Follow up to Blencowe Memorabilia for Sale

Those who regularly read these newsletters may remember that a number of ‘Blencowe Miniatures’ were offered for sale, a few years ago. Vol.22, No 4 Nov. 2007.

Blencowe Family Miniatures

Gratia Maria Blencowe nee Prowett (1806-1840)	John Jackson Blencowe (1810-1857)

It appeared that these were given to a groom at Marston House by John Jackson Blencowe and had been passed down to the then owner. I had the opportunity to view these miniatures, but many of them turned out to be friends of the family. However, I did purchase the images of John Jackson Blencowe (1810-1857) and his first wife Gratia Maria Prowett (1806-1840). John Jackson Blencowe is my great, great grandfather, but I am descended from his second wife, Gratia's first cousin, Cecilia Prowett.(1813-1874).

John Jackson Blencowe, not to be confused with his father, also a John Jackson, lived for only forty seven years, but as the local squire and a lawyer, played a notable part in the life of the county and was made a Justice of the Peace. His first wife, Gratia Maria Prowett, shown here, was the daughter of the Rev John Prowett of Catfield, Norfolk. Their first three children died young, only the fourth, Anna Maria, survived into adulthood and was then known to the family as Aunt Min. A silver teapot was passed down to us by a Blencowe uncle. It is only brought out on special occasions and is known to all as ‘Aunt Min's teapot’

From his two marriages, John Jackson Blencowe had fourteen children. A marble memorial to his memory can be seen on the north wall of the chancel of Marston St Lawrence Church. It reads thus; “He died in peace, humbly trusting in the mercy of God, through Christ our Saviour. The tears of the poor mingled with those of his wife and children, and hallow his memory. Blessed is he, who considereth the poor, the Lord shall deliver him out of trouble. Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord&rdquo I would suspect he was the last Blencowe to be interred in the family vault on the north side of the church.

Peter Blencowe,
England