My grandfather, Frederick Rowland Hood Penn was born on 26th July 1885 in Penge, London. His parents were Hubert Frederick James Hood Penn who was born 26th June 1859 in Monmouth, Wales and Emma Jane Game who was born 12th August 1863 in Bermondsey, London and baptised on 13th September 1863 at St Mary, Newington, Surrey.
Frederick’s sister, Ida Victoria Fredrica Penn was born on 27th June 1887 in Dingestow near Lantillio Crosseney, Monmouthshire, Wales. She was baptised on 4th December 1887 at Llangattock Vibon Avel Monmouthshire.
Curiously, Frederick Rowland Hood Penn was not baptised until 21st May 1888 at Llangattock Vibon Avel Monmouthshire.
Maybe this was due to the death of his father, Hubert Frederick James Hood Penn who died, before Ida was born, on 7th December 1886 in Monmouthshire, Wales.
Life was not easy for Emma Jane Game. It seems she left her children with Hubert’s family in Wales and returned to London, date unknown. She subsequently worked as a domestic servant in a number of residences around London. Emma eventually married Obediah Jerome in 1916 at Brentford Mdx.
At the 1891 census, Ida (age 3) was living with William Roberts (age 59) and William’s daughter Ruth (age 24) at Twyn-y-Sheriff Raglan Monmouthshire. His first wife Anna Hannah) Taylor died in Q3 1882. At the 1901 census Ida was living with William Roberts then age 69, and his 2nd wife, Jane (Morgan) age 59, at Twyn-y-Sheriff, Raglan Monmouthshire.
My grandfather, Frederick Rowland Hood Penn apparently returned to London sometime between 1888 and 1895 and is believed to have been living with a brother or brother-in-law of his mother, Emma Game. He has not been found in the 1891 census.
In the 1901 census, Frederick Penn is resident on the Training Ship “Shaftësbury”” on the River Thames at Orsett, Grays Point, Essex. Apparently he had been sent there for a term in 1898/9. The actual date and reason for his detention is not known. The census records show that he was not to be released until he turned 16 on 26th July 1901.
He actually left the “TS Shaftesbury” on 6th May 1901 and joined the crew of “SS Orotava” to South Africa He remained a sailor on many ships with periods of shore leave until 1911 when he married Louisa Carter in Wellington New Zealand on 7th April 1911.
I am trying to find out the date and reasons for his detention abroad the “TS Shaftesbury”. Apparently there is a non-digitised record of admittance, behaviour and departure of boys that were detained on the “TS Shaftesbury” held in the London Metropolitan Archives. I am not sure what other records or extracts may be available.
