I have not been able to affirmatively link Samuel Penny to his father Frederick William on any British census at all. I have learned much about Samuel in the past few months from the new record on Ancestry of Deceased Soldier's Effects. He was born in Stoke Newington, an Eastern suburb of London. Enlisted in 1894 in Royal Artillery. His occupation at enlistment date was house painter. Transferred to Royal Garrison Artillery at some [point after its creation. Married 1901 in Gibraltar, had 4 kids there, died there in 1908 and buried there in plot 1421 North Front cemetery.
But I cannot find ANY birth record or census record of him anywhere. Looked thoroughly and often. Scoured workhouses, orphanages, etc. He was likely born out of wedlock to FW Penny, the shoe and book maker. There is a Middlesex Hackney area FW Penny bootmaker who is 20 years older than his wife, so he likely played around and had a kid. I also found a FW Penny who was a house painter so its a bit confusing...
I recently learned that soldiers were mates in four men groups in the British military during this time...perhaps he had some mates I can locate...that might dislodge some more info on him.
Since he has been missing from census and birth records, it has been impossible to get any better results from London Municipal Archives, Fire Power military museum, or the National Archives. Hackney County Library could not locate anything on him either, it is a true mystery, despite having a lot of records of marriage, kids, death, etc...
