Page 39 - ‘A Blaker Family History’ The family history of Joseph Blaker (1916-2007; ‘Joe’)
P. 39

© The Blaker Society
    © The Blaker Society





                   On 11 March 1698, Administration to the estate of Dorothy Blaker was granted
                   in the Archdeaconry Court in Lewes to her ‘eldest son’, Richard Blaker, who was
                   described as a ‘Carpenter’. These letters of Administration suggest that Richard
                   had siblings that have been lost from the surviving records. Dorothy’s inventory
                   was valued at £59-16s-9d. – not a fortune!

                   6.12 Richard Blaker (1677-1755): Son of Richard Blaker (1643-1696) and

                   Dorothy Beckley (1644-1698)
                   Born: 1677, Bolney, Sussex
                   Christened: 1 July 1677, St. Mary Magdelene, Bolney, Sussex
                   Married: 16 January 1700, at the age of 22 years, married Jane Jeffrey ; St. John
                   the Baptist, Clayton, Sussex
                   Died: June 1755, aged 77 years
                   Buried: 9 June 1755, St. Mary Magdelene, Bolney, Sussex

                   Richard was the sole child born to Richard Blaker (1643-1696) and Dorothy
                   Beckley (1653-1698). In the baptismal record he was registered as ‘Blacker’.

                   Relatively little is known about Richard’s early life. He was a ‘Carpenter’ by trade,
                   and appears to have been closely involved with his local Anglican church – St.
                   Mary Magdelene. At the age of 22 years, Richard married Jane Jeffrey. By that
                   time, both of Richard’s parents were dead.

                   6.12.1 Jane Jeffrey (1680-1768)
                   Born: 1680, Clayton, Sussex
                   Married: 16 January 1700, at the age of 20 years, married Richard Blaker; St.
                   John the Baptist, Clayton, Sussex
                   Died: 10 January 1768, aged 88 years; Bolney, Sussex
                   Buried: 17 January 1768, St. Mary Magdelene, Bolney, Sussex

                    Jane’s father, Thomas Jeffrey worked as a ‘Yeoman’ and was an elder of St. Mary
                   Magdelene church, Bolney, Sussex. Thomas died in 1708 and his will was proven
                   in Lewes, Sussex on 24 March 1708. The will refers to his daughter, Jane Blaker.

                   Jane and Richard were married in Clayton, Sussex, a small village some 15km
                   south east of Bolney. It is presumed that Jane was living in Clayton before her
                   marriage.

                   6.12.2 Richard  Blaker and Jane Jeffrey
                   After their marriage, Richard and Jane lived in Bolney. Richard and Jane had 9
                   children, all of whom were born in Bolney, Sussex:
                                 •       Richard: b. 1701
                                 •       Thomas: b. 1704
                                 •       John: b. 1705
                                 •       James: b. 1708
                                 •       James: b. 1711
                                 •       Mary: b. 1713
                                 •       William: b. 1717
                                 •       Henry: b. 1721
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