Bicester branch grafted back into the tree

The result of my DNA test grafts the Bicester branch onto the main Blencowe tree at approximately nine generations back and from there to Adam de Blencow our historic ancestor. The DNA results are extremely useful as documentary evidence fails eight generations back at William Blincow, D 1781. William is reported to have been born in Launton near Bicester, only 13.6 miles from Marston St Lawrence. The other Australian (Armidale) Blencowes who are the closest genetic link to me, were at that time in Brackley only nine miles from Launton and 4.4 miles from Marston St Lawrence.

William BLINCOW (-1781), William BLENCOWE (1735- 1806), Thomas BLINCOWE (1761-1803), James BLINCO (1790-1835), Thomas BLENCOWE (1827-1876 and Thomas William BLENCOWE (1857-?), my Great. Grandfather, were all born in the Bicester area.

Thomas William disappeared after the 1871 census. One wonders if it was because his father died in 1876 and his first daughter, Lilly was born in Greenwich, London at the home of her grandparents. Thomas William (1893-1971) was also born in Greenwich before the family moved to Rotherhithe, South of the Thames where all of his other brothers and sisters were born.

In 1923, Thomas migrated to Northcliffe Western Australia with his wife Florence Rosetta Tull and sons William Thomas and Herbert John. Stanley (Stan) Blencowe (1928-) was born at Northcliffe . The family walked off the dairy farm in the depression when their herd of 23 cattle died of bracken poisoning and moved to Perth, Western Australia.

Tom took up painting. Stan, his youngest son, worked most as his life as a painter for the University of WA retiring as foreman. I, Alan Edwin was born in Perth, and was a Design & Technology Teacher for 35 years. I now work part time for my wife as Director of National Corporate Training validating Vocational Education Training to high schools and colleges in Western Australia and Indonesia. I have three daughters and five grandchildren. My son, Stephen Robert, is yet to prove his worth in propagating the Blencowe line.

This sub branch of Northcliffe Blencowes is now spread over Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland. In England, Rotherhithe Blencowes are also in Plymouth, Brighton, Wolviston, Ossett in Yorkshire and California in USA. There were Blencowes in Fencot and Charlton on Otmoor, just a few miles south of Bicester. John B died there in 1567 leaving four sons living; and a brother William who survived him. John's will is in “The Book”, p.105.

Incidentally, Thomas William's (1893-1971) younger sister, Rose Jane Blencowe migrated to Northcliffe with her husband, Arthur Charles Scanlan a couple of years after her brother and that branch is also flourishing in Australia. Carol Buswell, her granddaughter, is documenting that branch.

Alan Blencowe
Western Australia

It is always exciting to get a DNA match to the early family. Alan has a Blencowe family website where you can pick up lots of interesting family trivia and facts. www.alanblencowe.com

Anne