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As with the Pennells, it has been a challenge to get any solid proof of heritage. However, when the Crews immigrated to Canada, they brought with them tales that, regardless of how much work and research is done, cannot be verified in any way. The original source of these stories seems to be from Effie Scott who was the granddaughter of Eliza Hone.

Tale #1: Marie deFawcett

It has been verified that Rachel’s father, William Henry Crew was a successful brickmaker in London, England. His sons, Richard and William (the younger), as well as John Bradfield all worked for him in London. James Hone (Eliza Crew’s husband) was living with the Crews in 1851 and reports that he is a brickmaker as well.

In 1851, the Crews lived at 4 Parkplace with Samuel Sheppard’s family (Susan’s brother) and another family (relationship unknown).

The story that has been handed down through Effie Scott (Rutherglen, Eliza’s Crew descendant) and perhaps from Alice Pennell (Rachel’s daughter), was that Susan Crew’s mother was Marie de Fawcett.

This is from a document authored by Myrtle Connolly, nee Keech, who’s great-grandmother was Rachel Crew.

Marie deFawcett was a descendent from the Imperial House of Orleans, an important part of French Royalty. The first Duke of Orleans was the son of Charles V of France and was born 1372. His name was Louis de Valois.

The following is from my own “book” I authored in 1994.

Susan Shepherd’s parentage is still somewhat of a mystery. Her mother was definitely [NOT proven and unlikely] Maria deFawcett, but its possible that deFawcett was Marie’s married name and that when she married a second time to a William Shepherd, he adopted Susan. Its possible that Marie was a French Hugenot who fled France after witnessing the murder of her parents. [not possible as Marie’s life is not contemporary with the Hugenots. Possibly her parents or grandparents]. DeFawcett, according to the French Hugenot Society of England, is an English name, not a French one.

I did some digging into the Hugenot immigration to England and my notes say that around 1705, Hugenots settled in south England, Canterbury, Kent, Sandwich, Faversham, Shoreditch, London & Spitalfields. Since the beheadings of Marie Antonoinette and Louis XVI didn’t take place until 1793, the Hugenot movement must have continued on until the end of the century. The only surviving daughter of the King and Queen, Marie-Theresa didn’t get herself out of France (a 2nd time) until 1815. (Wikipedia)

1841 England Census finds William and Susan Crew with their children on John Street, Bethnal Green. Since William allegedly had a “successful” brickmaking business that employed at least 4 men (Charles Pennell, Richard Pennell, William Crew (the younger) and James Hone), I did an internet search of the history of Bethnal Green to see if I could find anything.

Huguenot influence was diluted by outsiders from other parts of London. Over 80 per cent of Bethnal Green’s population in 1851 and 1861 had been born in London.  Although Bethnal Green was still the main silkweaving parish, the industry was in decline and weavers were under-employed. Occupations such as tailoring, furniture making, and costermongering replaced it but none was prosperous, sweated labour was prevalent, and the population was caught in a downward spiral of poverty. A modern analysis has placed Bethnal Green as the second poorest London parish in 1841, the poorest by 1871.

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Dickens made Bethnal Green the home of Nancy in Oliver Twist (1838).

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The most detailed report on Bethnal Green was published in 1848 by Dr. Hector Gavin, health inspector and lecturer at Charing Cross hospital, who hoped to enlist the rich in ‘the great work of sanitary improvement and social amelioration’. He wrote before development around Victoria Park, when the ‘most respectable’ area was Hackney Road. The rest of the parish, including the area on either side of Green Street, was ‘filthy’, ‘appalling’, and ‘disgusting’. The older districts bordering Spitalfields contained paved streets and larger houses but the former were broken up and the latter overcrowded. Elsewhere roads were unmade, often mere alleys, houses small and without foundations, subdivided and often around unpaved courts. An almost total lack of drainage and sewerage was made worse by the ponds formed by the excavation of brickearth. Pigs and cows in back yards, noxious trades like boiling tripe, melting tallow, or preparing cat’s meat, and slaughter houses, dustheaps, and ‘lakes of putrefying night soil’ added to the filth.

Bethnal Green: Building and Social Conditions from 1837 to 1875 | British History Online (british-history.ac.uk)

Bart Jones, an avid Crew researcher in New Zealand, is convinced that this whole France, Hugenot story is nothing but gossip and has no validity at all. I’m about 75% in agreement with him. My hold back in completely rejecting the whole story, is that I believe firmly that within every piece of family gossip, is a thread of truth that has been exaggerated or “bent”. Also, when my DNA analysis came back from both Ancestry and 23andMe, both shows small signs of Northeastern France.

I also think that there’s a misconception that if a surname starts with “de”, that indicates its a French surname. This isn’t the case. The prefix “de” means “of” and is used in French, Spanish, Italian, etc.

For instance, when a woman married and took her husband’s name, she’d add “de” in front of the husband’s surname. Somewhat the same as “Handmaid’s Tale”, where Offred meant “of Fred”. Margaret Attwood could have written “deFred”. But I digress…

“De” was also misused, as common people began to realize they could pass themselves off as aristocracy by added “de” to the beginning of their surname. For example, my name would be Wendy deSmith. Hmmm…. well sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.

The surname Fawcett isn’t French, however saying it with a French accent is like mispronouncing Target and Leon’s Furniture. North Americans think they sound higher class.

I was able to find the marriage of William Crew to Susan Sheppard. He was a widower. His first wife was likely Ann Swallows.

Susan’s parents were Charles and Ann, as stated on her baptism in 1798, Tring, Hertfordshire. No mention of Marie deFawcett.

In find it interesting the sequence of events leading up Susan’s death.

• 1861, Susan and William were living with Richard and Rachel (Crew) Pennell.
• 1869, William died.
• April 2, 1871, Susan is a pauper in a “workhouse” (an institution where those unable to support themselves financially were offered accommodation and employment)
• May 1875 Richard and Rachel boarded the S. S. Niger for Canada.
• December 1875 Susan dies.

This post really needs to be read with the post on Miss Rosamond Crocker. There is information in both that are eerily similar.

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.

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?

Yesterday (March 26, 2023), while staring at the known ancestry chart of Susan Sheppard, I saw a name I’ve seen before that somehow suddenly looked different. Susan’s husband was Henry Crew. His mother’s name was Elizabeth Foresee (sounds a lot like Fawcett) and Elizabeth had a sister Mary, which brings me to Tale #2.

