Henry Blinco 1832 Hedgerley

→ Henry Blinco (11 Feb 1832, Hedgerley, Buckinghamshire) → Portland → Freemantle Western Australia. Arrived: 1864.

Synopsis

Just like his brother Alfred Blinco 1836 , Henry is very well covered in the research and writings of the Blencowe family members, however familiy stories of him being “Head Gaoler AsstDead Warder” at Fremantle prison do not hold up under scrutiny of the WA records. When he retired in 1898 Henry was a Principal Warder on £147 per annum  a middle management role. However one of the more suprising discoveries during my research is that he was an Inventor of a Oscillating Cross-cut Saw Machine. This is a surprising development for a man in charge of convicts with little technical skills. Something else learned is in the early years as a convict warder Henry was on the road a lot and wife Eliza travelled with him. This resulted in Eliza having a premature baby in a convict camp in 1870. Two other interesting and surprising facts Henry was to return to England in 1874-75 on duty as a warder , he also play late in his working life Cricket for theFremantle Prison team

In this page, I focus on detailing these new facts and his families overall timeline. In a later section I cover the next two generations as they are also well documented and several sons followed him into the Western Australia Govt. Service. Some Grandsons served in the World Wars.

Hedgerley, Buckinghamshire

Henry was a 5th generation descendant of Willam Blinco C1671, who is the earliest descendant we can find from the Blincos that moved south from Cumbria through Amersham Buckinghamshire and onto Hedgerley near Slough in Buckinghamshire. Several generations of this family can be found in the archives.

Henry was born in 1832 and one of nine children and was the son of his fathers second wife Elizabeth Salter. Another Elizabeth, his fathers first wife died in 1827 and had 5 children Frederick, Jane, Elizabeth, Lucy, and Catherine.

In the 1841 Census, Henry with his siblings and half siblings are living with their widowed father Thomas at an Inn called the Brickmould. Its not clear what Thomas occupation was at this time, we know he had just lost a second wife called Elizabeth in 1840. Siblings at the census in 1841 Elizabeth, Lucy, Catherine, Emily, Henry, Thomas, Alfred, and Caroline.

Henry signed up for the Army as early as he could and at age 17 was recruited by the 96th Regiment of Foot in 1849. After fighting in the New Zealand Wars, the 96th Regiment was transferred to India in 1849. They were primarily stationed in Northern India, serving under the East India Company’s administration. Their key movements included:

Arrival: They landed in India and moved toward the Bengal Presidency.

Stationing: Much of their time was spent in Cawnpore (Kanpur) and Lahore. These were major garrison towns at the time, following the conclusion of the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849.

Conditions: The regiment suffered significantly from disease during this period. In 1850 alone, they reportedly lost over 100 men to “jungle fever” and cholera while stationed at Cawnpore.

While in India its said that Henry may well have marched to the Afghan border a huge distance, See his obituary

Returning home in 1854 Henry was to find his younger brother Alfred was planning to take an assisted passage to Australia. It seems likely that this prompted Henry to consider emigration as well, but his chosen path to do this was slightly different.

When Henry had completed his military service period in 1854 he was discharged with a “Good Conduct” status and thus was considered a “Pensioner” This was to prove very beneficial for his emigration to Australia.

Henry would have heard or seen the call for volunteers from pensioners to join a convict warder role called the Pensioners Guard.

The Pensioners were offered a tempting deal: Free passage for the him (the soldier), his wife, and children, plus a daily wage while on the ship and a grant of land (usually around 2–10 acres) upon arrival. Note because he took a promotion before sailing this offer was changed and no land was offered to him on arrival, however he was paid a great deal more.

The notice specifically targeted men for the Western Australia Convict Establishment.

Henry would have reported to a staff officer of pensioners in his district. The selection process was competitive because of the promise of a new life in the colonies.

