Clearing snow and looking at the Wiltshire Wills

Snow all plowed by the company and I cleared the patio and porch. There was a lot of snow - perhaps the full 40 centimetres. Earthquakes in California - strange time of year for earthquakes. I wonder why there are so many. No damage or injuries reported fortunately.

Continuing with South Newton which I rather think is likely the Calne Blake family moving out from Calne to the south.  

South Newton (19 miles WSW of Andover, 30 miles S of Calne).

The Blake family at South Newton continues from the 1500s  to the present. A freehold in Stoford (close to South Newton) was purchased by Henry Blake (between 1693 and 1704) and in 1704 Henry passed it to John Blake and John sold it in 1720 (British History Online). Could this be the Calne Blake family? Certainly Henry was a forename in the Blake family of Calne at the time of the destruction of the family home at Pinhills in 1643. But there were Blakes at South Newton in the 1500s. 

Thomas Blake, 1550, Stofford, South Newton (wife Alice Blake 1566)  This couple had a son William Blake with a son John Blake mentioned in the will of Alice 1566 and a daughter Miriam also mentioned. Thomas in his will mentions children: William, Robert, Johane, John and Maryan. 

John Blake, 1545, Stowford, South Newton, wife is Edithe father of Thomas, the son of Thomas is Robert, father of John (has a number of grandchildren). 

John Blake, 1554, South Newton, children mentioned: daughters:Margery, Elisabeth, Alys, Christian, Maryan, sons: Walter, Gylys, William, Edward, Robert. Wife is Edythe (second wife, she has children as well not mentioned by name). He does not appear to be at Stowford/Stofford although he is a husbandman.

John Blake, 1572, Stoweford, South Newton (wool merchant). children mention: son: John, William, Thomas, daughter Johan, Alyce, granddaughter Grace (daughter: Johan deceased). 

 In that four of these Blake families are living in the same estate area, one might conjecture that they are related and Stoford is a freehold with more information on a purchase there in the latter part of the 1600s/early 1700s. They do not however, mention each other particularly in their wills. They could be all related when one remembers that first cousins are close; second cousins are kin but beyond that there is not much relationship in these days for the most part.

Warminster (22 miles SWS of Calne) Two distinct Blake families at Warminster. One is likely descendant of the Calne Blake family but one could not say that the other isn't related for the same reason as above. 

Thomas Blake, 1584 (brother to a William Blake no will located), Thomas has just one child over 21, namely John, with Edward, Barbara and Edith all under 21.

 William Blake, 1538, Warminster, married to Syssley, sons Harry, Stephyn, Thomas, Nycholas and John, daughters Elizabeth, Agnes. This family of Blake I think is descendant of the Blake family of Calne. Similar forenames and they own land. This is the oldest will of the group of Blake wills in Wiltshire that I downloaded and transcribed maybe 10 years ago (they ranged from 1538 into the early 1700s). 

Stephan Blake 1564 (brothers Nicholas and John mentioned, no wills located, son of William Blake 1538). This is likely given the siblings mentioned. The forenames are common in the Calne Blake family). So you can see the movement southward and it is tempting to see this as moving out from Windsor into the various parts of the country. 

West Lavington (14 miles S of Calne, 10 miles E Warminster)

Thomas Blake 1573 (brothers Robert Blake and John Blake, a Robert Blake is mentioned in one of the Warminster wills).  Thomas is a merchant (brother John is at Earlestoke close by). This will is a jewel as it mentions so many local names in this time frame (owed money to Thomas). Both John and Robert have children and he does not. 

Erlestoke (3 miles E of West Lavington, 15 miles S Calne, 9 miles NE of Warminster)

John Blake 1574, Erlestoke (brothers Robert and John (not unusual in the Blake family to have a John Blake the elder and John Blake the younger). He only mentions daughters so male line daughtered out. 

Deverill Longbridge ( 3 miles S of Warminster)

John Blake 1538, Deverill Longbridge (he mentions three sons Thomas, William and John and three daughters Alice, Margaret and Philip). He is a clothier. He does not mention siblings although a contemporary to William at Warminster who left his will in 1538.

Platyford (now in Hampshire near Southampton and 13 miles SE of Salisbury, 46 miles SSE of Calne, 33 miles SE Warminster) 

Richard Blake 1572, Plaitford/Platyford (Husbandman, son Thomas and daughter Aldyce). Interesting as in correspondence with a possible Blake descendant of the Calne Blake family (could not at that persuade him to test) he hinted at the idea that the Calne Blake family had moved both westward into Gloucestershire and southward towards the New Forest area.

