→ James Blencowe Merchant (Abt 1803, Runwell, Essex) → Melbourne. Arrived: 1852.
Note: Sep 1852 Un-assisted Passengers arrive from London on Bengal Merchant Blencoe Emma 25 1852 Sep Bengal Merchant Blencoe Esther 50 Blencoe James 47 and Eliza 8
Esther Susanna Main (1801, ) → with husband and child:• Emma Blencowe (abt1826 ) Note: also possibly Eliza Blencowe ?(abt 1844) No positive family link/identification for Eliza Blencowe, there is some doubt about the accuracy of ships listing. Attached below in Gallery
Synopsis
Of the emigration stories I have encountered in this project, this one has more than its fair share of drama, in fairness to James Blencowe his life was relatively quiet, and not that newsworthy, even though he was an achiever and established himself first in England and then in Australia as part of the establishment. James life became over-shadowed by a son born in 1828, John Thomas Blencowe. As you will see his son came to Australia a few months before his father and mother, on perhaps a fact finding trip, he returned to England. Eight years later he came with his family. John Thomas Blencowe and his family were to be most newsworthy and not for the best of reasons you will discover. For this reason, this 1852 emigration story gets mixed up with a 1860 emigration story, I apologise for that, but they inter twine so much, its best told as one story.
I said earlier that James life was not that dramatic, although it looks like he was a bigamist, had three wives and was a self made 19th C Gentleman on his death, no mean feat for someone who began in meager surrounds.
Runwell, Essex.
When James Blencowe was born in 1803 in the small village of Runwell in Essex his father Thomas age 40 was on his 3rd of four marriages.
Father Thomas Blencowe (c. 1763 – 1833)
- Born: c. 2 July 1763, Foulness Island.
- Died: Buried 24 March 1833, Barnet, Herts (aged 70).
- Occupation: In 1786, he (or his father) occupied a house, stable, orchard, and 3-acre field in the Manor of Barling, Essex.
Wife 1: Mary Salisbury
- Marriage: 8 September 1788, Runwell.
- Death: Buried 23 December 1789, Wakering.
- Children:
- No children from this marriage are found
Wife 2: Ann Truss
- Marriage: 18 January 1791, Little Wakering.
- Death: Buried November 1800, Wakering.
- Children :
- Thomas c. 17 May 1791, Little Wakering (died 1792).
- John : Born 24 September 1792, Little Wakering.
- Thomas : c. 1793, Little Wakering (became an earthenware warehouseman).
- Henry: c. 9 March 1794, Little Wakering (died 1833).
Wife 3: Louisa Dent (née Oddy)
- Marriage: 14 April 1801, Little Wakering (both widowed).
- Death: Buried 29 August 1830, Barnet (aged 52).
- Children :
- George : c. 28 February 1802, Runwell, Essex (a “general machinist” known as “The Inventor”).
- James : c. 21 August 1803, Runwell, Essex.
Wife 4: Susannah Slough (née Fensom)
- Marriage: 12 November 1831, Chipping Barnet (both widowed).
- Death: 1851, Chipping Barnet (aged 61).
- Children :
- Alfred: Born c. 1833 (aged 8 in 1841 census).
- Note: Susannah also brought several children from her previous marriage to Edward Slough into the household, including Henrietta, Emma, and Susan
James then was brought up in rural Essex with its limited prospects, but he was fortunate to be apprenticed to be a Needle maker. This was a skilled job, and the apprenticeship would have meant him moving to London to undertake it. The apprenticeship was a contracted position and a master and servant relationship established, only at the culmination of 7 years service, would it be ended. The timeline shows James “obtained his freedom” of the Needlemakers’ Company (a London livery company) in March 1823. This status typically required serving a seven-year apprenticeship under a master who was already a freeman of that guild in the city. “The mention of James Blinco in the Liveryman’s Poll Book of 1833 tells us several things about his standing:
Social Standing: His presence in the poll book indicates he was a person of some local importance and financial stability, as becoming a Liveryman involved paying significant fees.
Political Status: As a “Liveryman,” James was not just a member of his guild; he was among the upper tier of the company who had the right to vote in City of London elections.
