Colonel Sir Edward Bolitho

Colonel Sir Edward Bolitho was born in Penzance to a family with strong Cornish roots, going back hundreds of years. In 2011, Colonel Bolitho was appointed Lord-Lieutenant of Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, having been a Deputy Lieutenant since 2008. He is following in his great, great grandfather’s footsteps by supporting our cause.

The Bolitho family have been involved with the charity ever since our foundation in 1856 when a young Thomas Bedford Bolitho sat on the very first committee. Colonel Bolitho’s great, great grandfather Thomas Simon Bolitho was also a member of the committee from around 1872 to 1886. He was followed some years later in 1903 by his niece, Norah Bolitho who remained on the board until 1919.

In 1949 Colonel Bolitho’s grandfather, Lt Col Edward H W Bolitho, opened the Malabar Home for the Blind following a significant fundraising drive by the charity. The home provided accommodation for 24 blind people and was the only residential home of its kind in Cornwall.

In 1956, 100 years after her father Thomas sat on the founding committee, Mary Williams became chair of the charity which by now was known as the Cornwall County Association for the Blind. Mary remained on the board until at least 1972.

In 2021, our 165^th year, it was our great pleasure to continue this association and welcome Colonel Sir Edward Bolitho as our patron.