• Character Check: His “Small Book” (military record) was scrutinized. Any history of habitual drunkenness or insubordination usually resulted in immediate rejection.
• Medical Fitness: While they were “pensioners,” they still had to be “fit for garrison duty.” Henry had to prove he could still handle a musket and stand a watch on a rolling ship.

Attestation and Training

Once accepted, Henry would have been “attested” (sworn in) specifically for the Enrolled Pensioner Force.

• He would have been issued a new uniform, which was slightly different from his old 96th Foot gear. It was typically a dark blue frock coat with red facings and blue trousers with a red stripe—a “policeman-like” military uniform designed to command authority over convicts without being a full frontline combat dress.
• He would receive brief training on Convict Regulations, focusing on the “rules of the sea” for prisoner transport.

June 1864 Occupation Assistant Warder Henry is in training for the next level supervision of “Pensioner Guards” Note; the address given 21 Devonshire Street. This was the headquarters for the Director of Convict Prisons and the Office of the Surveyor-General of Prisons.

Marriage 1864

While in the midst of this training for the Pensioner Guard Henry had met Eliza Hinds and on 14 June 1864 they married . Marriage solemnized at the Parish Church of St George the Martyr, in the County of Middlesex. Henry Blinco, 31yrs, Assistant Warder at the Convict Prison, 21 Devonshire Street. Henry’s father Thomas Blinco ,Farmer. Eliza’s father Thomas HInds, Carpenter

Promotion and Deployment to Portland

It appears that Henry was promoted to be a Warder on the upcoming voyage. Since the ship he was tasked to join was the Merchantman and leaving from Portland, Henry and Eliza would have been ordered to travel there a few days before July 1, 1864. Portland was a major convict hub (housing the famous Portland Prison), and this is where the “cargo” of 260 prisoners would have been rowed out to the ship to meet their new guards.

The Voyage

So when Henry and his wife Eliza left Portland, England on July 1, 1864 bound for the Swan River Colony they were to have one of the shortest journeys for the era just 73 days at sea. Henry was one of 6 Warders supervising the 28 Guards for the 260 Convicts onboard. This new article adds more detail to the voyage. the role of the Warder is described thus. “Their job was administrative and custodial. They dealt with the “nitty-gritty” of prison life: supervising cleaning, managing the distribution of rations, and enforcing the daily routine of the convicts below deck. While the Pensioner Guard provided the force, the Warder provided the supervision. They worked closely with the Surgeon-Superintendent, who held the ultimate authority over the health and discipline of the convicts on the ship.”

On arrival in Freemantle

It appears that Henry was to work intially in Bunbury at the Convict Hire Depot there, we know that they were there until at least December 1867. In March 1865 Arthur Henry Blinco was born in Bunbury, in November 1866 Son George Frederick Blinco was born in Bunbury he died there in December 1867 .

Henry then seems to have moved out on the road, overseeing convict work gangs. The roads and other infrastructure was to be built mostly with convict labour and it fell to Henry to go on the road with the gangs supervising their work. Henry and Eliza and the two boys likely were together , this not unusual in those days and it may well have been always like this in the first few years he was away from home working in convict working party camps.

There is definite evidence that Eliza accompanied Henry on his working camps out of Fremantle. On one occasion in 1870 son Francis Thomas Blinco was born prematurely at the Serpentine Bridge where his father was supervising convict labour. Serpentine Bridge was a more than a days travel in those days to Fremantle (38kms approx).

Throughout all this he developed an interest and a skill in the tools required for the jobs the convicts required.

Henry the Inventor 1871

In an amazing development Henry became a inventor of a practical machine to increase the efficiency of sawing large blocks of wood . See this story from Inquirer and Commercial News Perth, WA Wednesday 20 December 1871, page 3

BLINCO’S CROSS-CUT SAWING MACHINE.

From our Special Reporter.

