Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 9.djvu/463

 ii s. ix. JUNE e. i9u.j NOTES AND QUERIES.

457

Oockerham Registers from 1597 to 1619 as of parishioners living in Wyresdale. The river Wyre drains the north part of Bleasdale Forest, and at the headwaters there is Bleasdale Moss. In Sephton's ' Hand- book of Lancashire Place-Names ' this Bleasdale is said to be derived either from the Old Norse bldr, dark blue, or from Blaes, Bfres, a personal name.

I would suggest that Blezard has arisen from this name " Blees " and the word " assart," which means land cleared of wood and rendered arable. Assart was used as a surname; thus we find in the Lan ca shire Assize Rolls in 1262 that a Juliana de Assarto was charged with a breach of the forest laws. When these stringent la.ws were relaxed " Assarts " would become more common, and have to be distinguished from each other by some prefix ; hence Blees-Assart might arise, which would soon be modified to Bleessart, from which the transition to Blessard would be easy.

In 1666 Blizard appears in Chester's 'Lon- don M.arriage Licences.' In 1702 and 1748 Bleazard is found in the Richmond Wills. In 1764 we find Bleazerd, in 1802 Blezard, in the same wills.

W. H. CHIPPINDALL, Col.

Kirk by Lonsdale.

MISSIONARY SHIP DUFF (11 S. ix. 41.0). The title of the book alluded to in my reply at 10 S. xi. 112 is "A Missionary Voyage to the Southern Pacific Ocean performed in the Years 1796, 97, 98, in the Ship Duff, commanded by Capt. James Wilson," pub- lished 1799. It contains an exhaustive list of subscribers who were " in all pro- bability " interested in that most worthy- enterprise. The book can scarcely be con- sidered rare, although it is seldom met with. The exact date of sailing from the Thames was 10 Aug., 1796, at 6 A.M. ; and just a month later (10 Sept., at 9 A.M.) the final departure with the East India convoy, took place from Spithead where the ships lay waiting for a fair wind. If H. H. will com- municate with me direct, I shall be pleased to send any particular details required.

FRANK PAUL.

61, Marmion Road, Southsea.

The following book is enter3d in Lowndes under Wilson, James :

"A Missionary Voyage to the Southern Pacific Ocean performed in the Years 1796, 1797, 1798, in the Ship Duff, commanded by Captain James Wilson, &c. London, 1799. 4to, with 13 maps and views.

J. F. R.

DR. JOHN SAMUEL PHEN (US. ix. 407). In The Morning Leader for 29 Sept., 1905, a drawing of Dr. Phene's house, 76, Oakley Street, Chelsea, of which the scaffolding was then said to be down, is given, and " the public " had " a view of what is un- doubtedly the most astonishing front in London." It certainly has a most picturesque appearance as there shown. Some account of this new house is also given ; but to "a request to be allowed a view of the interior Dr. Phene replied : ' No one has been admitted to see it.' 3

He died, at the age of 89, on 9 March 1912, and The Evening Standard of 12 March gave some details in regard to his life, under the general heading of 'Chelsea Hermit's Death : Vagaries of a Strange Career,' as well as a description of the house (there described as 32, Oakley Street).

A cutting from The Standard a few months later (unfortunately not dated in n y cutting, but it is one of the months ending in r, 1912) says that his will was proved at 31,5292., of which the net personalty was sworn at 29,267/. Among many provisions he left to the French Protestant Hospital, Victoria Park, two pictures one of a Huguenot lady (Miss Hillier), by Sir Joshua Reynolds, and one of a Huguenot minister (name not mentioned in The Standard). He also left instructions for " a proper and efficient biography with illustra- tions of my life and travels, with a consideration of 100 guineas to John Murray, Esq., of Albe- marle Street, to suggest a compiler, and a com- petent fee for compiling such biography." Details are given as to the disposal of his property, and at the death of his residuary legatee or legatees, his books, manuscript lectures, drawings, and photographs (after having been used for the preparation of his ' Life ') are to go to the library of the Chelsea Polytechnic, Manresa Road, Chelsea. Money was also left for several of his servants and other assistants. The bulk of the property was left to two relatives. In this will the house is described as 5, Carlton Terrace, Oakley Street, Chelsea ; but see above as to the two different numberings in the reports

F. J. HYTCH.

The following appeared in The Daily News of 29 Oct., 1912 :

" Sir Joshua Reynolds's portrait of Miss Hillier, a Huguenot lady, has been bequeathed to the French Protestant Hospital, in Victoria Park Eoad, N.E., by the late Dr. John Samuel Phene, of 5, Carlton Terrace, Oakley Street, Chelsea. Dr. Phene, whose estate has been valued at 31,5292. for probate, was a member of several learned societies, and he claimed to trace