Tale #2: Duke of Rutland

This is a story that my Aunt Edna told me.

Susan Shepherd had a sister, Mary, who worked for the Duke of Rutland a “Nurse maid and seamstress”. Supposedly, there are memories handed down by Effie Scott, that Eliza recounted visits made by Mary coming to visit her sister Susan by horse and buggy on her days off. Knowing the above description of Bethnal Green, Mary must have found those visits deplorable.

The story goes that the Duke of Rutland was so grateful for Mary’s services, that he willed her a considerable sum of money. Mary remained a spinster, and when she died she left the small fortune to her sister Susan, who, for some reason, never claimed it.

Never wanting to leave a “small fortune” behind, I wrote someone who could look into a database of the employees of the Duke of Rutland during the early 1800’s. It was really no surprize to receive an answer that no such person by the name of Mary Sheppard was ever in the employ of the Duke of Rutland.

However, I did research who would have been the Duke at the time Mary would have been old enough to be a “governess” and would that Duke have needed a governess.

John Manners was the 5th Duke of Rutland. He married Elizabeth Howard who had 10 children and died in 1825, only 5 years after the birth of their last child. John remained a widower until his death at age 79. So there was a need – I just can’t find out who looked after his children after Elizabeth died.

However, the most damning thing about the story is that from Belvoir Castle to Bethnal Green is a 13 hour bike ride or a 2 day walk. Somewhere in between is a buggy ride, and not something one would do on her “day off”.

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)

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.

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

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.

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.

My sister Carol and I have had many discussions on Gramma’s mental illness. It is puzzling to us. It makes no sense to us that one person in a family, randomly, out of no where, has a mental illness that incapacitates them so severely that they’re admitted to an insane asylum, never to be released and basically never to be heard from again. Florence was admitted on a WARRANT! That means a judge’s signature was required. What happened?

[Note: March 7, 2023 – I emailed Ontario Archives to asked where I might be able to access this warrant.]

Manic Depressive Psychosis; Manic

That is the diagnosis given in the documentation from St. Thomas Mental Hospital. If Gramma’s was Bipolar (Manic Depressive), then likely this would have shown up in other members of the family. While there’s a little depression in all of us, nothing has revealed itself to the tragic effects that my grandmother suffered. This is wrong.

What I’ve since learned…

A Google search and information from the CAMH website revealed that 80% of people with bipolar disease inherit it from a first-degree relative like a parent.  But there’s only a 10% chance you’ll inherit it.  In other words, there’s a 90% chance the children will not inherit the disease.  Also some people don’t inherit the disease at all – they develop it after something traumatic, like the death of a loved one, a financial crisis, or other major life event.  

Inherited bipolarism peaks between the ages of 15-25.  Only using the documentation I was able to see, and piecing together GG’s life, knowing her children and grandchildren, I’ve come to the conclusion that GG did not inherit manic depression – she developed it after the move from Endicott, NY to Widdifield Township, Ontario at the age of 30, long after her children were born.  For this reason, I also conclude that bipolar disease was not genetically passed on to her children or her grandchildren.

So I can only conclude that, in her case, it was not genetic and therefore it was either societal or triggered by an event.

If this indeed was her true disease, she would have been showing symptoms for years and by the time she reached her early 20’s, she was in full blown Manic Depression. We know nothing about her before she boarded the S. S. Metagama except her birth date and family names. There is no one alive today who actually knew her at all.

Could her life after she landed in Canada all be signs of a woman in a manic crisis: leaving her England, leaving Canada, the series of job changes, a quick marriage. Imagine an English woman meets an Estonian man who can barely speak English. They have a whirlwind romance? And get married a few months later. Why so quick? What was the rush?

Extenuating Circumstances

As I’ve said in other postings on the website, I am convinced that my grandmother left a daughter behind in London (Phyllis Vera Peters). Maybe not so much anymore. More than likely Phyllis was Ellen’s child. Why would Gramma named one child Phyllis Vera and another Joan Vera – seems weird.

Grampa’s Army Medical Logs

I remember reading (many years ago) about a 18th century village, in Europe I think, where most of the residents were being diagnosed with mental illnesses and its was eventually discovered that the grain they were buying to make flour was moldy. I wondered in my mind if Gramma had somehow began ingesting something that caused her to deteriorate.

Seemingly unrelated, we got our hands on Grampa’s detailed army records. It was somewhat surprizing that Grampa’s army medical logs included his repeated bouts with syphilis. In fact he was treated THREE times for syphilis and gonorrhea. Although there is no cure for syphilis, the remedy at the time was mercury. Once syphilis is in your body, you have it. And it can go latent for years, then pop up again.

More Extenuating Circumstances

So now I’m thinking, what if Grampa’s syphilis recurred after the birth of their three children. I’m not sure if “recurred” is the right word here. Syphillis went dormant. Unknowingly, he passes this onto Gramma. He had to have known. He would have been told in no uncertain terms that he was contagious, or the army medical doctors lied to him and told him he was cured. The only “cure” for sypillis at the time was salvarsan which is not mentioned once in his medical records.

They are in Endicott and Grampa is working for the best company, the Endicott Tannery and Shoe Company. He’s been trying very hard to get his Naturalization Papers finalized and then…. his application expires and he suddenly pulls his whole family back to Canada. Is it possible that because he “knew” how to treat the syphilis, that he acquired mercury and BOTH Gramma and Grampa were medicating themselves? Mercury poisoning can make you crazy and would have likely contributed to terrible rows between them.

A Miscarriage Perhaps?

Aunt Jean once revealed that she strongly believed that her mother had had a miscarriage and that had lead to severe post-partum depression.

Mercury poisoning causes miscarriages.

Is it possible that because Florence was a British Subject and Phyllis was a British Subject, it was much easier to bring Phyllis to Canada, than to the USA? Phyllis was born in 1914, so in 1928, Phyllis was 14. Age of majority in England at that time was 21.

Is it possible that Grampa, medicating himself with mercury, began to unravel? After all, if a small amount works well, more will work better. Perhaps there were heated arguments about Phyllis joining the family and how Grampa couldn’t afford another mouth to feed.

When Gramma was admitted to hospital in Toronto, Grampa would likely NOT have divulged that they had syphilis and had been taking mercury. So Gramma’s now in the hospital, and doctors have no idea that she’s suffering from mercury poisoning OR … Grampa did tell the doctors, and they continue to treat her with mercury.

