Susanna Blake is the testatrix and Humphry Blake of Bridgwater was her second husband according to the Portbury Blake site (http://www.portbury-hundred.co.uk/admiralreport.htm). Her first husband was William Sealy and her maiden name was Horwood. She mentions the names of her children from the first marriage namely Samuel Sealy, Elizabeth Sealy, John Sealy and William Sealy.
Her children by Humphry Blake claimed from the Portbury Blake site:
Humphry born circa 1633 and died 1664
William baptized 11 Apr 1634 and married to Mary Sellick
Sarah baptized 3 Apr 1636 and married to (unknown) Doble
Anne born circa 1638 and married to the Reverend John Norman
Robert born circa 1639 at Bridgwater and married to Wilmot (unknown)
But if you then look at the Abstracts of Somerset Wills blogged:
http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/04/abstracts-of-blake-somersetshire-wills.html
William Sealey, of Bridgwater, Somerset, Merchant. Will dated 27 Mar 1644, proved 10 May 1646, by Susan Sealey, widow. My wife Susan. My eldest son William Sealey, my 2nd son Alexander, my 3rd son John, [and etc]; 4th son Samuel. My daughters Joan [and etc]; Susan, £100 each. Overseers, my father in law Mr. Alexander Horwood, my brother in law Mr. John Horwood. My brother Mr. Edward Sealey. My brother in law Mr. Humphry Blake.
There does seem to be a discrepancy as this is the Susanna Sealy mentioned as the wife of Humphry and her will fits with her husband’s will except in the naming of the daughters although Elizabeth might be included in the etc. He names his father in law and brother in law as does Susanna the present testator. The date of her first husband’s will was 1644 thus leaving in doubt that she was the mother of these children. Interesting that there is the discrepancy in names as Sara is the name of Humphry’s wife rather than Susanna and William does name Humphry Blake as his brother in law. Perhaps this is a case of a sister in law and a sister being mixed or perhaps Humphry’s first wife died and he married his wife’s sister in law.
This seems particularly plausible in that the will of William Sealey, Mercer, of Bridgewater and father of William Sealey above also from the Abstracts of Somerset Wills:
William Sealey, Mercer, of Bridgewater, Somerset. Will dated 18 Feb 1632, proved 24 Mar 1633 (Old Style), by Joan the relict. My sons in law, John Devenish, clerk, & Humphry Blake. My brother Edward Sealey, [and etc] Bartholomew Safford, clerk, Trustees.
Plus Susanna in the attached will mentions her former mother in law as being Joane (mother of her husband William Sealy).
I went back to the will of Humphry Blake of Saint Giles Cripplegate to add this information on the inconsistency to that will as well where Sara is mentioned as the wife of Humphry.
http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/11/will-of-humphrey-blake-gentleman-of.html
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 13 Nov 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/236/13
Testator: Susanna Blake, Wife of Humphry Blake
Place: Bridgwater, Somerset, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 10 Jan 1652, probated 17 Sep 1653
Condition: 17th century English, legible copy
[Margin]: Susanna Blake
1 Susanna Blake wife of
2 Humphry Blake of Bridgwater in the County of Somersett beinge weake of
3 body but of sound memory and perfect understanding did by and with the
4 Consent of the Sayd Hymphry her husband make and declare her Last Noncu
5 pative will and Testament The Tenth day of January one thousand six
6 hundred Fifty and two as Followeth First Shee gave and bequeathed unto
7 her Sayd husband for Terme of his life That Chattle Lease of foure and
8 twenty Acres of Land in Puriton which hee formerly gave unto her in
9 marriage which Land Chattle Lease togeather with all her goods Wares house
10 holdstuffe Chattles And t__ Shee had dureing her Widdowhood made over
11 in Trust to her Father Master Alexander Horwood And her brother Master
12 John Horwood To the use of her Last will and Testament The remainder of
13 the Sayd Chattle Lease after her Sayd husbands death that shee gave unto Samuell
14 Sealy her Sonne and his assignes And if the Sayd Samuell should dye
15 before hee attaine the full age of one and twenty yeares Then to the use
