b. Blackburn 1 November 1864
d. Blackburn 26 December 1951
 

Debut 9 September 1882 (17y 312d) Final Game 3 January 1888 (23y 63d)
First Goal 1 September 1883
CAREER: Park Side;Queens Own;Blackburn Rovers Sep'82;Southport Central Jan'88;Halliwell Feb'90.
 

FAC        3 apps
LC           8 apps 1 gl
 

The son of Allon Blenkhorn, who lived in Gawthorpe View. His father had learned to be a grocer in King Street before opening his own shop in Salford. When he started to sell oil he became highly prosperous.  Robert Blenkhorn was a student engineer/draughtsman when he joined the Rovers from junior football. For six years he played sporadically but was normally the deputy for any of the half back positions. His versatility was such that in 1885 he acted as goalkeeper for the reserves during a prolonged emergency. He worked as an iron fitter but by the turn of the century he was working on steam engines and living in Whittaker Street in the St Barnabas area. He also played cricket for East Lancashire, where his club mates included Hugh McIntyre and Fred Hargreaves. He finished playing both sports in 1888. His grandfather William Blenkhorn ,was landlord of the St Leger Hotel in King William Street, where the initial meeting to form the Rovers took place, until his death in 1881. His father Allon was a man who gave considerable public service in the town, a long time chairman of the Burial Board and a Guardian of the Poor Law Board. Robert died at the home of his daughter, in Roney Street, his contribution to the local sporting scene being unremarked  in the local press.