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Original poster

Does anyone have the surname PENNOCK? I have this book, you see ......

183 replies

Desiderata · 25/07/2007 15:43

I bought it in an Oxfam shop in Coventry seven, maybe eight years ago.

I believe it's quite valuable, but I would like it to be returned to the family of the man who originally bought it.

His name was J H Pennock, with PIP in brackets. He was a soldier in the Great War. He was in Poperinghe (near Ypres) in October 1917.

He was in the late Signals H/79 Bde, RFA

He was entered as a clark to TocH (Talbot House) in December 1922.

The Book is Tales of Talbot House (1st Edition) by P B Clayton.

Sorry for the monotone delivery of this OP, but I wanted to get all the facts in from the off

So ... anyone have the surname Pennock?

OP posts:
Original poster
Desiderata · 26/07/2007 14:58

No, Pruners. What is it?

OP posts:
Pruners · 26/07/2007 14:59

Message withdrawn

RedTartanLass · 26/07/2007 15:01

OMG this thread has made me cry What a lot you've found out in 24hrs it's amazingeh?

Shoshable · 26/07/2007 15:06

I followed my greatgrandfather through WW1 and my grandfather through WW2 to the relief of Belsen, by doing my family tree, it has been fascinating.

Good luck in your search, have watched this tread avidly.

Original poster
Desiderata · 26/07/2007 15:10

Pruners, thanks! I've made a note of it.

RedTartan, sorry to have made you cry . It's quite impossible not to, isn't it.

OP posts:
laundrylover · 26/07/2007 15:29

What a great thread - keep us updated!

My family have been doing a bit of digging on our history and DP and I went up to Yorkshire where a whole hamlet (now just a farmhouse) bears my surname!! My parents are still farming too which made a nice link.

I hope the Pennock family make contact soon....

Original poster
Desiderata · 26/07/2007 15:32

Thanks, laundry

A whole hamlet all to yourself? Have you checked whether you own it outright?

OP posts:
laundrylover · 26/07/2007 15:34

Well unfortunately even though I have a very unusual surname there are lots of us locally and it was good few genertaions ago that it was occupied by a namesake - leaves us as poor tenant farmers still.

Original poster
Desiderata · 26/07/2007 15:49

Never mind! Breeding is more important!

OP posts:
laundrylover · 26/07/2007 15:51

as is spelling I think but I seem to have lost the plot!

Original poster
Desiderata · 26/07/2007 15:53

I wasn't going to mention it. Honest

OP posts:
Shoshable · 26/07/2007 16:10

Des it was especially as we are a Jewish family, Grandad went in with the Canadians.

Have also found out about a ggggranmother who was a lady of the night and spent most of her time in and out of the workhouse with various amounts of children! What was funny is ggrandmother used to tell father that she was such a stickler for doing everything right! he remembers her as a real Victorian matriarch!

Original poster
Desiderata · 26/07/2007 16:22

I wish I'd had a g-grandmother with such a salubrious past!

Have you discovered whether your g-grandfather fought at Vimy Ridge?

OP posts:
Fireflyfairy2 · 26/07/2007 16:28

Omg.. Im shivering!!

You're amazing! I hope it's his family!!

Shoshable · 26/07/2007 16:29

No he was in India for most of WW1 coming down from China and the Boxer rebellion.

Original poster
Desiderata · 26/07/2007 16:36

So do I, Firefly. Thanks

OP posts:
KTeePee · 26/07/2007 16:38

TnOgu, have you read the book "A Long, Long Way" by Sebastian Barry? (About irish soldiers serving in WW1) It is fascinating but very harrowing - I think based on the authors own family members.

Dh and I also have ancestors who fought in WW1 but don't know a lot about them - I guess with all that happened in Ireland afterwards a lot of people wanted to forget about that part of history....

TnOgu · 26/07/2007 16:51

Kt -yes I have read that book and would recommend it.

I think it is a difficult bit of family history for us.

Dh's grandfather served with the Irish Guards and fought for the British in First WW.

He lost a leg and was only 17.

On returning home Ireland of course was at war with England, fighting for Independance and so he joined the Irish Republican Army against Britain.

He remained very troubled by his experiences of both wars, naturally, and according to dh's mother didn't speak much about it.

TnOgu · 26/07/2007 16:52

I do know he died an alcholic.

TnOgu · 26/07/2007 16:53

Alcoholic

TnOgu · 26/07/2007 16:57

< Funnily enough I have that book down as my current read on my profile.

I have now finished reading it >

KTeePee · 26/07/2007 16:57

That is very sad

Dh's great grandfather was a POW during WW1 and forced to work in coal mines - there is some documentation of some sort of reparation/pension he got because of this.

I found out recently that my grandmother had a brother who died when he was 19 while on the run either during the War of Independence or Civil War - she never spoke about him to me or even to her children much... She had at least one uncle who fought in WW1 and came home with shell-shock...

TnOgu · 26/07/2007 17:02

My mother's father also served in Irish Republican Army and was shipped to Wakefield Prison in England.

He was 18.

TnOgu · 26/07/2007 17:02

Sorry for Hijack Desi.

SaintGeorge · 26/07/2007 19:08

Oh how wonderful it will be if you manage to reunite the book with his family Desi.

My GF was at Poperinghe and Ypres. He lied about his age to sign up but was found out. They didn't discharge him from the army, but kept him back in England until he was old enough then shipped him out.

He lost a leg in a German POW camp.

I feel very connected to him even though I never had the honour of knowing him. He left a diary of his war years which I transcribed. There is now a copy in the War Museum.