next and
28 immediately after my decease Item I give and bequeath to Robert Smith sonne to John Smith of Castle
29 Combe my Godsonne one sheep Item I give and bequeath to Robert Moodie my Godsonne one sheepe
30 All the rest of my goods chattell plate and Implements of housholdstuffe whatsoever not before bequeathed
31 and disposed I give and bequeath unto my wife Margarett Blake whom I make my full and sole Executrix
32 of this my last Will and Testament nothing doubting but that shee will see this my last Will and
33 Testament here expressed and declared in all things performed according to the trust and confidence I
34 repose on her my loveing wife And allso I doe nommyate and entreate my severall good friends Mr Thomas
35 Cullenor and Robert Smith both of Castle Combe in the Countie of Wiltes aforesaid to bee
36 overseers of this my last Will and Testament desireing them and either of them to bee aideng and
37 assisting unto my said Executrix to the best of their advice and power in the execu[t]ion and performance
38 of the premisses And for their paines and diligence to bee taken therein I doe give unto them twelve
39 pence apeece in remembrance of mee In wittnes whereof I have sett my hand and Seale to this my last
40 will and Testament the daie and yeare first abovewritten in the presence of Robert Blake his kres[t]
41 and marke Thomas Cullynor Robert Smith his marke
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