Blencowe Harry 1889

Harry Blencowe   [4285]

1889-1954

Father Nm: John [1695] born 11.6.1857 South Newington –  died 1943 Nuneaton – Dairyman Oldest Known Ancestor: John Blencowe C1828

Mother Nm: Maria Horley [5147] 1856 .

Marriage Dt:1915 to Bertha Masters at Nuneaton, Volume 6D Page 1670.

K comments::

WW1: Brothers who were drafted or served

1. Harry served with the Oxford and Bucks LI.
2. Richard served with the New Zealand Rifles
3. George Herbert served in India (Alfred’s testimony) army records confirm
4. Alfred Edward was with the US Army Engineers
5. Albert  who also emigrated to USA claimed exemption as a conscientious objector

WW2: Son John Gisborne served with the Royal Navy, nephew  Cliveww2talk served with RAF, and nephew Handel with the Queens Royal Regiment. Nephew John Warwick served with the New Zealand RAF

Spouse comments: Bertha Annie Masters [8921] 1891–1953 BIRTH 3 MAY 1891 • Atherstone, Warwickshire DEATH 2 OCT 1953 • Warwickshire, Warwick

Children: Vera J.(Joan) 1919, John G. 1924.

..(Research): GR[B] Nuneaton June 1889 GR[D] Nuneaton vol 9c p 756 June 1954.

Birth Date: 22 Apr 1889

Warwickshire, England, Baptisms, 1813-1910, Name: Harry Blencowe, Parish: Ufton, Baptism Date: 25 Aug 1889, Father’s Name: John Blencowe, Mother’s Name: Maria Blencowe

1891 Census Thornhill Farm, Lutterworth Road, Nuneaton

1. John Blencowe 33 1858 Farm Laborer South Newington, Oxfordshire,
2. Anne Maria Blencowe 34 1857 Radford, Warwickshire,
3. Walter Blencowe 9 1882 Bramcote, Warwickshire,
4. George Herbert Blencowe 6 1885 Bramcote, Warwickshire,
5. Albert Victor Blencowe 4 1887 Nuneaton, Warwickshire,
6. Harry Blencowe 2 1889 Attleborough, Warwickshire,

1901 Census 10 Lister St Attleborough, Nuneaton

1. Blencowe Walter Son Bricklayer 1882 Burrington 19
2. Blencowe John Head Milk Dealer M 1858 South Newington 43
3. Blencowe Maria Wife F 1856 Bradford 45
4. Blencowe Harry Son M 1890 Nuneaton 11
5. Blencowe George Son Carpenter M 1885 Burrington 16
6. Blencowe Alfred Edward Son M 1894 Nuneaton 7
7. Blencowe Albert Son Milk Dealer M 1887 Burrington 14
8. Blencowe Richard Son M 1892 Nuneaton 9

1911 Census 10 Lister Street, Attleboro Nuneaton

1. John Blencowe 53 Dairyman own business
2. Maria Blencowe 55
3. Harry Blencowe 21 Butcher own business

1912

Speeding Fine living at Lister Street.

 

WW1

Blencowe Harry, 1889, Nuneaton, Lance Corporal, 19827, 32973, 11^th Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 6^th Bn. Oxford & Bucks Light Infantry.

1916

• 12^th June Enlisted with the 11^th Bn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
• It seems likely that Harry transferred to the Oxford and Bucks from the Warwicks fairly quickly after his enlistment as he was to be with the Oxford and Bucks LI overseas when wounded in October 1916. Harry was with the 6^th Bn. Oxford and Bucks, Medal Roll and the serial numbers align with other men in the 6^th Bn.
• 7^th Oct. The Battle of Le Transloy. Attack on Rainbow Trench, Guedecourt. It is probably one the most remarkable coincidences discovered in this research that Harry was wounded serving alongside 2^nd Lieut. Oswald Blencowe who was killed in the same action.

  

  The following passage from the war diary of the 12^th Battalion Rifle Brigade another of the 20^th division regiments explains. “4^th October marched to the dugout at Carnoy and on the 6th marched to Montauban. On the 7^th carried out an attack on Rainbow Trench in conjunction with 6th Bn. Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry and 7th Bn. Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. The attack was successful and the objectives, together with a number of prisoners, four machine guns, and two trench mortars, were captured, but heavy casualties were suffered by the Battalion during the advance. In subsequent consolidation, an enemy counter-attack was sharply repulsed. The Battalions casualties were:- Killed: Captain L.C.B. Russell, 2nd Lieutenants W.S. Simmonds, R.P. Dashwood, O.C. Blencowe and Ive (the two latter officers being attached from the 6^th Ox & Bucks L.I.) and thirty-three other ranks.”¹

• 10^th Nov. Reported in the Tamworth Herald. Harry was wounded with the Oxford and Bucks LI.

Harry would have been transported home to have the treatment and a period of hospitalisation and then transferred to the 3^rd Reserve Bn. Oxford and Bucks for service at home.

1917

• 14^th Sept. Harry didn’t recover from the wounds to serve again and was honourably discharged on 14^th Sept. 1917.

Sources

From Angela and Clive Blencowe 2015 “Harry Blencowe, was a Butcher. He was born on the 22.4.1889 and died aged 70 years, in 1960. He married in 1915 to a Bertha Masters. They had three children, John, Joan, Mary and I don’t know the name of the third daughter. Bertha Masters came from Atherstone, Warwickshire and I believe her parents kept a public house there.”

1. War diary 12^th Battalion Rifle Brigade – Somme October 1916

Medals

Awarded British, Victory and the Silver War Badge. Harry was also entitled to wear one wound stripe on his dress uniform.

After the War

1931

Licensee at the Blue Boar Public House -source Friday 20 February 1931
Newspaper: Midland Counties Tribune

1930’s

Butchery at 92a Queens Rd Nuneaton. It was named H. Blencowe and Sons sometime after the birth of his son John Gisborne in 1924. John G inherited the business and was a going concern at the above address in 1960. However, it failed later on when son John got into financial difficulty.

1954 Death age 65 years.

Nuneaton, Warwickshire, Volume: 9c, Page: 756.

Note: It seems by reading the local press of Nuneaton that It seems that after the war government price controls in the meat industry had unintended results. The farmers did not it appears, meet the Butchers expectations in terms of supply and quality and the Butchers themselves were forced financially to break to price constraints to make a living. This resulted in Harry having a court case and a fine for overcharging. The event obviously was not good for business and put Harry under additional pressure and may well have been the tipping point for his suicide soon after the court case.

Obituary

GALLERY

Note: there are records that exist for this man that is not shown in the Gallery for copyright reasons.