Category: Pennell-AUS

The Pennell name was not immune to far-fetched tales, and the story of Rosamond Croker is one of them. This portrait of Miss Croker hangs in the Buffalo (NY) Art Museum. Portrait of Miss Rosamond Croker | Buffalo AKG Art Museum

Rosamond Hester Elizabeth was born 5 January 1810, the 13th of 21 children of William Pennell, Esq., British consul-general to Brazil. At the age of six weeks she was adopted by her brother-in-law the Rt. Hon. John Wilson Crocker. Croker (1780-1857) was a well-known politician and essayist and in 1809 was Secretary to the Admiralty. … In 1832, Miss Croker married Sir George Barrow of Ulverstone (1806-1876), Chief Clerk at the Colonial Office, who succeeded his father as second baronet in 1848. Lady Barrow died in 1906.

Seventh and Eighteenth Century Europeon Art, page 184, Sir Thomas Lawrence (artist)

The only reason Rosamond Croker ended up being on the list of tall tales is that her birth name is Pennell. W. J. C. Pennell of Australia in December 1969 actually refers to Rosamond’s birth father as an “ancestor”. I quote his 1969 letter below, not because I think she’s related, but because you might.

The next ancestors of whom any important records are extant is Richard Pennell, Commander of the British East Indian Company’s ship “HAWK”. [Probate is on Ancestry and verifies this information.] He settled in Topsham in Devonshire and married the sister of Charles II’s physician. He died in May of 1797 aged 42 and is buried in St. Margaret’s Church, Topsham near Lectern.

His great-grandson [I doubt this, maybe grandson] William Pennell was appointed British Council at Bordeau, France in 1814. During his Consulate in this city times were very tumultuous and full of adventure. There was a magnificent diamond he kept as a heirloom in the family which was given to him by the duchesse D’Anglouleme [This is Marie Theresa the only child of Marie Antoniette and the King that lived to adulthood] as a reward for his help in aiding her escape from Bordeaux on a British frigate.

Later he became British Consul at Bahia, Brazil and in 1829 was appointed Consul-General for the Empire of Brazil. He married Elizabeth Carrington daughter of a Church of England Clergyman and had 22 children, many of whom became distinguished men and women. Once (sic) of the sons, Sir Henry Pennell held the position of First Clerk of the British Admiralty and was the author of a continuous system for manning the navy.

W. J. C. Pennell, Sydney, Australia, December 1969

There is a lot of documentation on Ancestry and corroborating data from “Pennell Family Records”. A not-so-quick Googling of facts did show me that Charles Stuart of appointed Ambassador of France in 1815 and then he was sent to Brazil from 1825 to 1826. A Consul-General is subordinate to the Ambassador, so I’m thinking William Pennell likely following Charles Stuart in his appointments.

So there are two Marie’s that escaped France: Marie Theresa (dau. of Marie Antoniette) and Louise Marie (sister of Marie Theresa’s husband). The story of William Pennell assisting in these escapes could very well be the fodder for the Marie deFawcett stories, and somehow the story went from the Pennell side to the Crew side.

One more point that makes me believe there’s been a mash-up of family stories. The quote above says that Elizabeth Carrington has 22 children. What a coincidence! That’s the same number of children Susan Shephard supposedly had and the most children I’ve been able to find is 12.

And also, the “de” did NOT designate Marie deFawcett as French. It only showed that she was of a culture that used the “de” to either show aristocracy or to show Fawcett was her husband’s surname, not hers. This was a French, Spanish, Portuguese, practice.

Can’t help but wonder, where “Fawcett” came from?

Also, what a juxtaposition of the Pennells we know as my ancestors in Bethnal Green and the Pennells who were the ancestors of Miss Rosamond Croker.

