Page 31 - ‘A Blaker Family History’ The family history of Joseph Blaker (1916-2007; ‘Joe’)

© The Blaker Society
© The Blaker Society

Buried: 6 October 1610, Holy Trinity Church, Cuckfield, Sussex

6.5.2 Richard Blaker and Joanne Unknown
Richard and Joanne almost certainly lived in Cuckfield, or the surrounding area
of the Sussex Weald. They had 4 children, all of whom were born in Sussex:
• George: b. 1569
• Elizabeth: b. 1572
• Richard: b. 1574
• Edmund: b. 1576

The next record for Richard occurred in 1584 and details his rental of land from
the Manor of Cuckfield – ‘Richard Blaker held of the manor of Cuckfield a quadrant
of land called Amfryes, containing 25 ½ acres (i.e. 10 hectares) at the rent of 8 ¼d,
half a cock and six eggs, and also a cottage and ferlingate (i.e. 4 hectares) of land
called Blakers at the rent of 22d’. At the time of this record, the Manor of
Cuckfield was subdivided between: Henry, Earl of Derby; Philip, Earl of Arundel
and Lord Bergavenny. It is not known which nobleman owned the land plots that
Richard rented, or their precise location in the area of Cuckfield.

In the 1601 Lay Subsidy Roll of the Hundred of Cuckfield, Richard Blaker was
assessed in ‘Landes’ for 20s and paid 1s 4d. In 1614 and 1615, he was fined for
non-attendance at the Courts of the Hundred of Buttinghill, and, in 1618, was
involved in a Court dispute concerning a fine on lands in Bolney. In 1621, he was
assessed at Cuckfield to ‘the subsidies at 20s/ in lands’.

Richard died in 1623, and was buried in the churchyard at Holy Trinity Church,
Cuckfield. According to surviving records of his burial, Richard was described as
‘an old man’. It is not known when his wife, Joanne, died, nor where she was
buried.

No Will has been discovered for Richard. From surviving records, he appears to
have been a tenant farmer, who had scant regard for the authorities – he was
probably a ‘bad lad’!

6.6 Other Child of John Blaker (1525-1568) and Katheryne Unknown:
Elizabeth Blaker (c. 1549- ):
We have no information about Elizabeth, save for her mention in her father’s
Will dated 1567.

6.7 George Blaker (1569-1617): Son of Richard Blaker (1547-1623) and

Joanne Unknown ( -1610)
Born: c. 1569, Sussex
Married: 28 May 1604, aged c. 35 years, married Elizabeth Living; St. Peter’s
Church, Cowfold, Sussex
Died: April 1617, aged c. 48 years
Buried: 24 April 1617, St. Peter’s Church, Cowfold, Sussex

George was probably c. 35 years-old when he married Elizabeth Living.