Relationship to: Steve Wakely of NSW Australia - Paternal 16th Century Ancestor

of Phillyholme and of Holditch in Thorncombe

Forenames : JOHN

Date of Birth: c. 1549

Place of Birth : Probably Phillyholme, Hawkchurch, Dorset

Date of Death: 1619 (will of 1615 proved 1620)

Father's Name: Robert Wakely alias Rockett

Mother's Name: Alice Balstone

Married (Spouse):

1. Elinor Fewe d. 1572 m. 1570 infant son Thomas d. 1574

2. Margaret ? Balstone (Margaret d. 1581??? To be checked)

Issue:

1. Thomas Wakely alias Rockett .c1575

2. Elizabeth m.Richard Wilkins, had s. Robert, d.Joane, d.Mary

3. Nicholas b.c l585 d.1660 m.Elizabeth Wolmington sister of Joane brother Thomas's wife. Sequestrator, Bridport Division during Commonwealth. Will proved 1661.

Siblings:

1. Robert d.1600 m.Ann, widow of William Pinney

2. Joane m. Laurence Pye

3. Christian mentioned in John and Robert's wills. m.Richard Channing, had son Robert

4. Marie m.??? had d.Alice mentioned with mother in Uncle Robert's will

5. Nicholas Paid sudsidy on three pounds in 1594

6. William Rockett alias Wakely of Whitestaunton, west of Chard: will proved 1624. m.Elianor Children: Sylvester m.1596 Chard (ancestor Hartland & NW Devon Wakelys),John m.Joane (probably ancestors Honiton Wakelys), Nicholas (will proved 1616), Robert (6.1624) m.faith, had d.Elianor(b,1616 Chardstock)

Other information:

John is the first direct Wakely/Rockett ancestor whose will survives. Like the Balstones it was proved in London. With other surviving deeds it shows he presumably moved from Phillyholme (but still retaining properties there) when he acquired extensive properties in neighbouring Thorncombe in 1607. We was 'of Holditch, in the parish of Thorncombe' when he died but retained head leases on Phillyholme properties at Checkridge. Holditch was a separate manor from Thorncombe first found possessed by the Brooke family, next Lord Mountjoy (John's son bought further properties from him), then the Poles, whose muniments preserve several Wakely deeds, as the Poles acquired some Phillyholme lands in the 17th century. The Holditch properties (some 100 acres) were on a long (1000 years) lease. John's property was some 240 acres in all.

John's brother Robert and his wife Ann supply the pivotal evidence in the Wakely/Rockett analysis. She married William Pinney (had children by him - his will proved 1585) then married Robert. Robert's 1600 will names exactly the same Pinneys and servant as do William and Anns wills. Ann's will, signed, Ann Rockett alias Wakely. Robert, signing his will Rockett and appearing as Rockett in muster and lay susidy rolls is thus revealed as a Rockett alias Wakely.

Evidence suggests that John's wife who bore his children was Margaret Balstone his cousin, daughter of John's mother's brother, John Balstone and re-inforced by the fact that Margaret's brother Thomas witnessed the 1624 will of John's grandson which mentions an unpaid bequest from his grandmother's estate. Thomas probably ensured his sister got her legacy.

John's brother William is known through the will of his son. He lived into his 70's like John. His and his wife's wills lost in a bombing raid destroying Devon/Somersst records in Exeter during the Second World War.

The will of John Rockett alias Wakely

The will was dated 7th November 1615 with a codicil added shortly before John died in 1619. It was proved by his two sons Thomas and Nicholas in London in 1620. It occupies five closely written foolscap pages in the copy registered with the Prerogative Court af Canterbury and is now preserved in the Public Record Office in London. He described himself as 'John Rockett als Wakeley of Holditch, parish of Thorncomb, Devon, yeoman'.

To avoid future confusion as to whether the Wakeleys are of Dorset or Devon or Somerset origin it is worth clarifying the point at this stage before dealing with the will in more detail. While most of the Wakeleys over the centuries are correctly described as Dorsetmen, their early homes have been the playthings of those delighting in re-writing the county boundaries. Thorncombe in Devon in 1615 is now in Dorset; whilst Phillyholme and Hawkchurch then in Dorset (but in different Hundreds) are now in Devon. Chardstock, a Wakeley base in the seventeenth century has also been transferred from Dorset to Devon. For John Rockett alias Wakeley however, parishes mattered more to him than counties. The nearest he came to an address was his tithing - Holditch, which is on the western and northern side of Thorncombe parish, with Chardstock to the west and Chard to the north.