I have been favoured with a private view of the model of Mr. Blinco’s invention of an oscillating cross cut sawing machine, a description of which, so far as I am able to give it, may be of interest to your readers. The machine is constructed to work with one or more saws. The movement is horizontal, and the mechanism is as simple as it is effective.

The model itself, which is one quarter the size of a powerful machine, is guaranteed to cut blocks of wood at the rale of one superficial foot per minute, at a minimum saving of labour equal to 75 per cent. According to the present system of sawing blocks by hand labour, six men can saw 15 yards per day of 9½ boars ; the model itself will saw 60 yards per day; but a machine four times its size, employ-ing six men, and working by steam, would cut 250 yards per day. The machine is portable, and is easily moved from place to place. It is constructed to work by hand or steam power, and is specially adapted for cross cutting blocks of wood for road-making ; it is also adapted for cutting building-stone, seperseding the hum-brum old style of two men see sawing all day long. Mr. Blinco, who is warder in charge of the Sutherland Bay Road party, made an offer of his invention to the Perth Roads Board, when it was resolved, at a meeting, that a committee should be formed to wait upon Mr. Blinco and inspect his model. The result, I believe, was highly satisfactory, and Mr. Blinco was requested to make a proposition to the Road Board. He has offered his model, with the right to manufacture one or two machines therefrom, for a bonus of £25 ; the model to be afterwards returned to him. In the event of failure he guarantees to return the amount (£25), and further, to pay a fine of £25. The Chairman of the Board has replied that “without a favourable report from the Clerk of Works, (Mr. J. Manning) that the Board could not entertain Mr Blinco’s proposition.” The merit of an in-vention does not always fall to the rightful claimant, and it is only reasonable that Mr. Blinco should decline shewing the details of his invention until it has been securely pro-tected. Mr. Blinco is so sanguine of the success of his invention that be has taken steps by the outgoing mail to secure a patent in England, and he has applied to the Colonial Secretary for protection in this colony. Should His Excellency the Governor be so pleased, it is Mr. Blinco’s intention to invite him and a party of gentlemen to test the practicability of his invention by a fair trial of his machine, (the working model), and I do not hesitate to state that it will well repay a visit from those who feel an interest in mechanics, or can appreciate the matured thought of an intelligent man, who in his hours of leisure has conceived and brought to per-fection a machine whose various capabilities will, I hope, some day secure to the inventor the merit be deserves.

Tragedy 1874

The death of Eliza in childbirth at age 34 years resulted in two deaths, baby Eliza didn’t survive the birth either and Henry now was left with 6 children aged 2-9 years old and was suddenly presented and huge challenge to manage. The answer was of course to remarry and it seems he chose a younger woman Mary Stallard and with 4 months was married again.

2nd Marriage March 1875

Henry married Mary Stallard age 25 years at the Fremantle Congregational Church.

1874-1875 Overseas Assignment

In 1874 and probably not that long after getting married, Henry was to be tasked with accompanying convicts returning to Gt Britain and also to then guard some other convicts on their way to Australia . We have this record for the return voyage.

28 Apr 1875

Albany, WA

Warder accompanying convicts from England on SS China arrived from England via Ceylon Western Australian Times (Perth, WA : 1874 – 1879), Friday 30 April 1875, page 4 TÉLEGRAMS. Albany, April 28th. S.S. China, arrived at 9 o’clock this morning. Passengers for this colony, Warder Blinco, and Prisoner, Mrs. Simp-son and two children, Mr. Weir, Mr. Mc-Kenzie, Mr. and Mrs. Dyer, Mrs. Molo-ney, Mrs. Osborne, and two children, John Salmon, James Brillie, and J. Reynolds. SS China sailed for Galle, 6.30, this evening.  1876 A second family in the 1876 John Blinco was born to Henry and Martha and it would seem reading the events of his life Marriage occupation sports and retirement he and his later siblings were close together raised as one family by Martha. Martha and Henry had their bad time two children were to not survive very long after being born but John 1876 and Esther Blinco in 1884 were to live long lives and with their step siblings stayed connected.

