Where did William Henry Pennington go

[Ed Matkin]

Hi. I was born in Grimsby but now live in New Zealand.I have been trying to trace William Henry Pennington who was a manager at The Grimsby and District Mineral Water Company in Freeman Street at least until 1943.I don't know his date or place of birth although he may have been born around about 1900-1915. I believe that he may have worked in Madras in a similar position. I have visited the NE Lincolnshire Archives and although they were very helpful I didn't find anything that was of any assistance. I went to the Court in Grimsby where my adoption was recorded but I was told that I was not entitled to any information from the file. Wm H Pennington is a very common name and there are numerous births and deaths recorded but they are not much help to me as I don't have the vital dob or dod.The company he worked for has been wound up and the Company Office has destroyed the files. Can anyone suggest where I might try now please. Ed

[mary elms]

I thought I'd return a little bit of the huge favour you've done me and bring this one back into the new posts.

And I did have a couple of thoughts. You might be able to trace how long he was in Grimsby using Post Office and Trade Directories. Also were you christened? If so, do the church records have any information in them?

Mary.

[Geoff Everitt]

Very few PENNINGTONs in 1933 Kelly's Lincs Directory - none in Grimsby, no William PENINNGTON listed.

[Ed Matkin]

Thanks Mary. Yes I was christened but the Church was bombed during the war.My mother is still alive but doesn" know my fathers dob or where he was born. The electoral rolls were discontinued for the duration of the war apparently and weren't started again until 1947. I have guessed that Wm H was born about 1900 but haven't had any luck with that. I was adopted by my mothers Husband in 1943 but The Grimsby district Court won't relase any details to me even though I made the application through the correct channels. They did tell me though that there was no date of birth of Wm H in the adoption record. Regards Ed

[Ed Matkin]

Thank you Geoff. I have visited Grimsby and tried the Court,Library and Archives with no success. I had tried to find a link to Madras where Wm H was supposed to have worked prior to going to Grimsby.There is a record of Penningtons there but I can't find a connection to the one I'm researching.I"m hoping to go back to Grimsby later this year to take up the hunt again but it seems that I would just be going over old ground. After my experience with the newspaper here I might try the Grimsby Telegraph to see if they can help. Kind regards Ed

[Geoffers]

I'm sorry that there's no delicate way to ask this and no offence is intended, but did your mother marry your natural father (presumably William H Pennington?) and if so, have you a copy of the marriage certificate? The intention of the question is that a marriage certificate would give the husband's age.

Does your mother know if he served at any time in the armed forces?

Does your mother know if William Pennington had any siblings? If so, the big question is, can she remember any of their names?

People often stayed with one company, it's possible that your William Pennington had done so. It's getting to the clutching at straws stage, but maybe look for a marriage for William Pennington in Grimsby in the 1920's? See if any William Penningtons are shown as working for the company in some capacity.

Wills and later directories may help
Geoffers

[Ed Matkin]

Geoffers,Thank you for your reply,no offence taken. The answer to all of your questions is no. Mum worked at the factory Pennington was managing.Enough said? She was 18 she thinks he was about 40 in 1940. The company that owned the building was Hewitts but that company was taken over by another one Bass I think and then liquidated. I tried the Companies Office but they said that all of the records have been destroyed.Darn.Unfortunately I wasn't told that I had been adopted until I was 48yrs old. That was a shock to the system.Pennington did pay maintenance until Mum married but that would be difficult to trace I suppose given the Courts attitude in Grimsby.Seems to me that my father could have been a dirty old man preying on young girls.He did offer to marry mum but she turned him down although she liked him a lot. I guess that isn't love though is it. Pity is all I can say. This is an edited version of the first reply.Regards Ed

[Pam Downes]

Hi Ed,
Firstly, I have to say that I know nothing about adoption law but I was very surprised to hear that you weren't allowed to be told anything from your file especially as your birth mother was one of the parties. How long ago did you ask, because the rules do change over time (recent change came into effect on Dec 31st 2005 for example). Also, did they give you a precise reason e.g. paragragh 6, subsection 23, line 3a of xyz Act of Parliament, or did they just say 'no'? (Sorry, have just re-read your first post and notice that you say 'Court', so I presume that the officials there knew the rules :) )
Another thought is, if your mum is still alive, could she access information?
I don't suppose that William is named as your father on your birth certificate is he? (Just thinking of anything that might give you a little more leverage with the powers-that-be.)
There's a part of the GRO called Traceline, which might be able to help trace William, though you have so little info on which to go. Might be worth sending them an initial email, saying that you don't have a dob or dod, all you know is his name and where he worked at a certain time, and would they perhaps be able to help - you know that he's probably dead by now, but any information would be good. They will probably only be able to provide a dod and the registration district, but at least that will give you something to work on.
http://www.gro.gov.uk/gro/content/research/traceline/index.asp#0
There's no need to mention that you were later adopted by your mother's husband. Just say that you're looking for info on your natural father.
Pam Downes

[Geoffers]

I suggest trying to find him in the newest directory you can locate. Search them going backwards in time. Use both street and telephone directories. When you find a possible match, work forward in time through the index to wills.

