Letters

Simon Blincow wrote from Nottingham:

'I found these clippings from 1840s issues of the Northampton Mercury which show that the Blencowes have had more than one brush with the law. The punishment seems a little harsh by today's standard but it probably worked!

1842: Blencow, John to the House of Correction for six weeks for refusing to perform a contract entered into for manufacturing a quantity of leather into boots.

1846: Blencowe, William of Marston St Lawrence at Northampton County Sessions: William Blencowe was convicted of having stolen twenty ounces of butter, the property of William Tompkins. One month's hard labour.

Brackley Petty Sessions: William Blencowe and George Padbury, youths of Brackley were brought up and reprimanded for misconduct in Brackley Churchyard during Divine Service.

[Reproduced with permission of the web page http://www.northants1841.fsnet.co.uk/newspaper.html]

Simon continued, 'I am currently working on an article for the newsletter about family members who fought in the last two wars. I have concentrated on the Blincow spelling for the moment and primarily on the young men who lost their lives in the British Forces, but I would love to hear from any one who has any information on any Blincow/Blencowe etc, who fought in any other notable conflict (There was one who fought at the battle of Waterloo!), or from anyone who has any information about the Blincows/Blencowes etc, who fought for the American & Commonwealth forces in the World wars. My email address is blincs@ ntlworld.com.

Clive Blencowe wrote from Worcester that he and Angela are looking forward to the arrival of their sixteenth grandchild next month. So far there are nine girls and six boys but, as five of the latter are Blencowes, there's no worry about the name dying out!

One of Clive's sons is another of those travelling Blencowes, he has set up a business in the island of Mauritius.

John Wintrip wrote from Taunton in Somerset. That he had found that he and his wife were both descended from Blencowe ancestors. The story is set out on the centre-fold.

Ron Currell who wrote from Peterborough telling that his wife descends from Henry Herschel Blencowe of the Blencowe family of Sussex. This provides some new relatives for the Blencowes of Toronto in Canada and of Augsburg in Germany.

Keith Blencowe in Sunderland has been surfing the Internet and has spotted some interesting names:

Alan Blencowe is a racing driver and writer in motor magazines.

A Mrs Blencowe runs the Wayfarers' Café in Hemel Hempstead.

Susan Blencowe, a dietician at Sunderland University has now moved to work at a hospital in the Midlands.

Ruth Blincow at Mermaid Hotel Rye.

On the TV I had seen references to a convenience store in Great Yarmouth that is Blencowe owned and there is Sergeant Blencowe in the Traffic Police of Wiltshire. There are lots of family members out ther that we have yet to contact!