Thomas Blake, 1565, Playtford (Hsubandman, father of Richard 1572). He mentions sons Richard and John, daughter John and Elizabeth. Also mentions siblings Nycholas, Robert and Edith. A reminder of the Blake family at Warminster in particular the will of William 1538. This does seem like the Calne Blake family again as they moved south towards the New Forest area. 

That completes the Blake wills from the 1500s in Wiltshire. I will look at Hampshire today more out of curiosity as at the time of transcribing wills in Hampshire I did not necessarily record any thoughts on siblings mentioned in the will with regard to kinship. I want to check that. Since I did recall ten years ago my grandfather's thoughts on the family lore of ancient relationship to the Calne Blake family although far more on the very ancient relationship that his Blake line had with Andover area. Perhaps even back then he was more attached to the idea of being ancient British than Norman. Certainly my brother found that very interesting and did recall our grandfather expressing his opinion on the long period of time that his family had been in the Andover area. Grandpa was both a proud Canadian and a proud Englishman (and they can be compatible especially if you are born in England). I think it was interesting that on his death certificate it said Canadian (this was in 1953 so just six years after Canadian citizenship was created by Statue).

Interesting, looking at the painting today I can see these small plants (probably 15 to 20 cm tall) under the trees have ice clinging to their branches and obviously not flat against the tree. I couldn't differentiate the little plants before but the extra is I would  not have seen the gap behind them where they stand in front of the large tree. Amazing really, I do understand now why people sit and look at pictures for hours now although I do not plan to do that. 

Will of Thomas Blake of West Lavington - SWRO P1/1 Reg/28A, probated 26 Feb 1573/74

An interesting will that perhaps a lot of people will find interesting as he must be a merchant of some kind and has provided a list of those who owe money to him and living perhaps primarily in West Lavington. This Thomas Blake is brother to John Blake who left his will at Earlestoke (2.6 miles WNW of West Lavington) which was probated 26 Apr 1574:

http://kippeeb.blogspot.ca/2012/10/will-of-john-blake-of-erlestoke-yeoman.html

Needless to say I was most excited to find this will which links together the Earlestoke and the West Lavington Blake families. Both wills mention their mother Jone/Johane Blake (widow), both mention their sister Agnes and their brothers Robert and John. No distinction is made between the two John Blakes in this family. He has a godson Thomas Dikes. Too bad he doesn't mention the names of his brothers' children.

There was a Robert Blake vicar of Winterborne Monkton from 1561 to 1583 from a plaque in the church: http://www.oodwooc.co.uk/ph_wm_v.htm .

I cannot find him in the Oxford or Cambridge Alumni Rolls nor is he in the Church of England Clergy database. Interesting that he is remembering him and Winterborne Monkton is 14 miles NNE of West Lavington. Perhaps more interestingly Winterborne Monkton is only 7 miles east of Calne Wiltshire. Do these families fit into the Blake family at Calne? Looking at the Pedigree Chart of the Blake family in this time frame we have Roger Blake married to Mary Baynard and Roger died in 1556 at the age of 57 years so born around 1500. His children and grandchildren are contemporary to this time period. He is known to have had a son Thomas who lived at Pynnells married to Edith Ivy, a son John who lived at Hilcot Wiltshire (no further information on his family although he did marry and Hilcot is nine miles north of Winterborne Monkton), a son Robert who lived at Calne but did marry Alice Smyth of Lacock (they had four children Roger, Anthony, Joane and Mary). There is another son claimed for this Roger Blake and Mary Baynard - William Blake married to Avis Ripley and they had several sons namely Peter Blake (Inner Temple did not marry), John married to Margaret Blake and this is not one of the Johns we are looking at), and William. More digging needs to be done in the records of this area particularly the manor records to see the Blake lines that are not on the Pedigree Chart or if not then discovering where these Blake families have their ancient ancestry. Manor Books are a tool I have not utilized a lot yet but do plan on getting into them after I complete my task with wills.

