Jacob BLUNDELL (1853

Jacob BLUNDELL (1853 - 1927)

Children	Self + Spouses	Parents	Grandparents	Greatgrandparents
Richard BLUNDELL (1877 - 1966) Margaret Anne BLUNDELL (1879 - 1886) Caroline BLUNDELL (1881 - 1886) Allan BLUNDELL (1884 - 1963) Lucy Anne BLUNDELL (1887 - ) Alice Jane BLUNDELL (1889 - ) Arthur BLUNDELL (1891 - ) Emily BLUNDELL (1893 - ) Maria BLUNDELL (1895 - ) Marge BLUNDELL (1898 - ) Charlotte BLUNDELL (1903 - )	Jacob BLUNDELL (1853 - 1927) + Lucy PLUMMER (1857 - 1924)	Joseph BLUNDELL (1798 - 1874)	Joseph BLUNDELL



		Mercy BALCOMBE (1814 - 1892)	Abraham BALCOMBE (1781 - )	Thomas BALCOMBE (1749 - 1780)
				Susanna COLLINS (1749 - 1823)
			Mercy WEBB (1787 - 1832)

b. 1853 at Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia

m. 1876 Lucy PLUMMER (1857 - 1924) at Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia

d. 27 Jul 1927 at Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia aged 74

Near Relatives of Jacob BLUNDELL (1853 - 1927)
Relationship	Person	Born	Birth Place	Died	Death Place	Age
Grandfather	Joseph BLUNDELL
Grandfather	Abraham BALCOMBE	bef 07 Jan 1781
Grandmother	Mercy WEBB	abt 1787		abt 09 Jan 1832	Ticehurst, England	45

Father in Law	Peter PLUMMER		Berkshire, England	16 Feb 1857	Cooma, Monaro, New South Wales, Australia
Mother in Law	Ann BIER BEARE BEARD	1822	Birmingham, Warwickshire, England	11 Nov 1896	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	74

Father	Joseph BLUNDELL	1798	Kent, England	13 Dec 1874	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	76
Mother	Mercy BALCOMBE	22 May 1814	Rolvenden, Kent, England	08 Apr 1892	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	77

Self	Jacob BLUNDELL	1853	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	27 Jul 1927	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	74

Wife	Lucy PLUMMER	abt 1857	Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia	15 Jan 1924	Ginninderra, New South Wales, Australia	67

Son	Richard BLUNDELL	abt 1877	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	31 Oct 1966	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	89
Daughter	Margaret Anne BLUNDELL	1879	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1886	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	7
Daughter	Caroline BLUNDELL	1881	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1886	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	5
Son	Allan BLUNDELL	1884	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1963	Murrumburrah, New South Wales, Australia	79
Daughter	Lucy Anne BLUNDELL	1887	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Daughter	Alice Jane BLUNDELL	1889	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Son	Arthur BLUNDELL	1891	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Daughter	Emily BLUNDELL	1893	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Daughter	Maria BLUNDELL	1895	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Daughter	Marge BLUNDELL	1898	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Daughter	Charlotte BLUNDELL	1903	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia

Brother	John BLUNDELL	1843	Liverpool Plains, New South Wales, Australia	30 Oct 1927	Tumut, New South Wales, Australia	84
Sister	Susan BLUNDELL	1844	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	24 May 1875	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	31
Brother	George BLUNDELL	1846	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	18 Dec 1933	Canberra, ACT, Australia	87
Brother	Abraham BLUNDELL	1847	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	05 Jun 1884	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	37
Brother	Richard BLUNDELL	1848	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	28 Nov 1917	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	69
Brother	William BLUNDELL	1850	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Brother	Isaac BLUNDELL	1851	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	09 May 1910	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	59
Sister	Mary Jane BLUNDELL	1855	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1873	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	18
Sister	Rosanna BLUNDELL	1858	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	06 Apr 1939	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	81
Sister	Catherine BLUNDELL	1860	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1950	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	90
Half Brother	Alfred BLANCH	abt 1832	Rolvenden, Kent, England	11 Dec 1898	Casino, New South Wales, Australia	66
Half Brother	Robert BLANCH	1835	England	1844	New South Wales, Australia	9
Half Brother	George BLANCH	1837	Rolvenden, Kent, England	1838	At sea	1
Half Sister	Maria BLANCH	1839	Raymond Terrace, New South Wales, Australia	1938	Bulahdelah, New South Wales, Australia	99
Half Brother	Abraham BLANCH	1841	Raymond Terrace, New South Wales, Australia	1920	Maclean, New South Wales, Australia	79

Son in Law	Arthur Sydney COLVERWELL	1881	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1949	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	68

