Blencowe Robert C 1858

Robert Campion Blencowe [741]

1858-1936

Father Nm:John George Blencowe [738] born 1815 c 27.3.1817 St. Marys St. Marylebone died 10.4.1900 Bineham Sussex; Oldest Known Ancestor – Thomas Blencowe, C1475, Marston St Lawrence.

Mother Nm: Frances Campion [1919] born 6.12.1829 Danny Park Sussex died 8.4.1918 Chailey

Marriage Dt: (i) 1886 (ii)1924.

Kin comments:, brother John Ingham and sister Frances Isabel his wife Mabel Frances and Daughter Margaret Penelope served in the war with distinction.

Spouse Comments: (i) Augusta Frederica Dickinson 1858 (ii) Jessie Wright.

Children:

(Research):Alumn Oxon 1715-1886 (Foster) Wolford’s County Families GR[B] Cuckfield June 1858 GR[M] St George’s Hanover Sq vol 1a p 374 Dec 1886.

Born 1858

Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1858, Registration district: Cuckfield, Sussex, Volume: 2b Page: 118.

1861 Census Chailey

John G Blencowe 44
Frances Blencowe 31
Robert C Blencowe 2
Florence C Blencowe 1
John J Blencowe 4 Months

1871 Census Boarding School Brighton

26th May 1875

While at College it seems Robert is appointed a 2^nd Lieutenant in the Royal Sussex Militia.Between 1876 and 1896 this battalion was never embodied for an emergency and never went anywhere. The members’ only obligation was a minimal level of occasional training for military readiness. In a crisis the battalion
was expected to feed trained men to the two regular battalions. Even in
the absence of crisis, members occasionally quit their civilian jobs and
joined the regular battalions of the regiment.

21 Jan 1876 Graduated Christchurch College Oxford

20^th Aug 1878

At age 19 enlisted in 20^th Regiment of Foot (Lancashire Fusiliers) and sent to India. London Gazette 21^st Aug 1878.

A copy of Dress Regulations for Officers of the 1^st Battalion (XX) Lancashire Fusiliers, offered for sale by Maggs Brothers military booksellers in August 2006, notes Robert Campion Blencowe as the book’s owner. The Maggs Brothers website notes that Robert made full Lieutenant in January 1880.

1891 Census appears living at The Grove, Basingstoke

Robert Blencowe 32
Augusta Blencowe 36
Frances Oliver 25
Agnes Sloate 29
Agnes Chantler 21


Lancashire Fusiliers	Royal Norfolk Regiment	Royal Defence Corps

WW1

Blencowe Robert Campion,Captain Norfolk Regiment, Royal Defence Corps.

1914

Supplement to The London Gazette, Page 8013, of the issue dated 7^th October 1914 notes that Robert Campion Blencowe, late Lieutenant of The Lancashire Fusiliers, is to be a Lieutenant with the Territorial Force Reserve.

1915

Chailey Parish Magazine first mentions him in March 1915, noting that he is serving his King & Country and then adding in October that year that he is a lieutenant with the Norfolk Regiment.

1916

On 28^th June 1916, the Supplement to The London Gazette notes that Lieutenant Robert Campion Blencowe is promoted to Captain.

At some point thereafter, it would appear that Robert Blencowe transferred from the Norfolk Regiment to the Royal Defence Corps.

1917

On 7^th November 1917, on page 13176 of the Supplement to The London Gazette, it was noted that Lt R C Blencowe of the RDC would retain his seniority. Just over a month later, on 17^th December, he resigned his commission on account of ill-health and was granted the honorary rank of lieutenant.

His name appears for the final time in Chailey Parish Magazine’s roll of serving men in January 1918 where it is {incorrectly) noted that he is still serving with the Norfolk Regiment.

The Blencowe family was one of the most influential families in Chailey and the name crops up time and time again in contemporary newspaper reports. John Ingham Blencowe and Frances Isabel Blencowe in particular, also played significant roles in the village during the war years but Robert appears to have been the most influential member of the Bineham family.

Sources

Diary of Robert’s army career can be found at the National Archive. Item reference WO 76/154/4
Paul Nixon for the research and great amount of material that he has collected that appears on the Chailey Blog