The Kennys of Newmarket

by Graham Coward © 2003 – 2009

I wish to thank the following people for their assistance:

Catherine Culloty and Kevin O'Leary (Ireland),

Eileen Condon, Robert Valentino and Tom Shaw (U.S.A.),

Alma Coward (Australia).

Extract from: Irish Families, Their Names, Arms and Origins by Edward MacLysaght. Published by Allen Figis & Co. Ltd., Dublin, Ireland 1957

The name Kenny is numerous in Ireland : it has seventy-sixth place in the list of commonest surnames. The majority of the people so called belong to families located in Counties Galway and Roscommon. This is the homeland in early times, as well as to-day, of the O'Kenny sept which in Irish is Ó Cionnaoith : it is of the Ui Máine (Hy Many) and the same stock as the O' Maddens. Another sept of the same name was in early times in Co. Tyrone, but there is little trace of it left there now. When Kennys are found of long standing connexion with Co. Down, they are probably of the minor Ulster sept of Ó Coinne.

The situation with regard to the main body of the Kennys, i.e. of Galway and Roscommon, is unusual because by a coincidence it is also the name of a prominent English family from Somerset who, through intermarriage with Co. Galway families, became extensive landowners in that county and in Roscommon. These descend from Nicholas Kenny, Escheator General for Ireland under Elizabeth I, whose family was then established in Co. Wexford. Thus the leading families of the name in the Hy Many country, to which the O'Kenny sept belongs, are in fact of English origin. Rev. Arthur Kenny (1776-1855), the anti-Catholic controversialist, was probably one of these. On the other hand Rev. Peter James Kenny, S. J. (1779-1841), founder of Clongoweswood College, was one of the most distinguished Catholic preachers and theologians of the nineteenth century. James Kenney (1780-1849), the dramatist, was born in Dublin and his, perhaps better known, son, Charles Lamb Kenney (1821-1881), was born in Paris. James F. Kenney (b. 1884), was the author of the standard work "Sources for the Early History of Ireland".

Introduction

It is not known when the first Kennys arrived in Newmarket or for that matter, when they arrived in Ireland. The earliest known family members were of the Church of Ireland (Anglican) faith so they may have been of English origin. We know that an Arthur Kenny was living there in 1824. He leased several plots of land in and around Newmarket from the wealthy Aldworth family who owned most of the land around the town. Much of this land he sub-let to others making him both a landlord and a tenant. Arthur and his wife lived on a farm called Stoneville also leased from the Aldworths.

The last of the four generations of Kennys to live at Stoneville were brother and sister Arthur and Mary who died in 1953 and 1973 respectively.

Although there are no known direct descendants of Arthur Kenny still living in Ireland, the family lives on in Australia and the United States. The family farm (Stoneville) is now in the hands of relations of the wife of Arthur's grandson Frederick, continuing the unbroken family connection back to the early 1820s.

Early Kenny Ancestors

1. An Arthur Kenny, Nursery and Seedsman of Stoneville, Newmarket was named in the 1824 edition of Piggot's Directory of Newmarket.

2. The Tithe Applotment Books of 1826 showed an Arthur Kenny to be living on a rented farm at Garraunawarrig Upper, on the Western outskirts of Newmarket.

3. A headstone in the Church of Ireland graveyard in Newmarket (transcribed in 1850 and no longer readable) read that Arthur Kenny died on 17th April 1831 and his wife Elizabeth on 8th August 1835.

4. The National Archives of Ireland holds an extract from the Will of an Arthur Kenny of Stoneville, Newmarket who died in 1831. His entire estate was left to his wife “Eliza” also of Stoneville.

These records probably all refer to the same two people, an Arthur Kenny and his wife Elizabeth. The Baptism Register for Castlehyde Church of Ireland Parish in Co. Cork includes an entry on 8th April 1781 for Arthur Kenney, son of Luke Kenney. This might also refer to the same Arthur Kenny but at present there is no confirming evidence.

It is not known how many children Arthur and Elizabeth had. Slater's National Commercial Directory of Ireland of 1846 (Newmarket) lists an Arthur Kenny, Nurseryman, Pound Hill (the road from Newmarket to Garraunawarrig Upper is still known as Pound Hill). He might have been a son of the first Arthur Kenny or possibly a nephew. Griffith's Valuation of Ireland of 1852 shows him to be living at Garraunawarrig Upper. According to the inscription on his headstone, the second Arthur Kenny was born about 1818 in Nottingham, England. He is known to have married Maria Worsley on 21 July 1835 at St. James Church Westminster, London. Arthur and Maria had eight known children, probably all born in Ireland. Four of them emigrated to Australia. Slater's Directory also mentions the Rev. Simon Kenny, curate of the local Church of Ireland. It is not known if the Rev. Simon is related.

