Contrary to what I believed, a farm at Nether Kinmundy, Aberdeenshire is not as far back as I can trace my relatives nor is it as near to Inverurie as I first thought. No wonder I could not find it all those years ago! Then in 2009 on the A952 (the Peterhead bypass?!) I saw a sign for Kinmundy but still could not find the “Nether” version. What a surprise, well shock, when my wife Annie and I found the gravestone of William Penny (1812 – 1891) in Longside cemetery – could we have found an ancestor?
Another surprise in 2015 when I did discover the link to “near Inverurie”. It is Balgaveny, Ythan Wells where my paternal grandmother (Maggie Buchan) was born. So there was a family connection near Inverurie after all. I should have paid more attention when first told about family history!
Meanwhile, in 2010, I decided to have a DNA test which showed my paternal clan to be the same as 40% Iran and 30% Lebanon prompting me to write down “Didnae ken until 2010″!
A journey into family history then began that has taken several years to progress.
Lots of stories from my father started to fall into place – his visits to Nether Kinmundy and Peterculter to see his grandfather (James 1839 – 1928), early life in the Argentine,
airships at Lenabo…..beyond that I found connections with farms in the Parish of Rathen, and lots more. Buried in Longside cemetery is Charles Penny (died 1936) and I think my father may have visited him at Nether Kinmundy too.
My mother’s family roots worked back to Golspie via the Argentine and Australia – again with a wealth of stories. The connections between the families are still elusive but have generated more roots, branches and surprises.
I had known some of my step-grandfather’s history (on my mother’s side) not least as our house is home to many of his paintings. Research of his WW 1 naval career, interesting in itself, caused more connections to be made (I have compiled a separate booklet, primarily about his naval career). Researching my biological grandfather was the next step – then the realisation that I am 3/4s Scots and 1/4 Londoner by recent descent.
Norman J Penny - Family 