Lenaville 1884-5

By 1884 Henry was doing well in the Fremantle Prison system and obviously had the connections like free convict labour to build a family house

There are several articles about the building of this house online etc. But I set about proving the statements made in several publications.

• Use of Convict Labor: Historical records from the Heritage Council of WA and local historical databases confirm that Lenaville was indeed built using convict labor in approximately 1884–1885.
• The Material: The house was constructed from random rubble limestone, which was quarried on-site. This was a common practice in Fremantle, especially for someone in Henry’s position who managed prison labor parties.
• Payment for Services: There is currently no public records suggesting Henry paid for the convict labor. One presumes then that was a “perk” of the job that over time would have been very much frowned upon. But it was 1884.
• The Reality: In 1884, when Lenaville was built, Henry was the Acting Chief Warder. He spent most of his later career as a Principal Warder or First Principal Warder. This acting role seems reasonably informal ie no gazetted entry to confirm and no pay rate changes. For how long this persisted is unknown but the myth he was Head Gaoler can be dismissed.
• The Residence: Interestingly, although he built this substantial house, rate books show he leased it out as early as 1887. Because of his senior role, he may have been required to live in official staff quarters provided by the prison, such as those on The Terrace.
• See photos and recent article about Lenaville in Gallery below.

Mysterious End

On Dec 1907 According to contemporary newspaper reports from December 1907 (including The West Australian), Henry was found by his wife and daughter after they returned from a school concert. He was discovered on a sofa in his home on Swanbourne Street (not Lenaville, which he had leased or sold by this time) with severe head injuries and “covered in blood.”

Apparently Henry died in Fremantle Hospital of the injuries.

The Police Gazette terms the incident suspicious and focuses on the lack of evidence to name a killer, resulting in an “Open Verdict.” The BFA newsletter of May 2009 covers this event, but doesn’t really add to or prove anything other. It does refer to ‘family stories’ passed down over generation, of a murder by someone with an axe. We will probably never know exactly what happened.

Death Obituary 1907

Henry Blinco, 1832-1907, was Chief Warder at the Prison. The house called Lenaville, at 186 High St, was built for him. He died at ‘Blinco Cottage’, 8 Swanbourne St, possibly murdered. Blinco St is named after him.

Another old Western Australian pioneer passed away in the person of Henry Blinco, last Thursday at Swanbourne-street, Fremantle, at the age of 75. The deceased, who had served in Her Majesty’s 96th Regiment, arrived here with his wife in the ship Merchantman, in 1864. It was his intention to join his brother in Queensland, and take up farming, but owing to the poor passenger service in those days between the colonies, he decided to remain in Western Australia. For a number of years he was engaged as one of the principal officers in the gaol, and retired on a pension in 1898. During the time he was in the army he formed part of a contingent sent to North India to take part in a threatening engagement, but after marching 1,400 miles, the trouble was found to have been settled. The late Mr. Blinco was twice married, his first wife predeceasing him some 33 years ago. He leaves five sons and one daughter, besides several grandsons and his widow to mourn their loss. The funeral took place yesterday afternoon at the Fremantle Cemetery, the remains being interred in the Church of England portion. The chief mourners were Mrs. Blinco (widow), Messrs. Thomas, Edward, and John Blinco (sons), Miss Blinco (daughter), and Messrs. Thomas, Frank, and Ivan Blinco (grandchildren). The pall-bearers were Messrs. W. Dawson, J. Hossick, W. Boyle, and Howson. Numerous wreaths and floral tributes were sent. The Rev. F. G. O’Halloran conducted the service at the graveside after which, in a short address, he said that Mr. Blinco belonged to that sturdy band of pioneers who had made Australia what it was to-day. He was a man who had a stern sense of the responsibilities of life. He was unlike many of the younger generation in that his mind was always fixed on the realities and difficulties of life rather than its pleasures and amusements. The funeral arrangements were carried out by Messrs. Arthur E. Davies and Co., of Fremantle. The West Australian, Saturday 7 December 1907, page 11, News and Notes.

