Thomas Blake III owned, lived in and had offices in properties in Queen St, St George Tombland. Owned other properties in St George Tombland. Attorney who dealt in property. William Jex Blake, his younger brother, also dealt in property and lived in Swanton Abbott.
1689 Thomas Blake I born in Scottow, Norfolk
1726 Thomas Blake II born in Scottow of Thomas Blake I and Elizabeth nee Jex
1735 Thomas Blake I dies in Scottow
1754 Thomas Blake II marries Judith Clarke in Swanton Abbott
1755 Thomas Blake III, son of Thomas Blake II and Judith nee Clarke, born in Scottow
1758 William Jex Blake born of Thomas Blake II and Judith nee Clarke in Swanton Abbott
1779 Thomas Blake II is appointed under sheriff
1780 Elizabeth Blake dies in Scottow
1780 August – an advertisement was placed by Thomas Blake senior and junior, for a public house, to be let, late the Six Bells, and now the Horse and Groom [this may be 24 or 26 Princes Street], with the Dwelling house adjoining, situated in St George’s of Tombland, and now in the Occupation of Mr James Beevor, or his undertenants.
1783 Thomas Blake III in Chase Directory as “Attorney at Law, No 10 Red Well Plain”, western end of Princes Street
1784 Thomas Blake office has moved to no. 8 Excise Office Street, previously Mrs Peterson’s Boarding School for Young Ladies (residence was elsewhere)
1784 Thomas Blake III marries Theodora Colombine, daughter of David Colombine and Theodora Dyball at St George Tombland
1785 William Jex Blake marries Catherine Ferrier
1785 Thomas Blake junior attorney in Norwich appointed under sheriff
1786 Theodora Martha daughter of Thomas Blake III and Theodora is born and baptized at St George Tombland
1786 St George Tombland Freeholders – Thomas Blake
1786 William Jex Blake, son of William Jex Blake and Catherine is born in Swanton Abbot
1786 and 1787 elections Thomas Blake junior, gent is freeholder in St George Tombland, votes for Tory candidate.
1789 Robert Ferrier Jex Blake, son of William Jex Blake and Catherine is born in Swanton Abbot
1790 Thomas Blake IV, son of Thomas Blake III and Theodora is born, baptized at St George’s Tombland
1790 Thomas Blake III advertises auction of Charles Marsh’s property in St George Tombland Snelgrove’s residence and office was described as “a dwelling house and garden, with a large store cellar” with a yearly rent of £33. Marsh’s own house had a yearly value of £21, and there were three other houses, one with a garden in the occupation of Mr Squire (£30 rent) and two houses occupied by Mrs Rush and Mr Jary, (lately in one) with a rent of £10 and 10s.[1] This may have been 24 and 26 and the Tombland Alley buildings and yards behind.
[1] Norfolk Chronicle, 20 November 1790 p 4
1791 Mary, daughter of Thomas Blake III and Theodora is born, baptized at St George Tombland and dies two weeks later.
1793 Thomas Blake junior becomes a barrister
1794 Judith Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Blake III and Theodora is born, baptized at St George Tombland
1795 Robert, son of Thomas Blake III and Theodora is born, baptized at St George Tombland
1796 Thomas Blake III Land Tax Redemption records proprietor of property in St George Tombland occupied by Roger Kitson (a writing master who ran an academy in King Street)
1796 poll book – freeholders – Thomas Blake jun
1798 Land Redemption Tax – Thomas Blake proprietor of St George Tombland property, occupied by Mary Lany and property occupied by Roger Kitson (writing master, 3 St Andrews’ Plain in 1802), William Blake Gent is living in property owned by his father Thomas Blake II Esq in Scottow
1798 Henry William, son of Thomas Blake III and Theodora is born, baptized at St George Tombland
1799 St George Tombland Freeholders – Thomas Blake junior
1801 Francis John, son of Thomas Blake III and Theodora is born, baptized at St George Tombland
1801 Theodora Blake, wife of Thomas Blake III dies, at the age of 36
1802 Thomas Blake III had moved to Scottow, practising as a barrister at 5, Queen Street.
1802 poll book St George Tombland freeholders: Thomas Blake
1803 Thomas Blake advertises extremely good and convenient dwelling house for the immediate reception of a genteel family, with coach house, stable and garden in St George Tombland
1806 Thomas Blake II dies in Scottow and buried in family vault. “His dissolution, though long foretold a gradual but gentle decay, sustained not only with pious resignation, but even cheerfulness, aiding from the consciousness a virtuous life, was at last sudden and unexpected, and he expired, after only a few minutes previous sickness in the arms of his children, with but momentary if any pain. To the most inviolable integrity of conduct he joined a peculiar urbanity of manners, and active benevolence and uniform and affection in the discharge of every parental and domestic duty, few can have surpassed him. His hospitable disposition, for which he was remarkable, was not confined to his friends only, but diffused around him, and the poorest of his neighbours shared the bounty of his table, it having long been his custom (worthy of general imitation!) to have all the poor families in his parish, in their turn, dine at his house every Sunday. Thus having lived, can it be otherwise than that his loss is deeply deplored by his family, regretted by his friends, and lamented all who knew him, and could appreciate his worth” Norfolk Chronicle 5 July p2
1806 St George Tombland freeholders include Thomas Blake esq
1807 St George Tombland freeholders – Thomas Blake esq
1812 Freeholders – Thomas Blake
1813 September – Thomas Blake III dies, buried in Scottow
1814 Auction of Thomas Blake III residence with garden, stable and chaise house, and offices in Queen Street and house and shop next door, four dwellings in King St and estates at Horstead and Horsford.
1822/3 Elizabeth Aylmer dies, aged 76, in Aylsham. Bequeaths property to William Blake, of Swanton Abbott, included tenement and dwelling house with cellar and small piece of ground to the North, bounded by Mollett at St George Tombland to the East and Gibbs Leeds to the West. Possibly 2 Tombland Alley (is combined with deeds for 2 Tombland Alley in Norfolk Record Office)
1824 Susanna Bean purchases freehold of the tenement she was living in from William Blake.
1837 “The Queen has been pleased to grant unto William Blake, Swanton Abbott, in the County of Norfolk, Esquire, in the Commission of the Peace, and one of the Deputy Lieutenants, for the said County, her royal Licence and Authority, that he and his Issue, may (in order testify his respect for the Family of his Grandmother, Elizabeth, Daughter of John Jex of Lowestoft, in the County Suffolk, and Sister and sole Heir of the whole Blood of William Jex, of Swanton Abbotts aforesaid, Esquire, all deceased) henceforth assume, and use the Surname of Jex, in addition to, and before that of Blake, and also bear the Arms of Jex quarterly, in the second quarter, with those of Blake.” Norwich Mercury 2 September 1837 p 3
1843 William Jex Blake dies “after a long and steady course of usefulness as a Country Gentleman, and a Deputy and Magistrate for this county, William Jex Blake, Esq. in the age. 85th year of his age”
Friends of Princes Street 