Aunt	Ann BALCOMBE	30 Apr 1810	New Romney, Kent, England
Uncle	John Thomas PILGRIM
Aunt	Sarah BALCOMBE	14 Jun 1812	New Romney, Kent, England	abt 04 Apr 1816	New Romney, Kent, England	3
Aunt	Mary BALCOMBE	02 Oct 1815	New Romney, Kent, England
Uncle	James BLANCH	aft 1809
Aunt	Sophia Sarah BALCOMBE	05 May 1817	New Romney, Kent, England
Aunt	Harriett BALCOMBE	12 Sep 1818	New Romney, Kent, England	abt 26 Feb 1832	Ticehurst, England	13
Aunt	Hannah BALCOMBE	25 Mar 1821	New Romney, Kent, England
Uncle	Abraham BALCOMBE	03 Feb 1823	New Romney, Kent, England
Uncle	George BALCOMBE	10 May 1825	New Romney, Kent, England	abt 19 Sep 1825	New Romney, Kent, England	0
Aunt	Eliza BALCOMBE	18 Sep 1826	New Romney, Kent, England	abt 06 May 1827	New Romney, Kent, England	0

Cousin	Sophia PILGRIM

Nephew	Alexander BLUNDELL	1862	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Nephew	John BLUNDELL	1864	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1945	Yass, New South Wales, Australia	81
Niece	Mary A BLUNDELL	1866	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Nephew	Joseph BLUNDELL	1868	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	06 Jan 1955	Yass, New South Wales, Australia	87
Nephew	Henry BLUNDELL	1870	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Niece	Eliza J BLUNDELL	1872	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Niece	Catherine BLUNDELL	1874	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Niece	Sarah Louisa BLUNDELL	1876	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1923	Braidwood, New South Wales, Australia	47
Niece	Margaret BLUNDELL	1879	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Niece	Eleanor BLUNDELL	1881	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Niece	Florence M BLUNDELL	1884	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Nephew	Howard Norman SCHUMACK BLUNDELL	1886	Canberra, ACT, Australia	1920	Tumut, New South Wales, Australia	34
Niece	Muriel Pearl BLUNDELL	1888	New South Wales, Australia	1963	Wamberal, New South Wales, Australia	75
Niece	Naomi Edith Sylvia BLUNDELL	1891	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1990	Tumut, New South Wales, Australia	99
Nephew	Everard Vivian Abraham BLUNDELL	1895	Canberra, ACT, Australia	1964	Tumut, New South Wales, Australia	69
Niece	Bernice Sophia Hyacinth BLUNDELL	1899	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1916	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	17
Niece	Audrey Esmerelda Phoebe Merle BLUNDELL	1902	Canberra, ACT, Australia	1996	Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia	94
Niece	Sarah Janet (Jessica) ROBERTSON	abt 1865	Canberra, ACT, Australia	22 Feb 1926	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	61
Niece	Katherine ROBERTSON	abt 1867
Niece	Mary ROBERTSON	1868	Acton, ACT, Australia	18 Dec 1935	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	67
Niece	Margaret ROBERTSON	27 Mar 1870	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	28 Jun 1961	Royalla, ACT, Australia	91
Niece	Eliza ROBERTSON	1873	Acton, ACT, Australia
Niece	Rosanna ROBERTSON	1874	Acton, ACT, Australia
Niece	Flora Susannah BLUNDELL	1875	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1892	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	17
Nephew	John BLUNDELL	1878	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Nephew	Charles Frederick BLUNDELL	1879	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	28 Apr 1923	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	44
Nephew	George Arthur BLUNDELL	1881	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Nephew	Herbert Frank BLUNDELL	1882	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	26 Jun 1957	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	75
Niece	Ada Agnes BLUNDELL	1883	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Niece	Alice Maud BLUNDELL	1885	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1955	Burwood, New South Wales, Australia	70
Nephew	Joseph Lyle BLUNDELL	1888	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Niece	Clara Malvina Ann BLUNDELL	1878	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1951	Tumut, New South Wales, Australia	73
Niece	Dora Emily BLUNDELL	1880	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1941	Yass, New South Wales, Australia	61
Niece	Daisy Irene BLUNDELL	1882	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1964	Tumut, New South Wales, Australia	82
Niece	Lilian Jessie Stella BLUNDELL	1885	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	17 Sep 1965	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	80
Nephew	Charles Henry BLUNDELL	1883	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1902	Liverpool, New South Wales, Australia	19
Nephew	Edward BLUNDELL	1885	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Nephew	William BLUNDELL	1888	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	24 Apr 1960	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	72
Niece	Susan Mary BLUNDELL	1891	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Niece	Beatrice Ann BLUNDELL	1894	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Niece	Sarah Rosaline BLUNDELL	1896	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Niece	Irene Emily BLUNDELL	1899	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Nephew	Adrian Isaac BLUNDELL	1905	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1977	New South Wales, Australia	72
Niece	Olive Mary MEECH	1886	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	04 Sep 1947	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	61
Nephew	Richard Alfred MEECH	1887	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	06 Aug 1915		28
Niece	Grace Susan MEECH	1888	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1954	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	66
Niece	Enid C MEECH	1890	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Niece	Louisa Jane MEECH	1892	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Niece	Violet Elsie MEECH	1893	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	26 Apr 1974	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	81
Nephew	Isaac Arnold MEECH	1895	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1964	Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia	69
Niece	Jessie Elma MEECH	1897	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Niece	Freda R MEECH	1901	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1902	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1
Niece	Sarah S MELVILLE	1896	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Nephew	George W MELVILLE	1897	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Niece	Laura MELVILLE	1898	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1969	Katoomba, New South Wales, Australia	71
Nephew	Stanley MELVILLE	1900	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Nephew	Robert R MELVILLE	1901	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Niece	Hilda M MELVILLE	1903	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1926	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	23
Nephew	William Francis John PLUMMER	1897	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1971	Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia	74
Niece	Thelma Beatrice PLUMMER	1899	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Nephew	Peter Leslie PLUMMER	1901	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1979	New South Wales, Australia	78
Niece	Freda Ann PLUMMER	1903	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Nephew	Stanley Oswald PLUMMER	1905	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Nephew	Raymond V PLUMMER	1908	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1908	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	0
Niece	Clara Doreen PLUMMER	1910	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Niece	Lucy Ann MCCAULEY	1874	Victoria, Australia	15 Jun 1938	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	64
Nephew	Daniel John MCCAULEY	1878	Dandenong, Victoria, Australia	1963	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	85
Nephew	Frederick James (Edward Ted) MCCAULEY	1879	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Nephew	William Henry MCCAULEY	1881	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1928	Wellington, New South Wales, Australia	47
Nephew	Ernest Charles MCCAULEY	1883	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1957	Auburn, New South Wales, Australia	74
Nephew	Sydney Richard MCCAULEY	1885	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	30 Jul 1968	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	83
Niece	Mary Jane MCCAULEY	1888	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	03 Jul 1965	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	77
Nephew	Thomas J MCCAULEY	1890	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia

Brother in Law	Peter PLUMMER	1847	Nimmitabel, Monaro, New South Wales, Australia	31 Aug 1910	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	63
Sister in Law	Sarah Ann PLUMMER	1850	Boco, Monaro, New South Wales, Australia	10 Jul 1901	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	51
Sister in Law	Eliza PLUMMER	1851	New South Wales, Australia	bef 1857		6
Brother in Law	George PLUMMER	1853	New South Wales, Australia	1861		8
Brother in Law	John PLUMMER	1855	New South Wales, Australia
Sister in Law	Charlotte BLEWITT	1859	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Brother in Law	George BLEWITT	1861	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Brother in Law	Francis LICEDY	1864	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
Sister in Law	Sarah Ann MCKENZIE	1843	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	1920	Ashfield, New South Wales, Australia	77
Sister in Law	Phoebe Anna Laura SHUMACK	04 Dec 1857	Duntroon, ACT, Australia	01 Apr 1943	Tumut, New South Wales, Australia	85
Brother in Law	John ROBERTSON	1835	Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia	25 Nov 1911	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	76
Sister in Law	Flora MCLENNAN	abt 1845	Isle of Skye, Scotland	04 Jul 1917	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	72
Sister in Law	Emily SHUMACK	11 Jun 1860	Ginninderra, ACT, Australia	25 Mar 1927	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	66
Brother in Law	Isaac MEECH	abt 1845	Fordington, Dorset, England	23 Nov 1920	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	75
Brother in Law	William (Gillian) MELVILLE	abt 1853		06 Dec 1941	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	88

