Edwin Thomas Penny was born in Marylebone in 1849. He moved to Australia with his family in 1852. Shortly after arrival in Melbourne, the Penny family settled on ten acres of land on Bay Road, Cheltenham. The family took up ten acres of land where three acres were devoted to fruit trees with the remaining arable land being given over to vegetables. After the death of his father in 1866, Penny, took over the running of the property. In addition to his work as an orchardist and gardener, he was very involved in community activities and the work of his church. He was president of the shire on two occasions; once in 1898-99 and again in 1899-1900. Edwin Penny married Sarah Ann Coleman. Sarah was born in Collingwood where her father was a member of the first Collingwood Council, but at the time of her marriage was living in Mordialloc where her father, William Coleman, built the Bridge Hotel. Edwin and Sarah had seven children, Albert Edwin Coleman, Percival Thomas, Lytton William, Reubin Ernest, Edwin Clarence, Clifford Frederick and Hilda Eleanor. Sarah died in 1890 at 35 years of age and was buried in the Cheltenham Pioneer Cemetery. The following year Edwin Thomas married Emily Maria Haselgrove in North Melbourne. Emily was 42 years old. They had two boys Leslie Thomas and Robert Frederick Carl.
Sepia toned image of family, consisting of one woman and six men. The men are all wearing three piece suits and the three men standing at the back have visible fob chains. The woman, seated in the centre front, is wearing a broad brimmed hat adorned with artificial flowers and wearing a dress with lace and 'leg o'mutton' sleeves.
penny family, cheltenham, mordialloc, bridge hotel, moorabbin shire council