Will of Margaret Blake, Widow, Liverpool, Lancashire - The National Archives, PROB 11/2181, probated 4 Dec 1853

Margaret Blake, the testator, was married to George Blake (will transcription published earlier today) but no marriage was found (Margaret’s maiden surname of Steele was found on Family Search with the baptism of James).

George and Margaret Blake baptized their children at Oldham Street Presbyterian, Liverpool (records from Family Search):

Isabella born 19 Jun 1814 and baptized 31 Jul 1814
George born 10 Feb 1816 and baptized 18 Apr 1816
James born 30 Jul 1818 and baptized Aug 1818
William Blake born 16 Jun 1823 and baptized 29 Jan 1824
Margaret born 22 Dec 1826 and baptized 10 Feb 1827
Matthew born 6 Mar 1829 and baptized 21 Apr 1829

Isabella Blake married Arthur Oughterson and her son George Blake Oughterson was born 22 Nov 1837 at Liverpool and baptized 21 Dec 1837 at Oldham Street Presbyterian, Liverpool.

Margaret Blake married Henry Torrens Browne Jun quarter 1846 in West Derby Registration District (Liverpool is in West Derby). Record located on Find My Past.

An online website for the Stewart family notes that: Anne [Stewart], ….. baptized 30 Mar 1820 at St Peter’s Liverpool was married 9 Sep 1841 (verified on Find My Past) at St Peter’s, Liverpool,  to James who was the second son of George Blake and his wife Margaret (Steele) Blake. James Blake was baptized Aug 1818 at Oldham Street Presbyterian Church, Liverpool and owned soap works in Great George Square, Liverpool, which was later incorporated into Lever Brothers. He died circa 1872 and she died 6 May 1911 having had issue.
This particular record appears under John Stewart but it is difficult to follow on the website (John Stewart named as a JP, architect and surveyor) (a John Stewart is one of the trustees in the will below). http://www.archerfamily.org.uk/family/stewart.htm

On Find My Past (Record set England Marriages 1538-1973) John Stewart is given as the father of Anne Stewart and George Blake as the father of James Blake. A second record in England Births and Baptisms 1538-1975 lists the baptism as 30 Mar 1820 at Liverpool for Anne daughter of John and Mary Anne Stewart.

The London Gazette, Part 2, 1847 on page 1509 notes: Richard Stevenson, Esq one of Her Majesty’s Commissioners authorized to act under a Fiat in Bankruptcy, bearing date the 31st day of December 1847, awarded and issued forth against George Blake and James Blake, of Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, and also of the city of Dublin, Soap Manufacturers, carrying on business under the firm of G. and J. Blake, will sit on the 27th day of June instant, at eleven in the forenoon precisely, at the District Court of Bankruptcy, in Liverpool, in order to make a Dividend of the estate and effects of George Blake, one of the said bankrupts; when and where the creditors, who have not already proved their debts, are to come prepared to prove the same, or they will be excluded the benefit of the said Dividend. (Google Book search)

Does this record point to a possible ancestry for Margaret Blake? Is she from Ireland originally (there is a soapworks attributed to her children (George and James Blake) in Dublin, Ireland)? There is a record in the 1841 census of Liverpool of a George Blake (independent) married to Margaret and with them James Blake (24 years) Merchant (born in Lancashire). Both George and Margaret are born in Ireland. They are living in Wavertree (District 9), Childwall, Lancashire. George is listed as 76 years of age and Margaret is 57 years of age on this census. Childwall is a suburb of Liverpool.

Margaret names her sisters in this will Isabella Mary Jessie Sarah and Jane so it could be possible to look at Irish records in Dublin but would be a rather time consuming task. Being interested only in the Blake line for the one name study I will pass on that one!

Using the new GRO Index for searching, the death of Margaret Blake December quarter 183 in Liverpool at the age of 63 years was located. Given her age of 57 years in 1841, 63 years of age in 1853 is quite reasonable and likely the census record above is correct for this Margaret Blake. It is also prior to the marriage of his son James who is living with them. However both Margaret, their daughter, and William and Matthew, their sons, are not with them on this census and are perhaps in school or visiting.


Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 16 Jan 2017
Source:  The National Archives, PROB 11/2181
Name of testator: Margaret Blake, widow
Place: Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated 14 Oct 1853, probated 4 Dec 1853

[In margin] Margaret Blake 12
[top of page] Extracted from the Public Episcopal Registry of Chester

1    This is the Last Will and Testament of
2    me Margaret Blake of Liverpool in the County of Lancaster widow I
3    first direct payment of my debts funeral and testamentary expences I bequeath
4    to each of my domestic servants Elizabeth Bruce and Elizabeth Rows the sum
5    of five pounds I bequeath to each of my sisters Isabella Mary Jessie Sarah
6    Jane and to my kind friends Mary Murray and Mary Raze an article of
7    Jewellery as a token of my remembrance I bequeath to my daughter Margaret
8    Brown the contents of my wardrobe and wearing Apparel all articles belonging to
9    my late daughter Isabella the remainder of my jewellery my Epergne the
10    looking glass in my drawing room and the Royal glass in my bedroom I
11    bequeath to my son George such of the Family portraits as he may desire and
12    direct that the remainder of them shall be at the disposal of my executor
13    also to my son George his late Father’s watch I bequeath to my daughter
14    in law Anne Blake my Silver Tea Urn and six Silver salt Cellars and to my
15    son James I give the following books Johnsons Works, Davis Dictionary
16    Illustrated work on Botany and the Illustrated Shakespeere I bequeath
17    to my son William my bookcase and my wardrobe my large sized Tea
18    Coffee Pots the remainder of my books the stock of Wines, Spirits and malt liquor
19    existing in my Wine Cellar and I confirm my gift to him during my life of
20    £400 and request him to accept it in lieu of a disposition in his favour by this
21    my Will I bequeath to my Grandson George Blake Oughterson the sum of
22    £100 one hundred pounds and direct that his receipt shall be a sufficient
23    discharge to my executor I direct that my bed linen Silver and plates
24    shall be divided equally between my children George James William and
25    Margaret and that with respect to those Sketches that are indivisible my
26    executor shall cause a valuation to be made of them and that anyone of
27    my Children shall have the opportunity of purchasing such Article at their
28    valuation and that the purchase money shall lapse into the residue of my
29    estate and I direct that should any of my children desire any Article of
30    furniture he or she may have the opportunity of obtaining it on this prin
31    ciple After these dispositions are effected I direct my executor to cause all
32    remaining Articles of furniture and property of every occupation to be sold
33    and converted into money all debts due to me to be seized the balance of
34    the legacy due to me under my late husbands Will to be received and to
35    make a final disposition of my property by dividing the sum appearing to
36    bring to my estate into four equal parts one fourth part is to be paid
37    to my son George, two such fourth parts are to be paid to my son James
38    Blake and one remaining fourth part to my daughter Margaret Browne
39    to be for her own sole use and disposal and free from the control of her husband
40    and the receipt of my daughter shall be a sufficient discharge to my executor
41    I nominate and appoint James Blake my son to be sole Executor of this
42    my Will which I make and publish this fourteenth October 1853
43    Margaret Blake In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and
44    seal the day and year above written in the presence of Hy T Brown
45    Bicker Liverpool Elizabeth Bruce
46    In the Consistory Court of Chester
47    In the Goods of Margaret Blake deceased
48    the twenty second day of November 1853
49    Appeared Personally Henry Torrens Browne
50    of Liverpool in the County of Lancaster Broker Elizabeth Bruce of No 23
51    Fleet Street Liverpool aforesaid Spinster and James Blake of Mount Plea
52    sant Liverpool aforesaid Son and Manufacturer and being sworn upon the
53    holy Gospels made oath as follows And first these deponents Henry Torrens
54    Browne and Elizabeth Bruce for themselves say that they are the subscribed
55    witnesses to the last Will and Testament of Margaret Blake late of Liverpool
56    aforesaid Widow deceased bearing date the fourteenth day of October 1853 and
57    hereto annexed that they were present on the said fourteenth day of October
58    and saw the said Margaret Blake deceased duly execute the same as and for
59    her last will and Testament by signing her name Margaret Blake at the
60    foot or end thereof as it now appears and these deponents did then in the
61    presence of the said Testatrix and each other set and subscribe their names
62    thereto as witnesses as they now appear And they further made oath that
63    having now carefully viewed the said will they are unable to depose whether
64    the words written on erazures in the seventh line from the top of the first
65    page of the said Will that is to say the words “Elizabeth” and “five” were
66    written or not previous to the execution thereof and this deponent James
67    Blake for himself saith that he is one of the executors appointed by the said
68    Will and the writer thereof and that the words “Elizabeth” and “five” written on
69    the erazures deposed to were so written by him previous to the execution of
70    the said Will exactly as they now appear and that no alteration whatever has
71    been made in the said Will since the execution thereof H T Browne
72    Elizabeth Bruce James Blake Sworn at Liverpool by the said Henry
73    Torrens Browne Elizabeth Bruce and James Blake the day and year aforesaid
74    Before me H Pollock Surrogate
75    On the twenty fifth day of November one thousand eight hundred and fifty
76    three the Will of Margaret Blake late of Liverpool in the County of Lancaster
77    Widow deceased was Proved at Chester in common form of Law by James
78    Blake the sole Executor of this my Will The right of every person being
79    saved and time allowed to exhibit an inventory H Raikes Registrar
80    Proved at London 4th December 1853 before the Judge by the Oath of
81    James Blake the son the sole Executor to whom Admon was granted having
82    been first sworn by Comon duly to Administer