Events in Jacob BLUNDELL (1853 - 1927)'s life
Date	Age	Event	Place	Notes	Src
1853		Jacob BLUNDELL was born	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
13 Dec 1874	21	Death of father Joseph BLUNDELL (aged 76)	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	7505/1874
1876	23	Married Lucy PLUMMER (aged 19)	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	3996/1876
abt 1877	24	Birth of son Richard BLUNDELL	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia
1879	26	Birth of daughter Margaret Anne BLUNDELL	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	22147/1879
1881	28	Birth of daughter Caroline BLUNDELL	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	25988/1881
1884	31	Birth of son Allan BLUNDELL	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	30722/1884
1886	33	Death of daughter Margaret Anne BLUNDELL (aged 7)	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	13424/1886
1886	33	Death of daughter Caroline BLUNDELL (aged 5)	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	13428/1886
1887	34	Birth of daughter Lucy Anne BLUNDELL	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	33503/1887
1889	36	Birth of daughter Alice Jane BLUNDELL	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	33139/1889
1891	38	Birth of son Arthur BLUNDELL	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	29577/1891
08 Apr 1892	39	Death of mother Mercy BALCOMBE (aged 77)	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	11271/1892 Brundell	6
1893	40	Birth of daughter Emily BLUNDELL	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	30270/1893
1895	42	Birth of daughter Maria BLUNDELL	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	30270/1895
1898	45	Birth of daughter Marge BLUNDELL	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	15204/1898
1903	50	Birth of daughter Charlotte BLUNDELL	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	6323/1903
15 Jan 1924	71	Death of wife Lucy PLUMMER (aged 67)	Ginninderra, New South Wales, Australia		6
27 Jul 1927	74	Jacob BLUNDELL died	Queanbeyan, New South Wales, Australia	15669/1927

Source References:

80. Type: Web Page, Abbr: Hall Museum, Title: Hall School Museum and Heritage Centre, Locn: https://museum.hall.act.au/

- Reference = https://museum.hall.act.au/display/1939/person/3880/jacob-blundell.html (Name, Notes)

- Notes: Jacob Blundell
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Born: 1853; Died: 1927; Married: Susan Osborne

Jacob Blundell
Related Files
Jacob & Lucy Blundell - Family Group Sheet ⧉ (PDF 110.1 kb)
Family Group Sheet for Jacob Blundell and Lucy [Plummer]

Jacob ('Jakey') Blundell

Jacob Blundell was the eighth child of twelve born to Joseph Blundell [1798-1874] and Susan Osborne [1814-1892], both born in Kent, England [Alan Hawke (2019) gives a meticulous and absorbing account of their backgrounds, journeys to Australia and establishment of their family] . Jacob, one of their four boys, was born at 'Canbury' NSW in 1853, and became known later in life as 'Jakey'. In 1876 at the age of twenty-three he married Lucy, the daughter of Peter Plummer and Ann Beare from Burra, with whom he subsequently had twelve children. The birthplace for all but the two first children – twins Joseph and Richard, born in 1877 – is recorded as 'Wallaroo'; the twin's birthplace is recorded as Oaks Estate. Their children were:

1. Joseph 1887-1944 twin
2. Richard 1887-1966 twin
3. Margaret 1879-1886 died of diptheria
4. Caroline 1881-1886 died of diptheria
5. Allen 1884-1963
6. Lucy Ann 1887-1950
7. Alice Jane 1889-1979
8. Arthur Jacob 1891-1975
9. Emily 1893-1978
10. Maria 1895-1969
11. Margery 1898-1971
12. Charlotte 1903-1942

On 15th March 1883 Jacob was able to conditionally purchase 140 acres in the Wallaroo district (Portion 126, Parish of Wallaroo), where his immediate neighbours included the families of James Rolfe ('Bedulluck'), Alex Rochford ('Forest View'), Patrick Coulton and Alex Boyd. His selection was called 'Willow Farm'. The Johnston family's extensive Jeir Station was not far to the north.

The evidence suggests that he and Lucy did not actually set up home at 'Willow Farm' until 1887 or later. This is supported for example by a memoir of their son Richard ('Dick'), who recalled (in 1960) that, when aged five, he attended Springbank school at Acton in 1882...:

"Had a few years schooling and we left and took up selection 140 acres known as Wallaroo in the year of 1887. I and my twin brother [Joseph] had to go to work cutting down trees, fencing and clearing the land to put in a crop. We grew all our own patatoes (and) vegitables and had some very good wheat crops. I can remember father getting 8 shillings a Bushel, and that was while the big gold rush was on where Young is now and Temora. We had a few bad years and had a job to get enough food, but with a few fowl two or three old cows and sheep and pigs we pulled through".