It appears that Arthur and Elizabeth Kenny might have arrived in Newmarket around 1820. Whether they came from Castlehyde, Nottingham or elsewhere is unknown.

The Next Generation

Louisa Kenny was born about 1835 and died on the 12th August 1879, presumably single. No more is known about her life.

Elizabeth Anne Kenny was born about 1841. On 29th January 1874 she married Thomas Pepler Gregory, an Englishman, in the Newmarket Church of Ireland. They lived the rest of their lives in England. Their only son Frederick Arthur Thomas Gregory was born in Walworth, Surrey in 1878 and died at his home called Stoneville, in Sidmouth, Devon in 1949. Frederick had no children.

Arthur Kenny (yes, another one) was born about 1846 or 1847 in Newmarket. In 1872 he emigrated to Melbourne, in the British Crown Colony of Victoria (Australia) aboard the Star Queen. On the same ship were an Irish born brother and sister of Scottish descent. They were 19 year old James McMurtrie and his 28 year old sister Jean. Arthur and Jean were married at Pyrmont in the adjoining colony of New South Wales on 27th December 1873. Arthur and Jean's first child, another Arthur was born in Warragul, Victoria in 1875. In 1876 the family moved to Ballarat, a small but prosperous city in the Victorian goldfields west of Melbourne. There Arthur senior took up a position as gardener at the Ballarat Orphanage. About 1884 Arthur was appointed as Superintendentof the orphanage, a position he held until his death in 1925. Arthur and Jean had nine children altogether with four reaching adulthood. Only Arthur, the eldest married. He had no children.

(Read Arthur Kenny's Obituary from The Ballarat Courier)

Children of Arthur and Jean Kenny I. Arthur Kenny, born 1875 in Warragul, Victoria, married 1911, Florence Hull in Sydney, died 1939 in North Sydney, N.S.W. II. Jeannie Kenny, born 1877 in Ballarat East Victoria, died after 1925. III. Maria Kenny, born 1878 in Ballarat Victoria Probably died in infancy. IV. Minnie Kenny, born about 1878, might have been twin to Maria. died 1884 in Ballarat East Victoria V. James Kenny, born 1880 in Ballarat East, Victoria, died 1880. VI. Louisa (Lulu) Kenny, born 1881 in Ballarat Victoria, died 1932 in Kew Victoria VII. Jessie Kenny, born 1883 in Ballarat Victoria, died 1884 in Ballarat East, Victoria VIII. Frederick William Kenny, born 1886 in Ballarat Victoria, died 1888 in Ballarat East, Victoria IX. Worsley Muir Kenny, born 1889 in Ballarat East Victoria, died 1914 in Ballarat Victoria

Memorial Certificate Presented to the Family of Arthur Kenny  after his death. (Image courtesy of Tom Shaw).

Ballarat Orphanage, about 1900

Strange Kenny was also born about 1847. She was possibly Arthur's twin although this is by no means certain. The only evidence that Strange ever existed is an entry in the 1911 census of Ireland showing her living with her brother Frederick and his family on the family farm near Newmarket. No record of a birth, death, marriage or emigration can be found. She cannot be found in the 1901 census of Ireland or England. Could she have been visiting her relations in Australia in 1901? Perhaps she emigrated and then decided to return. The family in Australia still has a silver thimble said to have been given to her niece Florence by an "Aunt Strange".

Sarah Kenny was born about 1850 in County Cork. On 2nd December 1877 she married in Kanturk, County Cork, James Ellard Wren, son of the Rev. George Wren. They are believed to have had a child in Ireland who died in infancy. In March 1880, James and Sarah arrived in Melbourne aboard the True Briton. They were living in Ballarat East later that year when a second child, also James Ellard Wren was born. James junior died in Maffra, Victoria the following year. Their third and only surviving child, Louisa Ellard Wren was born in 1881, also in Maffra. They later moved to Sydney N.S.W.

Robert Henry Kenny was born in Newmarket on 4th December 1854. He emigrated to Melbourne on the True Briton with his sister Sarah and her husband. Robert also settled in Ballarat. On 5th September 1882 in St Paul's Church of England, Ballarat East he married Mary Ann King Coward, daughter of Henry Coward, a close friend of his brother Arthur. At his wedding Robert gave his occupation as photographer.

