Frederick William Penfold (b. 20 Jul 1863 in Hartfield, Sussex), son of William Penfold and Mary Ann Charlotte Gunn, married Harriet Mary Tubb (b. 21 May 1867 in Sheppey), daughter of Edward Tubb and Sarah Elizabeth Joy at the Wesleyan Chapel, Tottenham on 12 May 1888.
Frederick and Harriet had five children:
- Harriet Mary Penfold Tubb b. 1884 Q4 in CHELSEA Vol 01A Page 338
- George Edward Penfold b. 7 Mar 1889 in SHEPPEY Vol 02A Page 892
- Grace Joy Penfold b. 27 Aug 1892 in DOVER Volume 02A Page 982
- Frederick William Penfold b. 8 Oct 1896 in FULHAM Vol 01A Page 305
- Bert Penfold b. 14 Aug 1898 in ISLE OF WIGHT Vol 02B Page 599
Looking at this succession of birth locations: i. Frederick's mother, Mary Ann Penfold (55) died in in Chelsea, in 1886, so it may well have been to her that Harriet had gone; ii. Sheppey makes sense that Harriet was able to return to her own mother for the birth of her first
legitimate child; iii. this is the year after Frederick left the navy, so unsure why Dover (Harriet's mother's family, perhaps); iv. Fulham is where Frederick's
younger brother Charles lived and makes sense to go to his family for this birth, her own mother having died in 1895 and v. the Isle of Wight is where they'd moved in 1898.
Frederick William Penfold, had enlisted in the
Royal Navy in 1878, at 15, as a Boy 2nd Class. His father had died in 1873, which may well have been motivation for going to sea. At that time he was 5ft tall, had dark brown hair, brown eyes and fair skin. He'd previously worked as a Gardener. Later, he grew to the lofty height of 5ft 5in and his complexion became ruddy. On 20 Jul 1881, his 18th birthday, Frederick signed up for a further 10 years.
Frederick William Penfold's Naval Career:
- 16 Dec 1882-2 Apr 1884 HMS Duncan (1859) which had been flag ship at Sheerness since 1879. (Exactly the right time and place for Frederick to meet Harriet, who was born and lived in Sheerness. Harriet's father, Edward Tubb, died in Jan 1884. We might conclude that Harriet, 16, sought solace in Frederick.)
- 3 Apr 1884-30 Jun 1886 HMS Carysfort (1878), which in 1884 and 1885, landed men for the naval brigade at Sudan (during the Mahdist War, which claimed the life of Gordon of Khartoum). During this time, there is a note on Frederick's service record saying "Mily Gaol Alexandria 42 days" (Gabbari military prison, Alexandria, Egypt). Doesn't give the exact dates or what for, but 42 days is unlikely to be too serious. Drunk maybe? Apr 1886 Mediterranean. 8 May 1886 Serving in Greek Waters. 19 Jun 1886 Malta.
- 1 Jul 1886-2 Apr 1888 HMS Hibernia (1804) which, from Apr 1886, had been in Malta - she became the flagship for the Royal Navy's base at Malta and stationed in the Grand Harbour.
- 5 Apr 1888-14 Apr 1888 HMS Duke of Wellington (1852), in Portsmouth. (Three of my relatives have served on this ship, including my 2x great-grandfather, Thomas Jones and James Henry Tubb, who was Harriet Mary Tubb's cousin.)
- 15 Apr 1888-31 Mar 1889 HMS Duncan (1859), back at Sheerness. On 10 Aug 1888, Frederick became a Qualified Signalman. He and Harriet married in the previous quarter.
- 1 Apr 1889-17 Oct 1889 HMS Wildfire shore establishment established at Sheerness in 1889.
- 18 Oct 1889-26 Nov 1889 HMS Royal Adelaide (1828), depot ship at Devonport, Plymouth. On 18 Oct 1889, Frederick was promoted to the rank of Ship's Corporal 2nd Class.
