obituary
James ‘Harry’ Blenheim
Born: 5 February, 1916
Died: 31 May, 2009
HE DIDN’T quite make the century, but James ‘Harry’ Blenheim put in an heroic innings to walk from the pitch at 93.
With his passing on 31 May, Healesville lost a man who was recognised as one of the best cricketers in the Yarra Valley in his day, a gentleman and a character of the town.
“Eatin’, walkin’ and talkin’ … that’s my life, more or less,” he reflected when the Mail spoke with him on his 90th birthday.
Known affectionately as “Young Harry” he made it his business on his daily walks to chat with young and old. “I know half of Healesville and it’s never a lonely walk,” he said.
Harry was born in Hawthorn on 5 February 1916. He and his late wife, Joyce, came to Healesville almost 60 years ago and their daughters Sandra, Loris and Jennifer grew up in the town.
His love affair with cricket started with coaching sessions with his dad, Bill.
“I’d have to say, those talks, just me and dad alone in the chookhouse, gave me my greatest thrill of my life,” he recalled.
He had already distinguished himself as a cricketer playing for the Auburn Cricket Club from 1935 to 1953, when he joined the Healesville Cricket Club.
Among many achievements was winning the Eastern Suburbs Cricket Association 1st Grade Batting with a batting average of 44.66.
Ten years ago he was included in the ESCA Cententary Team – chosen from all the players from 1903 to 1999.
He took a wicket against Jack Ryder who went on to captain the Australian test team and faced up to Clarrie Grimmet, who he said was the best slow bowler in the world at the time, when he was in Adelaide with the air force during the war.
Cricket made it easy to fit into a new town and cricket was a family affair.
He rated playing in the 1957 A-Grade premiership team against Warburton as the highlight of his time with Healesville. He distinguished himself – 124 not out with the bat and taking 5 for 81.
He once lamented that he’d retired too early … at 50. “I was crook on myself,” he said. “I reckon I could have kept going.”
He may have been right. He was 50 when he won the club’s bowling averages.
He and Joyce were life members of the club.
Cricket wasn’t his only passion however.
Young Harry was a poet. In his later years he found a flair for what he called his “ditties”. Many were published in Mountain Views over the years and his good humour and wit delighted readers.
He shared his love of Healesville in his poem “My Town” which won the editor’s award with the International Library of Poetry.
Harry spent the last year or so at Warburton where he made many new friends and entertained with his story-telling at Yarra View Retirement Village. The last few months of his life were spent at Boronia, after being evacuated due to the bushfires.
Family and friends farewelled “Young Harry” in the style to which he was accustomed – with good humour, story-telling and affection – at the Healesville Salvation Army Hall.
He is survived by his daughters Sandra Fisher, Loris Anderson and Jenny Jones and their families.