According to The Ballarat Courier of 18th January 1883, the previous evening a fire damaged a room occupied by Mr. Kenny, gem photographer and an adjoining stationary store in Sturt Street Ballarat. Between 1884 and 1889 Robert operated a photographic studio in Bridge Street Ballarat East. He later moved to Melbourne where he worked as a clerk. On 2nd March 1897 Mary Ann gave birth to Edith Ann their seventh child and twenty five days later died of complications. Edith died on 29th September of the same year. Robert and Mary Ann had seven children, five of them reaching adulthood.

Children of Robert and Mary Ann Kenny

I. Arthur Henry Kenny, born 1883 in Ballarat Victoria,
died 1960
married 1911 in St. John's Church of England, Footscray, Daisy Hortense Peelman.

II. Edgar William Kenny, born 1885,
died 1958.
married 1908 in St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Cathedral Ballarat, Mary Ann Dooley.

III. James Frederick Kenny, born 1887,
died 1887.

IV. Mary Louisa Kenny, known as May, born 1889,
died 1968 in Strathfield N.S.W.
married 1935 in Leichhardt N.S.W., Albert Lovering.

V. Florence Fanny Kenny, born 1891 in Clifton Hill Victoria,
died 1964 in Essendon, Victoria,
(1) Married 1918 in Richmond, Victoria, Thomas Henry (Harry) Riley.
(2) Married 1931, Frederick Thomas Coward

VI. Minnie Kenny, born 1893,
died 1912.

VII. Edith Ann Kenny, born 1897 in Footscray, Victoria,
died 1897 in Footscray, Victoria.

On 19th February 1903 Robert married Mary Jane Richardson, fifteen years his junior and on 10th February 1904 another son was born.

Children of Robert and Mary Jane Kenny

I. Leslie Edward Kenny was born in 1904 in Footscray, Victoria and died in 1979 in Heidelberg Victoria.

Frederick Kenny was born in Newmarket about 1855. In 1884 he married Catherine (Kate) O'Leary in the Newmarket Roman Catholic Chapel. Frederick remained on the family farm near Newmarket where he and Kate had eleven children. Frederick died in 1914 and Kate about 1946. Several of their children emigrated to the United States. A History of Newmarket by D.H. Allen, published in 1972 mentions a "Bob Kenny, Stoneville" who circa 1920, fought against the British with the Newmarket Battalion of the Irish Volunteers. This probably refers to Frederick and Catherine's son Robert Henry Kenny. 

In the 1911 census of Ireland the Kenny farm is described as having 3 rooms with 6 windows in front. The land contained 1 stable, 1 coach house, 1 cow house, 1 calf house, 1 piggery, 1 fowl house and 1 barn.

Children of Frederick and Catherine Kenny

I. Elizabeth (Liley) Kenny, born 17 Sep 1884,
died about 1905 in Ireland

II. Margaret Kenny, born 13 Aug 1886
emigrated to New York in October 1902 aboard Teutonic, aged 16
married about 1910, Alfred Ohmberger
died in 1968 in New York

III. Arthur Kenny, born 24 Oct 1888,
died 1953 in Ireland

IV. Daniel Kenny, born 18 Nov 1889
emigrated to New York in May 1908
married about 1912, Catherine, surname unknown

V. Maria Worsley Kenny, born 13 May 1892
probably died in infancy

VI. Mary May Kenny, born 1 May 1893,
died 25 August 1973 in Ireland

VII. Edward John Kenny, born 22 Jun 1895
emigrated to New York in April 1914 aboard Cedric
married about 1924, Sarah Tyrell
was a Police Officer in New York

VIII. Frederick Thomas Kenny,
born 12 Aug 1897

IX. Robert Henry Kenny, born 22 Sept 1899
emigrated to New York.

X. Louisa Christina Kenny, born 17 Dec 1901
emigrated to New York in Aug 1927 aboard Carinthia
died Nov 1990 in New York

XI. Sarah (Sally) Kenny, born 23 March 1904
emigrated to New York in March 1925 aboard Caronia
died April 1983 in New York

Edward Luke Kenny was born in Newmarket about 1857. In 1881 he arrived in Sydney as a crew member on the ship Aldborough and in 1898 he married Amy Ezzy. They had five children, three of whom reached adulthood.

Children of Edward and Amy Kenny

I. Arthur Edward Kenny, born April 1899 in Millthorpe N.S.W.,
died Dec 1899 in Millthorpe N.S.W.,

II. Harry Kenny, born 1900 in Millthorpe N.S.W.
married in 1932, Alma Hood
died 1944 in Hornsby N.S.W.

III. Mary Kenny, born in 1902,
died 1902 in Millthorpe N.S.W.

IV. Edward Stanley Kenny born in 1906
married in 1933,  Janet Simpson
died Jan 1973

V. Ronald Frederick Kenny born in 1911
Married in 1948, Josephine Elizabeth Kemp
died Jan 1985