Blencowe Edward 1876 – Blencowe Family in World War One

Edward Blencowe [1723]

1876-1950

Fathers Name: Thomas Blencowe [1104] 1 832 Bishops Itchington died 2.3.1907 buried St. Mary, Banbury: Oldest Known Ancestor – Thomas Blencowe,1803, Bishops Itchington.

Mothers Name: Mary Ann Powell [1666] born c 1834 Deddington Oxon died 1900 Neithrop

Marriage Dt: 4 Apr 1896 to Emily Osborne.[3269]

K comments: Family commitment to the war was great. Brothers Arthur, John and Reuben served with Oxford and Bucks LI.

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.

family tree 1 — The family tree of Thomas Blencowe and Ann Powell shows the ten members of the family that served. In addition to this Gertie daughter of Henry and Hannah, Hilda daughter of John and Ada and Henry Tollerton’s wife Ethel were all munition workers at the Shell filling factory.

Spouse Comments: Emily Osborne 1877

Children:

Born 7 September 1876 (1939 Census)

(Research):1881, 1891 Census* GR[B] Banbury Dec 1876, GR[M] Banbury June 1896 GR[D] Banbury vol 6b p 867 Dec 1950

1891 Census 1 Town End Court, Neithrop

Thomas Blencowe 62 Masons Labourer
Mary A Blencowe 57
Reuben Blencowe 18 Masons Labourer
Edward Blencowe 15 Masons Labourer

19 Dec 1892

Enlisted with the 4th Bn. Oxford and Bucks LI on 19 Dec 1892 but was rejected on examination as he was underage.

1895

5^th Mar. Edward tries again to enlist in 1895 but rejected by Medical Officer for a ruptured left testicle.
First name(s): Edward Last name: BLENCOWE, Calculated year of birth: 1875 Parish of birth: Banbury Town of birth: Banbury, Age at attestation: 17 years 6 months, Attestation date: 19 December 1892, Attestation corps: 4th Battalion Oxford LI Regiment, Attestation soldier number: 4305 Discharge corps: Oxfordshire Light Infantry – 43rd & 52nd Light Infantry. The National Archives reference: WO96 / 736 / 316

1901 Census 18 Foundry St. Banbury

Edward Blencowe 24 Bricklayers labourer
Emily Blencowe 22

1911 Census 18 Foundry St. Banbury

Blencowe Edward Head Bricklayer 34
Blencowe Emily Wife 30

Oxford and Bucks LI

Royal Engineers

WW1

Blencowe Edward, 1876, Banbury, Sergeant, 3353, 8919, 117402, 2^nd Bn. Oxon & Bucks LI, Royal Engineers 6^th Labour Bn. 3rd Prov. Coy.

Edward was apparently not considered to be fit by the Army (on three occasions two before the war and once in 1915) but endurance was certainly a major characteristic of this man as he served until 1917 until honourably discharged on a pension..

1914

23^rd Apr. Edward enlisted in London at 36 yrs with the 2^nd Bn. and indeed this time got through the examination.
29^th Nov. Landed in France and stayed until 1915.
Men of the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry sheltering from shrapnel behind the Headquarters of 20 Brigade, Ypres, October-November 1914.
Dec. The 2^nd Bn. was moved to the area of Bethune and was in the breastworks and trenches in regular reliefs until May 1915.

1915

9^th Jan. Returned to England and assigned to Depot Labour Battalion.
9^th May. Honourably discharged from Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry and awarded the Silver War Badge.
23^rd Aug. Joins the Royal Engineers Labour Battalion as a Pioneer. During June 1915 both Royal Engineer and infantry labour battalions had been formed in England and sent overseas for work in army areas, mainly on road maintenance work. These units were formed from men of the navvy class and from men who were over military age or from men who, because of wounds, injury or illness, were no longer fit for front line combat service. The overage personnel were enlisted at a special rate of pay of 3 shillings per day.

1916

24^th Aug. Promoted to Corporal.

1917

30^th May. Promoted to Acting Sergeant 30 May 1917
16^th Nov. Medical Board approves discharge unfit to serve.
18^th Dec. Honourably discharged and awarded the Silver War badge a second time. Discharged from the Army 80% disabled. Pension awarded 24 shillings a week for 88 weeks. Military records show in 1920 home address still 18 Foundry St. Banbury

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. By 1927 Edward and Reuben were next-door neighbours.

Medals

Awarded 1914-15 Star, British, Victory medals and the Silver War badge

Note

Based out of a depot in Chatham the RE 3rd Prov Co would have supplied all sorts of engineering roles from tunnelling to bridge-building on the front line. Edward is recorded to have served overseas.

After the War

1921 Census

18 Foundry St Neithrop. Working for Boots Builders.

First name(s)	Last name	Relationship to head	Sex	Birth year	Age in years	Birth place	Occupation	Employer
Edward	Blencowe	Head	Male	1876	44	Banbury, Oxfordshire, England	Bricklayer	Boots Builders Contractor
Emily	Blencowe	Wife	Female	1878	42	Bloxham, Oxfordshire, England	Home Duties	Home Duties

1939 Census

18 Foundry St. Living right next door to brother Reuben at the Volcon Inn 19 Foundry St Banbury. Inn and house now demolished. Screen Shot 2016-06-20 at 9.47.43 AM.png

	FIRST NAME(S)	LAST NAME(S)	DOB	SEX	OCCUPATION	MARITAL STATUS
	Edward	Blencowe	07 Sep 1876	Male	(Builders) Bricklayer (Heavy Work)	Married	158	1
	Emily	Blencowe	01 Aug 1877	Female	Unpaid Domestic Duties	Married	158	2

Death 1950 age 74

Banbury

Gallery

Note: there are 21 service records for this man that exist that are not shown in this gallery for copyright reasons.