- 27 Nov 1889-8 May 1890 HMS Iron Duke (1870), which had arrived in arrived Plymouth Sound, from the Baltic in the October. 13 Dec 1889, departed Plymouth for Portland, to join up with the other part of the Channel Squadron, arriving from Portsmouth. It was then planned that the Squadron would depart Portland for winter cruise, via Arosa Bay (Ría de Arousa), Vigo (Galicia, Spain), Port Mahon (Menorca), and Morocco, returning in April. On 18 Jan 1890, Frederick attained the rank of Leading Signalman. 20 Apr 1890, arrived at Plymouth from Arosa Bay (18th), having been sent home in advance of the rest of the Channel Squadron, having a case of scarlet fever on board. 8 May 1890, paid off at Portsmouth.
- 9 May 1890-14 Jun 1890 HMS Duke of Wellington (1852).
- 15 Jun 1890-12 Nov 1890 HMS Serapis (1866), in Portsmouth.
- 13 Nov 1890-25 Nov 1890 HMS Duke of Wellington (1852).
- 26 Nov 1890-9 Jul 1891 HMS Excellent (shore establishment), the Royal Navy "stone frigate" sited on Whale Island in Portsmouth Harbour. (The third relative - James Henry Tubb and William Henry Middleton - to have spent time here near the end of their careers.)
- 10 Jul 1890-20 Aug 1891 HMS Duke of Wellington (1852).
In 1891, Frederick W Penfold (27), Qualified signalman, married, was a 'Member of crew' of HMS Excellent in Portsmouth Harbour. Harriet Mary Penfold (26), Harriet M Penfold (6) and George E Penfold (2) were visiting Harriet's mother, Sarah E Tubb (61) in Trinity Road, Minster in Sheppey.
In 1898, George Edward Penfold, son of Frederick William Penfold, Commercial Agent, of
22 West Street, Newport, was enrolled at the Newport Board School in
Newport,
Isle of Wight. His previous school was Board School
Southsea. But the next record we find, is on 22 Sep 1899, when George Penfold, aged 9, from
Barnardo Homes, sails to
Toronto, Canada on the vessel Arawa. We also read that, "According to the Barnardo records [Grace Joy] was admitted to the Barnardo's Homes in England on July 22, 1899 at the age of 7 with her brother George." [
Source]
We read here that, "
According to family hearsay Fredrick left the family at some stage prior to his death and Harriett could not keep the family together and it seems that her son George was put into a Barnardo’s Home and sent to Canada in 1899 at the age of 10." Sadly, the records do bear this out.
On 31 July 1904, G J Penfold (11) Female (Grace Joy) from
Barnardo Homes sailed to Toronto, Canada on the vessel RMS Southwark.
Then on 3 May 1907, the youngest, Bert Penfold (8) from
Barnardo Homes sailed to Toronto, Canada on the vessel SS Dominion.
So it wasn't just George who was sent to Barnardo Homes, but George, Grace and Bert, who became
Home Children sent to Canada: "
From the late 1860s right up to 1948, over 100,000 children of all ages were emigrated right across Canada, from the United Kingdom, to be used as indentured farm workers and domestics. Believed by Canadians to be orphans, only approximately 12 percent truly were". "For the most part, these children were not picked up from the streets but came from intact families, who, through sickness or even death of one of their parents, had fallen on hard times."
In Oct 1910, Harriet Mary Penfold (40) Domestic and Frederick William Penfold (13) at School, made their way to
Quebec, Canada (and apparently on to Bracebridge, Ontario) on the vessel
Lake Manitoba, travelling steerage from Liverpool. Next to Harriet's name is the stamp,
British Bonus Allowed, which was a commission paid by the Canadian government's Immigration Branch to steamship booking agents (not to the immigrants themselves).
In 1911, Fred Penfold (listed as born 1897 and immigration year 1910) was in
Guelph, Wellington South, Ontario, Canada in a household with two English ladies: Letia Camocott (b. 1865) and Alice Merridon (b. 1873) Lodger. It doesn't say in what capacity, but as he would then be 15, presumably Fred was either working for them or elsewhere and boarding there. Meanwhile Bert Penfold (12) that year was a Boarder in the household of Canadian couple, George Gilbert (b. 1873) and his wife, Etta, in
Muskoka, Ontario, Canada.
