Death of Hon Capt S Blandford
The Plaindealer, 10 March 1909
On Monday morning the 6th inst. there died at his residence, Hopedale Cottage, Circular Road, the Honorable Capt. Samuel Blandford. His death occurred rather suddenly as he had been to his office, at the Reid-Newfoundland Co. dock, on Saturday last, and up to his retirement on Sunday night had also appeared to be in fairly good health.
The Hon Captain had entered his 69th year having been born in Greenspond in the year 1840, where, in his younger days, he assisted in his father's business. At the age of 24 he commenced his great career as a sealing master and continued in the pursuit thereof until ill- health compelled his retirement three years ago. He was also very successful in the prosecution of the cod fishery at the Straits and Labrador during the many seasons he spent along these coasts. He entered political life in 1889 as one of the members for the district of Bonavista, representing it for a term of four years, until promoted to a seat in the Legislative Council, which he held up to the time of his death.
The honorable and gallant Captain has left behind a record of great achievements in the fishing and sealing industries of the Colony and one which will make his name forever famous in the annals of the Colony. The members of his family which survive him are his second wife, formerly Mrs Wilkie of Halifax, his son, Hon S D Blandford, MHA, Minister of Agriculture and Mines, Edgar Blandford, electrical engineer at Pittsburg, and his daughter Clara, wife of Mr H A Duder, of the Crown Lands Office.