Samuel Blackburn
- Family History
- Military History
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Surname at birth: Blackbourn. Other records: Blackburn. Samuel was the son of William and Catherine (Kate) Blackbourn (née Good). His father Samuel Blackbourn was born in Eagle, Lincolnshire, in about 1860 and his mother Catherine Good in Newark, Nottinghamshire, in about 1862. His parents were married at Coddington All Saints in 1887 (reg. Newark) and had 11 children of whom six survived infancy. Their surviving children were: Thomas b. Eagle 1889 bap. Eagle; William Thornhill b. Eagle 1890 bap. Eagle; Samuel b. Eagle 1893; Alice b. 1897 bap. Eagle ; Ada b. Eagle 1899 bap. Eagle and Richard b. North Hykeham Lincolnshire 1900 bap. North Hykeham. The five children who died in infancy were: Samuel b. 1888 d. 1888; Sarah Ann b. 1892 (reg. J/F/M) d. 1893 (reg. J/F/M); Sarah Elizabeth b. 1895 d. 1896; Mary Ellen b. 1896 d. 1897 and Nellie b. 1902 d. 1903. The births and deaths were registered in the Lincoln registration district. In 1891 William (31) an agricultural labourer and Kate (29) were living on Thorpe Lane, Eagle, Lincoln, with their two sons Thomas (2) and William (1). Also in the household on the night of the census were Sarah A Lee (35), a monthly nurse, who was William's married sister, and her daughter Annie Lee. The family had moved to North Hykeham, Lincolnshire, by 1900 when Richard was born and recorded in the village on the 1901 Census: William, Kate and five of their six children: Thomas, William, Samuel (8), Ada (2) and Richard (under 1 year). Alice (3) was recorded as a visitor in the North Hykeham home of Thomas and Mary Gibson for whom her married aunt, Sarah Ann Lee, was housekeeper. William and Kate were still living in North Hykeham in 1911 but only three of their children were at home: William a farm labourer, Ada and Richard. Thomas was a farm wagoner in North Hykham, one of two farm servants in the home of widowed Louisa Bell, a farmer. Samuel (Blackburn) was working as a carter and was one of two boarders in the home of James Gritton and his wife at Rydal Cottages, Red Hill, Arnold, Nottingham. Alice (13) was again recorded with her widowed aunt, Sarah Ann Lee, in North Hykeham, where Sarah was still housekeeper to the now widowed Thomas Gibson. Samuel's father, William, was living in Bassingham, near Newark, when the CWGC record was compiled. He died at Bassingham in 1933 (Probate Blackbourn). His wife, Catherine, has not yet been traced after 1911.
Blackbourn served as Blackburn 1st Bn Grenadier Guards Samuel served in France from 12 November 1914. He was killed in action on 10 December 1915 and is buried in the Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard Laventie, France (grave ref. VI. A. 4). He qualified for the 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard (extract): 'The Rue-du-Bacquerot runs South-East of Laventie, towards Fleurbaix; and the position of the road behind the British front line, during the greater part of the war, made it the natural line of a number of small British cemeteries. One of these was begun in November 1914, and used, at first, particularly by the 1st Royal Irish Rifles. The Royal Irish Rifles Graveyard, was carried on by fighting units until July 1916; and these original burials are now in Plots I and II. It was increased after the Armistice by the concentration of graves (chiefly of 1914-15 and 1918) from the battlefields East of Estaires and Bethune and from certain smaller cemeteries [listed].' (www.cwgc.org)
Surname at birth: BLACKBOURN. Other records (family): Blackburn, with a few exceptions CWGC Additional information: 'He was the son of William Blackburn (sic) of Bassingham Newark Nottinghamshire' Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his brother Thomas was his sole legatee.