Will of Martha Blake, Widow, Yealmpton, Devon - The National Archives PROB 11/288/221, probated 11 Feb 1659

Martha Blake the testator is the mother of Ferdinando, Samuel, Martha, Grace and Ann and wife of Ferdinando Blake the elder who will was probated 21 May 1646 and blogged by me earlier:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2013/06/will-of-ferdinando-blake-elder.html

Her maiden name was Berrie and they were married 21 Feb 1613 at Plympton Saint Mary. She also mentions her grandchildren John, Ferdinando, Mary, Honor, Ruth, Ann.

Probably there is only one wife Martha for Ferdinando with them having children from 1613/14 to 1642. Although it seems like a long spread of years a young marriage for both of them could see them in their late teens and by 1642 they would be in their late 40s. Given then Martha lived another 17 years beyond that it is quite plausible that all of the children mentioned are their children. Just to correct that thought of the earlier blog.

The grandchildren mentioned in this will include: John, Ferdinando, Mary, Honor, Ruth and Ann. Mentioned in the earlier blog was information on her grandson Ferdinando that he was born in 1651 and graduated from Oxford in 1669 and was the son of the testator’s son Ferdinando. It could be that Ferdinando the son married twice as his marriage to Ruth Bartlett was 28 Dec 1648 at Yealmpton. I do find a second marriage on Family Search for Fardinando Blake 17 Mar 1633 at Kingston Near Ivybridge, Devon to Agnes Barkley. There was one child at least born – Fordinando baptized 11 Jan 1634 at Modbury. However this is too early for the Ferdinando Blake son of Ferdinando Blake who graduated from Oxford in 1669.

Find My past does have the baptism of Martha’s husband Ferdinando Blake 15 Aug 1591 at Plymstock and the son of John Blake. This fits into the Visitation of Cornwall 1620 where Ferdinand was the second son of John Blake of Coombe married to Grace Cock. Coombe is 0.9 miles NW of Plymstock.

