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Robert Blake

Page history last edited by PBworks 15 years, 9 months ago

Officer of the British Navy

Robert Blake

Personal Details

Date of BirthAugust 1598
Place of BirthBridgewater
Father's NameHumphrey Blake - A merchant (???? - 1625)
Mother's Name? (???? - 1638)
Date of Death17th August 1657
Place of DeathAt sea on board the George in Plymouth Sound
Place of BurialKing Henry VII's Chapel, Westminster Abbey

 

Naval Service Details

 

General at Sea

DateShipNotes
February 1649Appointed General at Sea together with Edward Popham and Richard Deane as joint commanders of the navy
1649LionBlockade of Prince Rupert in Kinsale
October 1649LionThe Royalist ships broke the Blockade and sailed for Lisbon
March 1650Lead a fleet to the Mediterranean in pursuit of Prince Rupert
September 1650Prince Rupert attempted to break out of Lisbon, but failed
September 1650Took several ships of the incoming Portugese Brazil fleet
May 1651Took the Scilly Isles from the Royalist garrison
October 1651Attacked and beseiged the Royalist stronghold on Jersey
December 1651Elizabeth Castle, Jersey surrendered after a fifty day seige
1652Commander of the Navy in the Channel
1653TriumphCommander of the Navy in the Channel
28th February 1653TriumphWounded in the leg at the Battle of Portland
June 1653TriumphIll health forced a return to England
October 1654Commander of a fleet bound for the Mediterranean to act against the corsair states of North Africa
April 1655Attacked and sank eight Turkish vessels at the Battle of Porto Farina
October 1655Returned to England
March 1656George (60)Sailed for the Mediterranean with a fleet of forty-eight ships
1656George (60)Blockade of Cádiz
July 1657George (60)Left the Mediterranean for England

 

Other Details

1629A merchant named Robert Blake was active in Dorchester
April 1640Elected Member of Parliament for Bridgewater
November 1640Failed to gain re-election
Became a captain in Alexander Popham's Regiment of Foot
1645Elected Member of Parliament for Taunton

 

 

Actions & Battles

DateSource
July 1643Defense of Prior's Hill fort, at the siege of Bristol
Defence of Lyme
July 1644Captured Taunton for Parliament, which he then defended for a year
November 1645Start of the siege of Dunster Castle
April 1646Fall of Dunster Castle
May 1651Assault on the Scilly Isles
October 1651Seige of Elizabeth Castle, Jersey
29th May 1652Battle of Dover
8th October 1652Battle of Kentish Knock
10th December 1652Battle of Dungeness
28th February 1653Battle of Portland
12th & 13th June 1653Battle of the Gabbard
April 1655Battle of Porto Farina
April 1657Battle of Santa Cruz

 

 

Notes

  • Blake's brother Benjamin Blake (1614-1689) served under Robert, emigrated to Carolina in 1682, and was the father of Joseph Blake, governor of South Carolina in 1694 and from 1696 to 1700.

  • Blake's brother Samual Blake fought under Popham before being killed in a duel in 1645.

 

 

Sources

001The Blake Museum

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