Northern Central Region

Northern Central Region

1) Yorkshire.

Members of the Durham family are seen frequently within the County of Yorkshire. For example, Marmaduke Blakiston Archdeacon of E.R.Y. , had a son Marmaduke who lived at Monk Fryston and a nephew William at Old Malton. However, there are many examples of Blakeston’s within Yorkshire, contemporary to the early Norton family but with no evidence of connection. see previous page. Or as H.E.D. Blakiston puts it:

^{"A
township near Doncaster
is still called Blaxton, possibly from a branch of the York and Holderness
families which existed in} ^{the 16th and 17th centuries without any
ascertainable connection with Durham."} ⁽¹⁾

Early Yorkshire Blakeston References:

Sir William Blackstone 1293X1419 Catalogue of Charters, deeds, court rolls relating to Sheffield compiled by RS Hall 1931 p.86
Nicholas de Blakeston de Doncastre 1328 Yorkshire Fines. YAS

1327-1347 p.13
39. York Quindene of Easter 2 Edw III 1328

NICHOLAS DE BLAKESTON OF DONECASTRE quer. John de Wymprpol & Maud his wife def. of one messuage in Donc. to hold to Nicholas and his heirs. Warranty by John & Maude for themselves and the heirs of Maude.
Nicholas gave 10 marks.

Robertus de Blaykeston Taillour Freeman of York 1333/Surtees/96 (20)
Robertus de Blaikton Medicus Freeman of York 1345/Surtees/96 (20)
Roger de Blaykeston 1348 Yorkshire Fines relating to lands at Scruton near Bedale.
Robert de Blaykeston 1351 legatee of Thomas de Hoton Rector of Kyrkebymisperton.
Mr Roberto de Blaykeston Will 1370 (to Margaret his wife) YASRS/38
Blakestone, Hugh. Witness to the will of Henry Ingleby of Haughton le Skerne. 1375 SS/4 p.95
Roberto de Blaykeston 1378 legatee of Thomae de la Mare Canon of St Peter’s York.
Johannes Blaykeston and his wife at Brakkeng (Harthill) 1381 Poll Tax (19)
Willelmus Blayston, 1381 Poll Tax, Bentlay. YAJ/20
Joh de Blaykeston clericus Freeman of York 1391. Surtees/96 (20)
William de Blaykeston witness 1398 to a quitclaim of Margaret Barbour of York (18)
John Blakeston of York Will 1399 to Julianna relict. YASRS/6
DDCA(2)/29/108 is a rare survival - an account roll of Cicely de Blakeston, bursar, Agnes Gower, sacrist and Agnes de Wenslaw, granger, covering the period Michaelmas 1415 to Michaelmas 1416. This has been translated by John Tillotson and published in his account of the convent: Marrick Priory: a nunnery in late medieval Yorkshire (1989).
Willelmo de Blakeston de Newbald a witness to the will of Robert Manfield of Beverley in 1419
Willelmus Blakstone (merchant) 1465 Custom Accounts of Hull, YASRS/144 p.87
Willelmus Blaxston (merchant) 1473 Custom Accounts of Hull. YASRS/ (21)
Willelmus Blaston 1504 Payntour, Freeman of York Surtees/96 (20)
Sir Robert Blakstone legatee of Sir Cuthbert Place Rector of Rudeby 1513 SS/79 p.43
Johanni Blaxton & his wife Margaretae (nee Underwood) legatees to her Brother Johnnes Underwood Advocate in the Court of York 1515. SS/79 p.68
Blakeston, Robert. Vicar of Staynton in Cleveland, Will 1529 YASRS/93
Blakston, William. (Hungate) Ripon, Will 1542 YASRS/11

(Those of E.Yorks are Highlighted).

Yorkshire Families:

Etton.

By far the majority of Blakeston's originating from Yorkshire do so from a family centred in and around Etton, Lockington & Kilnwick in the East Riding of Yorkshire. I believe these are all traceable to one Thomas Blayston of South Dalton. and his children Christopher (? 1510-1556) and Thomas (?1515-1562).

DDHO/219 - Brynmoor Jones Library. ‘Hotham’ Doc. re: Sth Dalton.

S&A Thomas Blayston to his son Christopher - messuage 2 cottages 2 oxgangs. 3 Oct. 1543.

The following reference can be found to the family in the Victoria County History. of Yorkshire:

"After the Dissolution some lands in Etton were held of Beverley chapter manor but most of the estate was bought by Christopher Blakeston (Blaston, Blaiston, Blawster) (d. 1556), and descended in turn to his sons Henry (d. 1560) and William. The ‘Blakestons' estate, comprising c. 35 bovates (i) was further enlarged in the late 16th century by William Blakeston who was succeeded in 1630 by his son, also William; it was reputed a manor in the 17th century (ii). It was later held successively by Francis Blakeston and his sister Margaret who, with her husband Henry Carvill, sold it and 31 bovates to Towers Wallis in I712 (iii). The property presumably descended with the Wallis estate at Cotegarth". Reproduced from the Victoria County History, Yorkshire East Riding volume IV, Pp.109, by permission of the Executive Editor.(57)

i C142 107 no.43; C142/129 no.62 (PRO)

ii Yorks. Fines iii 122 & C142/712 no.121: CP 25(2) no.118 (PRO)

iii R.D.B., D/41/66

It is my belief that the majority of Yorkshire Blakeston's are connected to this family. This includes families in Nafferton, Lund, Cottingham, Hull and Beverley. This family made a number of marriages of note in particular that of Susan Blakeston who in 1598 married Simon Bigod of Settrington, a family traceable to John of Gaunt and of which two members signed the Magna Carta. A family with whom they had connections is that of the Ridley's of Battersby. This is of especial note in that Battersby is not far from Norton. One William Ridley son of Sir Nicholas Ridley of Willemotswick married a Blakestone, possibly from Norton.