Burial

Timeline

Event	Date/Location	Details
Full Name	Henry Blinco
Birth Date	11 Feb 1832
Birth Place	Hedgerley, Buckinghamshire
Served Pre WW1	1849, India	Soldier with the 96th Regiment of Foot which was stationed in India from 1849 to 1854
Marriage	14 June 1864, St George the Martyr, Middlesex	Marriage solemnized at the Parish Church, in the Parish of St George the Martyr, in the County of Middlesex. Henry Blinco, 31yrs, Assistant Warder at the Convict Prison, 21 Henry's father: Thomas Blinco, FarmerDevonshire Eliza Hinds, 24 yrs, 21 . Eliza's father: Thomas Hinds, CarpenterDevonshire Street
Emigrated a Blencowe variant	1864, Portland	The Merchantman left Portland, England, on July 1, 1864, bound for Fremantle, Western Australia. The voyage lasted 73 days, and the ship arrived in Fremantle on September 12, 1864
Occupation	Jun 1864, 21 Devonshire Street. London	Assistant Warder
Birth of Son Alfred Henry	11 Mar 1865, Bunbury, WA
Birth of Son George Frederick	14 Nov 1866, Bunbury, WA
Death of Son George Frederick	21 Dec 1867, Bunbury, WA	14th day of June 1864
Birth of Son Henry Harry and twin Harriet Ann	16 Jan 1869, Perth. WA
Occupation	1870, Freemantle, WA	Inventor of oscillating cross cut sawing machine, patents applied for GT Britain and Western Australia.
Birth of Son Francis Thomas	5 Aug 1870, Serpentine Bridge, WA	Baptised at Pinjarra WA
Occupation	1871, Freemantle	He is reported as Warder in charge of a Gang of Convicts building infrastructure in Sutherland Bay Road
Birth of Son Edward	27 Jun 1872, Fremantle
Widower	9 Nov 1875, Fremantle	Death of Eliza Hinds in childbirth and Eliza Blinco born 5 Nov 1875 died 7 Nov 1875
Marriage	21 Mar 1875,Fremantle Congregational Church, WA	To Martha Stallard (b. 1850, d. 1919)
Travel	9 Apr 1875, Sydney, NSW	Name Warder H Blinco Departure Place Melbourne Arrival Date 9 Apr. 1875 Arrival Place Sydney, New South Wales Ship Ellora Save
Occupation	28 Apr 1875, Albany, WA	Warder accompanying convicts from England on SS China arrived from England via Ceylon Western Australian Times (Perth, WA : 1874 - 1879), Friday 30 April 1875, page 4 TÉLEGRAMS. Albany, April 28th. S.S. China, arrived at 9 o\'clock this morning. Passengers for this colony, Warder Blinco, and Prisoner, Mrs. Simp-son and two children, Mr. Weir, Mr. Mc-Kenzie, Mr. and Mrs. Dyer, Mrs. Molo-ney, Mrs. Osborne, and two children, John Salmon, James Brillie, and J. Rey- nolds. China sailed for Galle, 6.30, this evening.
Widower	9 Nov 1874, Fremantle	Death of Eliza Hinds and Eliza Blinco born 5 Nov died 2 days later.
Marriage
Birth of Son John	13 May 1876, Fremantle, WA
Occupation	Apr 1886, Freemantle Gaol	Gatekeeper, Freemantle on £114 per annum 1886-1892
Birth of Daughter Anne Daisy	1893, Fremantle, WA
Occupation	Dec 1897, Freemantle Gaol	Principal Warder on £147 per annum
Birth of Son Cecil Henry	1899, Fremantle, WA
Death	5 Dec 1907, Fremantle, WA

