Harry Blencowe takes an English bride to Columbia in South America

Recently Catherine Blencowe-Kish was thrilled to be re-acquainted with her long lost Blencowe cousin Patricia Wales. As they both share an interest in the family history, the upcoming Blencowe Families Association reunion will be a lovely way of renewing old acquaintances and making new friends.

Catherine's father, Harry was the eldest of four children of Sidney and Catherine Blencowe (featured in "A Visit to Blencowe Hall", November 2009 Newsletter).

Although Harry spent time in Argentina with his parents, he was a boarder at West Buckland School in Devon. As war prevented his travel across the Atlantic, he spent his school holidays with his grandmother, Catherine Gough.

Harry and Peggy were married in 1949, after visiting Sidney and Catherine in Bishopsteighton, Devon. After the wedding, Harry and Peggy sailed away to Bogota, Colombia, South America where Harry ran his own business. Some of Peggy's college friends came to wave "Goodbye". They all thought it was "very romantic".

Harry had lived and worked in South America since the 1920s. He and Peggy had many interesting and enjoyable experiences. There is, an account from a Spanish newspaper about the newlyweds going up Monserrate Mountain in Colombia for an afternoon out. Some thieves held them at knife point and the tendons in Harry's hand were cut as he fought to protect Peggy. Luckily, they both survived and went on to have two daughters and two grandsons.

Their first daughter was born in Bogota, Colombia. Her sister was born in England, and they both went to school in the Isle of Man. Harry continued to work in Bogota, returning to his family during their school holidays. Harry was very proud of his family; often going for energetic walks and taking his two grandsons for long days out.

At 83, Harry reluctantly had to give up his business as an importer in South America, and lived another 12 years in England with his family. Peggy cared for Harry for two years after he had a stroke and they were able to celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary in Cheltenham 6 months before Harry died in 1999. Peggy moved to Harrogate in Catherine's care until she passed away in 2008.

In 2009, Catherine Blencowe-Kish ran the Edinburgh and Nottingham Marathons in proud memory of her parents, Harry & Peggy Blencowe. She has raised thousands of pounds over the years for the Stroke Association, British Heart Foundation, RNIB, Cancer Research UK, Diabetes UK, Against Breast Cancer, Penny Brohn & Macmillan Cancer Care.

Richard Kish