Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Published Biographies

“Blood, Sweat and Fears” Medical Practitioners and Medical Students of South Australia who served in WW1
By Christopher Verco, Annette Summers,Tony Swain and Michael Jelly. 2014 ISBN: 978-0-64692-750-3

http://www.whoisgeorgemills.com/2011/07/dr-harold-j-penny-of-adelaide-and-stoke.html post by Sam (also known as Harry) – this appears to be [email protected] (see comments in document).

Additional Biography

Early Life

Harold John Penny was born at Semaphore, South Australia on the 24th of June 1988, the youngest son of Charles James Penny and Emma Stephens. He was baptised at St. Bede's, Semaphore on the 26th of August 1988.

Harold’s seven siblings were Evelyn Emma (b 8 Dec 1870, Hackney), Clifton Raymond (b 14 Mar 1872, Hackney), Blanche Maud (b 16 April 1874, Hackney), Gertrude Mabel (b 15 Oct 1876, Hackney), Edward Arnold (b 31 Oct 1879, Hackney), Violet Mary (b4 Oct 1881, Hackney) and Bertram Stephens (b 6 May 1885, Semaphore).

Harold’s farther, Charles Penny, was a well-known and highly esteemed South Australian citizen. He became private secretary to the Hon. G. M. Waterhouse. When the Bank of Adelaide was opened in 1865, Mr. Penny was appointed its first clerk by the late Sir Henry Ayers. He remained on the staff of the bank until he was about 25 years of age. However due to failing eyesight he lived the last 50 years of his life in retirement, passing away in 1919, aged 76.

Schooling

Harold probably commenced his schooling at a local school, but from Form III (1899) he attended St Peter’s College, Hackney. He was awarded the Form Prize for June 1899. In 1903, he passed 6 subjects in the Junior Examinations and in 1905, he passed three Senior Examination subjects and in 1906 he passed a further five Senior Examinations and in 1907, he completed three subjects in the Higher Public Examinations. He also passed the Senior Examination in English Literature in March 1908.

While at St Peter’s College, Harold played cricket for the college from 1905-1907 and he was a member of their Inter-collegiate team in each of those years and in December 1907 he represented St Peter’s College in the Australian Public Schools Championship held in Melbourne.

Adelaide University

Harold commenced studying medicine at the University of Adelaide in 1908 and gained his MB BS in 1913. In 1910, he was a member of the Committee of the University Medical Association and he attended the University Ball in 1912 and 1913. His elder brothers Clifton and Bertram both completed their Final Certificates in Law at Adelaide University in 1893 and 1908 respectively.

University Sport

Cricket
Howard commenced playing cricket for the Adelaide University Cricket Club in the 1908/09 season. He was a member of the first side to play in the SACA A Grade competition. In the match against Glenelg also a new team he took 1 wicket for 27 runs.

In a later match against Port Adelaide, he batted well for 69 runs and was the principal partner of his captain, C.E. Dolling, who scored a magnificent 189. Primarily a bowler, that big score was his best of the season and he finished with batting statistics of 10 innings, 1 not out, 189 runs and an average of 15.44. His bowling figures were 87.1 overs, 10 maidens, 333 runs, 14 wickets with an average of 23.78.

Howard played for a St Peter’s Old Collegiates team in a match against Lord Dudley’s team at the St Peter’s College ground in February 1909. In November 1909, Harold again batted well against Port Adelaide batted scoring 41 not out and assisting CF Drew (117 not out) in staving off defeat in the match.

Harold represented the University at the Intervarsity in Sydney in December 1910 scoring 17 in the first innings. Unfortunately, he did not take any wickets for the match and he scored a duck in the second innings of the game, which was won by Sydney.

The 1910/11 season was a less successful season for Harold with both the bat and ball. He continued to play for the club in both the 1911/12 and 1912/13 season but with limited success at A Grade level.

Boat
Harold joined the Adelaide University Boat Club. He rowed for the Medical School in the Adelaide University Schools Regatta in 1910. By February 1911, he was in Seat 2 for the University Eight and he rowed in Seat 2 again in the 1911 Autumn Regatta and at the Henley-on-Torrens in December 1912 he was in Seat 4.

Harold rowed in two Intervarsity boat races. He was in Seat 4 for Adelaide University in the Intervarsity in June 1911 and weighed 11 stone 6 lbs and in Seat 4 again in the Intervarsity in June 1912. He was praised in ‘The Sun’, Sydney for his graft from the sound of the gun to the end of the race in the 1912 race.

Tennis
Harold was an excellent tennis player and from 1909 to 1915, he competed in the annual tennis tournament conducted by the South Australian Lawn Tennis Association. He was often partnered by his sister Violet in mixed doubles matches. He represented Adelaide University at Intervarsity Tennis in Sydney in 1913.

Other Sports

In addition to his sporting activities at Adelaide University and his involvement in tennis mentioned above, Harold also swam in the 1909 OBI Swimming Carnival and competed in the Beginners handicap at the 1909 Amateur Athletics competition.