If Grampa continued to medicate himself with mercury, perhaps its the mercury poisoning that contributed to his decision to begin sleeping with the domestic that social services brought into his home to look after his three small children. Then of course, Mary Morrison, needed a home for herself and her two children. She likely did everything she could to keep herself in Grampa’s home.

• Bradfield: John Job CrewMarch 14, 2023
  J. J. C. Bradfield is by far our family history’s “claim to fame”. Its unfortunate that he is not known by the Canadian Crew descendants unless they read any family genealogy about the Australian immigration in the mid to late 1800s. I’m not going into the history and stories surrounding J. J. C. Bradfield here because you can simply Google his name or buy or borrow a book about him from the library. I’ll only summarize: John Job Crew Bradfield was the engineer behind the building the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the engineer behind creating the specs for… Read more: Bradfield: John Job Crew
• BradfieldFebruary 28, 2023
• Pennell, Crew, Bradfield – AustraliaFebruary 28, 2023
  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… Read more: Pennell, Crew, Bradfield – Australia

• Pennell: Alexander EscarMarch 21, 2023
  Alexander Pennell, b. 1892, son of George Matthew Pennell (Gramma Smith’s brother) and Charlotte Edmunds.  This Alex served 4 years in WW1 as a gunner.  He was severely wounded twice and sent to England where he met his future wife, Dorothy Rhodes, a nurse.  Alex worked as a Game Warden in Gravenhurst.  He had one child, Gabriel Pennell.  Alexander’s brother was Herb Pennell, who also served in WW1. Alexander Pennell’s brother, Richard William Pennell married Carrie Sullivan (Melvin’s sister). He was a Fireman. Their children were Walter Pennell and Austin Pennell. Then Richard… Read more: Pennell: Alexander Escar
• History of RutherglenMarch 16, 2023
  Squatters in Bonfield in the register of “Free Grants” under “The Free Grants + Homestead Act” Dated November 22, 1882 Richard Pennell (SR) (lot-26)(Conc 8&9) took claim 200 acres with 16 cleared, length of occupation 2 years, value at $400 Richard Pennell (JR) (lot-25)(Con-9) took claim 100 acres with 8 acres cleared, length occupation 2 years, valued at $200 The Railroad came through Rutherglen in fall 1879, Bonfield – January 1, 1879. First train to arrive in North Bay August 1882… I believe it would be safe to say the Pennells worked their… Read more: History of Rutherglen
• Hone: JamesMarch 15, 2023
  Throughout my childhood, I had no idea I was related to the Hones, much the same as I was totally naive to the fact I was related to Alice McLaren and her family. Yet I knew I was related to Alice’s sisters out west because I didn’t clue in that they were all siblings. Stupid. Alice and Kenny McLaren were always at all the family functions and I always wondered why. HOWEVER, the Hones were never at family functions. I guess once relatives get too many times removed, they stop being invited or… Read more: Hone: James
• Bradfield: John Job CrewMarch 14, 2023
  J. J. C. Bradfield is by far our family history’s “claim to fame”. Its unfortunate that he is not known by the Canadian Crew descendants unless they read any family genealogy about the Australian immigration in the mid to late 1800s. I’m not going into the history and stories surrounding J. J. C. Bradfield here because you can simply Google his name or buy or borrow a book about him from the library. I’ll only summarize: John Job Crew Bradfield was the engineer behind the building the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the engineer… Read more: Bradfield: John Job Crew
• Sheppard: SusanMarch 12, 2023
  It has been very difficult to pin down the ancestry of Susan Sheppard. Any documents that I can find that I believe to be associated with Susan, is signed with an X, and this is the same for William Crew her husband. So if neither of them could read or write, I’m not sure who determined the spelling of Sheppard as there are documents that could be related where the spelling is Shepherd. I believe this is Susan and William’s marriage record of July 6, 1817. Going back further than this has been… Read more: Sheppard: Susan
• Keech: William Albert, M. D.March 11, 2023
  Bill Keech was born June 5, 1920 in North Bay, Ontario. He was the son of Lester William Keech (WW1) and grandson of Jane McNamara. After he graduated from North Bay Collegiate, he married Iola Grace Berry, December 2, 1939, who became a Registered Nurse. He enlisted in the R.C.A.F. and received the rank of Flt. Lieut. during World War II. On April 27, 1942, Bill was shot down over Belgium and taken prisoner, spending three years in Stalag Luft-3, near Sagan. He participated in the operation of “The Great Escape”. The tunnel… Read more: Keech: William Albert, M. D.
• McNamara: Jane (m. Keech)March 11, 2023
  Jane was born in Ottawa September 1, 1875 and was the daughter of Elizabeth Pennell and James McNamara. Jane was a hairdresser. She died May 5, 1961 in Haileybury, Ontario. Jane married William John Keech, son of Edwin James Keech and Elizabeth Forsey, all of England, on April 22, 1896, in Ewen, Michigan. William was a Butcher. The Keech’s arrived in Quebec City July 1, 1883. The Captain (Molson) had a farm at Sherbrooke and hired William, who stayed with the Molson family for two years. Then he moved to the U.S., meeting… Read more: McNamara: Jane (m. Keech)
• Pennell: Eliza “Liza” Jane (m. James)March 10, 2023
  Liza was born September 8, 1872, in Horton Twp., Ontario, the first child of Richard and Rachel Pennell to be born in Canada. She married John “Jack” James, the brother of William C. James who married her sister Mary Ann. Liza lived in a small house right across the road from our farm in Rutherglen. Even though I never knew her, “Aunt Liza” was very much a part of my life and I explored her abandoned home many times. Liza died March 6, 1955 in a sanatorium in Gravenhurst, Ontario from tuberculosis. She… Read more: Pennell: Eliza “Liza” Jane (m. James)
• Pennell: Mary Ann (m. James)March 10, 2023
  Mary was born January 19, 1868 in Greenwich, England. She immigrated with her family on the S. S. Niger from Liverpool to Quebec City when she was only 3. She married William C. James of Rutherglen, who was the brother of John “Jack” James who married her sister Eliza. Mary died October 3, 1955 in North Bay, Ontario. Note picture in gallery of “Mary – Adopted”: The family gossip is that Mary and William “adopted” a daughter Mary. Mrs. McNeilly felt that Mary was overworking the adopted daughter, so took her from Mary… Read more: Pennell: Mary Ann (m. James)
• Pennell: Frances Ann (m. Smith)March 10, 2023
  Frances was born May 15, 1865 in Land’s End, England, and would have celebrated her 6th birthday of the S. S. Niger when they immigrated from Liverpool, England to Quebec City. She married Reuben James Smith (not related to my Smiths), on October 22, 1882 in Renfew, Ontario. Reuben was the son of William and Catherine Smith. Reuben and Frances lived in Rutherglen for a short time in the house across the Trunk Road from the maple tree hill once owned by Richard and Rachel Pennell. Some may remember it as Carl and… Read more: Pennell: Frances Ann (m. Smith)
• Pennell: George Matthew, Sr.March 10, 2023
  Born April 27, 1858, Lewisham Place, Kent, England, George immigrated with his family on the S. S. Niger on May 11, 1871. George married Charlotte Edmunds and lived in Rutherglen, Ontario. He died August 31, 1930 and is buried at St. Margaret’s Anglican Cemetery in Rutherglen. When Richard Pennell, James Hone and the Crew sisters made their way to Rutherglen, they brought their “children”, but Richard Jr. and George would have been in their 20’s, ready to have their own farms. George Pennell’s descendants are many and integral to the fabric of Rutherglen,… Read more: Pennell: George Matthew, Sr.
• Pennell: Richard “Dick” William JobMarch 10, 2023
  Born June 26, 1855 in Greenwich, England, Richard was the 2nd oldest child of Richard and Rachel Pennell. Richard immigrated on the S. S. Niger with his family from Liverpool to Quebec City May 11, 1871. He married Margaret “Mag” McLaren in 1879. According to the 1891 Census, Richard Jr. lived at the property next to (across the road from) Richard Sr. In 1901, Richard Jr. was in Langford, Manitoba; 1916 and 1921 Marquette, Manitoba; Edna Ollivier remembers her Uncle Dick cutting all the cherry trees down on the maple hill on the… Read more: Pennell: Richard “Dick” William Job
• Pennell: Elizabeth (m. McNamara)March 10, 2023
  Elizabeth was the oldest child of Richard and Rachel Pennell, born May 29, 1853, in Greenwich, England. She immigrated with her family to Canada on the S. S. Niger May 1871, and celebrated her 18th birthday on the ship and remembered having cake. Fourteen months later, Elizabeth married James McNamara, son of John (of England) and Jane (of Lanark Co., Ontario) McNamara, on July 17, 1872. James was a Chef/Hotel Manager. Elizabeth was confirmed on March 10, 1886 in Renfrew with her son James and her daughter Jane. She was short and stout,… Read more: Pennell: Elizabeth (m. McNamara)
• Pennell: Richard & Rachel CrewMarch 10, 2023
  Rachel wanted to return to England after the Pennells and the Hones brickmaking business in Carlton Place failed. But, undeterred, Richard tried again by applying for a land grant in Bonfield Township at Rutherglen where they obtained crown land in approximately 1879. Richard loaded his family (now 6 children) into a sleigh and made his way in the middle of winter to his 200 acres. The original log house stood on the property until 1990, when it was dismantled by Jourgen Mohr who was planning to rebuild it in another location as a… Read more: Pennell: Richard & Rachel Crew
• Pennells, Crews & Hones – CanadaMarch 10, 2023
  As I posted in a Crew History, Tales and Truths, Bethnal Green was not a great place to live and everyone had a brickyard. Competition likely made eking out a living extremely difficult. Mortality rates were high and life expectancy rates were low. Rachel had lost a baby in 1863 and Eliza lost her last two babies in 1868 and 1870. Life expectancy was low. Of 1,632 deaths in 1839, 1,258 (77 per cent) were of ‘mechanics, servants, and labourers’, who had an expectancy of 16 years, 273 of tradesmen, with an expectancy… Read more: Pennells, Crews & Hones – Canada
• Crew History, Tales & TruthsMarch 8, 2023
  As with the Pennells, it has been a challenge to get any solid proof of heritage. However, when the Crews immigrated to Canada, they brought with them tales that, regardless of how much work and research is done, cannot be verified in any way. The original source of these stories seems to be from Effie Scott who was the granddaughter of Eliza Hone. Tale #1: Marie deFawcett It has been verified that Rachel’s father, William Henry Crew was a successful brickmaker in London, England. His sons, Richard and William (the younger), as well… Read more: Crew History, Tales & Truths
• BradfieldFebruary 28, 2023
• Pennell, Crew, Bradfield – AustraliaFebruary 28, 2023
  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… Read more: Pennell, Crew, Bradfield – Australia
• Pennell, Crew, Bradfield, HoneFebruary 27, 2023
  When I began researching my family history in the 1980’s, the Pennell and Crew lineage were the first surnames where information was readily available. My Aunt Edna (Ollivier nee Smith) had been gathering information about her maternal heritage for years, before personal computers, printers and photocopiers and the internet, when researching involved a pen and a family group sheet. I visited her several times where she shared copies documents and letters, memories and family gossip. Those visits were great. However, she only shared what was “respectable” and kept silent on anything that would… Read more: Pennell, Crew, Bradfield, Hone
• Pennell: Alice Maria (m. Smith)December 11, 2022
  It seems strange to say that I don’t have a lot of information about my Grandmother Smith. There were certainly lots of people in my life who knew her well. Most of what I know came from my mother who did not get along with her and didn’t have many good memories of her. Alice was born April 5, 1876 in Horton Twp., Ontario. She married Adoniram Warner Smith April 13, 1904 in Rutherglen. She became a large woman as her children were born, but developed diabetes in her later years and lost… Read more: Pennell: Alice Maria (m. Smith)