A large family, many of whom went to the West Riding, are linked with the Etton family. Commencing with George Blackstone of Cherry Burton, christened at South Dalton in 1780. However, George is said to be the son of Betty Blakiston and supposed son of George Huddleston. By and large, by the 1700's, this family consisted of cordwainers and agricultural labourers. I suspect that their fortunes slightly suffered in the late 1700's. Possibly as a result of The Enclosure Acts.

Saturday Market Beverley.

My own family come from around this area. In the 1800's living at Bishop Burton, Lund & Walkington before moving to Nafferton.

This is Walkington School Girls Hockey team in 1923. Third from the left at the back is Alice Blakestone.

From the family at Beverley have been a number offshoots.:

Christopher Blakeston Surgeon of Rochester. His family are chiefly known as Blackiston and lived in and around Sussex. They include, surgeons, military and naval men, butchers and wine merchants. Some descendants can be seen in Australia.
A Blackstone family which lived in both York and Whitby. Amongst whom are Tailors, Breeches Makers, Jet Ornament Manufacturers and Silversmiths.
A family of Blackstones of Leeds who were Butchers, Cordwainers, Bakers and Basket Makers.
A number of Hull families who as well as labourers included Mariners and Wood Turners amongst their numbers.
Joseph Blackstone Surgeon of St Pancras. (See "The Blackstones of Beverley," by Christopher John Blackstone).

Mary Dunn (1771-1844). She was the wife of Christopher Blackstone, shoemaker of Beverley (1758-1836). After his death she moved to London to live with her one surviving child Joseph Blackstone MRCS.

Christopher John Blackstone, Mary's descendent, with children, Claire, Geoffrey, Vivienne, Lucy & Jessica. Antigua 1991.

Are the Durham & Etton Families Connected?

This hasn't been established and may never be. Such issues may only be answered by Gene-Studies. The interconnections between families such as the Bowes, the Conyers, the Ellerker's, The Constables, the Thompson's, the Ridley's, the Aske's to name a few are immense. All families which came into contact with both the Durham & Etton families.

Questions are:

A) Are they not connected at all but have separate origins. Perhaps from a family at Blaxton near Doncaster.

B) Had they been overlooked in the Visitations. Perhaps a minor branch of the family. I do wonder if at the time of the visitations if they were not included chiefly because they had been orphaned and were wards of court. (That is the children of Christopher who died in 1556, see Victoria County History). Sir Ralph Ellerker appears to have been their guardian. (see noteworthy families, people and events)

People were forgotten in the visitations ie the family of Stappleton ancestor of The Lord Mayor of London were not included. The Etton family made a number of good marriages ie to the Bigod family. Would this have happened if they didn't have done good connections?

C) It may be that the connection is further back than the Hugo de Blaykeston as can be seen above he had contemparies in York. Contrary to Surtees they were probably an established family before him.

Unconnected Yorkshire Families:

A number of E. Yorks families exist who have yet to be connected to either the Etton family or the Durham family and who’s origins have yet conclusively to be traced:

Namely the Blakeston family of Driffield (Emswell) who’s descendant was Henry Blakeston late Solicitor of Driffield. Amongst whom where School Teachers, Printers, Carpenters and Timber Merchants.

Matthew Blakeston 1819-1894 Timber Merchant, Driffield. Uncle of Henry Taylor Blakeston with permission of Joyce N. Blakeston

There was an early reference at Driffield to a Thomas Blakeston Will dated 1565 Driffield. No more mention of Blakestons there until a Gilbert Blakeston of Emswell will dated 1705. Of interest in 1688 a Gilbert Blakeston was baptised in Scotland son of John Blackston & his wife Cathryn.

A family at North Newbald who were present there from the late 1600’s– c. 1800. A member of this family was Eliazer Blakeston a Merchant who in 1685 married Ann Gill. This family may also have links with Beverley and specifically to William Blakeston & Sarah nee Idle [and the Gunby family of Newbald. They may also be linked to the Driffield family. In that the latter possess a book belonging to Eliazer's son Eliaz dated 1717.

The Blakeston’s of Skipsea/Ulrome, Bridlington and District are almost certainly linked with those of Etton.

There was a family at Howden and Pocklington. They may be linked to a family at Hayton/Burnby also known as Plaisterer and a few odd strays eg. At Market Weighton.

William Blakeston Yeoman Will dated 1542 at Hungate, Ripon.

2) Lancashire

The I.G.I. indicates a Miss Blaxton at Bolton as early as 1209.

I don't have any further references there until the marriage of a John Blaxstones at Croston in 1540. However, there are records in and around Croston from then onwards. All of which seem to relate to members of the same family.

Beyond that in Liverpool and surrounds in the 1800's is a family of Blakiston's with probable connections to Durham. ie. William Blakiston, Alice and family.

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