16 of all her Children equally amongst them Alsoe Shee gave unto her Sayd
17 husband her best bed perfourmed And both the rings gownes and Silver Tonkin
18 which hee first gave her freely in marriage Further She gave unto her
19 daughter Elizabeth Sealy That hundred pounds now in her brother Horwoods
20 hands which her Father gave onto her as part of her portion Item She gave
21 unto her Sonne John Sealy her Barne in the Castle Baily Item Shee gave
22 unto Elizabeth Keyes her best greene Apron Item by her will Shee appointed
23 all her goods and Chattles Wares householdstufe and Troce or barge to bee
24 Sold after her death for the payment of her debts And the Legacies
25 And the portions given by the will of William Sealy her first
26 husband unto her Children To bee duely payd And that the overplus
27 of all her Sayd goods and Chattles Should bee equally devided amongst
28 all her Children Item her desire will and declaration was That her
29 Sayd husband Humfrey Blake whose Faithfulnes and fitness in that
30 behalf Shee much acknowledged should bee her Executor Tooke this her
31 last will and Noncupative Testament performed and executed aswell
32 for the Satisfaction of the debts and Sommes of monie Shee acknowledged
33 to owe unto him As alsoe for the payment and Satisfaction of all
34 her other iust debts And alsoe that the respective portions given unto
35 her Sayd Children by her Sayd First husbands Will Togeather with the
36 overplus of all her Sayd goods and Chattles might be effectually
37 made good and payd unto them All which particulers were plainely
38 and effectually declared by the Sayd Susanna Blake The day and yeare
39 first above written In presence of us whose names are underwritten
40 Memorandum She alsoe gave unto her Sonne William Sealy all
41 those implements of the house which were Left unto his Father by Joane
42 Sealy his mother which came unto the Sayd Susanna Blake by her
43 first husbands will Elizabeth Keyes who attesteth all the particulars
44 except the portion of one hundred pound to her daughter Elizabeth
45 Sealy Phillip Roode to all the particulars
[Page 2]
46 This will was proved at Westminster The Seaventeenth
47 day of September in the yeare of our Lord god Accordinge to the Computa[t]ion
48 of the Church of England one thousand Six hundred Fifty and three
49 Before the Judges for probate of Wills and granting Administrations
50 Lawfully Authorized by the oath of Humfrey Blake husband of the Sayd
51 deceased And Sole Executor named in this Last will and Testament
52 of the Sayd deceased To whom was committed administration of all
53 and Singular the goods Chattles and debts of the Sayd deceased
54 hee the Sayd Humfrey Blake beinge first Sworne by virtue of a Com-
55 mission well and truly to Administer the Same
Showing posts with label Puriton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Puriton. Show all posts
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Will of Humphrey Blake, of Bridgwater, National Archives PROB 11/148 Image Reference 426/359, probated 4 Feb 1626
Humphrey Blake did not date his will but it was probated 4 Feb 1626. For probate date I am using the date which appears on the National Archives website and it is new style. I hadn't actually noted that previously. I found it was quite easy to think in Old Style up to the end of December 1752 and then switch to New Style with January of 1753. I didn't want to put a slash second double digit year ending on every record affected. I have made copious notes on this in my own work so hopefully it will be noted if someone else picks up my work one day.
As I move more and more into one name studies my other lines are slowly receding in importance in my mind although when I see a reference to one of those surnames my interest does perk up but I was spending a lot of hours working on some of these lines where no work has been done before. I have in many cases taken the family lines back several generations and will now let someone else run with the effort of uncovering more information which generally involves visiting the individual record centres. I have discovered when it is your personal surname then there is more incentive to following it back as far as possible :) .