• Croker: Miss RosamondMarch 9, 2023
  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… Read more: Croker: Miss Rosamond
• History of RutherglenMarch 16, 2023
  Squatters in Bonfield in the register of “Free Grants” under “The Free Grants + Homestead Act” Dated November 22, 1882 Richard Pennell (SR) (lot-26)(Conc 8&9) took claim 200 acres with 16 cleared, length of occupation 2 years, value at $400 Richard Pennell (JR) (lot-25)(Con-9) took claim 100 acres with 8 acres cleared, length occupation 2 years, valued at $200 The Railroad came through Rutherglen in fall 1879, Bonfield – January 1, 1879. First train to arrive in North Bay August 1882… I believe it would be safe to say the Pennells worked their way to Rutherglen by rail and took… Read more: History of Rutherglen
• James: Cecil FrancisMarch 29, 2023
  Cecil was born February 1, 1898 in Rutherglen, Ontario, to Eliza (nee Pennell) and John “Jack” James. Cecil married Marie Tremblay and had two sons. From his will below, I can only make out the name of his 2nd son, Leonard. He fought in World War I in the 12th Reserve, 1st Corp., 75th Battalion CEF, D Co., #3035764 and held the rank of Private. He was discharged May 12, 1919 and returned home in June of 1919 on the R.M.S. Mauretania. In 1950, Cecil was living in Kapuskasing, and later in New Toronto. He died February 12, 1959.
• James: James RichardMarch 28, 2023
  James was born December 27, 1889 to Mary Ann Pennell and William James of Rutherglen, Ontario. He married Margaret I. McDonald and died October 12, 1976. James served in World War I. In 1953, he lived in Englehart and operated Tray Express Company.
• James: John Thomas VictorMarch 28, 2023
  John was born December 29, 1887 in Rutherglen, Ontario. He served in the 59th Battalion during World War I. He was a member of Branch 23 of the Royal Canadian Legion in North Bay where he received a 50-year pin. He was also a member of the Orange Lodge and a founding member of the Elk Lake Masonic Lodge No. 507. John also spent some time in jail and he worked for the ONR as an engineer. He married Annie Gertrude “Gerti” Smith, who was the daughter of Willard Smith and Mary Johnson on Rutherglen. Gerti was a widow, having… Read more: James: John Thomas Victor
• James: WilliamMarch 28, 2023
  William was the son of Mary Ann Pennell and William James of Rutherglen, Ontario. William was born January 12, 1900 and served in World War I. He lived in Lac Vert, Sask, and died February 10, 1978 in Miracom, Sask.
• Keech: Lester WilliamJanuary 16, 2025
  Lester was born March 13, 1897, Ewen, Michigan. He served in the 228th Regiment. Lester was the son of William Keech and Jane McNamara. Jane was the daughter of Elizabeth Pennell and John McNamara. Elizabeth was the sister of my grandmother, Alice Smith (nee Pennell).
• Keech: William Albert, M. D.March 11, 2023
  Bill Keech was born June 5, 1920 in North Bay, Ontario. He was the son of Lester William Keech (WW1) and grandson of Jane McNamara. After he graduated from North Bay Collegiate, he married Iola Grace Berry, December 2, 1939, who became a Registered Nurse. He enlisted in the R.C.A.F. and received the rank of Flt. Lieut. during World War II. On April 27, 1942, Bill was shot down over Belgium and taken prisoner, spending three years in Stalag Luft-3, near Sagan. He participated in the operation of “The Great Escape”. The tunnel had been under his bunk, but only… Read more: Keech: William Albert, M. D.
• McNamara: Jane (m. Keech)March 11, 2023
  Jane was born in Ottawa September 1, 1875 and was the daughter of Elizabeth Pennell and James McNamara. Jane was a hairdresser. She died May 5, 1961 in Haileybury, Ontario. Jane married William John Keech, son of Edwin James Keech and Elizabeth Forsey, all of England, on April 22, 1896, in Ewen, Michigan. William was a Butcher. The Keech’s arrived in Quebec City July 1, 1883. The Captain (Molson) had a farm at Sherbrooke and hired William, who stayed with the Molson family for two years. Then he moved to the U.S., meeting up with his brothers, George and Henry.… Read more: McNamara: Jane (m. Keech)
• Pennell – History of the nameMarch 7, 2023
  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”: 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… Read more: Pennell – History of the name
• Pennell, Crew, Bradfield, HoneFebruary 27, 2023
  When I began researching my family history in the 1980’s, the Pennell and Crew lineage were the first surnames where information was readily available. My Aunt Edna (Ollivier nee Smith) had been gathering information about her maternal heritage for years, before personal computers, printers and photocopiers and the internet, when researching involved a pen and a family group sheet. I visited her several times where she shared copies documents and letters, memories and family gossip. Those visits were great. However, she only shared what was “respectable” and kept silent on anything that would disparage the family’s reputation. As they say,… Read more: Pennell, Crew, Bradfield, Hone
• Pennell: Alexander CecilJanuary 16, 2025
  Family rumor was that Alexander Cecil Pennell was gassed during the war and this was the cause of his death, so its with no surprize there’s no mention of “gassed” in his death certificate..  It says coma due to diabetes. Included in his military records is how they were treating him with insulin and watching his diet. He is buried in Mount Pleasant cemetery at Ogleston’s Corners in Rutherglen.
• Pennell: Alexander EscarMarch 21, 2023
  Alexander Pennell, b. 1892, son of George Matthew Pennell (Gramma Smith’s brother) and Charlotte Edmunds.  This Alex served 4 years in WW1 as a gunner.  He was severely wounded twice and sent to England where he met his future wife, Dorothy Rhodes, a nurse.  Alex worked as a Game Warden in Gravenhurst.  He had one child, Gabriel Pennell.  Alexander’s brother was Herb Pennell, who also served in WW1. Alexander Pennell’s brother, Richard William Pennell married Carrie Sullivan (Melvin’s sister). He was a Fireman. Their children were Walter Pennell and Austin Pennell. Then Richard married Mary Ellen Farmer (Aunt Hazel’s sister). … Read more: Pennell: Alexander Escar
• Pennell: Alice Maria (m. Smith)December 11, 2022