Descendants

There were four sons of Henry that had careers in the Western Australian Government, one in the Railways and one a private and independent Builder

Grandchildren

The children from son Thomas Francis, several served

• Granddaughter Phyllis Irene Blinco,   b. Abt 1894, Fremantle, WA d. 10 Aug 1967, husband Alan Keith Donaldson was Lieut in WW1 and a Captain in WW2
• Grandson Thomas Edward Blinco,   b. 1896, Freemantle, Western Australia d. 21 Oct 1914, Claremont ,Western Australia died whilst in Service in 1914 of appendicitis
• Grandson 3. Francis Henry Blinco,   b. 1897, Beaconsfield WA d. 3 Oct 1973, Claremont, WA served in ww1 He enlisted age 18 yrs an Apprentice Fitter. Frank had completed 4 yrs as a cadet with Royal Australian Naval Reserve prior to WW1 and was to served in France with the Army.

The children from son Edward, several served.

• Grandson Ivan John Blinco,   b. 18 Dec 1900, Fremantle, WA d. 1976, Perth, Western Australia served in WW2 in Egypt.
• Grandson Albert Percy Blinco,   b. 6 May 1908, Claremont, Western Australia, Australia d. 4 Dec 1998, Dianella, Western Australia. Served in WW2 in New Guinea
• Grandson Noel Edward Blinco,   b. 25 Nov 1912, Cottesloe, Wa d. 15 Feb 1982, Fremantle, WA Served in WW2
• Grandson Mervyn Keith Blinco,   b. 1 Jun 1916, Claremont, Western Australia d. 22 Jan 1995, Perth, Western Australia served in WW2 as a sergeant in the Army in Egypt and New Guinea

Note of Mervyn Keith Blinco

Tom Blinco a great grandson of Henry Blinco and I recently connected. He has done some excellent research on his family and says his father Mervyn Keith Blinco (1916-1995) lived with Frank Thomas and Rhoda Blinco, from a baby, but was never adopted and was never told his Uncle Edward was his real Dad and that his mother Amelia Blinco (Kain) had died 17 days after his birth.

Frank and Rhoda also never adopted Mervyn so this arrangement I recently discovered as a name ‘putative’ meaning to be known as something by reputation, or assumed to be something, or generally accepted.

In any event with 9 other children to look after and Mervyn being 4 years younger than their youngest this was a remarkable act of family kindness and togetherness. Frank and Rhoda Blinco were exceptional people.

Mervyn was to served in the Middle East and New Guinea in the war with the Royal Australian Medical Corps, after the war he and Rose Blinco (Davies) raised 4 children themselves . Mervyn was awarded the Australian Imperial Service medal for his government service in 1971 and lived until 78 years. Of the four children Tom is oldest at 84 and his siblings are all living, so a good DNA in this branch of the family. They like the Toowoomba QLD Blinco’s trace themselves back to Farnham Royal in Buckinghamshire and to two brothers Alfred William Blinco 1836-1913 and Henry Blinco 1832-1907 who ventured to Australia in its pioneer years and set up families 4,785 kms apart.

The children from son John, only one served.

Grandson Gerrad Maiella served with the Australian Army as a craftsman with the 6 Australian Infantry Troops (Service No. W13789).

Sources

• Daphne Austin Blencowe Database
• Ancestry and Family search
• F.H. Broomhall’s The Veterans: A History of the Enrolled Pensioner Force, Western Australia 1850-1880.
• State Records Office of Western Australia (SROWA): * ACC 473/34
• Fremantle Prison Staff Records
• Heritage Council of WA (Places Database)
• The voyage details of the Merchantman 1864
• The Enrolled Pensioner Files of WA
• Western Australia, Public Service Lists, 1871-1905 for H Blinco
• Tom Blinco Gt Grandson family information
• Rob Wallis author of the Blincos of Hedgerley Book held in National and WA libraries

Gallery