Humphrey Blake of Bridgwater whose will was probated 4 Feb 1626 was the son of Robert Blake and Margaret Symonds and hence traces back to the progenitor of this Blake line Humphrey Blake whose will was probated in 1559 at Over Stowey. Robert was buried 15 Oct 1592 at Bridgewater and Margaret left her will which was probated 7 Nov 1600 and a transcription appears in an earlier blog (http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/04/will-of-margaret-blake-wife-of-robert.html). Humphrey had one brother William and one sister Anstice who lived to adulthood. He was also the father of Lord High Admiral Robert Blake who, although he served under the Commonwealth (Oliver Cromwell), is still considered to be one of England's greatest Admirals. At the time of the Restoration of King Charles II he was not to receive such high consideration he has returned to his place of honour amongst the great heroes of England.
His wife was Sara Williams (widow, first husband was (unknown) Smithers) and they lived at Bridgwater. Their home is now preserved as a Museum to the great Admiral Blake. They had nine children still living at the time of writing: Robert, Humphrey, William, George, Nicholas, Samuel, Benjamin, Bridgett and Alexander. George is not mentioned in the will which is surprising perhaps. However, George was in the Navy already and living in Plymouth (Devon) possibly he married without consent. However his brothers do remember his children in their wills. Humphrey and Sarah had twelve children in total (1st George and 1st Benjamin died as infants, Edward perhaps died before his father's will) but eight of the nine children are mentioned as adults in the will of Humphrey Blake below.
yDNA studies will tell us so much about the Blake families that I encourage everyone who is interested in discovering more about their deep ancestry in the Blake line to join the Blake yDNA study at FT DNA:
http://www.familytreedna.com/group-join.aspx?code=A70410&Group=Blake
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 24 Apr 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB11/148, Image Reference 426/359 (images by me)
Name of testator: Humphrey Blake
Place: Bridgwater, Somerset, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: undated, probated 4 Feb 1626
Read: Electronic file
Condition: smudges, cramped writing, 17th century, bold copy
[In margin] T Humphrey
[In margin] Blake
1 In the name of God Amen I Humffery Blake
2 of Bridgwater within the dioces of Bathe and Welles beinge at the writinge hereof in
3 good health and perfecte memorie I praise god for it doe make and ordaine this my last
4 will and testament written with myne owne hande as followeth Revokinge all former wills
5 by me at anie tyme heretofore made And first I bequeath my soule unto Allmightie god
6 confidentlie beleevinge that through his aboundant mercyes and the merritts of Christ Jesus
7 my Redeemer and Saviour all my sinns to be freelie pardoned and washed awaie in his most precious
8 Bloudsheddinge, and to be covered with his most perfect Robe of righteoussnes in the great daie of his
9 appearance, when and ever I trust through his unspeakable mercyes to have my por[t]ion of full blisse
10 with his Ellect ones in the Celestiall Jerusalem My bodie I bequeath to the Earth whence it came
11 Item I give to the Cathedrall Church of Wells Five shillinges Item I give to the Church of Bridgwater
12 Fortie shillinges and to the Church of Pawlett twentie shillings Item I give to the poore of Bridgwater
13 Five poundes to be destributed unto them by the discre[t]ion of my Overseers hereafter named and Executors Item
14 I give and grannte unto my sonne Robert and his heires All that my mannor and Lordshipp of Puryton and
15 Crandon with all the landes Tenements Messuages Arrable meadow and Pasture thereonto belonginge with
16 the appurtenances in the Countie of Som[m]ersett Also one double guilt silver Salt, two silver beere Bowles, two