List of names owing money/goods to Thomas Blake from his will below

Thomas      Bacone       
John          Bayly       
John          Benet    of      Iscote (Eastcott perhaps)
Richard      Bonham       
Bengie          Brodbancke       
Phillip          Burse       
John          Chesmane       
William      Clerke      alias      Rogerson
Father          Comlin      of      Cheverell
Phillip          Comlin       
William      Cotterell       
Richard      Davis       
John          Eldrege       
Edmond      Everet       
Nicolas      Eves       
John          Filkines       
Margerye      Hake       
John          Heale       
Meram          Heskins       
Christofer      Heyns       
Henry          Hill       
Nicolas      Hookes       
Robert          Hoper       
John          Horner       
Richard      Horner       
John          Hudde       
John          Hudes    the      elder
Sir     John      Hule   
Robart          Killet       
John          Mathew      of      Iscote (Eastcott perhaps)
John          More       
Robart          Pears       
John          Pile       
William      Potter       
John          Pratte       
John          Renes       
John          Smith       
John          Specke       
Thomas      Stille       
Thomas      Uinderwod       

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded: 23 Oct 2012
Source:  Swindon and Wiltshire Record Office P1/1Reg/28A
Name of testator: Thomas Blake
Place: West Lavington, Wiltshire, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated:  probated 26 Feb 1574 
Read: Electronic file images
Condition: 16th century, middle English, legible  bold lettering
[top] Test[a]m[ent] Thome Blake de Lavington
[Margin] 28A

1    In the name of god Amen I Thomas Blake of Weste Lavington in the countie
2    of Wiltis beinge sike of bodye but of good and p[er]facte remembrance
3    thanks be geven to god do make and ordaine this my last will and
4    testament in manner and forme folowinge First and principallye
5    I geave and bequeath my soule to allmightie god my creature and
6    to Jesus Christ my savioure by whose deathe and passione I truste
7    to be savide and my bodye to be buried in the church yarde of weste
8    Lavingtone aforsayd Item I geave unto the church of west lavinton
9    aforesayd xij d Item I geave unto the poremens boxe ij s Item I
10    geave unto every one of my brother Robarte Blake his childrene
11    iij s iiij d Item I geave unto every one of my brother John his children
12    iij s iiij d Item I geave unto my mother Jone Blake a sake of malte
13    Item I geave unto Willia[m] dikes a sake of mault and al my weringe
14    aparell Item I geav unto my godsone Thomas Dikes iij s iiij d
15    Item I geav unto Sir Robart Blake vicare of winterborne monncton
16    the vi l xiij s iiij d w[hi]ch he doth owe unto me Item I geave all the
17    rest of my goodes moveable and unmoveable to my brother John
18    Blake of earle stocke and my sister agnis blake to be equally devided
19    betwixt them w[i]th all my dettes w[hi]ch shall remayne my owne dettes
20    and legacies discharged whom I do make and ordaine to be mine
21    executors of this my last will and testament I do make oversears
22    Mr. Chever and robart Flaver and I geav to eyther of them for
23    ther paynes iij s iiij d Debts owinge unto me Imprimis John Mathew
24    of Iscote oweth me xiiij s Item John benet of Iscote aforsaid owith
25    me one quarter of maulte Item John Pratte owith me ij s j d
26    Item margerye hake owith me iiij s xi d Item John Heale owithe
27    me xiiij d Item John Hudden owith me iiij s Item John Bayly
28    owith me xiij d Item Willia[m] potter owith me xj s iij d Item Robart
29    Killet a bushell of rye Item Meram Heskins iij d x d Item nicolas
30    hookes ij s iij d Item John smith halfe a bushell of wheat Item John
31    pile vj d Item willia[m] clerke otherwise canled Rogerson iij s vj d
32    Item John Hudde v s ij d Item Sir John Hule ij s Item thomas
33    bacone iiij s Item John hudes th[e ]elder xxj Item richard horner iiij d
34    Item willia[m] cotterell ij s Item henry hill vi s iiij d Item nicolas
35    eves ij s vj d Item John horner xxiij d Item John eldrege viij d
36    Item Robert hoper xij d Item John more iij s Item christofer
37    heyns xxiij d Item John Renes ij s ij d Item John specke ix s vi d
38    Item Robart pears vj s and a bushell of malte Item John chesmane ij s vi d
39    Item Thomas stille ij s iij d Item John filkines iiij s iiij d Item Richard
40    davis owith me vij d Item Thomas Underwod owith me iij s j d Item Richard
41    Bonham owith me vi d Item father comlin of cheverell vi d Item Phillip
42    comlin vj d Item bengie brodbancke ij s ij d Item Phillip burse xix s
43    Item Edmond everet x d Item Robart Blake viij s vij d
44    written in the p[re]sents of Richar dotshon vicar of lavinton John
45    saynsburye John Blacke and others