front row: Oliver Pennance b.1889 Frederick George Pennance b.1857 Frank William Pennance b.1891
There is evidence that the Pennance family that inhabited Cornwall in the 17th Century were tinners. The County Museum in Truro has, (in the Henderson collection), a legal document dated 18 April 1625 relating to an interest in a tin mine (WHEAL AN BLOWES), near Greege Brose Downs in Kenwyn held by a Thomas and a Samuel Pennance.
“Be it knowen unto all men by these presents that we Samuell Pennance and
Thomas Pennance of Kennen in the Countie of Cornwall Tinnars for and in
Consideration of the sume of fortie shillings of good and lawfull money of
England to us in pounds paid by Phillip Harris of Clements in the Countie
aforesaid Merchant have Bargoned and sold unto him the said Phillip Harris
all our right and interest in one paire of bonnds in Kreage brose Downes
in the parish of Kennen called and knowen by the name of Wheale an Blowes
being neere the Mettle house. In witness whereof we have hereunto putt our
hands and seales theron this eighteenth daye of Aprill Anno Domini 1625.
Memorandum that the right which they sell by this Bill is two doles in
fower.
Signed sealed and delivered in presence of us
Richard Harris
Michell [M] Lampeerd
Henry Sandry
George Gunne"
At some point in the latter part of the 19thcentury they disappear completely from the Cornish landscape having begun a steady migration into Northern England. The majority appear to have settled in Staffordshire, but they are also to be found in Cheshire, Lancashire & Cumbria. The probability is that they saw the writing on the wall for the Cornish tin mining industry and felt that better long term prospects existed in the mills and coalfields and other industries in the North of England. Perhaps some would come to regret their decision as certainly the areas they came from in Cornwall are exceptionally beautiful, but beauty didn’t put food on the table!
Although the family Pennance (Pen = head, nance = valley), no longer has any descendants living in Cornwall, the name lives on in the landscape, thoroughfares and buildings in the County. Lord Burghley's map, made in the late 16th Century, shows what is now called Pennance Point as Cape Penans. It is a small, (and very pretty), wooded promontory of land just to the west of Falmouth near Swanpool beach. The map also shows Pennans farm, (now Pennance farm), and the clearly defined field divisions are not so very much different today.
(Lord Burghley, Lord Treasurer to Elizabeth 1 circa 1590 from a book of maps held at the British Museum).
The family tree, (see link in the sidebar), shows nine generations of the Pennance family, all descendants of John Pennance of the parish of Eccleshall, Staffordshire in the 1770's. The definitive link back to the Cornish origins of the family may never be known as the links become very difficult to tease out of the historical records.
Should other family members, or indeed other genealogists, wish to contribute information or material to this family history I would be delighted to hear from you.
[Cape Penans Nr Falmouth]
Should other family members, or indeed other genealogists, wish to contribute information or material to this family history I would be delighted to hear from you.
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