Grace Penfold (23) married Benjamin Folie (24), son of George Folie, on 10 Aug 1914 in Toronto, Canada. On the marriage record however, in the space where her parents names should be, it has 'unknown' written across the space, so I think we have to assume that her mother had not reencountered her.
In 1916, H M Penfold (48) Female (Harriet Mary) - immigration year 1910 - was in the household of Englishman, Charles M C Westaway (32) in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, seemingly employed as Housekeeper.
 |
| Their name liveth forever |
- George Edward Penfold married Anne Jenette Stuart. George died on 24 Sep 1972, aged 83, and is buried at Cupar Cemetery, Cupar, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
- Grace Joy Fowlie (née Penfold) died, aged 61, on 11 Aug 1954, in Arthur, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada and was buried on 14 Aug 1954 in Greenfield Cemetery, in Arthur Ontario.
- Frederick William Penfold Jr married Lula Pearl Deacon in 1923. Fred died on 15 Dec 1985 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
- Bert Penfold married Marjorie Anne Aspin on 11 Aug 1926, in Regina. Bert died, aged 69, on 28 May 1968 and is buried at Riverside Memorial Park Cemetery, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Harriet Mary Penfold Tubb, as she was registered upon her birth in 1884, daughter of Frederick William Penfold and Harriet Mary Tubb,
it was reported, "... did not go to Canada [as her siblings did] as she was 15 years old and had gone into service." Indeed, in 1901, we find Harriet M Penfold (16), as a General domestic servant in the employ of Joseph Wain (41) Draper and shopkeeper at
288, High Road,
Chiswick, Middlesex. (Harriet's
late paternal grandmother, Mary Ann Charlotte Gunn, was originally from Chiswick, so perhaps this had some bearing on the location?)
In 1903, we find Harriet in Hackney, for the birth of her first child. Then in the first quarter of 1906, Harriet, apparently known as Hetty, married
Walter Ward, in
Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire. Unfortunately, it's been impossible to locate Walter on previous census returns, to be able to pinpoint where they coincided. We have to take it on trust that Gladys Grace is Walter's daughter, as she's later listed with the surname Ward, but there is no guarantee of this.
Walter and Harriet had at least seven children:
- Gladys Grace Penfold b. 1903 S Qtr in HACKNEY Vol 01B Page 539
- Walter Ernest Ward b. 1907 M Qtr in BRIDGEND Vol 11A Page 903
- William George Ward b. 1908 J Qtr in BRIDGEND Vol 11A Page 945
- Herbert Edward Ward b. 1910 J Qtr in BELPER Vol 07B Page 732
- Frederick John Ward b. 1912 M Qtr in BELPER Vol 07B Page 1346
- Alma Mary Ward b. 1914 M Qtr in ASHBY DE LA ZOUCH Vol 07A 159, died age 6 in 1920 S Qtr in ASHBY DE LA ZOUCH Vol 07A Page 91 and buried on 17 Aug 1920 in Blackfordby, Leicestershire
- Mabel Joy Ward b. 10 Dec 1919 in ASHBY DE LA ZOUCH Vol 07A 162
Walter Ward, 32 in 1914, will have been of an age to have served during World War I and although it would be difficult to isolate his service record, I think the evidence for this is the gap in children between 1914 and 1919.
In 1911, at
24 Sleetmoor Lane,
Somercotes, Derbyshire, were Walter Ward (29) 'Night repairer under ground', born in
Costock,
Nottinghamshire (a birth registered in Loughborough, in 1882, may relate); Harriet Mary (26) born in Chelsea; William Ward (34) 'Coal contractor under ground', Brother, born in Clay Cross, Derbyshire; Gladys Grace Ward (7), Walter Ernest Ward (4) born
Nantymoel, Wales, William George Ward (3), born
Caerau, Bridgend and Herbert Edward Ward (1) born
Swanwick, Derbyshire.
So far, I've been unable to identify further records for this family, except Mabel Joy, who married Douglas A Clayton in
Mansfield, Nottingham in 1939 and
reportedly died, in
Guelph, Wellington South, Ontario, Canada, in 1998.
