Capt William Hans BLAKE RN [11352]

  General Notes:

Name: William Hans Blake
Birth Date: 23 Mar 1832
Enrolment Date: 29 Oct 1852
Rank: Captain
Royal Naval Officers' Service Records Index, 1756-1931

Diary of Capt. William Hans Blake 1873
January: at "Glenalwen", Corwen
8 Jan - 20 Jan: Bad cold. Dr. Walker attended
25 Jan: 15, Brompton Crescent, London (Mrs Sloane)
13 Feb: Capt. Creagh mentioned. Bought Valentines at Rimmels in the Strand. Sent 1 to Lucy, Sissy & Linnaker at Club.
*Could Lucy be his sister-in-law? I think Sissy is Henrietta Rosa Blake, his daughter. Remember the letters written by Ruth Egan of Mount Harris, Warren, NSW to her Cousin Sissy. Also Henrietta Rosa's will mentions "my cousin Ruth Egan".
14 Feb: Received 3 Valentines altogether.
3 Mar: Saw Lily and baby off to Sandgate from Charing Cross Station. Wrote to mother and Lucy in Haut de Chas..zun (France)
*Lily=wife Henrietta and baby=William Lascelles Fitzgerald Blake born 1/1/1872. Eastcliffe House, Sandgate belonged to Dr William Evelyn Alston and wife Elizabeth Rouse Fitzgerald, sister of Henrietta Blake.
4 Mar: Lily, nurse and baby returned from seeing Lizzie
*Lizzie= Elizabeth Rouse Alston
8 Mar: Left Paddington Station at 10am. Arrived Corwen 5.15pm. Lucy with chicks came to meet us.
*chicks= children!
9 Mar: Church. New curate, Rev. James Brown. ( Rh . . ing Chapel . . . Rhug Chapel. Rev. Richardson, minister.
10 Mar: Walked to "Cynwych" * could this be a house name as it was in ""
11Mar: Sat up late with Birdie talking.
*haven't been able to work out who Birdie is although Capt Blake kept a separate list of dates in the diary of letters written to Birdie from May-Dec 1873
12 Mar: Corwen Fair
18 Mar: Took train to "Cyneryd" - walked from there home.
*Cynwyd is a village south of Corwen??
19 Mar: Australian letters - 1 from Robert.
*Is this Robert Fitzgerald, Capt. Blake's father-in-law?
26 Mar: Walked by the river Alwyn.
27 Mar: Received my appointment to the Druid on the Cape of Good Hope - West coast of Africa station.
29 Mar: 60 Kensington Gardens Square, London. The Hansons.
3 Ap: Went to meet mother by Great Western Railway from Plymouth. 2 servants already arrived. Took her to her lodgings at 26 Chepstow Place, London - Mrs. Grant's.
5 Ap: 3.40pm train from Paddington, arrived Corwen 10.50pm.
6Ap: bad cold and bilious attack (lasted till 9 April)
10 Ap: Left Corwen with Lucy by 9.55 for Liverpool. Arrived 12.45. Returned to Corwen 8pm train.
11 Ap: All went to Church together at Rhug (?) Chapel, afterwards walked up to Rhug. Left Corwen with Lily and Lucy 4.50 train to Liverpool. Arrived at 9pm. Stayed at Adelphi Hotel.
*Rhug Chapel is 1 mile NW of Corwen. See www.llangollen.com/rug.html <http://www.llangollen.com/rug.html>
Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool, featured in a documentary series on TV here a few years ago