17 silver Wyne Bowles and one dozen of silver spoones with Lions heads Item I give unto my sonne Humffrey
18 One hundreth poundes to be paide unto him iwthin one yeare next after my decease Item I give unto my sonne
19 William one Chattell Lease of Fouer and twentie Acres or thereaboute ofe Land Meadowe and pasture w[hi]ch
20 I hould of the landes of Mr Lottisham in Puriton aforesaide and hun[n]spill togeather with all my estate terme
21 of yeares and interrest I have therin towardes his Educa[ti]on and defrayinge his charges in Oxenford, The
22 Lease thereof fourthwith to be delivered unto him, And Fortie poundes within one yeare next after my decease
23 Item I give unto my sonne Nicholas one hundreth poundes to be bestowed on him for his better Educa[t]ion
24 within twoe yeares next after my decease Item I give unto my sonne Samuell twentie poundes to bestowe in
25 cattell or Sheepe Item I give unto my sonne Beniamyne One hundreth poundes to be imployed for him
26 within three yeares next after my decease And alsoe those twentie and one yeares which I have in Rever[c]ion ofe
27 Symon Venicom in Nyne Acres of Meadowe and pasture within the Mannor ofe Hampe neere Bridgwater
28 aforesaide Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Bridgett two hundreth poundes, one silver partt guilt
29 Beaker halfe a dozen ofe silver spoones and one double guilt Wine bowle Item I give unto my sonne Hummfrey
30 my silver Tankerd double guilt and to my sonne William one Silver Wyne Bowle and fouer silver spoones
31 Item I give and gran[n]te unto my sonnes Robert and Humffrey and to theire heires for ever my dwellinge house
32 and the Garden thereonto belonginge with the appurtenances Neverthelesse my Will is that Sara my
[page 2]
33 Wiefe shall have her dwellinge and aboade in parte of the saide house and use of parte of the saide Garden
34 duringe onelie her widdowho[o]d and noe longer Item I give and bequeath unto my son Alexander One hundreth
35 poundes to be imployed for his best benefitt within two Yeares next after my decease Item I give unto Mr George
36 Wotton Clarke twentie shillinges. The residue of all my goodes and Chattells not herein before given and
37 bequeathed my debts funeralls and legacyes discharged I give and bequeath unto Sara my wief and Humfrey
38 my sonne whom I make my Executors of this my last Will and Testament Humffrey Blake [signed] Sealed and
39 declared in the presence of George Wotton Clarke, George Graye.
As I move more and more into one name studies my other lines are slowly receding in importance in my mind although when I see a reference to one of those surnames my interest does perk up but I was spending a lot of hours working on some of these lines where no work has been done before. I have in many cases taken the family lines back several generations and will now let someone else run with the effort of uncovering more information which generally involves visiting the individual record centres. I have discovered when it is your personal surname then there is more incentive to following it back as far as possible :) .
Humphrey Blake of Bridgwater whose will was probated 4 Feb 1626 was the son of Robert Blake and Margaret Symonds and hence traces back to the progenitor of this Blake line Humphrey Blake whose will was probated in 1559 at Over Stowey. Robert was buried 15 Oct 1592 at Bridgewater and Margaret left her will which was probated 7 Nov 1600 and a transcription appears in an earlier blog (http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/04/will-of-margaret-blake-wife-of-robert.html). Humphrey had one brother William and one sister Anstice who lived to adulthood. He was also the father of Lord High Admiral Robert Blake who, although he served under the Commonwealth (Oliver Cromwell), is still considered to be one of England's greatest Admirals. At the time of the Restoration of King Charles II he was not to receive such high consideration he has returned to his place of honour amongst the great heroes of England.
