Sir Francis Blake, 3rd Baronet, of Twizell Castle

Sir Francis Blake, 3rd Baronet ("c." 1774 – 10 September 1860) was a Northumbrian landowner who succeeded to the Baronetcy of Twizell Castle on the death of his father in 1818.

He served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Berwick-upon-Tweed 1820-1826 and 1827-1834.

Blake was commissioned Captain in the Northumberland Militia in 1794 and was appointed Colonel of the Northumberland Fencibles in 1795.

He owned estates at Twizell Castle, Tillmouth House, Seghill and Duddo, which later he sold for £45000 in 1823.

He married Jane Neale in 1827 but had no legitimate children and the Baronetcy became extinct on his death.

His illegitimate son Frederick Blake (1835-1909) suffered severe sunstroke while serving as an army officer and was confined to a mental asylum in 1873. His father granted him a life interest in property at Seghill.

Blake also bequeathed property at Seghill to Helen, the widow of his brother Robert Dudley Blake (1776-1860).

His principal beneficiary was Captain Francis Blake (1832-1861) whose son Francis Douglas Blake became the first Baronet of the 1907 creation, the Baronetcy of Tillmouth Park. The family repurchased Seghill Park from the Treasury Solicitor following the intestacy of Helen Blake.

References

* [http://www.angeltowns.com/town/peerage/bcommons2.htm Historical list of MPs: B, part 2]
*Rayment-bt