Capt. William Hans Blake's Diary 1873
12 Ap: Left Adelphi Hotel and went on board the tender which took us out to the "Biafra". Sailed at 12.20.
13 Ap: Sea sick for the first time.
19 Ap: Madeira
20 Ap: left Madeira
21 Ap: Tenerife and Grand Canary
28 Ap: Sierra Leone > Monrovia
30 Ap: Monrovia
1 May: Cape Palmas > Cape Coast Castle
2 May: Made my Will
3 May: Cape Coast Castle
16 May: Druid
10 May: Went with Capt. Fremantle, Lt.Col. Festing, Dr. Roe (Civil Commissioner), Mr. Mercer (Colonial Engineer) in gunboat Deering to Elm Inn. Passed the American ship "Robert Fitzgerald" from ? with 650 natives from Cape Coast.
1 July: 9 marines sent from the Castle with fever. 2 serious cases. 35 are ill and 22 with fever. Late evening another marine came off with fever.
6 July: Get up steam to Elmina
7 July: en route to Ascension
14 July: arrive Ascension. Commander John Brazier Creagh, Capt of the Island came off to see me. Went on shore together afterwards and had lunch at his cottage.
24 July: Ascension > Cape Coast
1 Aug: arrive Cape Coast Castle
5 Aug: Measured 37 inches round the chest and 20 inches round the thigh
*was this in case of death for a shroud or some early form of medical check, or for a new uniform? In any case he can't have been a big chap as I'm bigger than him in both measurements! Also his sword at Greenwich was shorter than the average.
10 Oct: Left Cape coast for Dixleve
17 Oct: Arrive Dixleve > Cape Coast
18 Oct: Arrive Cape Coast
20 Oct: To Elmina
23 Oct: Wrote to Birdie 23 years today?
*who is Birdie born 23/10/ 1850?
16 Dec: Letter to Richard Hart, solicitor at Folkestone concerning Mamre affair
*what is the Mamre affair?
22 Dec: wrote letter to Winterbotham concerning disposal of private effects and jewelry.

William was wounded 28th March 1860 and on 27th July 1861 was awarded a pension of 5 shillings peer day for 3 years in consideration of injuries received in New Zealand.

