Penfold One Name Study
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John Robert PENFOLD (1857-1924)Tree001:W05
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| John Robert Penfold back row far right | John Robert Penfold in chair - 1912 | |||
| Name: | John Robert PENFOLD |
| ONS Reference: | Tree001:W05 |
| Sex: | Male |
| Record Id: | 100 |
| Father: | William PENFOLD (chr.1826, bur.1873) |
| Mother: | Mary Ann Charlotte GUNN (1831?-1886) |
Individual Events and Attributes
| Birth | 12 Apr 1857 | Hartfield, Sussex, England |
| Christening | 24 May 1857 (age 0) | Hartfield, Sussex, England |
| Census (1) | 7 Apr 1861 (age 4 (!)) | Hartfield, Sussex 1 |
| Occupation (1) | 7 Apr 1861 (age 3) | Scholar; Hartfield, Sussex 1 |
| Census (2) | 2 Apr 1871 (age 13) | Hartfield, Sussex 2 |
| Occupation (2) | 2 Apr 1871 (age 13) | Labourer; Hartfield, Sussex 2 |
| Census (3) | 3 Apr 1881 (age 23) | Mitcham 3 |
| Census (4) | 5 Apr 1891 (age 33) | Chelsea, London 4 |
| Occupation (3) | 5 Apr 1891 (age 33) | Boot Maker; Chelsea, London 4 |
| Census (5) | 31 Mar 1901 (age 43) | St. John the Evangelist, Westminster 5 |
| Occupation (4) | 31 Mar 1901 (age 43) | Boot / Shoemaker; St. John the Evangelist, Westminster 5 |
| Death | 15 Mar 1924 (age 66) | Charing Cross Hospital, London, England |
Additional Information
| Census (1) | Hartfield Green |
| Census (2) | Hartfield Green |
| Census (3) | Field Gate - Schedule No. 11 |
| Census (4) | 25 Queens Road |
| Census (5) | 52 Hogarth Bldg |
Marriage (1)
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| Spouse: Mary Jane WILMSHURST, Tree001-W05A-01 | Child: Frederick William PENFOLD, Fred Penfold | Frederick William Penfold | Child: Frederick William PENFOLD, Frederick William Penfold-01 | ||||
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| Child: Frederick William PENFOLD, Frederick William Penfold-02 | Child: Frederick William PENFOLD, Frederick William Penfold-03 | Child: Frederick William PENFOLD, Frederick William Penfold-04 | Child: Arthur James PENFOLD, Art Penfold, on left | ||||
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| Child: Charles Edward PENFOLD, Charles Penfold | Child: Mary Jane PENFOLD, Known as 'Din' | Mabel Penfold was the model for this about 1905-6 | Mabel Penfold aged 18 - 1908 | ||||
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| Child: Mabel PENFOLD, Mabel Penfold 2 | Taken 29th January 1916 | |||
| Spouse | Mary Jane WILMSHURST (1856-1905) | |
| Children | Frederick William PENFOLD (1879-1918) | |
| Arthur James PENFOLD (1883-1961) | ||
| Charles Edward PENFOLD (1885-1907) | ||
| Mary Jane PENFOLD (1888-1966) | ||
| Mabel PENFOLD (1890-1934) | ||
| Marriage | 25 Dec 1879 (age 22) | Heathfield, Sussex, England |
Marriage (2)
| Spouse | Louisa MORFILL ( - ) | |
| Marriage | 6 Jun 1906 (age 49) | Registry Office, St. Georges, Hanover Square |
Individual Note (shared)
"John Robert was born on 12th April 1857 and was baptised in Hartfield on 24th May 1857. The family attended the Methodist Chapel there with weekly sermons by the Reverend John Lemon. It seems that John's father, William arranged with the local cordwainer to have him trained in the making and repair of footwear.
It is not known whether this was formal apprenticeship, or merely a friendly arrangement. The 1871 Census lists him at the age of 13 in Hartfield as Labourer.
John married at the age of 21 to Mary Jane Wilmshurst aged 22.
Her father was a farmer at Milsham Farm, Heathfield. They married at the Independent Chapel, Heathfield, and the Reverend John Lemon conducted the ceremony. Frederick Charles Pinniger and Ellen Wilmshurst were witnesses to the marriage. Apparently John would walk from Hartfield, approximately 20 miles to Heathfield each Sunday to meet Mary.
They moved to Field Gate, Mitcham, Surrey, the same year their first son, Frederick William, was born there on 8th December 1879.