He was then sent to work for Charles Hall at 'Yeumberra' for two years, after which he:

"..came home to help on farm done a lot of contract work on Jeir Station with my father pulling down trees and clearing the land with a Forest Devel [sic – should be 'Devil'] machine ('a device to pull down a tree by mechanical advantage, sometimes with a winch, as a method of clearing trees from land'), also done a lot of fencing contracting for different people in the district". [unpublished manuscript on the Blundell family (2019) Allan Hawke)

Later, in 1908, Jacob acquired an additional adjacent 23 acres 'at the upset price of 1 pound per acre', being the balance of the 30 acre block on which Glenwood school was built in 1883 ('a slab building (20ft by 13ft) with a shingle roof, unlined and built with community help'....).. Yemen's Dictionary of the Landowners NSW 1900 records Jacob Blundell, 'Willow Farm' as growing wheat and oats.

Jacob and Lucy's children were a significant part of the Glenwood school enrolment over many years. They had a very short walk to get there! Arthur, Alice and 'Lottie' (Charlotte) are identified in school photos; three other Blundell children are identified only by surname. Tragically, a serious outbreak of diptheria claimed the lives of two of Jacob and Lucy's children in 1886 – Margaret (6) and Caroline (4) – along with two young McPherson children. In his account of the Rochford family of 'Forest View', Rochford records that Jacob and Lucy returned from the first doleful journey to St Johns only to find they had to make the journey again. [Rochford (1982) p.32] (Margaret and Caroline share the Blundell family plot at St John the Baptists with their grandparents Joseph and Susan, their uncle Abraham [1847-1884] and aunt Mary Jane [1855-1873].

Death of Jacob Blundell

Lucy Blundell passed away in 1924 at the age of 68. Jacob survived her by three years or so, seemingly living by himself at 'Willow Farm'. He died as a result of a tragic accident there in 1927:

Mr Coroner Gale held an inquest on Wednesday 3rd instant at the residence of Mr George Rochford, 'Glenall', Jeir to ascertain the circumstances under which Jacob Blundell who resided alone at Willow Farm some considerable distance from 'Glenall' came to his death. ['Glenall' was the name of the cottage added to the Forest View property - Ed]. Information of the fatality was only that morning conveyed to the coroner through the police that Blundell had been that morning found dead. The deceased had been found lying face downwards in the drawing in his home. His clothing had been burnt off his body. The clothing, bedding and mattress were reduced to cinders and a wall nearby had caught fire but the fire had gone out without spreading marvelous to say. He had been last seen on 21st July when Mr James Rolfe a near neighbour, saw him on his way from Hall. Mr Rochford stated that, not seeing deceased for about 2 weeks he had gone to his residence and found the front door bolted. He forced his way in and found the body of Blundell on the floor. Constable Fyfe of Ginninderra gave evidence also. The Coroner found in accordance with the medical evidence of Dr Blackall that deceased had died from shock aided by suffocation from smoke. Death appeared to have taken place some days previously. He was 74 years old. His wife predeceased him about 4 years ago...and 10 of their 12 children. [Queanbeyan Age 4.8.1927]

Another account was given in the Canberra Times:

"Lying face downwards between the bedroom and the living room at 'Willow Farm' near Jeir with clothing burned from his body, was found the remains of Jacob Blundell, the owner, on Wednesday morning. Close by was the bed on which he had lain. The clothing, bedding and mattress were reduced to cinders, the flooring and nearby wall had ignited but the fire had died out without spreading.

The discovery was made by the Ginninderra Police and they at once informed the District Coroner Mr John Gale who that afternoon held an inquest at the residence of Mr George Rochford of 'Glenall'. The last that was seen of the deceased was on July 21, when Mr James Rolfe, a near neighbour saw him on his way from Hall whether he had gone for his own and a neighbour's mail. He was then in customary good health and quite sober. He had never been seen the worse for liquors.

Mr George Rochford said that not seeing deceased for over two weeks he went to his residence at about 9.30 that morning to see where he was or if anything was the matter. He found the front door bolted on the inside and no one about outside. With the aid of his pocket knife he worked out the bolt of the door and entered. There he found the body of Blundell lying on the floor of his bedroom, also there had been a fire which had consumed the bed and everything on it. The body on the floor was likewise partly burnt and the fire had slightly charred a wall and the floor near where the body lay. Deceased had lived alone. [Ed – his wife Lucy had died three years earlier]

Leaving things as they were at the dead man's place witness returned to his home and there informed Constable Fyfe of Ginninderra by phone of what he had discovered. Constable Fyfe informed the District Coroner of the occurrence then proceeded to deceased's place. The Coroner held an inquest and returned a verdict in accordance with Dr Blackall's opinion that deceased had died from shock aided by suffocation from smoke. [Canberra Times, 5 August 1927]

Jacob was buried at Hall cemetery.

[Allan Hawke's detailed and entertaining study of the patriarch and matriarch of the Blundells in the Canberra district and beyond can be purchased from the author for $30 by emailing : Allan.Hawke@raiders.com.au]

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