This is a long memorial tablet to William in St. Matthew's Church in Windsor NSW which reads:
SACRED TO THE BELOVED MEMORY OF CAPTAIN WILLIAM HANS BLAKE, ROYAL NAVY.
YOUNGEST SON OF THE LATE COMMANDER GEORGE HANS BLAKE R.N.
BORN 23 MARCH 1832, DIED 27 JANUARY 1874 AT CAPE COAST CASTLE, WEST COAST OF AFRICA, FROM THE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE BROUGHT ON BY THE EXCESSIVE EXERTION AND EXPOSURE WHEN IN COMMAND AT THE NAVAL BRIGADE, WHILE ON THE MARCH TO COOMASSIE DURING THE ASHANTEE WAR OF 1873-4.
THIS GALLANT OFFICER ENTERED THE ROYAL NAVY IN 1846 AS NAVAL CADET ON BOARD HMS "HOUND" IN WHICH VESSEL, BOTH AS CADET AND MIDSHIPMAN
HE WAS EMPLOYED ON THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA IN THE SUPPRESSION OF THE SLAVE TRADE, EVENTUALLY PROCEEDING IN HER TO THE WEST INDIES WHERE HE ALSO SERVED IN H.M. SHIPS "ALARM" AND "IMAUM" -
BEING ATTACHED TO THE "BERMUDA" SCHOONER, A SAILING TENDER OF THE LATTER - UNTIL THE END OF 1850 IN NOVEMBER OF WHICH YEAR
HE JOINED HMS "ALBION" AND WAS EMPLOYED ON THE MEDITERANEAN STATION.
ON THE 29 OCTOBER 1852, WHILE IN THE "ALBION" HE PASSED HIS EXAMINATION FOR LIEUTENANT WITH GREAT CREDIT AND CONTINUED TO SERVE IN HER AS ACTING MATE UNTIL MARCH 1854 WHEN HE WAS APPOINTED TO HMS "DUKE OF WELLINGTON", FLAGSHIP IN THE BALTIC, DURING THE WAR WITH RUSSIA.
IN SEPTEMBER 1854 HE WAS PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT AND TRANSFERRED TO HMS "EDINBURGH" IN WHICH SHIP HE COMMANDED A ROCKET BOAT AT THE BOMBARDMENT OF SWEABORG IN AUGUST 1855 AND WAS GAZETTED IN DISPATCHES - "AS MAINTAINING HIS POSITION WITH STEADY GALLANTRY UNDER A SMART FIRE OF BURSTING SHELLS".
ON BEING PAID OFF FROM THE "EDINBURGH" IN JUNE 1856 HE JOINED HMS "EXCELLANT" WHENCE HE WAS IN NOVEMBER 1857, TRANSFERRED TO HMS "CAMBRIAN" AND PROCEEDED IN HER TO CHINA WHERE HE WAS MOST ACTIVELY ENGAGED DURING THE EARLIER PERIOD OF THE CHINA WAR AND EARNED THE HIGH COMMENDATION OF HIS SUPERIORS.
FROM THE "CAMBRIAN", HE JOINED IN JANUARY 1859, HMS "NIGER" AND PROCEEDED IN HER TO NEW ZEALAND WHERE HE SAW MUCH HARD SERVICE AT THE OUTBREAK OF THE MAORI WAR, AND WAS A SENIOR LIEUTENANT OF THE "NIGER" WHEN ON SHORE IN COMMAND OF A PARTY OF SEAMEN.
DESPERATELY WOUNDED AT WAIREKA TARANAKI BY A GUNSHOT WOUND IN THE BREAST WHICH UPON THE TIME OF HIS LAMENTED DEATH CAUSED HIM MUCH SUFFERING, THE BULLET HAVING LODGED NEAR THE HEART, AND BEING ONLY EXTRACTED AT THE POST MORTEM EXAMINATION, HELD ON HIS REMAINS AT CAPE COAST CASTLE.
FOR HIS CONSPICIOUS BRAVERY IN NEW ZEALAND HE RECEIVED HIS PROMOTIOM TO THE RANK OF COMMANDER, AND WAS FOR HIS WOUND AWARDED A PENSION FOR LIFE.
FROM JANUARY 1863 TO MARCH 1865 HE COMMANDED HMS "ALECTO" ON THE SOUTH AMERICAN STATION;
FROM APRIL 1865 TO MAY 1866, HMS "MUTINE" ON THE PACIFIC STATION , WHERE HE MORE THAN ONCE RECEIVED THE THANKS OF HIS COUNTRYMEN FOR THE PROTECTION HE AFFORDED TO BRITISH INTERESTS.
FROM JUNE 1866 TO DECEMBER 1867 HE COMMANDED HMS "FALCON" ON THE AUSTRALIAN STATION, WHENCE HE RETURNED TO ENGLAND, HAVING BEING PROMOTED TO THE RANK OF CAPTAIN ON THE 14 SEPTEMBER 1867.
IN APRIL 1873 HE WAS APPOINTED TO HMS "DRUID" ON THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA, WHERE HE TOOK A MOST PROMINENT AND ACTIVE PART IN THE ASHANTEE WAR AND ON THE MARCH TO COOMASSIE BEING DETERMINED UPON, HE WAS FROM HIS HIGH PROFESSIONAL ABILITIES, SELECTED TO ORGANISE AND COMMAND THE NAVAL BRIGADE WITH WHICH HE MARCHED FROM CAPE COAST CASTLE TO PRASHU WITHOUT A SINGLE MAN FALLING OUT, SO STRONGLY HAD HE IMBUED THOSE UNDER HIM WITH HIS OWN INDOMITABLE SPIRIT.
LEAVING A FEW MEN TO GUARD STORES AT PRASHU, HE AT THE HEAD OF THE REMAINING PORTION OF HIS BRIGADE HAD THE HONOR OF BEING THE FIRST OF THE COMBINED FORCES TO CROSS THE RIVER "PRAH", BEYOND WHICH HE PROCEEDED SEVEN MILES,
BUT ON HIS RETURN TO PRASHU AFTER THIS ARDUOUS MARCH TO AWAIT REINFORCEMENTS AND JOIN THE BRITISH TROOPS HE WAS STRUCK DOWN WITH VIOLENT AFRICAN FEVER AND AFTER HEROICALLY BUT VAINLY STRUGGLING AGAINST ITS MASTERY, HE WAS COMPELLED FROM UTTER PROSTRATION TO RESIGN HIS COMMAND AND WAS CARRIED FROM PRASHU DOWN TO CAPE COAST CASTLE, WHERE HE EXPIRED ON THE 27TH JANUARY 1874 ON BOARD HMS "VICTOR EMMANUEL" AND WAS BURIED ON SHORE THE SAME DAY WITH THE HONORS DUE TO HIS RANK.
THUS WAS ADDED TO THE LONG AND IMPERISHABLE ROLL OF PAST GALLANT NAVAL OFFICERS, ONE, WHOSE HIGH PROFESSIONAL CHARACTER, EQUALLY WITH HIS NOBLE AND GENTLE QUALITIES MADE HIM SO BELOVED IN LIFE AND SO DEEPLY LAMENTED IN DEATH.
THIS TABLET IS ERECTED TO THE BEST OF HUSBANDS AND FATHERS BY HIS SORROWING WIFE. BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHICH DIE IN THE LORD FROM HENCEFORTH; YEA SAITH THE SPIRIT, THAT THEY MAY REST FROM THEIR LABOURS; AND THEIR WORKS DO FOLLOW THEM. REV.X1V.13.

