Friends of Hastings Cemetery

In the 1891 census the remaining family are living at 43 Cornwallis Gardens, with a nurse, a housemaid and two boarders living on their own means.

   BLOMFIELD   John H    Head  M   M   40   Photographic Artist(Em'er)    Kent - New Romney

   BLOMFIELD   Mary E G   Wife   M   F   29       Co. Carlow - -      

   BLOMFIELD   William A B   Son   S   M   8   Scholar    Sussex - St Leonards      

   BLOMFIELD   John H          Son   S   M   6   Scholar    Sussex - St Leonards      

   BLOMFIELD   Edwin H        Son   S   M   4   Scholar    Sussex - Hastings      

   BLOMFIELD   Gladys M       Dau   S   F   3       Sussex - Hastings      

   BLOMFIELD   Mary B          Dau   S   F   1       Sussex - Hastings      

John Blomfield was active in his photography business until he was in his seventies and only became became seriously ill during the last year of his life.  He was a Founder Member of the Hastings & St Leonards Photographic Society.  He was forced to retire from the business through ill-health in April 1928.  The death notice in the Hastings Observer noted that on 26th August 1928, "John Henry Blomfield passed away peacefully after eight months suffering, patiently borne."

PHOTOGRAPHED ROYALTY - DEATH OF MR J. H. BLOMFIELD

Hastings & St Leonards Observer, Saturday, 1st September 1928, page 5

Mr John Henry Blomfield, for many years one of the leading photographers in Hastings, who retired in April owing to ill-health, died on Sunday at his house, 124 Old London Road.

During the fifty-five years he carried on business at the Royal Studio, 44 Robertson Street, Mr Blomfield photographed numerous celebrities, including the late King Edward VII (when Prince of Wales), the late Duke and Duchess of Teck, and many members of the nobility. He was devoted to his work, and it is a tribute to his reputation that the business is still to be carried on under his name. His genial disposition won him much popularity among his fellow tradesmen in Robertson Street.

A native of New Romney, where his father was the parish priest, Mr Blomfield came to Hastings at the age of 12, and attended University School.  He was a retiring man, but keenly interested in chess and painting.  At his death he was 78 years of age.  He leaves three sons and two daughters.

The Funeral took place on Thursday at the Borough Cemetery, the service being conducted by the Revd Robinson of Christ Church, Ore. The mourners were :- Miss Gladys Blomfield (daughter), Captain W. Blomfield (son), Mr George Peter Blomfield (son), Mr and Mrs Leonard Teevan Power (son-in-law and daughter), Mr William Hume (nephew), Captain George Teevan Power, MBE, Mr C. Lindridge, Mr Morecombe,, V. Hicks, Mr and Mrs Henry Blackman, Sister Lottie Ades, Nurse Bailey.

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John Henry was born in New Romney in 1850.  In the 1871 census he is aged 28 years and listed as an artist- photographer, lodging with a George Beny, grocer, in Sedlescombe.  He married Mary Elizabeth Grace in 1880 in Hastings.

Their daughter Elizabeth, known as Bessie, born in 1895, died aged 4 in 1899.  Their son John had died the year before, in a freak accident, which received much coverage in the Observer.

Hastings and St Leonards Observer - Saturday 25 June 1898

KILLED BY CRICKET BALL. HASTINGS GRAMMAR SCHOOL BOY’S DEATH. A DISTRESSING FATALITY. Hastings and St. Leonards was startled on Monday evening by the news of the tragic death of John Henry Bloomfield,  son of Mr. J H Bloomfield, the well known photographer, who was killed by a cricket ball whilst playing in the Central Recreation Ground.  The event is especially sad having regard the boy's tender age and the promise he gave of a successful career.  The details of the sensational affair told at the inquest on the following evening, created a profound impression, and heartfelt sympathy goes out to the parents of the deceased lad.

From THE INQUEST………..Frank Arthur Cave, living with his father at Grand-parade, aged 15. said he attended the Hastings Grammar School. On the previous Monday evening at five o'clock witness was with the deceased and several other bos in Recreation Ground playing cricket. They were practising in the nets. The deceased was -batting, and witness bowled one ball.  Five different boys had been bowling, and then witness took the ball.  Deceased was about 18 or 19 feet from the wittness.  Witness bowled an. overarm hall, and the ball hit the deceased in the chest, without touching the ground.  The boy stood still for a moment, put his hand over his chest and then fell across the net………..

Witness [Dr. Francis Kraemer] made post mortem examination, and found the impact of the ball had caused a shock to the heart, which resulted in death. - The ball hit between the fifth and sixth ribs and caused an inhibition.  After receiving the blow there was possibility of saving life  This was not usual form of death in the cricket field. ……….The Coroner, in summing up.said he thought the Jury would be satisfied itwas case of pure accident. When a blow like this was received a boy was not strong enough to receive it. …….He was sure they would have every svmpathy for the parents of the deceased, also for the parents of the boy who had caused the accident.

THANKS FOR SYMPATHY. To the Editor of the Observer. Sir— So numerous and extended have been the expressions of sympathy with Mrs. Blomfield and myself at the sad, sudden, and almost overwhelming bereavement that we have sustained by the death of our dear boy, that I fear it will impossible to communicate with each kind sympathiser.  Will you therefore, allow me through the medium of your paper, to express our very deep and grateful thanks for every word of condolence, not forgetting those from the Coroner and gentlemen the Jurv.  It has been a great comfort to us to feel that in the sad loss of our bright and generously disposed son, who entered heart and soul into ail manly sports, we have received so much sympathy, not only in the borough of ' Hastings but from long distances away.
Yours truly,
J. H- BLOMFIELD. 41, Wellington square. Hastings

Hastings and St Leonards Observer - Saturday 02 July 1898

THE SAD FATALITY IN THE CRICKET FIELD. FUNERAL OF MASTER BLOMFIELD

Hastings and St Leonards Observer - Saturday 02 July 1898
THE DEATH OF MASTER BLOMFIELD : MEMORIAL SERVICE.  On Sunday evening, at the church of St. Mary-in-the-Castle, a memorial service was held in connection with the distressing death of Master John Bloomfield. who was recently killed in the Central Cricket Ground by a cricket ball striking him the region the heart. ……..

It appears that this grave was similar to that of the Blomfield sisters (below), but now has a solid turf covering over all.