Pre-War Career

After gaining his MB BS in December 1913, Harold was registered as a fully qualified medical practitioner later that month and in January 1914, he was appointed a resident medical officer and the Adelaide Hospital for 12 months. He undertook roles at both the Adelaide Hospital and the Adelaide Children’s Hospital.

In December 1914, Harold competed in the tennis championship tournament on the Victorian Association Grounds. And was pictured in the ‘Weekly Times’ competing in the Handicap Doubles.

World War I

After the outbreak of WWI, Harold enlisted with the Royal Army Medical Corps. He left for the UK onboard the ‘Mongolia’ on Thursday the 25th of March 1915.

Harold married Winifred Annie Lake in the second quarter of 1915 in the Registration District of Bristol. Further brief details of Harold’s War Service are in the ‘Blood, Sweat and Fears’ biography above. He was initially appointed a temporary Lieutenant but was promoted to Captain in April 1916. He proceeded to France on active service on the 6th of November 1916.

Sadly, for the Penny family, Harold’s mother passed away on the 9th of June 1918 on the 71st anniversary of her birth.

Harold returned to Australia at some time after his mother’s death. He was back in Adelaide before the 9th of October 1918 as on that date ‘The Register’ included his name for registering a 4hp Triumph motor cycle and in November 1918, he registered a 13.9 Rover motor car.

Harold commenced the duties of acting deputy superintendent at the Parkside Mental Hospital on Monday 28th of October 1918.

Harold’s brother Bertram Stephen enlisted on the 14th of June 1915 and rose to the rank of Lieutenant in the Infantry. Tragically he died on the 3rd of November 1919, aged 34, of melancholia depression attributed to war service.

For more details on Bertram’s life see the Virtual War Memorial Australia website at: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/289063.

Harold’s sister Violet was a staff nurse who volunteered for war service; she left Australia on the 9th of October 1915.
More details of her war service are at the Grave Secrets website at http://ww1nurses.gravesecrets.net/pe.html.

Post War Career & Family Life

We have been unable to locate any evidence that Harold’s wife Winifred travelled to Australia. Dr. H.J. Penny’s name appeared frequently in the social columns of South Australian newspapers attending dances and race meetings, but there is no mention of Mrs Penny during the November 1918 to July 1925 period. Harold initially lived with his sisters at their home at Osborne Street, Hackney and it was there in late February 1919 that they arranged a small party to welcome home Sister Violet Penny, who had recently returned from War service in England.

In March 1919, Harold was again acting deputy superintendent of the Parkside Mental Hospital due to the absence through illness of Dr Lind.

Harold’s father, Charles Penny died at his home at Hackney, aged 76, on the 24th of December 1919, just over two months after the death of his son, Bertram.

By September 1920, Harold had commenced a practice at 151 Main North Road, Nailsworth, SA. In March 1922, he was appointed deputy superintendent of the Enfield Receiving House (a Government run facility which opened in 1922 for the observation and temporary treatment of patients who were not certified).

Harold's main sport after his return to South Australia was tennis. He competed in the Interstate tennis matches in November 1922, winning both his matches but was beaten in the singles championship by T.K. Fitchett.

Harold played A Grade tennis for the Hyde Park Tennis Club and was pictured below during a match in December 1923. Hyde Park won the 1923/24 A Grade Premiership.

Harold purchased a new car (18.2 Essex) in November 1923, but in March 1925 he replaced the Essex, purchasing a Baby Citroen fitted with a three-seater deluxe body from the Maughan-Thiem Motor Company.

After his success with Hyde Park in the 1923/24 season, Harold then decided to play competitive Croquet for the Fitzroy Club in the summer of 1924/25. A later newspaper report states that he commenced playing croquet when he was recovering for an appendix operation. In May 1925, at the South Australian Croquet Championships, Harold won the Gold Medal.

On the 29th of January 1924, Miss Mary Violet Ridsdale arrived at Albany, WA onboard the Runic having departed from London. She was the elder daughter of A.H.W. Ridsdale, the vicar at Christ Church, Roxeth, Harrow-on-the-Hill, Middlesex (now part of Greater London). It is not clear when Mary arrived in Adelaide, but in December 1924, Harold and Mary were partners in the mixed doubles at the Metropolitan Tennis Championships and by July 1925, the couple were engaged.

In July 1925, Harold left Adelaide for Sydney where he was to join the Osterley, en-route for England. While in Britain, it was reported that he would ‘pursue the study of nervous diseases, and afterwards proceed to the Continent and America in continuation of his investigations’. Harold and Mary were given a farewell by members of the Fitzroy Croquet Club.

Once back in Britain, Harold obtained a divorce from his former wife, Winifred and on the 7th of November 1925, he married Mary Ridsdale at her father’s church. Photographs of the wedding appeared in the South Australian papers in December 1925 and January 1926.

The couple departed from Liverpool, England on the ‘Metagama’ bound for St John, Canada on the 28th of November 1925 arriving back in Adelaide via the Melbourne Express on the 14th of January 1926.