  It seems strange to say that I don’t have a lot of information about my Grandmother Smith. There were certainly lots of people in my life who knew her well. Most of what I know came from my mother who did not get along with her and didn’t have many good memories of her. Alice was born April 5, 1876 in Horton Twp., Ontario. She married Adoniram Warner Smith April 13, 1904 in Rutherglen. She became a large woman as her children were born, but developed diabetes in her later years and lost her excess weight. I was born in… Read more: Pennell: Alice Maria (m. Smith)
• Pennell: Eliza “Liza” Jane (m. James)March 10, 2023
  Liza was born September 8, 1872, in Horton Twp., Ontario, the first child of Richard and Rachel Pennell to be born in Canada. She married John “Jack” James, the brother of William C. James who married her sister Mary Ann. Liza lived in a small house right across the road from our farm in Rutherglen. Even though I never knew her, “Aunt Liza” was very much a part of my life and I explored her abandoned home many times. Liza died March 6, 1955 in a sanatorium in Gravenhurst, Ontario from tuberculosis. She is buried at St. Margaret’s Anglican Church… Read more: Pennell: Eliza “Liza” Jane (m. James)
• Pennell: Elizabeth (m. McNamara)March 10, 2023
  Elizabeth was the oldest child of Richard and Rachel Pennell, born May 29, 1853, in Greenwich, England. She immigrated with her family to Canada on the S. S. Niger May 1871, and celebrated her 18th birthday on the ship and remembered having cake. Fourteen months later, Elizabeth married James McNamara, son of John (of England) and Jane (of Lanark Co., Ontario) McNamara, on July 17, 1872. James was a Chef/Hotel Manager. Elizabeth was confirmed on March 10, 1886 in Renfrew with her son James and her daughter Jane. She was short and stout, had brown eyes and was a happy… Read more: Pennell: Elizabeth (m. McNamara)
• Pennell: Frances Ann (m. Smith)March 10, 2023
  Frances was born May 15, 1865 in Land’s End, England, and would have celebrated her 6th birthday of the S. S. Niger when they immigrated from Liverpool, England to Quebec City. She married Reuben James Smith (not related to my Smiths), on October 22, 1882 in Renfew, Ontario. Reuben was the son of William and Catherine Smith. Reuben and Frances lived in Rutherglen for a short time in the house across the Trunk Road from the maple tree hill once owned by Richard and Rachel Pennell. Some may remember it as Carl and Millie Sullivan’s house. Frances and Reuben eventually… Read more: Pennell: Frances Ann (m. Smith)
• Pennell: George Mathew, Jr.January 16, 2025
  George Jr. was born March 22, 1883. He was the son of George Mathew Pennell Sr. and Charlotte Edmunds of Rutherglen, Ontario. George Sr. was the brother of my grandmother, Alice Smith (nee Pennell).
• Pennell: George Matthew, Sr.March 10, 2023
  Born April 27, 1858, Lewisham Place, Kent, England, George immigrated with his family on the S. S. Niger on May 11, 1871. George married Charlotte Edmunds and lived in Rutherglen, Ontario. He died August 31, 1930 and is buried at St. Margaret’s Anglican Cemetery in Rutherglen. When Richard Pennell, James Hone and the Crew sisters made their way to Rutherglen, they brought their “children”, but Richard Jr. and George would have been in their 20’s, ready to have their own farms. George Pennell’s descendants are many and integral to the fabric of Rutherglen, Ontario. George was a short stout man… Read more: Pennell: George Matthew, Sr.
• Pennell: Herb GordonJanuary 16, 2025
• Pennell: Mary Ann (m. James)March 10, 2023
  Mary was born January 19, 1868 in Greenwich, England. She immigrated with her family on the S. S. Niger from Liverpool to Quebec City when she was only 3. She married William C. James of Rutherglen, who was the brother of John “Jack” James who married her sister Eliza. Mary died October 3, 1955 in North Bay, Ontario. Note picture in gallery of “Mary – Adopted”: The family gossip is that Mary and William “adopted” a daughter Mary. Mrs. McNeilly felt that Mary was overworking the adopted daughter, so took her from Mary and William to the United States. I… Read more: Pennell: Mary Ann (m. James)
• Pennell: Richard “Dick” William JobMarch 10, 2023
  Born June 26, 1855 in Greenwich, England, Richard was the 2nd oldest child of Richard and Rachel Pennell. Richard immigrated on the S. S. Niger with his family from Liverpool to Quebec City May 11, 1871. He married Margaret “Mag” McLaren in 1879. According to the 1891 Census, Richard Jr. lived at the property next to (across the road from) Richard Sr. In 1901, Richard Jr. was in Langford, Manitoba; 1916 and 1921 Marquette, Manitoba; Edna Ollivier remembers her Uncle Dick cutting all the cherry trees down on the maple hill on the Pennell lhomestead. His mother, Rachel, was enraged… Read more: Pennell: Richard “Dick” William Job
• Pennell: Richard & Rachel CrewMarch 10, 2023
  Rachel wanted to return to England after the Pennells and the Hones brickmaking business in Carlton Place failed. But, undeterred, Richard tried again by applying for a land grant in Bonfield Township at Rutherglen where they obtained crown land in approximately 1879. Richard loaded his family (now 6 children) into a sleigh and made his way in the middle of winter to his 200 acres. The original log house stood on the property until 1990, when it was dismantled by Jourgen Mohr who was planning to rebuild it in another location as a heritage house. To the best of my… Read more: Pennell: Richard & Rachel Crew
• Pennells, Crews & Hones – CanadaMarch 10, 2023
  As I posted in a Crew History, Tales and Truths, Bethnal Green was not a great place to live and everyone had a brickyard. Competition likely made eking out a living extremely difficult. Mortality rates were high and life expectancy rates were low. Rachel had lost a baby in 1863 and Eliza lost her last two babies in 1868 and 1870. Life expectancy was low. Of 1,632 deaths in 1839, 1,258 (77 per cent) were of ‘mechanics, servants, and labourers’, who had an expectancy of 16 years, 273 of tradesmen, with an expectancy of 26, and 101 of gentry and… Read more: Pennells, Crews & Hones – Canada
• Rutherglen 1901February 1, 2023

