The name Kenyon was spelt in a variety of ways: Kenyan, Kenney, Keny, Kennis, Kenny, Kenyen, Kennyon.
On page 108 of Rod Jewel's book Memory Lane Belper, Ambergate and Districts he has the following note on the Kenyons.
On a commanding eminence within Shining Cliff Woods stood a famous yew tree called Betty Kenney's tree. Luke and Betty Kenny lived in the woods as charcoal burners during the 17th and 18th centuries.They brought up a family of eight children without having entered a home except for the purchase of necessities. Their habitation was a movable hut in the form of a cone or sugar loaf, one side of which was furnished with a bed upon turf, the opening was covered by a large board laid upon the outside which was covered with the turf they used in making charcoal. On cold nights they often took a portion of their wood fire into the hut.Their favourite spot in the woods was the shade of the immense yew tree under which one of their children is buried. Betty's real name was Kate Keynon and initially she travelled annually from Papplewick, Nottingham to these woods. The lullaby Rock-a -Bye baby is alleged to originate from Betty rocking one of her children to sleep on one of the hollowed-out stems of the yew tree. In 1909 the tree was said to be 2,000 years old.
Thanks to some local boys it was severely damaged by fire in about1930.
On pages 50 and 51 of the late Derek Wain book "The Hurts of Derbyshire" (sadly out of print) he writes about Luke and Betty Kenny as follows –
This chapter would not be complete without mention of Luke and Betty Kenny. These were a married couple who came from Papplewick in Nottinghamshire each year to help with charcoal burning in Shining Cliff Wood. Eventually they stayed on a permanent basis and lived for many years in a makeshift hut in the woods. Francis, who no doubt had a very soft spot in his heart for the couple, commissioned James Ward, a Royal Academy artist, to paint their portraits and invited the couple to pose separately in the dining room of the Hall. The picture was exhibited in London in 1882 in a collection of the artist's works and the catalogue had this to say about it:
Two remarkable characters - Luke, aged 96, and Betty, 88. They lived, as charcoal burners, in the woods of Alderwaslie (sic), Derbyshire, and brought up a family of eight children, without ever having entered a house, except for the purchase of necessaries. Their habitation was a moveable hut, in the form of a cone, or sugar-loaf, one side of which was furnished with a bed upon the turf; and the opening was covered by a large board laid upon the outside. In cold weather they usually took a portion of their wood fire within side the hut: the outside of the tenement was covered with the turf they used in making charcoal. A rainy night had preceded the morning on which the artist went to make his studies from the various articles connected with their mode of life. He found the woman bailing out water with a wooden bowl from the lower ground of the steamy bedchamber, where it had settled at the foot of the bed in a considerable quantity: - yet, such is the force of habit, that when the old man was standing for his picture in the large dining parlour, he expressed himself miserably uncomfortable from the cold, and at the same time observed, how much more warm and comfortable he was in his snug little habitation, than in those great and comfortless rooms. Luke was the first portrait.
When his wife came to sit for her likeness, and saw the representation of her husband, she burst into tears, exclaiming, 'Ah! poor old soul, there he is, for all the world, with his round back! He was once as straight as an arrow; but he is welly done.' Their favourite spot in the woods was the shade of an immense yew-tree, under which one of their children is buried.
After toiling for years in this miserable employment of charcoal burning, they accumulated
a sum of ten pounds. Some wretched miscreant, having ascertained this circumstance, broke in upon their retirement, dragged them from their bed, and, after treating them with great cruelty, robbed them of their treasure. The man survived his loss but a short time. The woman may be yet alive.
When Betty declared that Luke was 'welly done', it is thought that she meant he was nearing his end rather than complimenting the artist. It is believed that she herself lived on for there is a Hurt tradition that she danced at a party in the Hall, held to celebrate her 100th birthday. There is also another story which relates that, as she worked, she laid her babies in a hollow in a bough of the yew tree and sang
Rock-a-bye baby, in the tree top,This cradle song has of course now become one of the most popular of nursery rhymes. Young mothers everywhere can now place a picture to the words.
The yew tree which was home to Luke and his wife became known as Betty Kenny's Tree. Writing in 1909 Louis Hurt states, "The tree is said to be 2000 years old. About twenty years ago some mischievous boys set fire to it, and now only the gigantic trunk and some enormous boughs remain, which, however, still send out shoots."
The painting shown above, by James Ward RA, was commissioned by Francis Hurt (1781 – 1854). From James Ward's account book it can be seen that the Kennys would have sat for this painting prior to November 1811. It is likely that the ages for the Kennys given at this time are incorrect.
The painting was first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1814 (no. 57) and was hung in the dining room of Alderwasley Hall for many years. However, after the Hurts had left Alderwasley in the 1930s, the painting appears to have been lost.
A second painting, shown above, was completed as a study for the main painting and was first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1817(no. 151).
Unfortunately the whereabouts of this study-painting is unknown but a photograph of it exists and can be found at the Lowewood Museum Hertfordshire. The hand written notes that accompany the photograph give a good account of the history of these two paintings.
As a study for these two paintings Ward made a pencil and black chalk drawing of the hut in which the Kennys lived whilst charcoal burning in the woods at Alderwasley. This original drawing is now in the ownership of Peter Kenyon-Smith, and is shown below together with the notes explaining its provenience.