Back in Adelaide Harold returned to his practice at Nailsworth and to playing both croquet and tennis. In June 1928, he competed in the doctors’ annual golf competition. He also regularly attended race meetings.

Harold and Mary’s first two children were born in Adelaide, John Ridsdale Penny (born 19th of October 1926) and Frances Barbara (known as Barbara born 3rd of December 1927).

In July 1928, Harold resigned from his role as deputy superintendant of the Enfield Receiving Home and in August 1928, the family moved from Adelaide to the suburb of Claremont in Perth, Western Australia.

The Electoral Rolls for 1929, gave the couples address as 172 Perth-Fremantle Road, Claremont. Some time before October 1931, the pregnant Mrs Mary Penny along with John and Barbara returned to the UK as Harold and Mary’s second son (Christopher Henry Ridsdale Penny was born on the 17th of October 1930 at Harrow, England.

In April 1931, Harold won the Western Australian Veterans’ Singles Championship (tennis). Harold continued to practice in WA until October 1931. He then travelled to Adelaide and then to Melbourne (to attend the Melbourne Cup) and to Sydney. He left Sydney on the 24th of November 1931 to join his family in England.

In England, Harold moved to Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire. His address in the UK was said to be 18 Windmill St, Tunstall (Note - later documents give their address as 28 Windmill St).

Harold’s name did occasionally appear in Australia newspapers after his return to England. For example, in January 1934 ‘The Advertiser’ reported that Harold had received a gift of South Australia fruit, sent to him by his old school friend Dr. H.C. Nott and in December 1937, the ‘News’ reported that Harold was now playing some cricket and hoped to arrange a trip back to Australia to follow a Test series around the country (see below).

Harold and Mary’s third son, Stephen Ridsdale Penny was born on the 30th of June 1938.

Harold returned to playing croquet by 1938 with great success. In August 1938, it was reported in ‘The Advertiser’ that in the North of England championships, Harold had been runner-up in both the singles and doubles competitions.

The 1939 ‘England and Wales Register’ records that Harold, Mary and Stephen were living at 28 Windmill St along with two female domestic servants. John (aged 13) was at Cranleigh Junior School Honeshoe Lane, Cranleigh (near Guilford, Surrey) and Christopher (aged 9) at Ringwood and Fordingbridge, Hampshire, England and at school. It is likely that Barbara (aged 12) was also at boarding school.

World War II

Harold and Mary’s eldest son (John) attended Sherborne School, Abbey Road, Sherborne, Dorset. He left the school in 1944 and was a Coder with the Royal Navy during WWII. In January 1944, Barbara sent an airgraph letter to her aunt, Miss G.E. Penny of Glenelg. Barbara was, at this stage, studying science and biology with a view to taking a medical degree.

Post-WWII

After WWII, Harold resumed playing competitive croquet and in July 1946 he was runner-up in the British Croquet Championship.

Harold flew to Adelaide in January 1948 to visit his sisters and attended the fourth cricket Test. He stayed in Adelaide until June 1948, then travelled to Sydney to see his brother, before returning to England. This was his first visit to Australia since his departure in late 1931.

During the 1948 visit, Harold stated that he had three sons, one on the land and two at school and a daughter doing medicine. The son on the land would have been the eldest boy, John who had attended Harper Adams Agricultural College after his time as a Coder in the Royal navy during WWII.

Christopher Henry Ridsdale Penny also attended Sherborne School. He left the school in 1948 and attended Trinity College, Cambridge.

In June 1951, Harold was listed with many other South Australians who were in the Royal Enclosure at Royal Ascot.

Christopher married Gillian D.E. Bull in the third quarter of 1958 in the county of Surrey, England. The couple had two children. According to the ‘The Sherborne Register’, Sixth Edition, 1925 – 2000, Christopher spent some time in France.

Harold visited Australia again in 1958/59. He arrived by air at Fremantle, WA on the 8th of December 1958 and stayed with his sister at Parkside, Adelaide, SA. While in South Australia, aged 70, he played in a croquet tournament at the Victor Harbour Croquet Club in March 1959. He returned to England in mid-March 1959.

The Rennison Family Tree and the Cheese-Probert Family Tree (both on Ancestry.com.au) state that Harold's daughter Barbara married Dr. John Ayrton Cheese. The Annual report of the Medical Officer of health and Principal School Medical Officer for the City of Canterbury, 1962 lists Dr F.B. Cheese, MB Ch B. (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery, Child Welfare).

Death

Dr. H. J. Penny passed away in Bournemouth, Dorset, England in March 1968.

Mary Violet Penny (née Ridsdale) passed away in the first quarter of 1974 in the Canterbury Registration District, Kent, England.

Frances Barbara Cheese (nee Penny) died in July 1987 at Canterbury Kent England.

Christopher Henry Ridsdale Penny died in 1995.

Stephen Ridsdale Penny died in July 2003 at Sheffield, Yorkshire, England.

Authors: EE (Beth) Filmer & Rob O'Shannassy

For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project (in the period 2015-2019) please see the document attached.