Family and Education

bap. 10 Jan. 1630, 1st s. of Edward Blaker of Portslade by Susan, da. of Tuppen Scrase of West Blatchington. educ. I. Temple 1647. m. bef. July 1657, Dorothy, da. of Henry Goring of Highden, Washington, s.p. suc. fa. 1654.1

Offices Held

Sheriff, Suss. 1657-8, commr. for assessment 1657, Jan. 1660-d., sewers. W. Suss. Oct. 1660, militia Mar. 1660, j.p. Mar. 1660-d., commr. for recusants 1675.2

Biography

Blaker’s family had been long established as yeomen in the Shoreham neighbourhood. In 1617 his father obtained a grant of arms, but he avoided involvement in the Civil War. Though Blaker himself held local office under the Protectorate and served in Richard Cromwell’s Parliament, his marriage to the sister of Henry Goring I suggests royalist sympathies. He was re-elected for New Shoreham both in 1660 and 1661, but took a minimal part in parliamentary proceedings. He was totally inactive in the Convention, and in the Cavalier Parliament he was named only to the committee of elections and privileges in 1666 and to a committee to encourage silk-weaving in 1671, while he twice defaulted on calls of the House. Shaftesbury marked him ‘doubly vile’ in 1677, and in the next year the Government looked upon him as a supporter, but he died on 13 Sept. 1678, and was buried at Old Shoreham. His estates passed to his brother William, whose daughter married John Monke.3

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Authors: M. W. Helms / B. M. Crook

Notes

• 1. W. C. Renshaw, Blaker Fam. 38-44; Vis. Suss. (Harl. Soc. liii), 178.
• 2. C181/7/58.
• 3. Renshaw, 24-35; Thurloe, vii. 86; Comber, Suss. Genealogies Lewes, 15.