Here’s Rosamond’s story:

Among the girls, chief interest is attached to Rosamond the 13th child who, at the age of 6 weeks, was adopted by her eldest sister then the wife of the Right Honourable John Wilson Crocker, M.P. It was only by accident that she eventually learned that her supposed mother was really her sister. She was celebrated for her beauty and her portrait, at the age of 17 by Sir Thomas Lawrence, is a renowned and familiar pictures. Her portrait bears the title “The Beautiful Miss Crocker” and was once owned by American Billionaire Banker, J. Pierpont Morgan. The painting is now owned by the buffalo Fine Ars Academy and is exhibited in the Albright Art Galley, Buffalo, New York, U.S.A.

When a child at Kensington Palace Rosamond was sent to play with the little girl who became Queen Victoria. The Crocker Papers are full of references to “Nony” as she was called.

“June 13, 1831 — took little girl (Nony) to the King’s (George IV) Ball. We arrived five minutes after the time appointed, half-past eight. His Majesty was already in the room. He was very gracious to Nony and kissed her as he departed. William IV, when she was presented at his Court kissed her twice and it was explained as King, and the second time as man!”

As I mentioned in one of my other posts, I have a lot of general information about Pennells, most of which is unproven to be related. I have 4 “stories”:

1. 1978, J. W. Pennell of Arroyo Grande, CA, USA in a letter to Edna Ollivier
2. “Pennell Family History” as written by W. J. C. Pennell, Sydney, N.S.W. Australia
   December 1969
3. 1977 “Pennell Family Records” edited by J. C. Baker
4. Google (Pennell Name Meaning, Family History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms (houseofnames.com)

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Story #1 – source J. W. Pennell, Arroyo Grande, CA,
Letter to Edna Ollivier, March 9, 1978

In about 51 B.C., when the Romans pulled out of Gaul (Normandy) they abandoned a fortress that they had called “Pinnellium”. After the Romans left, the leader of the local peasants took over the deserted fortress and began to exercise authority over the area. Then those, living inside the place became known as the People of Pinnellium, and their leader as the “Baron of Pinnillium”. Soon after tho[ugh], the Franks not liking anything Roman anyway, changed the name of the place to “The Baronage of Pinel” and their leader was thereafter known as “The Baron Pinel”.

Raoul Pinel (also known as Rollo) was a Baron in 1066 and the Baronage was assessed men and supplies for William the Duke of Normandy. Raoul and his sone Turston de Paignel, were at the Battle of Hastings in the first week of October 1066. (October 14, 1066 to be exact). Now Raoul (Rollo) was awarded sovereignty over 134 English manors, located in Kent and Essex. Turston was awarded 92 of these landed estates in the same shires adjoining those held by his father. The above is authenticated in the DOMESDAY BOOKS, by the monk Wace in his account of the conquest, on the Roll of Battle Abbey and as described in Burkes “Landed Gentry”.

NOTE: I Googled these sources, and after looking through my copy of the DOMESDAY BOOK, I could find no references to any of this information.

Anyway there was to be a Baron Pinel for the 1100 years following 51 B.C. It was not until the great census in 1083 was there to be a family name attached to all the followers of the Baron Pinel.

The author of this letter goes as far as quoting the bible to find the origins of Pennell, citing Genesis, chapter 32, paragraphs 31 and 32: “And Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: ‘for I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved’. And the sun rose upon him as he passed over Peniel, and he limped upon his thigh.”

The author also makes mention that Pen means “a high place”. It is interesting in Story #3 below, it mentions that Pen is Celtic for “head, top or end… with Anglo-Saxon word “hill”.

The letter continues…

In the middle of 1700’s, a Thomas and his brother Clement came over from the Isle of Jersey and settled near Brunswick, Maine. They founded a ship building company which built ships for the next hundred years.

Anyway Thomas married Rachel Riggs June 14, 1735 and his brother Clement married Ruth Riggs January 10, 1742. Both had large families. The genealogy of these two are in the books there in Salt Lake. (Anyone living in 1916 is the books.) I have documented records of some of the Pennell people moving to Canada during the Rev. War. They were known as “Tories” and I guess they just didn’t want to fight the King.