The wills index includes enough detail to identify someone. Name, date and palce of death, to whom probate was granted, often relationship to deceased and/or occupation/address; also to whom probate was granted.

If you find a likely match, order the will and death certificate and see if you can trace anyone mentioned in either document. You may get lucky and find the right will first time, you may have to order several wills and/or certificates. It will take time and money. Death certificate will give occupation and age of deceased, also who notified the registrar. His will may mention members of the family. All useful stuff from which you can try to trace the life of the chap back in time. Was he married, when and where was he born - that sort of stuff.

Geoffers

[Geoff Everitt]

You say that Wm PENNINGTON is a common name but, in fact, most of them lived around Cumberland and Lancashire see-

The GRO death index has an entry for December 1992 of a William Henry PENNINGTON age 79 in the Scunthorpe and Barton-upon-Humber district - North Lincs. His date of birth is given as 6 June 1913.

If we now look at births in 1913, we find a William H PENNINGTON registered in Glanford Brigg District in the Sept quarter Ref 7a 1302 (mother called BRUMPTON).

Looking at the surname site again, we find that BRUMPTON was/is a name confined to North Lincs so it is likely that his parents married thereabouts, rather than somewhere further away.

Consulting Free BMD, we find a likely marriage in Q2 1910

Glanford B. 7a 1577
William George E PENNINGTON
Lizzie Helen BRUMPTON

The 1992 death certificate would probably give an occupation but whether it had any relevance to what WHP was doing 50 years earlier is open to debate. However, it seems possible that he may have spent his entire life in North Lincs and would have married and had children there. If that was the case, finding a certificate for one of these events would, perhaps, give a more relevant occupation.

You now have a straw to clutch at :)

Another thought: If he wasn't a local man, your mother would probably remember that he had an accent - "He was Scottish" or "He was a northerner" ... no accent = local man.

[Ed Matkin]

Thank you Geoff. I had asked mum several years ago about an accent but she said that he didn't have one so he may possibly have been a local. 2 Years ago I asked the Grimsby Telegraph if they would kindly ask for anyone with any knowledge of WHP to contact. Well I received a reply on Saturday night from someone who has a connection to some Penningtons in Nottingham.Whether this will lead to anything I will just have to wait. The Telegraph did itself proud with the article apparently complete with a photo of me.I am being sent a copy of this article by a friend in Grimsby but it could be a while before it gets here. It can take six weeks by sea mail or a week by air. Thank you for your help I will follow up on what you suggest.

[Ed Matkin]

Hello Pam and Geoffers. I am now thinking that there may be a chance of getting somewhere with my quest. Thank you for your suggestions,being a novice I really do appreciate your assistance. Twice the court has refused yo give me any information from the file,once when I wrote from New Zealand again in 2003 when I visited the court. The receptionist was very helpful but said that she had to ask the judge if she could give me any info from the file. He said no and no reason was given. I will return this year and try again although when I asked for a dob for my father he was happy to release that if it was there but apparently it wasn't. I will try the library for directories again when I return or even the Archives. I tried the Defence Dept but without a dob they couldn't help either. Traceline here I come. Thank you both very much again. Regards Ed

[Ed Matkin]

What a saga this is turning into.Over two years ago I asked The Grimsby Telegraph if they would kindly print a letter asking if anyone had any knowledge of Wm H Pennington to contact me through my hotmail address. I had given up on it ever being printed but lo and behold the other day I received an email from a person who had read this article and she was related to some Penningtons in Nottingham. You won't believe this. I tried to reply to her but the email address she used is incorrect. Oh frustration. I have tried several time but eventually tried a gamble. Where she had used co.uk I thought her address looked a bit like hotmail so changed the .co.uk to .com. So far,well in the last 15mins, the email hasn't returned undelivered.Here hoping. Wm H you are a real pain in the neck.

[Ed Matkin]

Geoff. It seems that you may have hit the nail on the head with your research.A kind lady,Janet,who belongs to the FHS in Grimsby has come to the same conclusion you did by using different means. She is certain that this WmHP is my father but is going to do further research before giving a definite yes. The WmP you mentioned lived and died in Hibaldstow and has family still living there. There is a lady clergyman,woman,person there called Jenny Brumpton. How's that for a coincidence. Thank you kindly for your advice.I have sent you an email with a bit more detail.

[Geoff Everitt]

Sorry Ed, I inadvertently deleted your e-mail before reading it ... could you re-send it please?

Glad you think you have it sorted anyway!

[Helen Passey]

I am related to the Lizzie Helen Brumpton mentioned earlier in this thread. I don't have information about the Penningtons, but I do know a bit about the earlier Brumptons.

[sheryl bennett]

i am related also to lizzie brumpton. she married william pennington.he had a sister, laura my granma. born harpswell lincs
they had a son william henry pennington born 1913. died i think 1992. scunthorpe married annie pearson1937 in caistor lincs
their children were
ronald born 1937 at staniswell, david william born 1942, john 1945, joyce ann 1955 born in brigg