His wife was Sara Williams (widow, first husband was (unknown) Smithers) and they lived at Bridgwater. Their home is now preserved as a Museum to the great Admiral Blake. They had nine children still living at the time of writing: Robert, Humphrey, William, George, Nicholas, Samuel, Benjamin, Bridgett and Alexander. George is not mentioned in the will which is surprising perhaps. However, George was in the Navy already and living in Plymouth (Devon) possibly he married without consent. However his brothers do remember his children in their wills. Humphrey and Sarah had twelve children in total (1st George and 1st Benjamin died as infants, Edward perhaps died before his father's will) but eight of the nine children are mentioned as adults in the will of Humphrey Blake below.
yDNA studies will tell us so much about the Blake families that I encourage everyone who is interested in discovering more about their deep ancestry in the Blake line to join the Blake yDNA study at FT DNA:
http://www.familytreedna.com/group-join.aspx?code=A70410&Group=Blake
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 24 Apr 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB11/148, Image Reference 426/359 (images by me)
Name of testator: Humphrey Blake
Place: Bridgwater, Somerset, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: undated, probated 4 Feb 1626
Read: Electronic file
Condition: smudges, cramped writing, 17th century, bold copy
[In margin] T Humphrey
[In margin] Blake
1 In the name of God Amen I Humffery Blake
2 of Bridgwater within the dioces of Bathe and Welles beinge at the writinge hereof in
3 good health and perfecte memorie I praise god for it doe make and ordaine this my last
4 will and testament written with myne owne hande as followeth Revokinge all former wills
5 by me at anie tyme heretofore made And first I bequeath my soule unto Allmightie god
6 confidentlie beleevinge that through his aboundant mercyes and the merritts of Christ Jesus
7 my Redeemer and Saviour all my sinns to be freelie pardoned and washed awaie in his most precious
8 Bloudsheddinge, and to be covered with his most perfect Robe of righteoussnes in the great daie of his
9 appearance, when and ever I trust through his unspeakable mercyes to have my por[t]ion of full blisse
10 with his Ellect ones in the Celestiall Jerusalem My bodie I bequeath to the Earth whence it came
11 Item I give to the Cathedrall Church of Wells Five shillinges Item I give to the Church of Bridgwater
12 Fortie shillinges and to the Church of Pawlett twentie shillings Item I give to the poore of Bridgwater
13 Five poundes to be destributed unto them by the discre[t]ion of my Overseers hereafter named and Executors Item
14 I give and grannte unto my sonne Robert and his heires All that my mannor and Lordshipp of Puryton and
15 Crandon with all the landes Tenements Messuages Arrable meadow and Pasture thereonto belonginge with
16 the appurtenances in the Countie of Som[m]ersett Also one double guilt silver Salt, two silver beere Bowles, two
17 silver Wyne Bowles and one dozen of silver spoones with Lions heads Item I give unto my sonne Humffrey
18 One hundreth poundes to be paide unto him iwthin one yeare next after my decease Item I give unto my sonne
19 William one Chattell Lease of Fouer and twentie Acres or thereaboute ofe Land Meadowe and pasture w[hi]ch
20 I hould of the landes of Mr Lottisham in Puriton aforesaide and hun[n]spill togeather with all my estate terme
21 of yeares and interrest I have therin towardes his Educa[ti]on and defrayinge his charges in Ox
22 Lease thereof fourthwith to be delivered unto him, And Fortie poundes within one yeare next after my decease
23 Item I give unto my sonne Nicholas one hundreth poundes to be bestowed on him for his better Educa[t]ion
24 within twoe yeares next after my decease Item I give unto my sonne Samuell twentie poundes to bestowe in
25 cattell or Sheepe Item I give unto my sonne Beniamyne One hundreth poundes to be imployed for him
26 within three yeares next after my decease And alsoe those twentie and one yeares which I have in Rever[c]ion ofe
27 Symon Venicom in Nyne Acres of Meadowe and pasture within the Mannor ofe Hampe neere Bridgwater
28 aforesaide Item I give and bequeath unto my daughter Bridgett two hundreth poundes, one silver partt guilt
29 Beaker halfe a dozen ofe silver spoones and one double guilt Wine bowle Item I give unto my sonne Hummfrey
30 my silver Tankerd double guilt and to my sonne William one Silver Wyne Bowle and fouer silver spoones
31 Item I give and gran[n]te unto my sonnes Robert and Humffrey and to theire heires for ever my dwellinge house
32 and the Garden thereonto belonginge with the appurtenances Neverthelesse my Will is that Sara my
[page 2]
33 Wiefe shall have her dwellinge and aboade in parte of the saide house and use of parte of the saide Garden
34 duringe onelie her widdowho[o]d and noe longer Item I give and bequeath unto my son Alexander One hundreth
35 poundes to be imployed for his best benefitt within two Yeares next after my decease Item I give unto Mr George