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.

When I began researching my family history in the 1980’s, the Pennell and Crew lineage were the first surnames where information was readily available. My Aunt Edna (Ollivier nee Smith) had been gathering information about her maternal heritage for years, before personal computers, printers and photocopiers and the internet, when researching involved a pen and a family group sheet. I visited her several times where she shared copies documents and letters, memories and family gossip. Those visits were great.

However, she only shared what was “respectable” and kept silent on anything that would disparage the family’s reputation. As they say, history is written by the victors, so rarely the complete truth.

With that in mind and in retrospect, it was no surprize that Aunt Edna stuck with Pennell line and the Crew line. Although she had a lot of information about the Smiths, it was all from her memory and she didn’t research the Smiths. I made the assumption that the paternal line was boring while the maternal line was more exotic, taking her to England and Australia.

Aunt Edna even invited an English couple to visit Canada when I was in my teens. She brought them all the way north to Porcupine, where we lived at the time, for an overnight visit. While I sat in the dining room listening to them talk, I had to keep asking my Mom what they were saying – I didn’t understand a word, their cockney accent was so thick. I can’t say for sure who they were, but they must have been George March and Margaret March (nee Sweetlove), as they sent Christmas cards and pictures to my parents for years after, and their daughter, Sandra Tongeman (nee March), corresponds with my sister, Carol. Margaret March’s grandmother was Ann Charlotte Crew, sister of my Great-grandmother, Rachel Sarah Crew.