Always nice to have a will fit together with another one and this Blake line found in the Cornwall Visitation of 1620 with Ferdinand being mentioned as the 2nd son married to Martha Berry. John Blake was married to Grace Cock at the time but Ferdinand was the son of Mary Fortescue of Spurwaye. John was the son of John Blake of Comb and Stivolla Weeke daughter of John Weeke of Widicomb, Devon. This John was the son of John Blake of Comb and Elizabeth Lugar (daughter of Robert Lugar of Modbury). Determining the parents of this John would be most interesting. Time wise we know that Ferdinand was born around 1591 so his father John would have been mid 20s perhaps as Ferdinand was his second son and second marriage as he was first married to Elizabeth Slannig of Ley by whom he had at least two children. He could have been 30 years of age and that would put his date of birth circa 1560 with his father (he was the eldest son) being born perhaps around 1535 and then back another generation as again John was the eldest son taking us back to around 1510 which is, of course, prior to Parish Registers.

I have discussed the Blake families in Devon in the Parish Registers that I have but Coomb is in the south of Devon and my parish registers are for Northern Devon. This is prior to the Somerset Blake family at Plymouth. It is quite a mystery these Blake families and why is Blake in the Visitation of the County of Cornwall and not in Devon also produced in 1620?

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 30 Jul 2013
Source: The National Archives, PROB 11/288/221
Testator: Martha Blake, Widow
Place: Yealmpton, Devon, England
Type of Record: Will
Date of document: 21 Mar 1657, probated 11 Feb 1659
Condition: 17th century English, legible copy

