Arthur Blencowe [1720]
1864 -1926
Father Nm: Thomas Blencowe 1832-1907.
Mother Nm: Mary Ann Powell 1834-1900.
Marriage Dt: 7 Aug 1888 to Hannah Burden, Banbury Vol. 3a Page 1287.
Kin comments: Family commitment to the war was great. Brothers John,, Reuben and Edward served with the Oxford and Bucks. Nephews Harry served with the RGA. Albert was killed with the Oxford and Bucks, John served with the Royal Navy, William served with Royal Engineers, Thomas and Joseph with the DCLI.
Spouse Comments: Hannah Burden 1869-1933.
Children: Ethel 1885, Frederick Arthur 1890, Edith 1892, Lily 1894-1894, Florence May 1896, Lily Elsie 1899-1903, Horace 1901-1901, Maud 1902, Alma 1905.
(Research):1871, 1881 Census* GR[B] Banbury June 1864, JD Banbury Parish Register.
1881
- 3 April Census. Baxters Yard, Neithrop
Thomas Blencowe 51
Mary A. Blencowe 47
Willm. Blencowe 23
Arthur Blencowe 18 Porter
John Blencowe 15
Mary A. Blencowe 12
Reuben Blencowe 8
Edward Blencowe 5 - 25 May. Arthur Private 3277 enlists with the 2nd Royal Welch Fusiliers at age 18.
1883
- 18 September. Arthur’s regiment embarks on the troop-ship HMS Serapis bound for India and a tour of duty.
1885-1887
- In India. Grandson Lionel Wheeler found this group photo in the family things and speculates quite accurately I think, that this is Arthur with the Welch Fusiliers either in India or possibly Burma.
- Arthur served with the Regiment in the conflict known as the Third Burma War. It was a conflict that took place during 7–29 November 1885, with sporadic resistance and insurgency continuing into 1887. It was the final of three wars fought in the 19th century between the Burmese and the British. Arthur was awarded the medal for this campaign.
1888
Arthur has returned to Banbury and marries Hannah at Banbury, St Mary’s Church.
1891 Census
9 Jubilee ? Neithrop
Arthur Blencow 36
Hannah Blencow 22
Ethel Blencow 6
Frederick Blencow 10 Mo
1892
Labourer Living at 12 Box Hedge Rd Neithrop
1901 Census
- Blencowe Edith Dau F 1893 Neithrop 8 Banbury Oxon
- Blencowe Florence May Dau F 1897 Neithrop 4 Banbury Oxon
- Blencowe Hannah Wife F 1867 Chipping Norton 34 Banbury Oxon
- Blencowe Arthur Head Bricklayers labourer M 1865 Neithrop 36 Banbury Oxon
- Blencowe Lilly Elsie Dau F 1899 Neithrop 2 Banbury Oxon
- Blencowe Frederick Arthur Son M 1891 Banbury 10 Banbury Oxon
1911 Census 6 Box Hedge Road Neithrop
- Blencowe Maud Dau F 1903 Neithrop 8 Banbury Oxfordshire
- Blencowe Alma Dau F 1905 Neithrop, Banbury 6 Banbury Oxfordshire
- Blencowe Florence Dau F 1897 Neithrop 14 Banbury Oxfordshire
- Blencowe Hannah Wife F 1869 42 Banbury Oxfordshire
- Blencowe Arthur Head General Labourer M 1865 Neithrop, Banbury 46 Banbury Oxfordshire
1913
- 17 January. Emigration to Australia. Arthur gets an assisted passage to Australia and takes the entire family except for eldest daughter Ethel who travels on an assisted passage in 1915.
The family arrive in Freemantle Western Australia, but at age 48 and Hannah 44 perhaps the immigrant experience was too difficult, because they all return by 17 September 1914 as Arthur joins the army then.
WW1
Blencowe Arthur, 1865, Neithrop, Private, 9414, 16855, 3rd Oxford and Bucks LI, RDC 261 Protection Company.
Pre-war
1914
- 17th Sept. Enlisted with the 3rd (Reserve) Bn. Ox and Bucks LI at Oxford. A painter age 44 years (actual age 49 years) of 45 Kings Rd. Neithrop, Banbury. Previously served with the Royal Welch Fusiliers and time expired this term could have been 6 or 12 years service.
- 21st Nov. Discharged probably because Arthur’s real age was discovered or his age a barrier to carrying out duties.
Arthur, however, didn’t give up on serving.
- 23rd Nov. Arthur was assigned to Protection Company 261 which was part of the Southern Command and ran local defence/security at Vulnerable Points, POW camps, etc. In general terms the Protection Companies were mainly engaged in guarding work – POW (P/W) Camps, Vulnerable Points (Docks etc.), Ireland, and M.I. and Special Military Areas (Govt., Camps, Munitions etc.). A total of 27,000 men were employed as such in 1918.
1917
- 19th Apr. Arthur was honourably discharged on 19 April 1917 due to sickness.
Upon his return home, it seems he got a job at the Banbury Sheel Filling Factory.
Note: By the end of 1917 all four brothers had been honourably discharged and were all living within a few paces of each other see the map of Banbury with their homes denoted.
Medals
No medals as home-based, but he is awarded the Silver War Badge.
Sources
- Lionel Wheeler grandson whose wonderful family video is available on YouTube
- Blencowe Families Association Database and Daphne Austin research
- Ancestry and Find My Past
After the War
1921 Census
Living at 8 Townsend Banbury with his daughter. Arthur is out of work previously at National Filling Factory (shell production)
First name(s) | Last name | Relationship to head | Sex | Birth year | Age in years | Birth place | Occupation | Employer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arthur | Blencowe |
Head
|
Male | 1864 | 57 | Banbury, Oxfordshire, England | Painter | No 9 National Filling Factory, Out Of Work |
Alma | Blencowe |
Daughter
|
Female | 1905 | 16 | Banbury, Oxfordshire, England | General Domestic Servant | Mrs Curtis The Albion Hotel |
Widower 1922
Arthur resumes work as a House Decorator and this photo shows him working on a rather large house.
Death 1926 age 62 years.
According to grandson, Lionel Arthur fell from a ladder at work and this caused his death and might explain the death being registered in Hackney not his home of Banbury.
Hackney, Volume:3a, Page:1243.
Gallery
Note: there are 7 service records for this man that exist that are not shown in this gallery for copyright reasons.
Photographs from Lionel Wheelers Family Video
Arthur and Hannah’s Children