BLAKE, Robert (1766-1823), of Essex Street, Strand, Westminster, Mdx. and Lyminster, Suss.

Blake, a London attorney, offered again for Arundel on the independent interest in 1820 and was returned at the head of the poll after a ‘severe’ contest, though his son John was unsuccessful standing alongside him. W.D. Cooper, Parl. Hist. Suss. 7. He was an indifferent attender who gave general but silent support to Lord Liverpool’s ministry. He voted in defence of their conduct towards Queen Caroline, 6 Feb. 1821. He divided for repeal of the additional malt duty, 21 Mar., but was not present for the division on the second reading of the measure, 3 Apr. He voted against reduction of the grant for the adjutant-general’s office, 11 Apr., and Hume’s economy and retrenchment motion, 27 June. He divided against parliamentary reform, 9 May 1821. He paired against more extensive tax reductions, 11 Feb., and voted against this, 21 Feb. 1822. He divided against abolition of one of the joint-postmasterships, 13 Mar., and inquiry into Irish tithes, 19 June, and for the third reading of the aliens bill, 19 July 1822. He died in February 1823. He left his London residence to his son, who had followed him into his legal practice, and his Sussex property in trust for his wife and, after her death, his daughter Ann; his personalty was sworn under £20,000. PROB 11/1667/125; IR26/938/214.