Sunday, November 18, 2012

Will of John Blake, mariner of Stepney, Middlesex - The National Archives PROB 11/301/373, probated 4 Sep 1660

John Blake mariner probably being nursed by Elizabeth Aldridge the wife of John Aldridge also a mariner. No ideas on this John Blake and which Blake family he might belong to. Below I find the marriage in 1647 of Peeter Blake of Lymehouse mariner and Elizabeth Aleredge. This is just 13 years before this will and I am left to wonder if Peter is related to John or whether this is just a coincidence. There are actually two interesting marriage in London in this time period: John Aldridge married Elizabeth Vincent 7 Apr 1657 at Saint Margaret Westminster (M00160-1 Family Search) and John Eldridg married Elizabeth Wyvan 15 Dec 1657 at Saint Peter Pauls Wharf, London (M00137-1 Family Search). There is a John Aldridge baptized 2 Mar 1639 the son of John and Mary Aldridge at Saint Dustan, Stepney (C055760-5 Family Search).

Searching online I found the Marriage Registers for St Dunstan's Stepney and did a search for Blake edited by Thomas Colyer-Fergusson, Volume II, 1640 - 1696, Canterbury: Cross and Jackman, printers, 1899:

27 Dec 1642 George Story of Waping Smith and Elizabeth Blake, M
13 Feb 1642/43 Richard Bates of Brooke street Taylor and Mary Blake, M
18 Jan 1647/48 Peeter Blake of Lymehouse maryner and Elizabeth Aleredge, W
16 Nov 1650 John Blake of Whitehorstreet Victualler and Alice Smith of old streete, W
8 Mar 1658/59 Nicholas Harris of Shadwell Marriner and Patience Blake, M
15 Sep 1659 Peeter Nicholls of Ratcliff Marriner and Margrett Blake, M
22 Oct 1671 John Mack[intyre] of Prusans Island Waterman and Rebeka Blake, M, L.B.L.
9 Jan 1672/73 William Hardeing of Wapping Mariner and Elizabeth Blake, M
9 Nov 1675 Francis Blake of Spittlefields Mason and Magdalene Dering, M
6 Apr 1684 John Bartrum of Spittlefields Tayler and Mary Blake, S
20 May 1689 John Nicks of Wapping Bricklayer and Mary Blake of Rotherhithe in Surrey, S
20 Oct 1692 Edmund Haregate of Wapping Cordwainer and Jane Blake, W
22 Dec 1696 John Blake of St Paul Shadwell Mariner and Elizabeth Valentine of Wapping, W

I couldn't find a legend for the following letters but assume W is widow, LBL is Licence Bishop of London, S is spinster but no ideas on M yet.

The preface is interesting and I quote in part :

"In this volume the influence of the French immigration will be clearly seen by the increase of foreign names, and the growth of the parish is shown by the large number of marriages in each year.

There are numerous entries relating to the old seafaring families of Stepney, and amongst these the marriage on 23rd Feb., 1691, of Stephen Martin, the brother in law of Admiral Sir John Leake, to whom as his epitaph has it in the churchyard, "he was still more closely united by the strictest acquaintance, having been his Captain and share the same common Dangers in 20 years Wars." "

Transcriber: Elizabeth Kipp
Recorded:  16 Nov 2012
Source: The National Archives PROB 11/301/373
Testator: John Blake, mariner of Stepney
Place: Middlesex, England
Type of Record: Will
Dated: 28 Aug 1660, probated 4 Sep 1660
Read: Electronic copy images
Condition: middle English writing legible, copy clear

[Margin] T[estament] Johannis
[Margin]: Blake

1    In the name of God Amen I John Blake of
2    of Foxes Lane in the parish of Stevonheath alias Stepney in the Countie of
3    Midd[lese]x Marriner being sicke and weake of body but I thanke the Lord of per-
4    fect sense and memorie have thought it good to make frame and confirme this
5    my last will and testament in manner and forme following That is to say Im-
6    primis I commit my body to the earth out of which it had its beeing and from
7    whence through Christes death and passion and by noe other meanes or merritts
8    I have and am fully persuaded amongst the electe children of god to have a ioy-
9    full glad and glorious Resurrection my soule I commend into the hands of almigh-
10    tie god my maker and Redeemer And as touching that wages Chests clothes
11    and other estate which withall it hath pleased the Lord already to endowe mee
12    blesse mee or which at the tyme of my decease shall befound belonging due and
13    payable unto me my funerall Expences being first of all deducted and paid
14    and my debts discharged The residue thereof with every parte and parcell
15    thereof I doe fully and freely give and bequeath unto my very good friends
16    Elizabeth Aldridge the wife of John Aldridge of Foxes lane aforesaid Mar-
17    riner and to her heires and assignes for ever, And her doe I make and ordaine
18    to be the whole and sole executrix of this my last will and testament In wit-
19    nes whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seale dated the twentie eighth
20    daye of August Anno domini 1660 Annoqs R[egi]s Carolij secundj Angliae
21    etc decimo secundo John Blake his marke Signed sealed and delivered in
22    the presence of us John Morgan SCR Dorothie Cozar Margarett Bickly
23    her marke

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