Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Bland a shoe maker, born 1862 in Leicester and his wife Elizabeth, born 1864 in Leicester. Samuel was born in 1884 in Leicester, his siblings were Florrie, born 1888 and Arthur, born 1890, both his siblings were born in Leicester, in April 1891 the family home was at 139, Upper Brunswick Street, Leicester, in the Ecclesiastical Parish of St. Matthew. In March 1901 Samuel was shown as being a pauper and was residing in the Leicester Workhouse, Sparkenhoe Street, Leicester, in the Ecclesiastical Parish of St. Peter. In April 1911 Samuel was employed as a shoe finisher and was residing in the family home at 144, Asfordby Street, Leicester, together with his wife of seven years, Annie Elizabeth, born 1885 in Leicester and their children, Mabel, born 1907 and Leonard, born 1911, both children were born in Leicester, also residing with the family was his sister Florrie. His parents later moved to live at 10, Stanhope Street, Leicester.