Location and Trade: By 1833, he was living or working at Vineyard, Tooley Street. This area, located in Southwark near London Bridge, was a bustling industrial and commercial hub.
As a Liveryman, James would have been entitled to wear the company’s livery (clothing) and would have seen this crest on the company’s official documents, at guild meetings, and possibly on the gates of their halls or associated buildings in London. His status as a “freeman” in 1823 meant he had successfully completed his training in this specific trade, which by then was a prestigious and protected craft within the City of London.
Two Marriages? which one came first?
The first question of James life, is was he a bigamist? I think that theres good evidence that he was. James had married Harriet Ann Hennesy in 1824 in New Barnet and set up home there. A son Samuel Jackson Blencowe was born 27 July 1825 in Barnet a daughter Harriet Ann Blencowe was born in 1830.
But at the same time James had married/lived with Esther Sussanah Main in Chelsea and two children Emma Blencowe abt 1826 and John Thomas Blencowe in 1828 are credited to him later as his children. Emma Blencowe born 1826 may have been a child of previous marriage of Esther Suusana Main. What we have is only one marriage record for James in England, that to Harriet Ann Hennesy on 1 November 1824. We have nothing for his long term partner Esther Sussanna Main with whom he had his first child in 1826
Needle maker and Livery man to Tailor
In 1823, when James Blencowe obtained his “freedom,” the London Livery Companies still held the remnants of their medieval power. However, the Municipal Corporations Act of 1835 effectively stripped the guilds of their legal control over trade. In addition the manufacture of needles changed with the advent of machinery to make them to high standards and in mass production. Thus James standing in society and his livelihood was threatened and so change of vocation was a must.
Daphne Austin in her research says “There is a John Blencowe in 1839 the Pigots Directory Show he was a Tailor living at Brompton Terrace, Kensington”. I believed this was James as later references refer to this address. This was in 1839 (as is now in 2026) a very fashionable address and he was probably doing well to be living in this area, that even today has some of London’s most expensive housing. The 1841 census establishes without doubt he is recorded as a Tailor age 35 years living at Brompton Row, Kensington .
Bankrupt 1834
James Blencowe, Knightsbridge, Tailor bankrupt. listed in Times 2.8.1834. Note: James continued to be a Tailor after this. sources 1841 and 1851 census
1850s
.At some point later when the children were adult, James ,Esther daughter Emma and son John Thomas and his family decided to move to Australia,
John Thomas having married an Italian woman had moved to Florence and been a Tailor there, for a few years. Two children born there attest to this.
The move to Australia seems to have had a plan that involved John Thomas going to Australia to prepare for the parents arrival and scout out the potential for his family. The plan included to meet his parents there and help his parents settle. and so that story follows
Why emigrate?
So why did James emigrate with Esther? Was it driven by his son John Thomas who you will see, clearly took the lead in this venture, or was it to get away from his own tangled mess of relationships? or was it simply the same reason that the emigration ships were full to the brim in 1852. That is, Britons seeking their fortune, in a new land with great potential.
Another Daughter emigrates
Its noteworthy and also I think a coincidence that James oldest daughter Harriet Ann Blencowe (from his New Barnet marriage) who had married a Graham Berry (Draper) also decided to emigrate in 1852 to Victoria.
John Thomas Blencowe’s visit to Australia July 1852
It seems James son preceded his parents by a few months to Melbourne and maybe was on a fact finding trip and also there to help is parents settle. John Thomas abt 22 years, a Shirtmaker, an unassisted passenger on the ship Mariner from lLondon.
Name Thos Jns Blencowe
Nationality English
Arrival Age 22
Birth Date abt 1830
[abt 1830]
Departure Place London
Arrival Date 2 Jul. 1852
Arrival Place Port Phillip Bay, Australia
Ship Mariner
Thomas John had left his wife Caterina in Italy where their son John Robert who was born in Florence 30 April 1852. John Thomas could not have been present at the birth because he departed England, 11 February 1852 . The next child Jane Blencowe is born to Thomas John and Caterina in 1856 and we are not sure where this birth happened. All this could mean John Thomas was in Melbourne for a while with his parents before returning to his family who by then were maybe in England..
