Laleston

Sarah Anne Blandy

Miss Blandy seems to have moved to Broadlands at the time of her mother's death and she was to remain there for the last twenty years of her life. Broadlands was conveniently  near to both of her brothers. The younger brother, Adam Fettiplace Blandy, had married Elizabeth Carne of Dimlands House and St Donat's Castle and was the father of thirteen children. Her niece, the tenth child of Adam, was married in 1902 to Rev. John Lysaght in the parish church of Laleston.Miss Blandy's sister died at a comparatively early age, leaving three children, who were provided for in Sarah Anne Blandy's will. During the time Miss Blandy lived in Laleston she took an active interest in village life, becoming friends with the Misses Head Deacon. It is impossible to write about parish life in Laleston at this period without mentioning both Miss Blandy and her friend Miss Evelyn Matilda Head Deacon, a great parish worker and organiser, who was related on the distaff side to the Bennets, who owned land in the village for many years.

Miss Head Deacon was to die a year before Miss Blandy, and the esteem in which Miss Blandy held her friend is shown by the fact that she opened the subscription list, to provide the church with an organ in her memory, with a very hansom donation.

Both Ladies challenged male domination in parish affairs, in the days before women had a vote in parliamentary elections. Miss BHead Deacon was elected parish Councillor in 1894, a considerable triumph for a woman. Miss Blandy took an equally interesting role in the church life of the parish by becoming a Church Warden. At the same time the Lay Rector of the parish was a woman, Miss Talbot of Margam Abby.

Miss Blandy worked on a great many committees with Miss Head Deacon, they were to try very hard to interest Laleston in an improved water supply to the village, they had little success as the high cost involved was beyond the means of many of the villagers. Both were royalists, on the occasion of 'His Majesty's Coronation' (Edward VII) Miss Deacon is recorded as spontaneously offering to supply all the parishioners with Tea and Cakes, providing no rate money should be used, Miss Blandy was to give the village Church a clock as a memorial to King Edward VII.

When extensive repairs were needed to the church in 1906, Miss Blandy and Miss Head Deacon joined with others to collect enough money to carry out the repairs and rehang the bells.

In 1895 the Blandy Family suffered a tragic bereavement, Miss Blandy's sister in law, wife of her brother John, was involved in an accident. Two days before Christmas , whilst staying in the family home in Berkshire , she placed a lighted candle on the floor. Her Muslin dress cought fire, and dispite having the presence of mind to wrap herself in a rug, her dress was completely consumed by the flames. She died in great agony the following day.

 Miss Blandy was very interested in the provision of facilities for medical care, it was in the latter part of the nineteenth century that some of the first hospitals were set up in this part of the country. Laleston had trusts to provide both land and money to set up a Cottage Hospital, the money for this had been used, with the permission  of the Charity Commissioners, to set up a dispensary and provide nursing care in the village. Miss Blandy concentrated her efforts in helping the Bridgend Cottage Hospital, along with others in Laleston including John Picton-Turberville of Laleston House and later Eweny Priory. A committee was formed in 1895, a year before the opening of the Bridgend Hospital, by several ladies, to hold annual jumble sales, the profits from this would maintain a cot for a year, the cost of this was £60. To sustain interest in financing the Hospital, the Glamorgan Gazette publishedweekly lists of gifts of food and magazines, for patients, from local people. Frequently mentioned was Miss Blandy, who continued her support of the hospital up to and including the time she was seriously ill herself.

Miss Blandy had contacts with the nursing profession as far away as Bristol. In 1897, after remarrying, her brother John had a carriage accident which was to immobilize him for several months. Always concerned for the welfare of her family she visited him and on her return to Broadlands wrote to offer him what help she could. Full of concern for his comfort, she gave him the address of a 'Nurses Co-operation and Home' where he could obtain a nurse, but told him to mention her name' as they know me there'.

Miss Blandy was still President and Secretary of the Hospital Committee in 1911 and the Glamorgan Gazette reported that 'the greatest credit was due to Miss Blandy, for the work done for the Hospital'. The people of Laleston will best remember Miss Blandy for her gift of the reading room and institute, the 'Blandy Trust'. The daughter of a clergyman, she had lived a Christian life, devoted to good works, until her death on the 9th January 1911. The following tribute taken from her obituary in the Glamorgan Gazette was more than well deserved.

'During the whole of her time at Broadlands, her practical interest in the poor of the district never abated, and she carried out her good work unostentatiously and sympathetically. She was closely connected with church life, and was ever ready to support any praiseworthy objective. Many will sincerely regret her death,and her place in the hearts of the inhabitants will never be filled'.