The son of Sir George Rooke - George Rooke (1702-1739)

[Calpe 1704]

My suggestions as to where George junior lived.
The family home of St Lawrence House, Canterbury, with a household of nursemaids, tutors and a female relative. The step-mother remarried, as we know, in a year or so.

He had several aunts, the most likely one is Ursula, married to Sir Thomas Hardres and probably living at Upper Hardres, a few miles away.

I doubt if you will ever know definitely, but I have had fun checking it, as this is local history for me, and touches on people and places I have recently researched.

Thank you all for your replies and needed help.

Current details: -
George Rooke, born July 1702, died Nov. 1739.
His mother Mary (Luttrell) having died at childbirth; his father, an Admiral, was frequently at sea.

The father, Sir George Rooke, remarried in 1706 to Catherine (Knatchbull - ?-1755).
And in 1709 the father passes away.

So we have one young George Rooke, aged 6 1/2 and his stepmother Catherine Rooke (nee Knatchbull).

Ursula, Mary, Ann & Jane were aunts. Thomas & Finch were uncles.

If the young George Rooke had a stepmother, then why would he live with an aunt?

[Top-of-the-hill]

  There were 3 or 4 years of his infancy with no stepmother, then she remarried. Perhaps she didn't want to be a step-mother. My guess would be that he lived at home, my first suggestion!

[Calpe 1704]

Cambridge Alumni is on line

https://archive.org/details/p1alumnicantabri03univuoft/page/485/mode/1up?q=Rooke

Details are already posted in the other thread (reply #3) ...
https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=849318.msg7168686

Calpe 1704 - this is a prime example of why it's best to keep all the information on one person in a single thread, to avoid duplication of effort amongst people trying to help.

There is now only one thread open, this one. I had started the other thread being a different item, the Will, but as you've seen things were getting crossed.

[Calpe 1704]

  There were 3 or 4 years of his infancy with no stepmother, then she remarried. Perhaps she didn't want to be a step-mother. My guess would be that he lived at home, my first suggestion!

Taken on board, thanks

[horselydown86]

If the young George Rooke had a stepmother, then why would he live with an aunt?

In the Admiral's will, he specifies that his second wife is to be an executor (along with Brodnax and Milles) only ...for and during the time of her being and continuing My widow and no longer....

Furthermore, he devises the Guardianship of George Junior (until he turns 21 years) to his executors.  (In essence - I have simplified the full wording.)

Furthermore, he gives to his then wife:

...Power to dwell in
my Mansion House of Saint Lawrence till my Sonn
attaine or might have attained the age of one and
Twenty years if she so long shall be unmarried...

ADDED:

You really need to read this will for yourself.  It will become easier as you go.

If you have serious difficulty with a word, put a question mark and continue.  After eight or so lines, post a clip with your transcript on the Handwriting board and we will help with the problem words.

[Maiden Stone]

Calpe 1704 - this is a prime example of why it's best to keep all the information on one person in a single thread, to avoid duplication of effort amongst people trying to help.

I suggested that Calpe ask for help on the handwriting board about the will + other documents.
Including links to associated threads enables people to quickly see what is already known.

[maddys52]

Ursula, Mary, Ann & Jane were aunts. Thomas & Finch were uncles.

For interest, and to rule out young George living with Uncle Finch:

"1696. An inquisition is taken before the Coroner of Can-
terbury on view of the bodies of Anth. Buckeredge and
Finch Rooke, gents, who were both killed in a duel fought
by them with swords, in the North-Holmes, in Northgate,
Canterbury."

from - "The history and topographical survey of the county of Kent. Containing the antient and present state of it, civil and ecclesiastical; Collected From Public Records, And Other Authorities: Illustrated with maps, views, antiquities, &c. The second edition, improved, corrected, and continued to the present time. By Edward Hasted, Esq. F. R. S. and S. A. Late Of Canterbury. Volume I"
Author: Hasted, Edward, 1732-1812
Publication: Date 1797

[Top-of-the-hill]

  That was some duel!

[Calpe 1704]

If the young George Rooke had a stepmother, then why would he live with an aunt?

In the Admiral's will, he specifies that his second wife is to be an executor (along with Brodnax and Milles) only ...for and during the time of her being and continuing My widow and no longer....
Furthermore, he devises the Guardianship of George Junior (until he turns 21 years) to his executors.  (In essence - I have simplified the full wording.)

Furthermore, he gives to his then wife:
...Power to dwell in my Mansion House of Saint Lawrence till my Sonn attaine or might have attained the age of one and Twenty years if she so long shall be unmarried...

ADDED:
You really need to read this will for yourself.  It will become easier as you go.

If you have serious difficulty with a word, put a question mark and continue.  After eight or so lines, post a clip with your transcript on the Handwriting board and we will help with the problem words.

Thanks for the information.
The Admiral's first wife, Mary, died in 1699.

George's mother died giving birth in July 1702, so she would not have been the executor.
So as 'horselydown86' has cleared up, was under the hands of 'Guardianship of George (until he turns 21 years) to his executors, Brodnax & Miles.

The Admiral married his 3rd wife, Catherine (nee Knatchbull), in Jan. 1706, so it's assumed George must have met her (and lived with her?).

Above 'horselydown86' explains that: - 'he gives to his then wife Power (3rd wife Catherine) to dwell in my Mansion House of Saint Lawrence, till my Sonn attaine the age of one and Twenty years if she shall be unmarried'.

I'm unaware if she remarried.

Thank you for the kind offer about the Will.

Added: - George Rooke married a Hon. Frances Ward in Oct. 1723, he had just turned 21 in July.