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Blue Post pub - a family connection

The following additional information and photo about a query related to the Blue Posts pub was e-mailed by Janet Considine on 20/08/2002:

“The man wearing the waistcoat in the centre of the picture with the dog is the landlord of the Blue Posts pub, Henry Penfold (born 1861) and the two girls are his daughters.

From their ages, we reckon that the photo should be around 1901-3, but what the occasion was we have no idea but quite a number seem to be wearing flowers.

The older girl is my grandma, Edith Penfold, born 1888, and the younger is Nora, born 1894, who married Joseph Palkowich (Pepi).

Joseph Palkowich must have been quite well known as I also found a newspaper cutting from an American paper (Wilkes Barr) which states that he played at the Palace Theatre, in London 1910/11/12, and Harry Lauder was mentioned.

He also played at the Grand or the Hippodrome in Brighton. My great-grandma used to get two free tickets for the Grand (which was across the road from the Blue Posts), presumably for either advertising the shows or putting up some of the acts. It also says that he played in front of Edward VII. “

Blue Post pub regulars

Comments about this page

  • Do you know what the H. Penfold stands for on the building? And who are the other people in the picture?

    By Lenora Penfold (13/09/2005)
  • My Dad was born in Fredrick Street 1916. My Grandfather’s sister was Max Miller’s Mother who visited them often.There were a few of my family living in Fredrick Street at the time. Their name was West.

    By Anne Glow (08/02/2009)
  • My gt-gt grandfather (Names Buddle, tailor), gt gt grandmother (Maria) and their children are listed as living at 15 Frederick St in the 1861 and 1871 census. Unfortunately, the house seems to have been demolished with others alongside it, and a huge ugly block built there. Names would have been 63 if still alive when this photo was taken. It would be great to think he or one of his sons might be in the photo! My great grandfather John Thomas was 30 at this time and lived in Ellen St. with his wife and family.

    By Claire Buddle (05/04/2010)
  • I posted about this a long time ago but the page seems to have changed. I lived in this pub before emigrating in 2005. It was a small two bedroom flat. There is another photo about with a better angle from across the street. I checked the corner where the old front door used to be and you can still see the marble (I think) step. Wonderful to think that I lived in a place with so much history

    By Chris Searles (30/10/2012)
  • My ancestors lived at 41 and 21 Frederick Street in the 1840’s (probably the one house and renumbered at some time by the Post Office. George Christopher Vicary was born in number 21 on 15th January 1844. The house is still there I think, I visited last year and there is a small row of six or eight houses still standing.

    By Ian Vicary (25/01/2013)
  • My grandad was born in 1902 Samuel Pattenden and lived at 59 Frederick Street one of a large family a couple of doors away from where this picture was taken.

    By Sheridan (02/05/2020)
  • My grandad Edmund Pattenden lived in Frederick street with his wife Sarah, not sure if it was 59 or 60. They had 15 children, unfortunately the last one died aged two.

    By michael (25/02/2022)

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