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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Worcestershire => Topic started by: Del 80 on Tuesday 08 April 14 08:47 BST (UK)
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Does anyone have any information on the Reverend Tom Blake, and his wife Mary ? they lived for many years at Hallow, Worcestershire, he died in 1990, she died, I believe in 2000, Mary's maiden name was Ayto, I am trying to fill in gaps in my family tree, any info. appreciated.......Del.
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It would help if you could tell us what you already have, so we dont duplicate. Lots can be found easily on sites like freebmd,
For example, have you already found their marriage - here it is:
Oct/Nov/Dec 1949
Pontefract
Ref 2c 1109
Mary Ayto / Thomas H Blake
Have you got their marriage cert to find names of their fathers?
What age were they when they died? Freebmd has a birth in 1915 of a Mary Ayto, mothers maiden name Ward - is that a possibility?
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Thanks for the reply, I have some information on them, Thomas was born I think in 1911, but where I don't know, I am also trying to establish where he was the vicar of........he and Mary are buried at St Phillip & St James church at Hallow, but was he the vicar there ?...........Del.
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This could be his death?
November 1990
Worcester district vol 29, page 839
Blake, Thomas Herbert age 78 date of birth 9th December 1911
Possible birth:
March qtr 1912
Barnet district vol 3a, page 805
Blake, Thomas H Mother's maiden name: Harding
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Thanks for that, it could well be him, Harding....something to go on........Del
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If he was a C of E minister, looking up a relevant Crockford's Clerical Directory would give you a wealth of information!
The latest online version (that I can find!) is 1932 - that's too early for Thomas.
Maybe your local library has a copy?
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Hi
I think you will need the marriage certificate, to confirm his fathers name and occupation, this should then enable you to pick up the family, on the 1911 census, it may be worth considering, that Thomas may have been married before, as 37 was a bit long in the tooth, for a first marriage in those times ???
Margp
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Hello, Yes 37 does seem fairly old for a first marriage, Mary would have been 34, also quite old, but anything is possible.....I know that Mary had a brother, Henry, who went to Rhodesia, and possibly a sister, who also went to South Africa.........Del.
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There is a complete run of Crockford's in the Library at the National Archives, and an incomplete but very useful run at SoG. A big public library might have back issues into the 1990s and before. If you can locate your man in a relatively recent edition, it will give you a mini-biography: university, theological college, ordination, appointments, and (then current) address.
Just a thought - it's likely his name was Thomas, known as Tom, and it's therefore worth searching the full name too.
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Hello, Yes 37 does seem fairly old for a first marriage, Mary would have been 34, also quite old, but anything is possible.....I know that Mary had a brother, Henry, who went to Rhodesia, and possibly a sister, who also went to South Africa.........Del.
If you check FreeBMD, for births of name Ayto and mothers maiden name Ward, you will see Henry's birth and two possible sisters.
I wont post their names, as they could be still alive, possibly.
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This one isnt
Birth
Jul/Aug/Sep 1919
Pontefract
Dorothy Ayto
Mothers maiden name Ward
Death
Dec 1940
Pontefract
Ref 9 c 245
Dorothy Ayto age 21
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Thank-you for that, I know about Dorothy, sadly she died aged only 21 years.......I am pretty sure that there was another sister......possibly Elizabeth....who went to Rhodesia at some point, I have a letter written in 1989 by Mary Blake, to my mother, saying that she had ''unexpectedly heard from my sister Betty in South Africa''.....it mentions a son Roland, coming over for a visit.......Del.
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If you look at freebmd, you will see!
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Yes, I see it now.....1923 Pontefract, mothers name Ward.............Thank you.........Del.
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Hello Del
Here is some more information about Tom and Mary.
From the Clerical Directory 1971 – the most recent edition on film at the Worcs Archive:-
Thomas Herbert Blake b 1911 Worcester Ordination College 1965 d(eacon) 1967 p(riest) St Barnabas, Rainbow Hill 1967-1970. R(ector) of Church Lench w(ith) Ab Lench Abbots Morton and Rous Lench Dio(cese of) Worc(ester) from 1970. (Address - ) Church Lench Rectory, Evesham.
I have been told by helpful Hallow History Group members that although Rev Blake wasn’t the vicar of the parish, he and his wife were living in the Dower House at the time of his death. In 1950 Miss Bramwell had willed the Dower House to the Church as a home for retired clergy and their families and it remained so until 1999. You can read about the house on Hallow History Group's website
http://www.hallowhistory.org.uk/around-the-green/the-dower-house/
Tom is buried next to other clergymen in the churchyard. After his death Mary went to live in Gloucestershire to be closer to family and that is where she is thought to have died.
Jack
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Jack, Thank-You, that is very informative, Mary and Tom's address on the the letter I have, dated dec. 1989, is Sigston South, The green, Hallow, that ties in with your info. on the dower house, Mary did die in Gloucestershire, in 2000, at Cheltenham, but is buried with Tom At Hallow......Thanks Again, Del.