The Gold Rush Voyage
It definitely does not seem that James Blencowe was pursuing the opportunities of the Australia, many fellow passengers onboard the voyage were more focussed on one opportunity to find gold.. This was the peak of the Australian Gold Rush.
James Blencowe and family sailed to Australia on the last voyage of the three masted Barque, The Bengal Merchant. An older ship built in 1815, it wasn’t the fastest ship but in a time when literally every ship was booked full to Australia, it was available. They departed London on April 1, 1852, arrived in Melbourne on September 2, 1852 a very long journey of 5 months . The approximately 150 passengers on board, were all paying customers, mostly the Gold rush prospectors. The ship was fortunate to have onboard a medical Officer who would make his name in Australia as a leading Anaesthist. He was Dr. John Henry Hill Lewellin (1818–1886). Dr. Lewellin is famous for being a pioneer in anaesthesia, having administered the first ether anaesthetic in Scotland in 1846 before emigrating on this ship. There were just two deaths on the trip and both were young children.
In 1852 the smaller ships like the Bengal Merchant landed at Sandridge (now Port Melbourne) which as the name suggested was a sandbank. Once the ship was anchored, the passengers had to make their way across the sand. On the Sandridge beach would have been gold prospectors tools, supplies so that those intending to go inland to Ballarat would have immediately been able to purchase what they needed. The first encounter with Melbourne would have been the distressing for those used to the urbanity of London. A Canvas Town had been established on the beach, the result of a great shortage of accomodation in Melbourne at the time.
So in September 1852 son John Thomas was there to welcome his parents, maybe he secured some temporary accomodation, in any event, it seems like a family plan that was coming to fruition. James Blencowe arrived with the means to secure a property and to either set up a business or find employment. It seems James did the latter very soon after arriving, taking up a foreman’s role at a larger military Tailors. We are not sure where he first resided but definitely they ended up the Carlton area of Melbourne and remained there for almost 40 years. John Thomas at some point went back to England and his family and prepared for their emigration which took a few years.
As an aside; just a couple months before James and party arrived in Melbourne his daughter Harriet Ann Berry (nee Blencowe ) age 22 arrived with her soon to be famous husband Graham Berry. A grocer from Chelsea, he may well have been known to James but if not, eventually for certain, as Sir Graham Berry rose to be State Premier
Melbourne 1852-1890
1859 We have a news clipping about James Blencowe, he is at this time a Foreman at a Military Uniform Tailor on Collins St. The court case a minor crime against James, is one of only a few mentions he gets in the news in almost 40 years in Melbourne.
In 1860. son John Thomas Blencowe and his family arrive in Melbourne from England. When caterina and children moved from Florence Italy to England we don’t know.. The family consisted of Caterina (nee Rigoli) his wife age 36, daughter Esther Assunta age 9 son John Robert age 8 and Jane age 4.
Thomas John Blencowe provides throughout his life in Melbourne all the drama and all the news
The first address we find John Thomas family, is Station St, off Nicholson St, Carlton (marked in blue on the Melbourne map) The house was on the the perimeter of development in the 1852 map shown. It turns out Station St. wasn’t near a Station strangely.
Its unclear where James, Esther and Emma settled initially but we have a definite fix by 1869. James and family are at (marked with red), a house just off Queensbury Road , and to which he is to bring his old London address Brompton into circulation, calling his house Brompton Row or Place. Strangely Brompton Junction, Melbourne exists today right near Station Rd. off Nicholson St. Is this a legacy of James Blencowe?
It is at this point that we move away from James as little is remarkable about his life, but as indicated his son and his family fill this story with much drama,
Tragic events Caterina Blencowe (1824-1863) and Esther Assunta Blencowe (1851-1865)
Daughter in law, Caterina Blencowe died in 1863 (likely in childbirth), leaving John Thomas with four children to care for.
Understandably John Thomas would have struggled with this situation. However, he married Irish woman Jane Ann Keown in short order and in the next two years added two more daughters to the family Ismia Teresa Blencowe 1866 and Emma Blencowe 1867.
It seems the main problem John Thomas had at home was is eldest daughter Esther Assunta. She became unmanageable in her early teens and began to stay out late, and met with an older man called Walters. As a consequence John Thomas took to punishing Esther Assunta severely. On one occasion he went to Walters lodging to bring Esther Assunta home, she had hid, his suspicions were correct.