He made bequests to the parish churches and to the poor of Hawkchurch, Thorncombe and Chardstock; left money for the maintenance of two poor scholars of the school at Thorncombe; another specific bequest for the poor of Thorncombe, the then quite considerable annual sum of thirty three shillings and fourpence each year, to be paid out by son Thomas in the presence of the churchwardens. Undoubtedly pride was mixed with charity in all this, an impression reinforced by his bequest of ten shillings to the preacher who made his funeral sermon. His charity for the provision of bread to the poor gained him some sort of place in history - it was still operative in the nineteenth century, so keeping his name alive. There is also a nice contrast between a poor relation (Elizabeth Rockett his kinswoman living with him presumably as housekeeper) and a rich neighbour (Nicholas Bowditch who was a local squire). The former received ten pounds, the latter was left his best jerkin. Altogether John's cash bequests - many to godchildren, some to friends, and a special provision for 'all the men servants and women servants living in my house' - amounted to over one hundred pounds.

He described himself as 'whole and perfect in bodye, minde and memorye' when he made his main will. The Wakeleys must have been a robust lot - John must have been over sixty, his brother was still alive at that time together with two of his sisters and his father must also have reached at least sixty. John's wife had died before him but it is not known if in old age just before him or earlier in sickness or childbirth.

From those items important enough to leave as specific bequests we can reveal him as a man who, at least an Sundays, dressed in the normal way as a gentleman of his day, They included: a best cloak, best and second best doublet, best breeches, best hat, and three pairs of stockings - best, second best and one assumes best of the rest' together with a pair of shoes. His more work-a-day clothes included a best and second best jerkin and a pair of buskins - high thick soled boots, doubtless used in making the rounds of his farms.

His household and other goods reinforce the picture suggested before of the Sunday gentleman, weekday farmer. His five silver spoons, six pewter vessels, high bedstead and chest show a degree of civilised living; his stonning trough (possibly a trough used in tanning hides), his 'furnace panne and crukk' (probably a cauldron over the fire and a pail/jug for water or feed), a mortar for malt and a wayne show his activities as a farmer of his day.

The only stock mentioned are two sheep - perhaps his age restricted his active farming days. Apart from the clothes and goods listed above most of John's bequests were in money, income from loans and rents and land.

Analysing the will reveals the extent and identity of his lands. All the Thorncombe lands round Holditch where he lived were probably purchased by him on leases of varying lengths - the largest properties leased for a thousand years. The only property in Hawkchurch was in the tithing of Phillyholme, probably inherited from the Wakely side of the family. It was carefully entailed on John's elder grandson and his heirs, with a reversion to John's second grandson if these failed. These lands alone totalled some 140 acres.

Thorncombe lands cannot all be identified. Herridges, West Lears and Little Pidmore were an 1000 year leases and the first two can still be found as working farms an 1:25000 Ordinance Survey Maps. Herridges north of Holditch Hamlet and West Laars immediately north of West Lears. Two other properties can be pinpointed: Hewood east of Holditch and three closes called Gribb a little east of West Laars. Little Pidmore and a large common close called Muttleburyes cannot be located. The latter must have been purchased from the local Muttlebury family whose last representatives died shortly after John. The whole Thorncombe holdings probably totalled some 100 acres and John was able to make a straight east/west divide of them between his two sons, Thomas got the west and Nicholas got the east. The family named in the will were as follows:

Sisters

Joane: m. Lawrence Pye she got ten shillings; he got John's best cloak

Christian: probably married to the Richard Channing of Winsham who owed John thirty-five pounds, she also got ten shillings; Richard got nothing although his son Robert got ten shillings like his mother.

Children

Thomas: not named as the elder son, which he was, but was left an extra piece of land from which to pay John's bequest to the poor of Thorncombe between St.Andrew's Day and Christmas after the harvest had been sold; he also received John's 'wayne, with the wheels belonging thereto'. Thomas had put up half of the original purchase price of the Thorncombe lands so was occupying the seven western parcels.

Nicholas: got the 40 eastern acres of Herridges, West Lears and Little Pidmore; co-executor with Thomas and brother-in-law Richard Wilkins.

Elizabeth: married Richard Wilkins; got twenty pounds.

Grandchildren

John. elder son of Thomas; left Chackridge lands in trust until age 21:

Thomas. 2nd son of Thomas reversionary interest in Chackridge:

Robert, (among 'other sons and children of Thomas') got share of Hewood common close:

Nicholas, son of Nicholas got third share of Hewood:

Robert. son of Elizabeth got third share of Hewood:

Joane, daughter of Elizabeth got twenty pounds:

Mary, younger daughter of Elizabeth got silver spoons and pewter vessels with an original small cash bequest made up to ten pounds in codicil.