Samuel Joseph Blake (1865 - 1921) Samuel Joseph Blake was the youngest child of Charles John and Mary Ann Blake and was born when his parents were about 37 years old on 16 Mar 1865. He was baptised on 13 Oct 1865 when his parents were living in Yardley Street in the parish of St Philip, Clerkenwell. Samuel Blake doesn’t appear as such in the 1871 Census but I believe he is listed as Thomas Blake (aged 6, son of Charles and Mary Blake living at 21 Cheshire St, Bethnal Green). In the 1881 Census he seems to be listed as Joseph S Blake (aged 17, living with Charles and Mary Ann Blake in Mape St, Bethnal Green). In both Censuses the father Charles Blake is a glass cutter. Samuel Blake married Sarah Steward on 26 Nov 1888 in St Michael and All Angels Church in the parish of Hackney. Samuel’s occupation was given as card cutter which involved the production of the cards controlling the patterns produced on Jacquard looms which in this case were weaving silk. St Michael and All Saints, Stoke Newington Common, Hackney, was commenced in August 1864 when the first stone was laid by the Bishop of London and was completed and opened in 1866. It was one of a number of new churches demanded by the ever-increasing population of London, Until this church was built there existed at South Hackney just one church, which had been quite inadequate for many years.