This wasn’t a healthy relationship. Esther was probably still in mourning for her mother and angry and a teen. She had met a older man and made complaints to him about the beatings from her father. Clearly she was too young for this relationship and the older man should have known better. But sadly it continued and it turned into a very tragic event.
Then…8 March 1865 the body of the female who was found drowned in the River Yarra on Wednesday afternoon, near the bridge at the Botanical Gardens. Deceased had been identified as Esther Blencowe aged fourteen years, daughter of John Blencowe, a tailor, living in Station-street, off Nicholson-street. There was an inquest. It resulted in an open verdict, the full inquest report from the newspaper is in the Gallery below. Was it a suicide? of a desperately unhappy girl possibly jilted by an older man or was she beaten” or worse murdered by her own father? We will never know but for James Blencowe this situation left a nagging doubt about his son John Thomas that was to surface again later on.
Widower 1865
After the terribly difficult death of granddaughter Esther Assunta, James wife Esther Sussana (nee Main) died one month later on 23 April 1865 age 64. Esther was buried together with granddaughter Esther see Gallery.
Another Marriage 1868
On the 5 Oct 1868 James married widower Elizabeth Crouch born abt 1806 Shropshire parents John Marston and Elizabeth Powell. They stayed together for the next 32 years and so a period of calm and rather settled times for James after all the drama of the 1860s . Or so it seemed then.
A Terrible Suicide
In 1882 son John Thomas now 54, was living again with his third wife Mary (nee Rasdale). She, Mary, had succesfully divorced him in 1879, but had returned to him, even though he had proven himself to be untrustworthy and unfaithful. Mary this time was in control and when she discovered John Thomas was flirting with a very young female worker in the business. She took action. Mary sent for the girls mother and had her taken home. Totally exposed in his weakness and deceit, it seems John Thomas on the 4 May 1882 went into the Tailors yard at 247 Lygon St and blew his brains out with a rifle. Finally Mary was free of a man ,who had questionable morals and finally able to live her life peacefully. The suicide was widely published because of its gory end . The clippings are in the Gallery.
In November 1882, Mary took the Executors (The Trustees and Agency Company) of John Thomas Blencowe’s Will to court. She sued for the value of some shares that were in her name, paid for by her, but that John Thomas had cashed up without her knowing . She won the case. The news clipping in the Gallery.
As an aside it seems the shame and the grief of what his son had done, moved James to make a small amends to Mary and when he died 8 years later, in his Will he set aside most of his capital for Mary to have.
Death 6 September
Burial St. Kilda Cemetery
St Kilda, Port Phillip City, Victoria, Australia Show Map
Plot
Wesleyan, Compartment B, Grave 0599
Memorial ID
212708343 · View Source
Timeline
| Event | Date/Location | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Full Name | James Blencowe | |
| Birth Place | Runwell, Essex | |
| Birth Date | Abt 1803 | |
| Occupation | 1823, London | Needlemaker. obtained his freedom of the Needlemakers Guild in March 1823. James Blinco [3014] a needlemaker of Vineyard Tooley St. mentioned in the liveryman’s poll book of 1833 |
| Marriage | 1 Nov 1824, Chipping Barnet | |
| Birth of Son Samuel Jackson Blencowe | 27 Jul 1825, Barnet | To Harriet Ann Hennesy and a Tailor |
| Birth of Daughter Emma Blencowe | abt 1826, | To Esther Sussana Main and possibly James Blencowe |
| Birth of Son John Thomas | 1828, | To Esther Sussana Main and James Blencowe |
| Birth of Daughter Harriet Ann | 1830, | To Harriet Ann Hennesy and a James Blencowe |
| Occupation | 1841, London | Tailor England and Australia until 1890 |
| Census UK 1841 (6 Jun) | 6 Jun 1841, Brompton Row Kensington | 41c John 35 n tailor Esther 40 y 690/11/15/25 |
