Sir Valentine Blake, 1st Baronet

Sir Valentine Blake, was an Irish merchant and Mayor of Galway, 1560-2 January 1635.

Biography

The eldest of three sons of Walter Blake and Juliana Browne, Blake was described as the richest man in Galway in 1592. He owned extensive property in the countys of Galway, Mayo and Clare, some of which was inherited, but mainly acquired himself by mortgage. This included the monastery of Knockmoy. He resided in the town of Galway, or at Menlo Castle, located on the east bank of the Corrib some four miles north of the town. He appears to have been the first Blake mentioned as living there (it was destroyed by accidental fire in 1910, killing one of his descendants).

Blake was elected Sheriff of Mayo in 1611 but refused to take the Oath of Supremacy and was dismissed. He was elected to the Irish House of Commons as MP for Galway in 1613. He was knighted on 29 November 1622.

His younger brother was James "Spanish" Blake (died 1635).

He is the ancestor of the Blake baronets of Menlo.

Civic offices
Preceded by Richard Bodkin	Mayor of Galway 29 September 1611 – 13 November 1611	Succeeded by Sir Thomas Rotheram

Civic offices
Preceded by Nicholas Lynch fitz Johnathan	Mayor of Galway September 1630– June 1631	Succeeded by George Martin fitz Walter

Preceded by New creation	Blake baronets of Menlo 1622–1635	Succeeded by Sir Thomas Blake, 2nd Baronet

References

Roll of Honour:The Mayors of Galway, William Henry (historian), Galway, 2002.
Dictionary of Irish Biography, p.590, Cambridge, 2010.