The story of the Pennells and the Crews is interesting, and I cannot relay the whole story without also adding in two more surnames – Hone and Bradfield.

In the late 1800’s, the patriarchs of all four of these families were brick makers in London, England. As a matter of fact William Crew (Rachel, Susan, Maria and Eliza’s father) was a “highly successful London brickmaker for whom Bradfield, Crew and Pennell had worked.” (The Unreasonable Man: The life and works of J. J. C. Bradfield by Richard Raxworthy, page 13)

Canada – Pennell and Hone and Crew

What we know as fact…

Alice Maria Pennell was my grandmother and her parents were…

Richard William Pennell (b. Apr 2, 1834, Northfleet, Kent, England) was my great-grandfather.

Rachel Sarah Crew (b. Nov 3, 1834, Barnet, Hertfordshire, England) was my great-grandmother.

They were both buried at St. Margaret’s cemetery in Rutherglen, Ontario, in 1916.

Richard was from a large family of about 10 children. Of particular note was Richard’s brother Charles who married Rachel’s sister Susan.

So, of Rachel’s siblings, three sisters are of interest here. Susan who married Charles Pennell, Eliza who married James Hone and Maria who married John Bradfield.

In 1857, John and Maria Bradfield set sail for Australia on the S. S. New Great Britain. Two years later, in 1859, William Henry Crew (Susan’s brother) and Charles & Susan Pennell, escorting William’s 3-year-old daughter Elizabeth, followed the Bradfields on the S. S. Glentanner.

On May 11, 1871, Richard and Rachel Pennell, along with Eliza and James Hone, boarded the S. S. Niger departing Liverpool, and sailed to Quebec City, arriving May 29, 1871.

These families had the same dream – to use their skills and build brickmaking businesses.

Myrtle Connolly writes about the Pennell and Hone families coming to Canada…

They settled in Carleton Place, Ontario, where they established a brickyard. Lumber being the main source of building material and available, therefore was not a demand for brick. The settlers homes were mostly constructed with log timbers, this forcing the Pennells and Hones to take up farming at Rutherglen, where they obtained crown land.

Australia – Pennell and Bradfield and Crew

While being exceptionally innovative, William Crew, Charles Pennell and John Bradfield suffered the same fate. According to The Unreasonable Man: The life and works of J. J. C. Bradfield by Richard Raxworthy (page 13)…

Subsequently, they [Pennell and Bradfield and Crew] went into partnership to found one of the first mechanised brickmaking businesses in Queensland.

And William Pennell writes in 1969 to Myrtle Connolly…

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.

Robert Eady Sr. is my Great-great-great-grandfather.

The following was received by me from Clarence Eady, March 22, 1993. Clarence was an avid Eady genealogist before the time of the internet.

Robert Eady Sr. was the third child born to John (Ady) Eady and his wife Elizabeth Hibbert or Hibbard. He was born in East Woodhay, Hampshire, England in early Mary 1785. He was baptized May 8, 1785. Nothing much is known about his childhood. We do know he had none or very little schooling as he could only sign his name with an “X”.

1805 – Age of 22, in Gosport, Hampshire, Robert joined the British Army.
1806 – Sent to the East or West Indies. He served there for 1 year and 159 days.
1807 – Returned to England
1807 – August 24, Gosport, Hampshire, age 23, enlisted in the 37th Regiment of Foot for unlimited service
1807 – 37th Regiment of Foot is sent to Jamaica
1808 January 17 to March – Private Robert Eady is on pay list of 37th Regiment of Foot in Trinidad
1809 September 24 – returned to Derby, Derbyshire, England
1810 January 16 – Robert Eady and Mary Hust (Hearst) were married St. Peters Church, Derby, Derbyshire
1811 March – regiment was in Cork, Ireland where daughter Elizabeth was born.
1812 April – stationed with 37th Regiment in Gibralter
1813 September-October – yellow fever takes the lives of 70 soldiers in Gibralter
1813 December – son George is born in Gibralter (my Great-great-grandfather)
1814 February 10 – regiment leaves Gibralter for France by way of Spain
1814 April-June – regiment is in France, Napoleanic Wars are ending in Europe around this time.
1814 July 5 – regiment leaves Bordeaux, France for Montreal, Upper Canada. War of 1812 between Britain and the USA is still on
1814 October-December – 37th Regiment of Foot is on duty in Burlington, Upper Canada on the Niagara Peninsula along Lake Erie and Fort York (Toronto) areas.
1814 May 25 – Five companies from the 37th are moved west to Amherstburg in the west end of Lake Erie. Four companies are at Queenston near Niagara. One company was sent to Michelimackinac on Lake Huron.

Remember the Americans attacked and destroyed Fort York (now Toronto) and in return for this little favour the British attacked Washington and burned a few buildings. One of the buildings is now painted white.

1814 Christmas Eve – the USA and Britain sign a peace treaty and the War of 1812 is over. The whole war had lasted only 42 months with the English winning 38 of the 57 recorded engagements.

1815 – There are over 770 men in the 37th Regiment of Foot by the end of the year.

1816 September – 37th Regiment is moved east to Fort Henry at Kingston, Upper Canada

You must now consider what has been happening to our Mary Eady and the two young children every time the 37th Regiment moved. In those good old days the British Army never moved the families of the soldier from place to place or country to country.

Robert Eady’s wife Mary and the children were what was known in those days as “camp followers”. They would follow the Regiment from camp to amp. The wife would literally have to make her own way for herself and her children each time if they wished to be with father and husband. It could well have taken her over a year to get to Canada in those days. Talk about having a tough life.

1816 – 100 men are discharge from the 37th

1817 March – 37th Regiment of Foot on duty in Fort Henry near Kingston, Upper Canada. Fort Henry was a hastily constructed fort built during 1813 and 1814. It was mostly constructed of timber and earth. The present, well planned stone fort was not constructed until 1832. In 1949 the fort was restored to it’s present condition. A plaque in Fort Henry lists the 37th Regiment of Foot. It mentions that the 37th Regiment of Foot had its name changed since being stationed in Old Fort Henry.

37th Regiment of Foot is now the Royal Hampshire Regiment.

