Early Drake records
Early English records
Homepage Discussion forums Drake genealogy Genealogy resources center IMAGE DATABASES
Search engine central Shopping Television post production Website design and services Webmasters resources
admiral adoptions BDMs biographies databases directory early records enquiries FAQs gallery
history home land / deed records library obituaries statistics successes surnames war websites wills
Early Drake records - Calendar of Patent Rolls for 1548....(Court Records)
These early records have been compiled over a period of time from the Drake-L, English databases and other sources. No attempt is being made by me to take credit for material that has been sent in by other people. My apologies for not crediting all sources of this material -
If you would like to add any material to this page please send me an email with your details to Roy Andrews - roy@xroyvision.com.au It will take about a week before your enquiry will appear on this database - or post your enquiries - comments directly onto the DRAKE MESSAGE BOARD.

   ENGLISH ORIGINS for English, Irish and Scottish databases online
back to Early Records Index
Part 1
In Peter Tavy we have a story that Sir Francis Drake's father was involved in an attack on a traveller near to the village where some of his family lived. He stole the pony and later the traveller died leading to a "Hue and Cry" which is why he left Devon and took up in Kent. I do not know what evidence there is to support this version but it is true that some DRAKE family members lived at Peter Tavy up until the late part of the 17th and possibly into the 18th century. In fact in the Protestation Return for 1641 Peter DRAKE makes his mark (PD) as Parish Constable.
In the list itself there is also a Roger Drake, he lived in the village and tenanted a piece of land called Tyddehooke in 1672. This must have been well known at the time as it occurs as far back as 1400 when it was known as Todyhulke.

The burial register records
Ralph DRAKE bu. 16 November 1679
Agnes wife of Ralph bu. 1672
a daughter unnamed of Ralph & Agnes bu. 28 April 1677
Anne bu. 7 September 1680
There are no memorials in the churchyard to any of these. DRAKE does not occur in the 1841 Census for Peter Tavy.

I don't know if any of this ties up or is of any interest. Peter Tavy is about the same distance north of Tavistock as Crownhill is to the south ( 3 miles), so well within the realms that they all are related. Do let me know if you can confirm any contacts.
Part 2
On April 16th 1548 on the Cross Lane (my brackets..Peter Tavy Cross) at Peter Tavy, Roger Langsford was assaulted by two men who made off with the contents of his purse, 21s 7d. One of the men was Edmund Drake of Tavistock, described as a shearman. Nine days later this man stole a horse belonging to John Harte valued at £3.
In December 1548 he was pardoned of both crimes.

According to G.Woodcock, a local history academic, the pardon would have required a good deal of influence and money. He may have had, though it is more likely that his father had the influence, to arrange Lord Russell, later Duke of Bedford to be Godfather for his son Francis, and it would also seem that his father John borrowed a significant amount of money from the deposed Abbot of Tavistock that very same year of 1548. Of course the family were tenants and had been of the Abbey and later of the Russell family at the farm at Crowndale for some generations. They also knew the Fitz family who effectively lived next door and were landowners in the Medway in Kent where Edmund fled with his son. Hope it is of interest, it is always good to find the documentary evidence.
"Roger Meyrick"