Blandy
The Blandy family of English merchants, founded in Madeira by John Blandy, a junior officer of the British garrison of 1801, whose trading house passed down four generations.
This family of English subjects and merchants settled on this island more than a century ago. During the first occupation of Madeira by British troops, in July 1801, the garrison included a junior officer named John Blandy, who became the founder of the family of that name on the island. By 1808, when Madeira was occupied by British troops for the second time, this English subject had already set up the trading house that he passed on to his descendants. He died on 14 January 1855 and was succeeded in the firm by his son Charles Ridpath Blandy, who died in 1878. His son was João Blandy, who raised the trading house to a remarkable degree of prosperity, leaving a very large fortune when he died on 7 December 1912. His heir and successor was João Ernesto Blandy, who died in 1930.
For many years the offices of this important firm were in Rua de São Francisco, in the premises now occupied by the firm’s wine trading department. They were later moved to Rua da Alfândega, where they are at present.
In this article
Time
Years mentioned · 06-
A British squadron arrived at Funchal, beginning the first British occupation of Madeira; troops under Clinton were quartered in the Jesuit college, the Penha de França fort and the theatre, forcing the seminary back to the Mosteiro Novo.
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During the second British occupation John Blandy already had his trading house established in Madeira.
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John Blandy died.
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Charles Ridpath Blandy died.
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João Blandy of the Blandy family died.
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Death of João Ernesto Blandy.
Place
Places mentioned · 02
- Rua da Alfândega
Funchal. Current location of the firm's offices.
Rua da Alfândega is a street in Funchal facing the customs house, where the town council moved in 1848 and the Associação Comercial was first installed in 1836. It later housed the Blandy offices and the English Club with its library, and saw a fire at Payne's bakery in 1878.
- Rua de São Francisco
Funchal. Site of the firm's offices for many years, later its wine department.
Rua de São Francisco is a Funchal street beside the municipal garden and the only one there that predates 1834. It was renamed 'Rua 22 de Março de 1921' in 1922, and the Elucidário urges restoring the old name. It lay on the route of the Procissão dos Passos, and the Blandy firm had its offices there for many years.
People
People mentioned · 04- Charles Ridpath Blandyd. 1878
Son of John Blandy who succeeded him at the head of the family firm.
- João Blandyd. 1912
Son of Charles Ridpath Blandy who brought the firm to great prosperity and left a large fortune.
- João Ernesto Blandyd. 1930
Heir and successor of João Blandy in the family firm.
- John Blandyd. 1855
British subaltern in the 1801 occupation garrison who founded the Blandy trading house in Madeira by 1808.