36 Wotton Clarke twentie shillinges. The residue of all my goodes and Chattells not herein before given and
37 bequeathed my debts funeralls and legacyes discharged I give and bequeath unto Sara my wief and Humfrey
38 my sonne whom I make my Executors of this my last Will and Testament Humffrey Blake [signed] Sealed and
39 declared in the presence of George Wotton Clarke, George Graye.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Will of Robert Blake, merchant at Bridgwater, National Archives PROB 11/80, Image reference 302/269, probated 26 Oct 1592
This is the will of Robert Blake son of Humphrey Blake (will probated 1559) and it is a non-cupative will. This is a known line in Somerset although the parentage of Humphrey is in doubt but my suspicion is that this Humphrey is a son of John Blake who is descendant of the Wiltshire Blake family. yDNA studies could prove that connection once we have individuals with a clear paper trail back to the Wiltshire Blake family and to Humphrey. Certainly there are known descendants of Humphrey although none have tested to my knowledge in the yDNA Blake group at FT DNA.
Mary Mason in her webpages http://www.portbury-hundred.co.uk/ has done extensive work on the Blake family (her own lines in particular) of Somerset. She also has a lot of information on her particular area of North Somerset which are most interesting.
I would love to have a copy of the Blake family tree at the Blake Museum at Bridgwater and will pursue acquiring that particular item. It does support the chart at the Swindon and Wiltshire Record office at least down to where the Blake line branches into Somerset and at that point there is some disagreement if the online published versions are correct on individual websites.
I am also building up entries in the Probate Index for the Guild of one name studies and have already submitted an excel file of over 540 line entries which includes only a small number of the wills that I have transcribed thus far. I continue to work on this particular resource and am up to over 350 line entries once again. I will submit as soon as I reach 500 lines of excel. I expect I will have several thousand lines by the time I have worked through all of my wills which I hope to do this year. We plan another trip to Kew next year and I will be photographing another whole set of Blake wills. There are 778 wills at the National Archives in total between the years 1487 and 1847. I have probably photographed about 200 of them thus far. But there are also many many wills in the Registry offices of the many counties of England where Blake members lived. At Hampshire alone there are 341 wills between 1510 and 1858. Wiltshire has 207 between 1538 and 1860. Somerset and Devon lost their originals in the bombing of Exeter during WWII but the indexes 1812 to 1858 show 9 wills at Somerset Record Office and abstracts/indexes I need to extract this number from Rev Frederick Brown's work and that of Sir Mervyn Medlycott both of which I have on fiche and have extracted Brown's abstracts already in an earlier blog. For Devon the Blake wills can be found on the Devon Genuki website from the various indexes available there and in total there are 226 but there are duplicates. I will gradually sift through all of those entries as I have a little information on the Blake family of Devon from my working on the parish records in the South Molton area. The task is enormous and that is just England. There is still Scotland, Wales and Ireland to look at for early wills and then Canada , the United States, Australia, South Africa and India. This will be an ongoing project to the end of my days but I shall archive everything that I have done with the Guild for another researcher to pick up some day in the future.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 22 Apr 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/80, Image Reference 302/269 (images by me)
Name of testator: Robert Blake, Merchant
Place: Bridgwater, Somerset, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 11 Oct 1592, probated 26 Oct 1592
Read: Electronic file
Condition: smudges, 16th century, bold copy
[In margin] T Roberti
[In margin] Blake
1 In the name of god amen The will nuncupative of Robert Blake of
2 Bridgewater in the countie of Somersett merchant made the eleventhe daie
3 of October in the yeere of our lorde god one thousande five hundred ninetie and twoe
4 beinge sicke of bodie But of perfecte memorie as followethe viz [a vit] Beinge demanded
5 of Richarde Hodges in what manner he would dispose his landes and goodes he
6 answered in manner and forme followinge viz [a vit] Willi[a]m Blake my sonn shall
7 have my lands at Tuxwell in Radlett: Humphrie my sonn shall have my land
8 at Puriton and Crandon and Humphrey my sonn is and shal[l ]be my Executor
9 Witnesses Richarde Hodges, Leonarde Crosse and others
Mary Mason in her webpages http://www.portbury-hundred.co.uk/ has done extensive work on the Blake family (her own lines in particular) of Somerset. She also has a lot of information on her particular area of North Somerset which are most interesting.