| Birth of granddaughter Esther Assunta Blencowe | 1851, Florence, Tuscany | Daug of John Thomas and Caterina Rigoli |
| Son Thomas John arrives in Melbourne | July 1852, Port Phillip | Aboard the ship Mariner from london. The first voyage of Thomas John without family and few months ahead of his father and mother . A fact finding trip Name Thos Jns Blencowe Nationality English Arrival Age 22 Birth Date abt 1830 [abt 1830] Departure Place London Arrival Date 2 Jul. 1852 Arrival Place Port Phillip Bay, Australia Ship Mariner |
| Daughter Harriet Ann Berry arrives in Melbourne | 14 Aug 1852 | Daughter from previous marriage arrives whether james knew this at the time is unknown |
| Emigrated | September 1852, Melbourne | Sep 1852 Un-assisted Passengers arrive from London on Bengal Merchant BLENCOE Emma 25 1852 SEP BENGAL MERCHANT BLENCOE ESTHER 50 1852 SEP BENGAL MERCHANT BLENCOE JAMES 47 1852 SEP BENGAL MERCHANT BLENCOE Eliza no age 1852 SEP BENGAL MERCHANT James likely a Tailor See early arrivals index https://blencowe.one-name.net/1st-arrivals-to-the-southern-hemisphere/ |
| Death of Son Samuel Jackson Blencowe | 23 Apr 1862 17 Park Walk, Fulham, London | Buried Brompton Rd. Kensington |
| Residence | 1865, Station St, off Nicholson St, Carlton, Melbourne, Vic | |
| News Article | 18 Mar 1865, The Australasian, Melbourne | Drowning of grandaughter Esther Assunta |
| Widower | 23 Apr 1865, Melbourne | Death of wife Esther Sussana (nee Main) |
| Occupation | 1868, 54 Collins St. Melbourne | Foreman at Milton and Nicholls, Military Tailors |
| Death of Daughter Harriet Ann Berry | 2 Sep 1868 | In childbirth of 13th Child |
| Married | 5 Oct 1868, Melbourne | Elizabeth Crouch widower |
| Residence | 1869, Off Queensberry Street, Victoria | Govt Gazette Voters |
| Son John Thomas commits suicide | 4 May 1882, Lygon St, Melbourne | Widely published story and great shame on James and his family |
| Death | 6 Sep 1890, Brompton Place, Brompton Road, Queensbury Carlton , Vic |
Descendants
Sources
- Guildhall Historical Association
- Daphne Austin genealogist’s Blencowe Database 2026
- State Library of Victoria
- Trove Newspaper Archives
- Ancestry
- Free BMD
- Family Search
Gallery
Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 – 1954), Tuesday 14 March 1865, page 5
Drowned in Yarra River the newspaper report of Inquest attached refers.
Did esther drown accidentally , was she murdered or did she commit suicide.
Leader Sat 18 Mar 1865 Page 4
A SINGULAR CASE.
Dr. Youl held an inquest at the morgue, on Satur
day last, upon the body of a female, which was
found in the Yarra on Wednesday, and which has
since been recognised as that of Esther Blencowe.
Elizabeth Rowe stated that last Saturday night
week she went to the theatre with the deceased and
a man named Walters, who is one of the warders
employed at the Collingwood stockade. The de
ceased called at Howe’s house, and they afterwards
met. Walters, by appointment, in Nicholson street.
They came direct home from the theatre. Walters
left them at Howe’s house. Deceased came in to
change. her dress, which was. one witness had lest
her. They remained ten minutes in doors, and
.deceased then left to go home. Witness accom
panied her to the garden gate. Had seen nothing
of her since. . Saw Walters go home, and had not seen
him since he left them. They had nothing to drink.
Walters was sober. Heard all they said, during
the evening. Walters asked deceased to go with him
to chapel on the following day, but deceased de
clined, saying she had no clothes to go in. Walters
said he would marry deceased in a fortnight. Her
father had told me not to speak to his daughter.
After I left her, I heard screams coming from the
direction of her home, and thought it was her father
beating her ; as deceased had said if her father
beat her she would go into service, or do something
else for herself. Deceased was not in low spirits.
They left the theatre at half-past eleven, and were
at her door long before midnight.