[Margin]: Martha Blake

1    In the name of God Amen I Martha Blake of
2    the parish of Yealmpton in the County of Devon widdowe being
3    sicke of body but of Sound and perfect memory thankes be unto
4    Almighty God doe make and ordeyne this my last will and
5    testament in manner and forme following First I bequeath
6    my soule into the hands of Allmighty God my Creator who gave
7    it me through whose infinite mercy in and through the merits
8    of Jesus Christ my onely redeemer I hope to be saved And my
9    body I commit to the earth from whence it was taken there to
10    be laid in Christian burial Item I give devise and bequeath
11    unto Grace Blake my daughter all that one howse with the
12    appurten[an]cs lyeing and being such in the parish of St Trinitie in
13    Trinity Lane London in the ward of Queenehith London sometimes
14    nowe in the possession of John Rows deceased and now or late in the
15    possession of Thomas Morris his assignee or assignes, To have
16    and to hold all that the said howse with the appurten[an]cs and
o    every part and parcel thereof unto the said Grace Blake her
18    executors admin[istra]tors and assignes immediately from and after
19    my death and decease for and dureing the full tyme and terme of
20    fowerscore and nyneteene yeares from thence next following
21    fully to be complete and ended if she the said Grace Blake
22    Ann Blake and Martha Blake my daughters or any or either of
23    them
    [Page 2]
24    them doe or shall happen soe long to live Yeilding and paying
25    then therefore yearely unto the heires and assignes of me the said
26    Martha Blake Fower pence of lawfull money of England at the
27    fower most usuall dayes or tymes of payment in the yeare, that is
28    to say the Five and twentieth daie of March, the fowre and twentieth
29    day of June the nyne and twentieth day of September, and the five
30    and twentieth day of December by even and equall por[t]ions dureing
31    the said terme the first payment thereof to be made at the first daie
32    of the dayes aforesaid that shall first happen after my death and
33    decease Item I give devise and bequeath unto Ann Blake my
34    daughter all that my part purpertie and portion of all and every
35    those two howses two orchards and balse an Acre of ground belong-
36    ing thereunto and every parte and parcel thereof with the appur-
37    ten[an]cs lyeing and being in Wandsworth in the County of Surrey
38    sometimes in the occupa[t]ion of William Gerd and Marks Shrimpton
39    To have and to hold the same and every part and parcel thereof with
40    the appurten[an]cs unto the said Ann Blake her exe[cu]tors admin[istr]ators
41    and assignes immediately from and after my death and decease for
42    and dureing the full tyme and terme of fowerscore and nyneteene
43    yeares from thence next following fully to be complete and
44    ended if she the said Ann Blake Grace Blake and Martha Blake
45    my daughters or any or either of them doe or shall happen soe long
46    to live Yeilding and paying then therefore yearely unto the heires and
47    assignes of me the said Martha Blake Fower pence of lawfull money
48    of England at the fower most usuall dayes or tymes of payment in the
49    yeare, that is to say the five and twentieth day of March the fower and
50    twentieth daie of June, the nyne and twentieth day of September and
51    the five and twentieth day of December by even and equall por[t]ions dureing
52    the said terme the first payment thereof to be made at the next day of
53    the dayes aforesaid that shall first happen after my death and decease
54    Item I give devise and bequeath unto Martha Blake my daughter all
55    that one howse with the appurten[an]cs lyeing and being within the
56    parish of St Trinitie aforesaid sometimes in the occupa[t]ion of Edm[un]d
57    Herses and now or late in the occupa[t]ion of Hugh Holloway To have
58    and to hold all that the said howse with the appurten[an]cs unto the said
59    Martha Blake her executors admin[istr]ators and assignes immediately from
60    and after my death and decease, for and dureing the full tyme and terme
61    of fowerscore and nyneteene yeares from thence next following
62    fully to be complete and ended, if the said Martha Blake, Grace Blake
63    and Ann Blake my daughters or any or either of them doe or shall happen
64    soe long to live, Yeilding and paying then therefore yearely unto the
65    heires and assignes of me the said Martha Blake Fower pence of
66    lawfull money of England at the fower most usuall dayes or tymes
67    of payment in the yeare that is to say the five and twentieth day of
68    March the fowre and twentieth day of June, the nyne and twentieth
69    daie of September and the five and twentieth day of December by
70    equall por[t]ions dureing the said terme The first paym[en]t thereof to
71    be made at the next day of the dayes of payment aforesaid that shall
72    first happen after my death and decease, Item I give and bequeath
73    unto Ferdinando Blake my sonne Twenty shillings to be paid unto
74    him within six months next after my decease, Item I give and
75    bequeath unto Samuell Blake my sonne one bedsteed and featherbed
76    Performed
    [Page 3]
77    Performed now being in the Hall Chamber whereon the
78    said Samuell Blake to lye Item I give unto the said Samuell
79    my pound with all the tymber vessells that are in in the howse
80    thereunto belonging Item I give unto the said Samuell Blake all the tymber worke and vessels in the newehowse Item I give and bequeath unto John
81    Blake my Grandchild ten shillings Item I give unto Ferdinando
82    Blake my Grandchild Tenn shillings Item I give unto Mary Blake
83    my Grandchild Tenn shillings Item I give unto Honor Blake
84    my grandchild ten shillings Item I give unto Ruth Blake my
85    grandchild five shillings Item I give and bequeath unto Ann
86    Blake my grandchild five shillings Item I give unto Grace Blake
87    my daughter ten pounds Item I give unto Ann Blake my
88    daughter Tenn pounds the rest and residue of all my goods and
89    and Chattells not before given and disposed of I doe give and bequeath
90    unto Grace Blake, Ann Blake and Martha Blake my daughters
91    whom I doe make and ordeyne to be Executors of this my last will
92    and testament desireing them to performe as are orders to my intent
93    and true meaning herein as I trust they will doe, In Witness that
94    this is my last will and testament I have hereunto putt my hand
95    and seale the one and twentieth daie of March in the yeare of our Lord
96    God one thousand six hundred fiftie seaven the signe of the said
97    Martha Blake Sealed Signed and published by the said Martha
98    Blake to be her last will in the presence of us John Avent Thomas
99    Avent, the signe of Thomasine Rowse
100    This will was proved at London the Eleaventh daie
101    of February in the yeare One thowsand six hundred fifty eight
102    English Stile before the Judges for probate of wills and by the oaths
103    of Grace Blake, Ann Blake and Martha Blake the daughters
104    and Executors named in this will. To whom was Committed
104    administra[t]ion so They being first sworne by Commission truely to
106    administer of the said will being pronounced for by a definitive
107    sentence in that behalf read and promulgated