The Penrose Fitzgeralds
Henrietta Elizabeth Lilias
Penrose Fitzgerald nee Hewson
Henrietta Elizabeth Lilias Hewson was born in
1855 in Kildare, Ireland to Rev Francis and Mary Hewson.
On 29 November 1882 she met and married
Charles Cooper Penrose Fitzgerald at Rathdrum in Ireland.
Charles was born in Cork, Ireland in 1841 and
had joined the Royal Navy at the age of 13 years when he had been
posted to Nelsons famous HMS Victory at Portsmouth Harbour.
Appointment as Midshipman started him on the Naval ladder and by
1880 he was commanding the Frigate HMS Inconstant and later the
Battleship HMS Collingwood. Charles was promoted to Rear Admiral in
1895 and then Admiral in 1905 shortly after which he retired from
service.
Charles and Henrietta were to have two
sons – Robert and John and two daughters Mary Elizabeth and Laura.
Robert and John followed their father into
the Royal Navy while both daughters went into nursing.
During the Great War Henrietta, Mary and
Laura all worked at Manor House VAD Hospital with Henrietta taking
responsibility for Belgian Refugees and all were active on the
Primrose League.
Charles died in 1921 and two years later in 1923, Henrietta moved to Morris House , 8 Belvedere Road Burnham on Crouch and the following year was followed by her son John who moved in with her and her daughter
Mary was moved into 9 Belvedere Road the next door house.Henrietta Died on 27 September 1942 and was
buried on 29 September 1942 at St Mary’s Church, Burnham on Crouch.
During
the Great War Mary joined the Red Cross VAD and became Quartermaster
of Manor House St John Ambulance VAD
Hospital
a task that she performed so well as to be mentioned in dispatched
in 1919 for her work.
Mary continued her connection with the Red
Cross by becoming Commandant of the Red Cross VAD unit at Burnham on
Crouch. She was a keen sailor who belonged to the Royal Corinthian
Yacht Cub and regularly sailed in events in her 18 foot yacht,
Paddy.
Mary never married and has no children.
Mary Died on 22 February 1938 and her funeral
was held three days later at St Mary’s Church, Burnham on Crouch.
Naval career
John was born at Wicklow,Ireland on 27 July
1988 and was educated at Summerfields, Oxford. He joined the Royal
Navy in 1903 and was posted to HMS Britannia. He developed an
expertise for torpedoes and moved through the ranks serving on
several ships including the battleship HMS Collingwood where he was
First
Lieutenant
during the Battle of Jutland. From 1924 to 1927 he was senior naval
officer in West River, China during the troubles in the Canton and
Pearl River. He was promoted to Captain and served as the Naval
Attaché in Parish for from 1931 to 1934 after which he commanded the
Cruiser HMAS Sydney
In 1938 he became Director of torpedoes and mining at the Admiralty where he was made a Rear Admiral just before he retired from the Royal Navy in January 1940.
In his role as a RNVR Officer he led a group of Naval experts in an expeditionary force for mining
in France from January to March 1940I July 1940 the honours list recorded the
award of a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) for this service
in France.
On 11 November 1941 he was on board the SS
Rotorua which was transporting refrigerated food from Lyttleton, New
Zealand to Avonmouth when she was attacked and sunk by German
submarine U96. 21 lives were lost including John. His body was never
recovered so he has no grave but he is commemorated on the naval
memorial at Liverpool.
Personal Life
John Married Cecil Mary Goldie-Scot at Dunfries in 1919 but sadly the marriage didn’t last long as his wife Cecil died at Port Edgar, Queensferry
on 15 August 1920 just two days after giving birth to their daughter also name Cecil.In 1924 John moved to Burnham on Crouch to
live with his mother although he spent most of his time at sea in
the navy.
In 1925 he moved to Debden Green when he remarried to Eugenie ( aka
Jane) Allport with whom he would have a son and three daughters. Eugenie would herself remarry after John’s death.Laura
Penrose Fitzgerald Born 1 September 1885 Died 17 August 1977
Laura was born at Greenwich on 1 September
1885. After working at the VAD Hospital, Folkestone she continued in
nursing spending time at different Hospitals.
Laura was a regular visitor to Burnham on
Crouch and at times lived with Mary at 9 Belvedere Road appearing in
several electoral rolls.
Laura retired to Rickmansworth eventually
moving to Eastbourne where died on 17 August 1977.
Burnham Cemetery is the resting place for Henrietta and Mary.
|
|
|
|
Henrietta |
Mary |