From "DRAWINGS BY JAMES WARD":
[46] A Charcoal Burner's Hut
Pencil and black chalk 13 x 20 15/16 inches • 33 x 53.1 cm Signed 'JWD.RA' and inscribed with shorthand notes; inscribed on the old backing sheet 'Charcoal B. Hut' Provenance: Summerhayes
Anthony Reed has pointed out that this drawing appears to have been made for use in Ward's painting of the charcoal burners Luke Kenny and his Wife Kate which was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1814 (no.57), commissioned by Francis Hurt (1781-1854) of Alderwasley Hall, Belper, Derbyshire. A further painting of the same couple was shown at the Academy in 1817 (no.151): this was acquired by Thomas Garle. Ward attached a lengthy note to the first exhibit:
Portraits of Luke Kenny, aged ninety-six, and Kate, his wife, aged eighty-eight, who have lived in the woods upwards of fifty years, and brought up a family of eight children in the hut represented, which they erect in various parts of the wood, in which they have occasion to follow their employment, being that of burning charcoal.
These notable characters lived in the woods at Alderwasley. (The Hall itself still stands and is now a residential school for disabled children.)
In his 1822 exhibition at Newman Street Ward again showed Portraits of Luke and Kate Kenny, noting that the Kennys' home was 'a moveable hut, in the form of a cone, or sugar-loaf, one side of which was furnished with a bed upon the turf; and the opening was covered by a large board laid upon the outside ... the outside of this tenement is covered with the turf they used in making charcoal' {Descriptive Catalogue, 1822, no.11, pp.3-4). The 'large board' is presumably the structure Ward has lightly depicted in our drawing, behind the hut. He has clearly shown the turf covering of the hut and the tools of the burner's trade.
Photographs and information, courtesy of Peter Kenyon-SmithWirksworth Parish Registers record Luke Kenyon's burial as 5th January 1814 aged 96 years. The vicar has written beside the entry:
NB Luke Kenyon No 107 had lived the most part of his time in Huts in the woods & Burned charcoal and his wife is 94 years old & walked from Alderwasley to his funeral.
Many of their descendants lived in Bonsall, Alderwasley, Crich and Crich Carr.
Roger Kenyan Elizabeth Wells
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Samuel Kenyan |
Luke Kenyon Elizabeth (Betty) Brooks |
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Eliz Kenyon John Girton (Son Samuel Kenyan bap 02/11/1766, Rolleston) |
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Ann Kenyon Bap 20/12/1734 Rolleston, Notts |
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John Kenyon Bap 27 Aug 1736 Rolleston, Notts |
Luke Kenyon Elizabeth (Betty) Brooks |
John Kenyon |
Elizabeth Kenyon |
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Luke Kenney Elizabeth Walker |
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Ann Kenney |
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William Kennis |
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Mary Kenney |
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Samuel Kenyon Mary |
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Delia Kenyon |
Luke Kenney and E lizabeth Walker lived in Bonsall and had seven children: James, Ann, William, Samuel, Hannah, George, Maria.
Luke Kenney Elizabeth Walker |
James Kenny |
Ann Kenney Charles Kirkland Son Charles Kennyon bap. 17/03/1817 Bonsall) |
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William Kenny |
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Samuel Kenny |
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Hannah Kenny |
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George Kenyon 1st Mar. 20/08/1844 Belturbet, Co. Cavan, Ireland 2nd Mar. 09/07/1867 Chester |
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Maria Kenyon |
Luke and Elizabeth's son George Kenyon became a soldier in the 14th Foot, which became the West Yorkshire Regt. The historical records of the regiment for1689-1892 say " The families of Kenyon and Armstrong have long been represented in the regiment, and the name continues, and it is hoped will long continue regimental ones. The late Quarter- Master-Sergeant Kenyon, of the Cheshire Militia, and late of the 14th, entered the regiment about 1830." He had three sons George, Frederick and Charles who all became soldiers in the West Yorkshire Regiment.
Luke's brother Samuel Kenyon and his wife Mary lived in Crich and Crich Carr and had five children.
Samuel Kenyon Mary |
Mary Keny |
William Kenny |
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Ann Kenyon |
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Luke Keny Elizabeth |
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Elizabeth Kenyon John Prince |
Samuel and Mary's daughter Ann Kenyon had an illegitimate daughter Mary Ann Kenney baptised 27/02/1842 at Crich.
Their son, Luke Keny and his wife Elizabeth had nine children and lived in Crich Carr.
Luke Keny Elizabeth |
Mary Kenney |
Sarah Kennyon |
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Samuel Kenyon |
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Robert Kennyon |
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William Kenyon |
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Luke Kennyon |
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James Kennyon |
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Elizabeth Kennyon Joseph Pidcock |
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Ann Kennyon |
Elizabeth Kenyon and John Prince lived in Crich and had twelve children.
Elizabeth Kenyon John Prince |
Mary Prince James How |
Robert Prince |
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Samuel Kenyon Prince Elizabeth Howe |
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Elizabeth Prince |
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Ann Prince |
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James Prince |
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Maria Prince |
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Harriett Prince |
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Hannah Prince |
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John Prince |
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Sarah Prince |
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Thomas Prince |
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