Harry Amos Blinco  [4053]

1879-1948

Father Nm: James Blinco [1026] c 18.11.1849 St. Mary Warwick:Oldest known ancestor – James Blinco abt. 1845 Portsmouth Hants

Mother Nm: Elizabeth Wilkes [5195] 1851 Myton Warwickshire died 1911 Portsmouth

Marriage Dt:1898 to Edith Suggett, Marriages Sept 1898, Portsea 2b 1078

K comments: Father James [1026] served as a Sergeant in the Royal Marines from1866-1887. Brother Arthur Lawrence had similar military experience joining as a boy entrant (14) the Royal Marines and later the Seaforth Highlanders on the same day in 1915. Older brother James Walter served with the Royal Berks Regiment. Son Stanley Maurice served in WW2.

Spouse comments: Edith Suggett 1881-1953,

Children: Ada Elizabeth 1896, Edith Agnes F 1899, Grace Ruth 1902, Irene May 1906, Stanley Maurice 1908.

(Research): GR[B] Alverstoke June 1879

Date of Birth: 28 April 1879 (Royal Marines records)

1881 Census Alverstoke, Hampshire

1. Elizabeth Blinco 30
2. James Blinco 4
3. Harry Blinco 2
4. Lawrence Blinco 1

1893-1899

• 18 April.Enlisted with Royal Marine Light Infantry: Portsmouth Division as a boy entrant age 14. Name Blinco, Harry Amos, Register Number: 6454, Division: Royal Marine Light Infantry: Portsmouth Division, When Enlisted/Date of Enlistment: 18 April 1893, Date of Birth: 28 April 1879
• May 1894-May 1895. Embarked on HMS Royal Sovereign on Coastal Command  fleet duties in English channel.

  

• December 1895-February 1897 HMS Australia which was mainly coast guard ship for Southampton Water in this period

  

• Promoted to Corporal in 1898
• Discharged in 1899

1901 Census 59 North St Portsea

1. Isabella Suggett 42
2. Edith Blinco 20
3. Harry Amos Blinco 21 Milk Dairyman
4. Ada Elizabeth Lilian Blinco 4
5. Edith Agnes Florence Blinco 4

1911 Census 5 Claret St Accrington Lancs

1. Blinco Ada Elizabeth L F 1897 14
2. Blinco Arthur L M 1881 30
3. Blinco Edith F 1881 30
4. Blinco Edith Agnes F F 1900 11
5. Blinco Grace Ruth F 1902 9
6. Blinco Harry Amos M 1880 31 General Labourer In Iron Foundry
7. Blinco Harry Arthur W M 1905 6
8. Blinco Irene May F 1907 4
9. Blinco Stanley Maurice M 1910 1

Royal Marines	Seaforth Highlanders	Gordon Highlanders

WW1

Blinco Harry Amos, 1879, Alverstoke, Sergeant Drummer, 3/8129, S/16832,  Royal Marine,10^th Bn. Seaforth Highlanders, Gordon Highlanders

1915

• Military service with the Marines in the 1890s would have given Harry the experience and seniority to be promoted to a Sergeant in WW1
• 10^th Oct. Enlisted. The regimental number is one after brother Arthur (who we have service records for)

The 3/ prefix was often used to suggest Special Reserve and Extra Reserve on enlistment. As his brother was in the 10th Seaforth Highlanders it seems likely this was also Harry’s battalion.

10^th Bn. Seaforths movements and likely Harry’s.

• 10^th Apr. : The 10^th Bn. became a Reserve Battalion and moved to Tain. Moved on to Catterick in October 1915.

1916

• The 10^th Bn. moved to Dunfermline in April.
• 1^st Sept. Converted into 39^th Training Reserve Battalion of 9^th Reserve Brigade at Dunfermline.

Harry may have transferred to the Gordon Highlanders after serving for some time with the Seaforths. The highest rank achieved (Sergeant Drummer) is shown against Gordon’s regimental number and in 1918 he is recorded on the Accrington absent voters list with The Gordon’s. The medal Card roll G/ 101/A is for the Gordon Highlanders.

Note: The Sergeant-Drummer was a colour/staff sergeant and would have been in charge of the battalion’s 16 drummers, all of whom would be distributed among the companies. There was normally one drummer per platoon, who also acted as a runner. Drummers were trained soldiers; bandsmen (some of whom might play the drum) were usually employed as stretcher-bearers.

Medals

The single-award of the British Medal probably means that though the UK based during the war qualified, Harry spent some of his time in service overseas (not necessarily in the conflict).

1918 Absent voters list Accrington

Blinco Harry Amos S/16832 Sgt. Gordon High. 6 Richmond Hill Street H 3886

Places Harry at an address in Accrington and confirms overseas with Gordon Highlanders

After the War

1921 Census

6, Richmond Hill Street, Accrington, Lancashire
Harry Amos Blinco Head Male 1879 42 Gosport, Hampshire, England Caretaker Wood Work School Accrington Caretaker Accrington Education Authoity
Edith Blinco Wife Female 1880 40 Yorkshire, England Assistant Caretaker Wood Work School Accrington Caretaker Accrington Education Authoity
Ada Elizabeth Lilian Blinco Daughter Female 1896 24 Portsea, Hampshire, England Home Duties –
Edith Agnes Florence Blinco Daughter Female 1899 21 Portsea, Hampshire, England Domestic Servant Rev R Wilkins
Grace Ruth Blinco Daughter Female 1902 19 Portsea, Hampshire, England Weaver Cotton Bury Broker Cotton Manufactures Out Of Work
Harry Arthur Walter Blinco Son Male 1904 16 Portsmouth, Hampshire, England Apprentice Butcher Walter Book Family Butcher
Irene May Blinco Daughter Female 1906 14 Portsmouth, Hampshire, England Apprentice Dress Making Miss Mason Out Of Work
Stanley Maurice Blinco Son Male 1909 11 Portsmouth, Hampshire, England – –
Marion Isabel Blinco Daughter Female 1911 10 Accrington, Lancashire, England – –
Gladys Muriel Blinco Daughter Female 1912 8 Accrington, Lancashire, England – –
Edna Joyce Blinco Daughter Female 1920 – Accrington, Lancashire, England

1939 Census

87 Belfield Road, Accrington,
Harry A Blines 28 Apr 1879 Male School Caretaker Married
Edith Blines 04 Nov 1880 Female Unpaid Domestic Duties Married
Marion I Blines 08 Apr 1911 Female Daily Domestic Help Single
Edna J Withers (Blines) 27 Oct 1920 Female Cashier & Book Keeper Single 

 

Death 1948

Accrington age 69

Haslingden 10c 269

GALLERY

There are records in the National Archives for this man. For copyright reasons, they cannot be re-published.