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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Gloucestershire => England => Gloucestershire Lookup Requests => Topic started by: newmark401 on Friday 14 March 14 20:00 GMT (UK)
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I'm looking for some basic biographical information on A.W. Blake, an early English (or Welsh) lawn tennis player whose first names I haven't even been able to find because they were never listed in early sports papers, magazines, etc.
He was a member of the Clifton Lawn Tennis Club circa 1900 and runner-up in the men's singles event at the Welsh Championships in 1898. However, a lot of players from Bristol/Gloucestershire played in the Welsh Championships in those days, so A.W. Blake may well not have been Welsh.
In addition to his first names, I'm looking for a date and place of birth (and death for him).
Any help would be appreciated.
Mark
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There was an Arthur W Blake in the parish of Clifton in 1901 - which seems a coincidence so I will pop him here just incase ???
Arthur W Blake 31 House Painter. Born Bristol.
Ellen Blake 31
William Blake 13 Artie S Blake 6
Married Ellen Louise Green - Q4 - Barton Regis. Gloucestershire - 6a 348
Possibility Arthur died June 1937 Bristol Gloucestershire. Aged 68 years. Volume 6a Page 50
Son of Joseph William Blake born 29 May 1843 in Bristol Gloucestershire England and died Sep 1909 in Avon, Gloucestershire - Q3 - Volume 6a 39 - aged 65 years.
Mother Elizabeth Matthews - Married 27 November 1864 - Bristol, St Mary Redcliffe, Gloucestershire.
Arthur one of 7 children - 3 female and 4 males
Regards
Sandra
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I see A.W.s first mention here is 1886, Clifton, Men's singles:
http://www.tennisarchives.com/player.php?playerid=8146
I was also pondering over that Arthur William BLAKE also, and this is him in 1891 (street & court as in 1901)
1891: They are in Clifton, at 3 Morgans Court, Hotwell Road. Arthur is 23, a Painter, and born - I think Bristol, but the place name that he and the others, have been dittoed down from is all but completely faded. Ellen is 24. their son Albert W is 1 and Ellen's widowed mother Emma GREEN is also in-house. RG12 / Piece 1967 / Folio: 56 / Pg 2
Possibly the wife Ellen died just after the 1901 Census?
DEATH: Ellen Louisa BLAKE age 30, registered Bristol June Qtr 1901
Cheers
AMBLY
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Mother-in-law Emma Green (widow) seems to be in the house next door in 1891 - 2 Morgans Ct with Arthur, Ellen and young Albert at number 3 Morgans Court.
Sandra
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I saw Arthur W, too!
But I dismissed him, as I couldn't see a House Painter being a member of Clifton Lawn Tennis Club? ;D :-\
. . . but I could be wrong?!
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Yes, he isn't following the same pattern as a lot of them. ;D
Sandra
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I am a croquet player, and I well aware that most tennis clubs developed from croquet clubs around the turn of the century!
( did you know that a tennis court is the size it is, because you can get 2 of them on a croquet lawn?!)
As far as I know, there were few weekend tournaments played back then (in either sport), so members were drawn from the "leisured" classes! ;D
Certainly, in croquet, weekend tournaments only started to catch on in the 1960's.
As I said - I just don't see a house-painter being in this kind of company?! :-\
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^^^^ Thanks for that information. I thought his first name might have been Arthur. However, I also think it unlikely that the man in question was a house painter.
Mark
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^^^^ Thanks for that information. I thought his first name might have been Arthur. However, I also think it unlikely that the man in question was a house painter.
Mark
;D I just wonder what trade ( unless of course one of the gentry) A W Blake would have had, a couple of examples in 1901 Wales were a 29 year old Andrew W Blake occ Borough Electrical Engineer b Dallinghoe Suffolk RG13/4923/35/2 or an Arthur W Blake 28 occ Assurance Agent b London RG13/4973/133/26
Keyboard86
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In addition to his first names, I'm looking for a date and place of birth (and death for him).
Mark
A newspaper reference suggests that he died on Saturday 12 February 1949.
Also, was born at South Petherton. And a descendant of Admiral Blake.
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His death notice in the Western Daily Press of 14 Feb 1949 names him as Arnold Wyersdale Blake aged 85, youngest son and last surviving child of William and Fanny Blake of Bridge, South Petherton, Somerset. He died at Clifton and was to be cremated in Bristol on 15 February.
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That would be Arnold Wyersdale Blake - 12 Feb 1949 - probate 22 April 1949 Bodmin
Arnold of 7 Princes Building Clifton Bristol - probate to John Humphrey Blake Solicitor.
Described as gentleman 1911
Sandra
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1871 with parents - Bridge House South Petherton, Somerset, England
William Blake 55 Magistrate opf the County
Fanny F O Blake 50
Edith M Blake 25
William F Blake 24 Student
Emily F Blake 21
Florence Blake 14
Arnold W Blake 7
Mary Brondore 85 Mother-In-Law
Annie King 44 Sister-in-law
Eliza Stone 40 Housemaid
Matilda Sindall 41 Cook
Anna M Rolleen 24 Under Housemaid
Emily Burge 17 kitchen maid
Edmond Rexworthy 31 footman
Sandra
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William Blake married Fanny Follett Osler Browne - Q2 - 1844 - Bridgwater, Somerset, England
(29th May 1844)
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/2DZ6-VCB
Sandra
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Fanny Ostler Brown Blake of Bridge House South Petherton Somerset - Widow - died 7 November 1917 - probate Taunton 12 January to William Farewell Blake and Malachi Locke Blake Esq Effects 19606 2 s 10d.
William Blake, II 1815 - 1901 (1 April 1901 in Bridge, Somerset)
http://www.geni.com/people/William-Blake/6000000004002436583
Sandra
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In addition to his first names, I'm looking for a date and place of birth (and death for him).
Mark
A newspaper reference suggests that he died on Saturday 12 February 1949.
Also, was born at South Petherton. And a descendant of Admiral Blake.
A bit old for Tennis in c 1901maybe was an Arnold W Blake 27 occ Insurance Agent b South Petherton in 1891 Clifton census RG12/1968/29/24?
Keyboard86
;D Only spotted page 1 so missed all the work carried out above!
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This A W Blake seems to go through to at least 1908 according to the link Ambly put up.
http://www.tennisarchives.com/player.php?playerid=8146
Sandra
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^^^^
Thanks to everyone who contributed so much rare information on Arnold W. Blake. I once read a longish article on him in a contemporary source ("Pastime"), which managed not to reveal his first name.
In the early decades of lawn tennis it was common for players to take part in tournaments over several decades and in some cases even to play their best tennis into their thirties. Age meant less then than it does now.
Mark
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Gentleman more fits the bill than the painter did ;) Great searches by everyone.
Sandra
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Well done Sandra!
Afraid I was too busy watching the rugby!! ;D ;D :-[
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Excellent outcome, well done everyone, and esp. gaffy & avm for breaking the case ;D
I also wondered abt the house-painter aspect; but in a very modern frame of mind decided a house painter might have more easily afforded time off to go play tennis - I knew it was wrong thinking, but... ;D ;D ;D
Maybe A.W. will end up with a photo-enhanced wiki page now too (whilst searching for him I was googling his opponents' in all sorts of 'clever' ways to find that elusive forename, and many of the opponents had wiki pages - trivia: the Patrick Bowes-Lyon he once played against was a grand-uncle of the Queen :)
cheers
AMBLY