John Blencowe deposed that deceased was his
sister. Her age was fourteen. He saw her last on
the previous Saturday about seven o’clock. She
left home at that time, and he never saw her again
alive. Her father was away from home at the time.
Her mother was dead. He sat up waiting for her
to return. There was a light burning in her
room, which if deceased saw she would have
been afraid to come in. Deceased had
left home several times previously, and been
away for three or four days. He had heard the
witness Howe state, previous to the body being
found, that she (Rowe) would give evidence to clear
herself and Walters.
John Blencowe, father of deceased, said that
deceased had left home several times in consequence
of his having to speak to her of her conduct in
objecting to the household work. Upon such occa
sions deceased had gone to some of his friends. He
had had no occasion to speak to her of her conduct
for four or five weeks. Saw her before he left
home on Saturday. He was away all day, and did
not return until midnight. , Inquired among his
friends for her, supposing she had again gone to
some of them. On Sunday saw Rowe walking
about his house, and asked her if she had seen his
daughter. Rowe stated she had not, but upon
pressing her admitted that she, a man named
Walters, and deceased had been to the theatre toge
ther. He then went to Walters’s home, at the Col
lingwood stockade, but was unable to gain admis
sion. Made further inquiries, but could learn
nothing of her. He believed somebody was in
Walters’s home as he heard a noise. Went to the
stockade, but did not find Walters. Saw the
superintendent, who offered him every assistance^
and through him saw Walters 9on Monday morning.
His son saw him between twelve and one o’clock.
1 Could get no information from him. Walters did
not deny taking deceased to the theatre, but treated
the matter lightly, requesting witness to go and fetch
some ale. On Monday morning again went to the
stockade, but Walter refused to give any information
beyond that he hadleft deceased at their garden gate.
He said I could not prove the girl was in his house
the night before. ‘ There was nothing odd about de
ceased. There is no insanity in the family. She
was a big girl, and appeared considerably older
than she really was. Walter had been after de
ceased for the last six weeks, in spite of his (wit
ness’s) great objection.
William G. Howitt, surgeon, said he had made a
post mortem examination of the body, but found no
marks of violence. Deceased had not been violated.
The cause of death, was drowning.
Thomas Stack, constable, reoeived information
that the deceased was lying in the Yarra at the
Botanical Bridge, where he went and found the
body. Saw no marks of violence. Deceased was
very much discolored.
The man Walters not being in attendance, the
coroner adjourned the inquest.
The inquest upon the body was resumed,
on Monday, when he was in attendance and gave the
following evidence : — He knew the deceased, Blen
cowe. Her father had never spoken to him about
her. Six months ago, her father came to his house
to search for her. She was not there, but had been
in the verandah. He found her there when he
came home. She said her father had been beating
her. Witness sent her away. She had been in
his house once since. The deceased was at his
house on the Thursday evening before her death
with tho witness Rowe. Witness promised
to take them both to the theatre on Satur
day evening, on condition that deceased obtained
her father’s consent. He met them by appointment,
when she told him she had her father’s permission
to go with him. They went to the theatre and had
some gingerbeer when it was over. Witness took
them homo, and left them at Rowe’s house, after
which he did not see deceased. . He was not at home
when her father first called on Sunday, but saw
him afterwards, and then told him that he had taken
deceased to the theatre and had not seen her since.
He had offered to marry her. She was quite cheer
ful ou Saturday night. Her father had asked wit
ness to leave her alone about six months since. He
never told her not to bring her sister with her
when she came to see him. She was never in his
house except once, and then Rowe was with her.
John Hartney, detective constable, stated he had
boon unable to trace the deceased after the time she
left home on Saturday night. She had never been
seen alive since. Walters appeared to have gone
home when he left the girls. Henry White, a warder
at the Collingwood . stockade, . deposed, he knew
Walters, and was ot his house on Sunday, the 5th inst.
He was at home about ten o’clock. He complained
of being ill. Witness recommended him to lie
down. He did so, and witness went into his bed
room. The bed had been slept in. There was no
one there. Witness left him in bed. No person
came whilst ho was there. Ho said nothing about
deceased. Witness did not- know her. The jury,
in the absence of evidence to show how deceased
got in the Yarra. returned a.n open verdict of
‘ Found Drowned,’