They then took over a shop in Queen's Road, Chelsea. Their second son Arthur was born on 24th November 1883, in a house, several doors from their shop. It is not known why he was not born at the home address.
The shop was the centre of the family life. John took orders for boots and shoes and made them himself whilst repairs were done by an assistant.
A third son Charles Edward was born on 1st December 1885. At the beginning of 1886 John Robert's mother died. It is assumed that she was living with John and the family as the Registration of the Death was in Chelsea. She had obviously come up from Hartfield at some stage either because she was unwell or to help look after the children.
A daughter, Mary Jane, was born on 16th March 1888 and another daughter Mabel was born on 11th November 1890. The 1891 Census lists them at 25 Queens Road and Mabel is 4 months old. Sarah Wilmshurst, John Robert's mother in law was living with them too at this time.
All five children in turn went to the Christ Church National School, Chelsea. It was unfortunate that Fred, who had been selected for further education at the United Westminster Schools, had to leave within a few months to assist his mother with the business, as John Robert had a severe attack of rheumatic fever and several weeks elapsed before he was able to get about again. The doctor's opinion was that he should give up the business after a serious breakdown, and should seek a gradual return to full health in some open-air means of employment. Hence the shop was sold and the family moved. John Robert bought an insurance round, which brought in a small income and Fred found a job in Victoria Street, which brought in a little more money. This all occurred in 1895/6. John Robert set up a shed and bench in the yard of the house in West Chelsea, where he could perform light work.
Charles and the girls were taken in as new pupils at Ashburnham Road School, but after 18 months another move was made to 48 Rosenau Road, Battersea, but only for a short while.
John Robert had been elected as one of the six Labour members returned for the St. John Ward to Westminster City Council on Monday 9th November 1903 and he served for three years until November 1906.
During the 1900s, John's wife Mary Jane's health began to deteriorate, and she died on 29th January 1905 at the London County Asylum, Dartford, Kent.
By now the family had left the Battersea home and had become the first tenants of a flat on the fourth floor of 52 Hogarth Building, Millbank Estate.
John Robert had been running the footwear department of the Co-operative Brotherhood Trust, a store in Clerkenwell, but he now felt well enough to resume shopwork and a few printed cards announcing the opening of the shop advertised it to many on the estate. The shop was just around the corner in Chapter Street and was very convenient.
John married for the second time, Louisa Morfill, a widow, on the June 1906 at The Register Office, St. George Hanover Square. May Eliza Morfill, a daughter from Louisa's first marriage, and Frederick William Penfold were witnesses. Louisa ran a Sweet Shop in Rampayne Street, Westminster, but they lived in Lupus Street.
John Robert died on 15th March 1924 of Endocarditis and Multiple Emboli aged 66 years at Charing Cross Hospital. He was buried at Mitcham Old Churchyard where Lord Snell conducted a short meeting in the chapel prior to the interment. He is buried in unconsecrated ground with his sister, Jane and his daughter, Mabel." (From Diana Smith)
"We much regret to have to announce the death of Mr. John Robert Penfold, a well known local Labour leader and worker in Westminster for the past 30 years. Mr. Penfold passed away on Saturday last after a very brief illness. He was at one time a member of the Westminster City Council, representing the St. John's ward, in which he lived and worked as a shoemaker. There was no mistaking Mr. Penfold's zeal for the betterment of the working-classes; nor was it possible to question his rigid honesty and desire to "play the game." He had read widely, and was an interesting conversationalist. Ever ready to give a political opponent credit for the best of motives, he would plunge eagerly into an argument at any moment, and he was so original - often quaintly - that it was always delightful to listen to him. The writer had a talk with him a few weeks back, and he was profoundly thankful that he had lived long enough to see a Labour Government. And he was full of ambitious schemes for the future welfare of Westminster - from his own party point of view." (From the Westminster and Pimlico News, March 21, 1924 supplied by Diana Smith)
Sources
| 1 | "Census 1861 Hartfield, Sussex RG 9 573 Page 3 Folio 61". Assessment: Secondary evidence. |
| 2 | "Census 1871 Hartfield, Sussex RG 10 1056 Page 2/3 Folio 75". Assessment: Secondary evidence. |
| 3 | "Census 1881 Mitcham RG 11 827 Folio 108 Page 2 (John R Penfold (Head))". |
| 4 | "Census 1891 Chelsea, London RG 12 63 Folio 59 Page 117 (John R Penfold (Head))". |
| 5 | "Census 1901 St. John the Evangelist, Westminster RG 13 92 Folio 103 Page 7 (John R Penfold (Head))". |