1817 October 19 – Robert Eady Jr. is born in Montreal, Lower Canada. The first Eady born in Canada. Remember Fort Henry and Kingston is the frontier. Its was a very rough place in those days. No real place to raise a family.

1818 June – All ranks of the 37th Regiment are moved to Montreal, Lower Canada

1819 April 5 – Mary Eady is born in Kingston, Upper Canada

1819 May – A detachment of soldiers from the 37th Regiment of Foot is discharged. The pay list of the 37th Regiment of Foot shows this detachment of surplus soldiers. Each of the soldier was given one month’s severance pay and were discharged as settlers in accordance with general order or authority being VOUCHER NO. 23.

1819 May 18 – Robert Eady Sr. is seventh on page 2 of Voucher No. 23 pay list for the discharged soldiers.

The photocopy of his discharge papers describe him as being 34 years of age, 5′ 4″ in height, with brown hair, grey eyes and dark complexion, having a trade as labourer.

It lists his conduct while a soldier as being good. Reason for discharge being a reduction of the peace establishment and being supernumerary (meaning exceeding a necessary or usual number).

Robert Eady Sr. had served 11 years, 208 days with the 37th Regiment of Foot plus he had served 1 year, 159 days in the East or West Indies.

1819 – after being discharged, he went to Goulbourne Township, Carleton County, Upper Canada. There he joined the Richmond Military Land Settlement.

1820 February – daughter Jane Eady is born

1821 February – Canada Census shows Robert Eady Sr. with spouse Mary and family in Goulbourne Township, Carlton County

1821 October – John Archibald Eady is born

1822 April 20 – Canada Census shows Robert Eady Sr. and family still in the settlement.

1822 June 5 – Residence is Goulbourn Township, W1/2 Lot #15, Concession #7, 100 acres (per census)

1822 December 24 – Robert Eady is #768 on the Richmond Military Settlement list of returned persons and discharged soldiers entitled to patent land grants. When they joined the Richmond Land Settlement and were given property to live on, they had to make certain improvements to the land. Having completed the required improvements they were then entitled to claim ownership of that land. This is what is called patent land grants. They were all claiming patent land title deeds to land they settled on.

1924 February 4 – Robert Eady gets his Patent land title for the 100 acres in Goulbourn Township, Carleton County. The property is now his.

1824 – Thomas Eady is born

1826 – Anne Eady is born

1828 – Richard Eady is born

1832 April 26 – William Eady is born

1834 May – James Eady is born

1836 – Margaret Johanna Eady is born.

1837 April 18 – Robert Eady Jr. and Anne Burwell are married

1837 – Jane Eady and John H. Richardson are married. (Wendy’s NOTE: Leah Eady’s first illegitimate son is John Richardson Jr. born December 1869, died 2 months later. Jane had 15 children with John and died age 85.)

1837 – Robert Jr. with wife Anne, John Richardson with wife Jane along with Anne’s parents William and Elizabeth Burwell all move to Horton Township, Renfrew County

1838 – Robert Sr. with wife Mary and most of the family move to Horton Township, Renfrew County

Much more data available. Story shall continued …. (Wendy’s NOTE: But that’s all I have from Clarence. I never received the continued story.)

The Eady clan in Renfrew County is vast. There are many George’s and Robert’s. It was a huge task getting the Eady’s all in the data base – many letters, many family group sheets, many descendants charts. The Eady’s owe alot of debt to Clarence Eady, now deceased. He did years of research and travel far and wide. So hats off to Clarence!

Sarah Leah Eady, who went by her second name Leah, was my Grandfather Smith’s mother. Aunt Edna says she was known to them as “Gramma Leah” and she visited Nide and his family several times in Rutherglen.

Of Leah’s 6 children, only one was legitimate. John Richardson (b. 1869) died at age 2 months (father unknown), “unknown” (b. 1873) maybe Robert Eady (father unknown), Adoniram Nide (b. 1881) (father unknown, but likely Aughney), Orin and Julia (twins b. 1884) (father Philander). Leah and Philander married in 1887 and then Georgena was born in 1888.

Posts about Leah

• Other Illegitmate Births of Leah EadyFebruary 2, 2023
  The 1st document above shows the birth of John Richardson, illegitimate, December 31, 1869. Then the 2nd document shows John Richardson Jr.’s death, March 22, 1870 of whooping cough. Its interesting the death beside John Richardson Jr.’s is Mary Ecfort (Eckfort). This is Leah’s sister who died 4 days prior of TB which she’d had for a year. Above is Leah’s 2nd illegitimate son born April 11, 1873 without a name. Leah’s Aunt Annie is the “accouchure” (midwife) and her mother is the “informant”. I searched through all the 1881 Horton Township census, looking for an… Read more: Other Illegitmate Births of Leah Eady
• Illegitimacy RevealedFebruary 1, 2023
  I received this letter from Florence Eagle, March 5, 1992.  Florence was the daughter of Thomas Henry Smith, son of Philander and Ann Smith, thought to be a half-brother of Adoniram. Of particular interest, and shock at the time, was this: Your grandfather is not a blood brother of my Father, Henry Smith. … Grandads 3rd wife … No 3 came to work for Grandad bring[ing] a little boy with her who was later your Grandad. … When your Grandad was very young he also took on the name Smith. When I asked my aunt about… Read more: Illegitimacy Revealed
• Horton Twp. 1891 & 1901 CensusFebruary 1, 2023
  H. Thomas Smith is Henry (Florence Eagle’s father). He is the “Head” of the household as Philander died in 1900. Admiram is Adoniram.  Possible error in his birthdate of Feb 19, as we always celebrated Feb 18. Orin and Julia are twins. Orin never married.  Julia married William Scobie. E. George is actually Georgina.  The only birth AFTER the marriage of Leah and Philander. Georgina married her cousin, Walter Eady.  They later divorced. Philander’s marriage to Leah was delayed for legal reasons.  He promised to marry Mary Jamieson, the daughter of Mary Eady, Leah’s first cousin. … Read more: Horton Twp. 1891 & 1901 Census
• Gossip from Hazel EadyFebruary 1, 2023
   In my search to find answers to my grandfather’s heritage, I became somewhat of a “penpal” with Hazel Eady.  She became my spy into the Eady clan of Horton Township.  So Hazel set about attempting to find out information about Leah and my grandfather.  The mystery continues to this day – where did the nickname “Nide” come from?

Leah’s Pedigree