See: http://www.hawkesbury.net.au/memorial/windsor_st_matthews_anglican/smmw001.html

At the National Maritime Museum at Greenwich, London. SE10 9NF they have the following items that belonged to William;

WPN1114 - Solid half-basket hilted sword, which belonged to Captain William Hans Blake (died 1874). The hilt of the sword consists of a gilt solid half-basket guard with raised bars and a crown and anchor badge. There is a folding flap on the inside of the guard. The sword has a lion's-head pommel and back-piece, the mane extending half of the length of the back-piece. The white fish-skin grip is bound with three gilt wires. The sword has a prominent tang-button. The steel blade is slightly curved and pipe-backed. The obverse of the blade is engraved with the Royal arms and a crowned lion above them. The reverse of the blade is engraved with the words "RAMSEY, Fore St, DAVENPORT", with a crown and a foul anchor motif and other decoration above. The blade is smaller than a regulation blade as Naval Cadets and Midshipmen were abel to wear swords approriate to their height. The mouth of the black leather scabbard is slightly belled. The scabbard has two gild lockets and rings, and a chape. The mounts are ornamental with threads. There is a ring on each side of the top locket and one on the mid locket. In 1847 the scabbard was altered to hang from two short slings. In 1856 it was altered again to hand from two slings of different lenghts. On this occasion the second ring was not removed from the top locket. This sword belonged to Captain William Hans Blake (died 1874), who must have obtained it when he went to sea in about 1846. He became a Mate on 29th October 1852 and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on the 2nd September 1854. He became a Commander on the 26th June 1860 and was promoted to the rank of Captain on the 14th September 1867. Captain Blake wore this sword throughout his service career. He died in 1874.

UNI0253 - Captain's cocked hat in metal box

UNI0414 - Captain (over 3years) epaulettes in a box

UNI1741 - Star
(Ref: sent to Susan Perrett by Jo Whittaker)

Blake entered the Navy as a cadet in 1846, was promoted to lieutenant in 1854 and to commander in 1860 After two years in the Alecto in South America, 1863 to 1865, he was on the Pacific Station in the Mutine in 1865, when Chile was at war with Spain. He then commanded the Falcon, 1866 to 1867, on the Australian Station. Blake was promoted to captain in 1867 and, as Captain of the Druid, was in command of the Naval Brigade during the Second Ashanti War, 1873 to 1874, when he died.

Custodial history:
The papers were bequeathed to the Museum by Miss R. Blake, Captain Blake's daughter, in 1945. Apart from official service documents, they refer chiefly to the latter part of his career, there being letterbooks, 1863 to 1867; diaries, 1867, 1873 to 1874 and official letters and orders from the Admiralty and senior officers. There is also a letter, 1865, of appreciation from the British residents in Valparaiso.