I would love to have a copy of the Blake family tree at the Blake Museum at Bridgwater and will pursue acquiring that particular item. It does support the chart at the Swindon and Wiltshire Record office at least down to where the Blake line branches into Somerset and at that point there is some disagreement if the online published versions are correct on individual websites.
I am also building up entries in the Probate Index for the Guild of one name studies and have already submitted an excel file of over 540 line entries which includes only a small number of the wills that I have transcribed thus far. I continue to work on this particular resource and am up to over 350 line entries once again. I will submit as soon as I reach 500 lines of excel. I expect I will have several thousand lines by the time I have worked through all of my wills which I hope to do this year. We plan another trip to Kew next year and I will be photographing another whole set of Blake wills. There are 778 wills at the National Archives in total between the years 1487 and 1847. I have probably photographed about 200 of them thus far. But there are also many many wills in the Registry offices of the many counties of England where Blake members lived. At Hampshire alone there are 341 wills between 1510 and 1858. Wiltshire has 207 between 1538 and 1860. Somerset and Devon lost their originals in the bombing of Exeter during WWII but the indexes 1812 to 1858 show 9 wills at Somerset Record Office and abstracts/indexes I need to extract this number from Rev Frederick Brown's work and that of Sir Mervyn Medlycott both of which I have on fiche and have extracted Brown's abstracts already in an earlier blog. For Devon the Blake wills can be found on the Devon Genuki website from the various indexes available there and in total there are 226 but there are duplicates. I will gradually sift through all of those entries as I have a little information on the Blake family of Devon from my working on the parish records in the South Molton area. The task is enormous and that is just England. There is still Scotland, Wales and Ireland to look at for early wills and then Canada , the United States, Australia, South Africa and India. This will be an ongoing project to the end of my days but I shall archive everything that I have done with the Guild for another researcher to pick up some day in the future.
Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 22 Apr 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/80, Image Reference 302/269 (images by me)
Name of testator: Robert Blake, Merchant
Place: Bridgwater, Somerset, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 11 Oct 1592, probated 26 Oct 1592
Read: Electronic file
Condition: smudges, 16th century, bold copy
[In margin] T Roberti
[In margin] Blake
1 In the name of god amen The will nuncupative of Robert Blake of
2 Bridgewater in the countie of Somersett merchant made the eleventhe daie
3 of October in the yeere of our lorde god one thousande five hundred ninetie and twoe
4 beinge sicke of bodie But of perfecte memorie as followethe viz [a vit] Beinge demanded
5 of Richarde Hodges in what manner he would dispose his landes and goodes he
6 answered in manner and forme followinge viz [a vit] Willi[a]m Blake my sonn shall
7 have my lands at Tuxwell in Radlett: Humphrie my sonn shall have my land
8 at Puriton and Crandon and Humphrey my sonn is and shal[l ]be my Executor
9 Witnesses Richarde Hodges, Leonarde Crosse and others
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)