Perhaps they were known as “Tories”, but they were also known as “Loyalists” and many moved from the USA to Canada during that time. However, we do know from solid documentation that OUR Pennells immigrated on the S. S. Niger in 1871 from England to Ontario, not from the USA. This may however give a little history into the origins of the name Pennell.

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Story #2: Source “Pennell Family History” as written by W. J. C. Pennell, Sydney, N.S.W. Australia
December 1969

This is a booklet contains every instance of the name Pennell and suspected derivative that appears in any record that was available and accessible to the author in the United Kingdom in 1969.

The family of the Pennells is of ancient West-Country origin and traces its descent from ancestors who were already living at PENHAL in Cornwall before the Conquest. Subsequently the family moved to LUPTON in Devonshire where they resided for some centuries.

The name went through several variations in spelling, being written at different times as PENHALL, PENHALE or PENNYL, but did not assume its ultimate form of PENNELL til the 15th century.

Around 1390 John Penhale and Richard Penhale are recorded as being PRIORS OF PLYMPTON PRIORY and in 1415 a certain Richard Pennell who was Canon of Creiton, and Exeter and Vicar of PAIGNTON, became Archdeacon of Cornwall. He was also President of the Consistonal (sic?) Council.

This letter goes on to describe anyone famous with the name of Pennell and how they are likely all related

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Story #3: Pennell Family Records, edited by J. C. Baker, September 1977
Call Number British Film Area 0990486, item 12 LDS FHL
Photocopy of no. 91 in a limited edition of 150 copies

Most authorities derive the modern name Pennell from place names in different parts of England. Many of the Pennells of Worcestorshire and surrounding counties, for instance, have a name taken from Penhull in Pensax parish – referring to a nearby hilltop (the Celtic word Pen meaning head, top or end, with the Anglo-Saxon word hill). An early example is Alured de Penhull, i.e. Alured of Pen hill, recorded in the Worcs Assize Rolls for 1221.

Many people named Penell/Pennell were living in this locality during the 16th and 17th centuries. In south-west England, where Penewell, Peniwill, etc., were common variants, the name apparently derived from Penhill in Fremington parish, Devon, and from Penheale in Egloskerry parish, Cornwall – perhaps in the a few cases also from Penyhyll in Stockland which survives today as Penny Hill Farm.

The Introduction of this booklet goes on to give examples of years and names, such as Ricardus de Pennal, Nicholaus de Pennal, Wm de Peneylles, David Penyles, Hy de Peniles, Wm Pennel, Jn Penelle, etc. Its quite mind boggling.

My great-grandfather, Richard William Pennell who is buried in Rutherglen, was born in Northfleet, Kent in 1834. His father, also Richard William Pennell was born in Botolphe, Middlesex (London). Then Ancestry makes “smart matches” and immediately changes the last name to Pinnell. It is interesting to note that in this Pennell Family Records there is a …

Jn. Pennell, citizen of London, a fishmonger in St. Botolph’s parish, Aldgate, who was apprenticed 1626, became a freeman 1635 and paid poll tax 1641. Other London Pennells include Sam, son of Mathew….

This is a section I may come back to when I try to push Ancestry into another direction. The booklet also includes American records, but its not until page 44 where it lists extracts of death records where I can make a positive match: Ric [Pennell] 72 Lewisham. This is my great-grandfather’s father. Then on page 46: Frances [Pennell] 86 Lewisham. This is his wife Frances Pettitt.

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A 4th source of information, of course, is now Google (the internet) and the mention in the Pennell Family Records of a Coat of Arms on page 9 prompted a search leading me to Pennell Name Meaning, Family History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms (houseofnames.com). Here again reference can be found to the Domesday Book (a 2nd search through my book revealed nothing) and corroborates the name beginning with a Baron Pinel, landowner in Essex and Suffolk.

Most important here is the merchandising of the Pennell Coat of Arms onto mugs, key chains and hoodies.