Will of Capt William Hans Blake
2 May 1873
THIS IS THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT of me William Hans Blake Captain Royal Navy. I direct that all my debts and funeral and testamentary expenses be paid and satisfied by my Executrix and Executor, hereinafter named, as soon as conveniently may be, after my bereave. I give, devise and bequeath unto my wife, and from and after her bereave, to my children equally, my whole and entire property consisting at present of between five and six hundred acres of land in the Island of "Viti Levu, Fiji on the River Rewa also two hundred and eighty (280) H . . . . iran and fifty (50) Erit Railway shares and as to all the rest RESIDUE and remainder of my Estate and Effects whatsoever and wheresoever, both real and personal, whether in possession, reversion, remainder or exp . . . y, I give, devise and bequeath the same unto my wife Henrietta Blake and William Hallett (son of James Alfred Hallett (Agent) Executors and administrators . . . . . upon Trust, to permit and suffer my dear wife to have the use and enjoyment of all such parts thereof as shall not yield interest ( and to invest the residue of such of my estate as shall not have been applied in payment of my debts and funeral and testamentary expenses and legacies in some or out of the Government Funds of Great Britain, and being terminable annuities and to pay the dividends and produce thereof and also the dividends, interest or annual produce of all such other parts of my said Estate as shall yield interest, unto my dear wife during the term of her natural life, and from and after her bereave, I give, devise and bequeath the same and every part thereof unto and among, and to be equally divided between, all and every my children, both sons and daughters, who shall be living at the time of the bereave of my said wife, and the issue of such of them as shall be dead (such issue nevertheless taking only the share which their bereaved parent would have been entitled to in the event of such parent surviving my said wife) to and for her own use and benefit absolutely. And I nominate, constitute and appoint my wife Henrietta Blake and William Hallett (son of James Alfred Hallett, Agent) of . . . . . Hart.W.E. to be EXECUTRIX and EXECUTOR of this my Will, and hereby revoking all former or other Wills and Testaments by me at any time heretofore made, I declare this to be my last Will and Testament . . . . . witness whereof that the said William Hans Blake, have to this my last Will and Testament set my hand the second day of May in the year of our Lord, One Thousand eight hundred and seventy three
W H Blake
The said testator, W. H. Blake and authorised by him to be his last Will and Testament in the presence of us, present at the same time and subscribed by us, in the presence of the said testator and of each other.
RENDLE STONE Commander R.M.S. BIAFRA
ADOLPHUS E. BELL 1st Officer

PROVED at London 27th June 1874 by the oath of Henrietta Blake, Widow and Relict, one of the Executors to whom Admon. was granted, William Charles (in the Will written William) Hallett (son of James Alfred Hallett)

Blake William Hans. 27 June 1874. The will of William Hans Blake formally of Corwen in the County of Merioneth but late of Her Majesty's Ship "Druid" Capt in the Royal Navy who died 27 January 1874 on board Her Majesty's Ship "Victor Emanuel" off Cape Coast Castle in Africa was proved at the Principal Registry by Henrietta Blake of Millman Road Grove Pl, Whiteley Reading in the County of Berkshire Widow the Relict one of the Executors. Effects under £4000.
National Probate Calendar.

  Other Records

1. Census: England, 2 Apr 1871, Collston Cottage Chulmleigh DEV. William is recorded as head of house married aged 38 a captain in the Royal Navy on active service born France (British Subject)

William married Henrietta Judith FITZGERALD [11351] [MRIN: 3795], daughter of Hon Robert FITZGERALD of Sydney M.L.C. [1533] and Elizabeth Henrietta ROUSE [4833], on 4 Jan 1868 in St John Sydney NSW. (Henrietta Judith FITZGERALD [11351] was born on 9 Jun 1846 in Windsor N.S.W. and died on 4 Mar 1913 in Penge SRY.)