George Francis BLANDFORD

My great grandfather ... born 17 October 1841 at Angel Inn, Corbridge, Northumberland England. The Angel Inn was a hostlery owned by his father Thomas S. Blandford, who according to family legend was the 'sheep stealer' who moved from Hampshire to Northumberland as a young man.

He was the father of Arthur Rawdon BLANDFORD (Brenda's
grandfather) and Victor Francis 'Monty' BLANDOFORD (Jeremy & Michael's
grandfather)


George died in the Royal Oak Hotel fire in Wellington in 1898. There were two fatalities. He was buried in Dunedin.
Here is some information from the Evening Post .. the Wellington paper

THE VICTIMS
Widespread sympathy is felt for the many friends and relatives of the two men who have lost their lives under such tragic circumstances.

Mr George Blandford was General Manager in New Zealand of the firm Bing Harris and Co. warehousemen and manufacturers with Dunedin as his headquarters. He was a figure well known in commercial circles in both Australia and New Zealand and he was a man of undoubted business ability. In various warehouses in Australia including Hargoods establishment he has held the highest positions and his genial manner made him most popular and won for him the sincere regard of all those with whom he came in contact.

Some six or seven years ago he was the general manager for the firm of Butterworth Bros. Dunedin, a position he left to take one more lucrative in Australia. In January of this year he returned to New Zealand to take the position of general manager for Bing Harris & Co. He cam here on Thursday last on one of his regular visits and as usual stayed at the Royal Oak, it being his intention to leave Wellington on Monday. Mr Blandford was an Englishman, about 60 years of age and he leaves a widow and grown up family who have been advised of the sad fatality by the local representatives of the firm

The Evening Post, Wellington Monday 13 December 1898