This is a letter sent to Myrtle Connolly (nee Keech), daughter of Jane Keech (nee McNamara), granddaughter of Elizabeth McNamara (nee Pennell) by William Pennell of Brisbane, Australia, April 1, 1973.

Brisbane–Queensland, Australia

Until near the end of 1859, the State now known as Queensland was part of New South Wales. When Charles and his wife Susan Pennell arrived in Moreton Bay in the little sailing ship “Glentanner”, it was N.S.W. they came to and not Queensland which did not then exist. The Glentanner anchored in Moreton Bay and the passengers were taken by small paddle-boat steamer up the Brisbane Ricer to a small wharf in South Brisbane, which adjoins Kangaroo Point. The only hotel in South Brisbane was the Lord Raglan. Kangaroo Point was covered with thick bush and the midst of which was a large Black’s (aborigines) camp.

There was also a building to received new settlers and Charles and Susan and Susan’s brother, William Henry Crew, were accommodated in this building from the Thursday to the following Monday awaiting the arrival from the town of Limestone (now Ipswich), 24 miles away, of John Edward and Marie Bradfield who had migrated to Australia two years earlier.

When the Bradfield’s arrived, John and his brother-in-law Charles went to the Lord Raglan Hotel to finish a game of Quoits they had commenced the day the Bradfield left London in 1859. The party left Kangaroo Point on the Monday about 21st July for Ipswich. The women went by small steamer and the men walked the 24 miles. The object in walking appears to have been the desire to see the new country at close quarters.

In another letter, William writes that Charles and Susan sailed from West India Docks, London on February 4, 1859 and went non-stop to Brisbane, Queensland, arriving at Moreton Bay, July 7, 1859 – a 153-day trip. After a few days in Moreton Bay, the ship sailed for Callard, Peru, South America and was not heard of again.

William Crew (William (the younger), Rachel, Susan, Maria and Eliza et al’s father) was a “highly successful London brickmaker for whom Bradfield, Crew and Pennell had worked. Subsequently, they went into partnership to found one of the first mechanised brickmaking businesses in Queensland.” (The Unreasonable Man: The life and works of J. J. C. Bradfield by Richard Raxworthy, page 13)

However, in a letter to Myrtle Connolly from William Pennell (grandson of Charles Pennell) dated April 2, 1969, he writes…

Bradfield thought there would be a great scope for brick making business at Ipswich, some 20,000 miles from Brisbane. They were the first to manufacture machine bricks in the country. Unfortunately, timber was too plentiful and cheap at the time, and the bricks could not compete to any real extent.

In the year 1932, the Queensland Government decided to build a modern steel bridge from Brisbane City across the Brisbane River to Kangaroo Point. The famous Queensland born Engineer, Dr. J. J. C. Bradfield was called in as a consultant and he fixed the requirements and drew up the specifications for the tenders. He and his son, Dr. Keith Bradfield were in partnership at the time as Consulting Engineers and they supervised the building of the Cantilever steel bridge, which was given the name Story.

The bridge was opened in 1940 and the roadway across it was named the Bradfield Highway. The right hand piers of the bridge start at Kangaroo Point. How interesting to remember that in the year 1859, the Pennells, Bradfields and William Crew walked around Kangaroo Point and that 81 years later, a son of John and Maria not yet born, would become Australia’s most illustrious Civil Engineer and would be Chief Engineer for the building of Queensland’s largest modern bridge with one set of its piers on Kangaroo Point. When the Sydney Harbour Bridge was officially opened in March 19832, Bradfield insisted that my father, W. J. Pennell, his cousin, should sit beside him. He said to Dad, “Wouldn’t mother [Maria nee Crew] and Aunt Susan (Pennell nee Crew) have enjoyed this occasion.”

It is interesting to note here that a search of Australian war veterans is long. Combining WWI and WWII there are 254 pages of Pennells. Thinking I could narrow the list down, I search for records up to 1920. There were over 30 pages. Bradfields were the same. So I’m leaving the war veterans research to someone else and will just say, the Pennells, Bradfields and the Crews all were warriors for freedom.