Last night’s episode of Who Do You Think You Are saw actor Rupert Penry-Jones eager to learn more about his Indian heritage.
Rupert was born in 1970 and he is listed below in the fully indexed birth records on findmypast.co.uk:
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Rupert began his journey by speaking to his mother, Angela Thorne. Angela was born in 1939 in Karachi, India, which was part of British India. We found Angela in our overseas birth records, as shown below.
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For the first five years of her life, Angela’s father, William Thorne, was a doctor in the army. William commanded the 29th field ambulance unit as part of the Indian Army in World War Two. William died when Rupert was 12 and he wanted to learn more about his grandfather’s time in the Indian Army.
Rupert Penry-Jones (copyright Owen Benson)
William was posted to Italy from India and was involved in the Battle of Monte Cassino in 1943, one of World War Two’s most vicious battles. Rupert’s mother told him that William never talked about his experiences in the army, so Rupert travelled to Cassino to find out more.
Rupert met a soldier who served in the battle and paid tribute to how brave William’s medical unit was. William’s unit worked on the front line, treating over 1,500 casualties with no regard for their own safety. William stayed in Italy until 1945 and returned to India where he worked until 1971.
Still with no answer as to his Indian heritage, Rupert went on to investigate his great grandfather Theophilus Thorne. Rupert visited The British Library and discovered that Theophilus was a self made man who did well for himself, despite a humble upbringing.
Theophilus was born in Somerset and joined the army as a private when he was 18, leaving behind his job as a gardener. He arrived in India in 1881 when Queen Victoria was empress of India and the British Raj was at its height. At this time in India there were plenty of opportunities for young men to prosper. Theophilus quickly rose through the army ranks to become major and he looked after ceremonial and state camps. These camps were lavish places where India’s and Britain’s elite paid homage to each other. Rupert learnt that Theophilus was part of the 1911 Delhi Durbar, a mass assembly held in Delhi to commemorate the coronation of King George V and Queen Mary as Emperor and Empress of India.
Theophilus’ army service record lists his marriage to Sarah Jane Todd in 1885 - here you can see them both on the General Register Office Index of Army Marriages in findmypast.co.uk’s armed forces marriages 1818-1994:
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Rupert discovered Sarah Jane’s baptismal record which showed her parents to be Thomas Todd and Louisa Johnstone. They got married in 1866 in South India when Louisa was just 15.
Louisa’s father, Thomas Johnstone, first went to India in 1842 where he was a sergeant in the Indian army.
Rupert travelled to India to find out once and for all if he had true Indian blood. He discovered that Thomas was stationed in Allahabad in 1857 during the uprising in India, when the Indians were rebelling against the British and their western culture. Thomas was 38 at the time and fought to calm and control the rebellion. At this time his wife Louisa and their children were in South India out of harm’s way. Rupert read some of the letters Thomas had written to Louisa which portrayed him as a loving husband and father. In 1857 Louisa received a letter from a commanding officer telling her Thomas had died after falling victim to cholera.
After tracing back six generations of his family in India, Rupert found out that Louisa’s parents were John Smith and Susannah (no surname). Rupert went to Nagpore to find out more about Susannah. Susannah’s baptism record shows her as an ‘Indo Britain’. Susannah’s and John Smith’s marriage record shows her surname as Collum.
Rupert then discovered that Susannah was baptised in June 1817 and the baptismal record showed her parents as Samuel and Elizabeth Collum. Elizabeth was born in 1816 but Rupert was unclear as to whether she was a native Indian or an Anglo-Indian.
Rupert successfully traced his mother’s line back eight generations, spanning two centuries, but never really achieved clarity around the origin of his Indian ancestry.
Looking at the Familysearch website where they found Louisa Smith baptised to John Smith and Susannah two lines under the entry for her baptism is her death record for 1836.
Their appears to be a flaw in the research
My suspicion sent me in the direction because anybody with the surname Smith or Jones has to be treated with extra caution
The surname Collum could be anglicised from Kollum, which is an Indian place name. I’m not sure how Indian surnames are formed, but perhaps some relate to where people come from. So ‘Collum’ could be further proof of Elizabeth’s Indian background.
I must admit I didn’t see the first part of the programme but was intrigued about the letters that have survived, written by Thomas to Louisa, and would like to know where they were discovered, India or England?
My gt gt uncle, John Curry DAY (1820-69), was Lt. Colonel of the 17th Madras Native Infantry, he died of dysentry at Fort St George and is buried there, so i’m also interested in where the photo of Thomas was unearthed, would love a photo of my ancestor!
Also my 3xgt uncle, James Leslie Day (1789-1838), was Major of 8th Bengal Native Infantry, and other relatives were attached to the HEICS.
The letters and photos of Thomas and Louisa Johnston are in the possession of their great, great grandchildren who live in Australia. We also have photos of Thomas and Louisa Todd. Captain Todd (according to an obitary) 1926) “was born in Liverpool;came to India aged 16; joined the 1st Madras Fusilliers;took part in the Afghan War and was in the famous march, under Lord Roberts, from Kabul to Kandahar;and after retirement took a leading role in the Indian Scout Movement starting the first Wolf Cub Pack in the world for which he was awarded the “Silver Wolf”, the highest award in Scouting.”He died 3/10/1926 in Poona where he was buried.
I feel so much happier now I uendrtsnad all this. Thanks!
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The information in this article is incorrect.
Sarah Jane Todd’s parents were Thomas Todd and Louisa Johnstone, who married 23 July 1866 when she was aged 15, NOT Thomas Johnstone and Louisa Todd.
Thomas Johnstone was Louisa’s father and as he died in 1857 he could not have been either her husband or Sarah’s father.
Louisa Johnstone’s parents were Thomas Johnstone and Louisa Smith (born 25 Feb 1832 according to her photograph)
Whether Louisa Smith was the daughter of John Smith and Susannah Collum is open to debate as the familysearch website does show a death in 1836 for a Louisa Smith, daughter of John Smith and Susannah Callum.
It’s worthy noting that in the Victorian period, if a child died it was quite common to use their first name for a subsequent child. Today we would find that concept rather appalling, but I have been amazed at what a common practice it used to be. So although a Louisa Smith died in infancy, the parents could well have given a subsequent child the same name.
I did not see the programme since I live in Sweden, but am interested in the question of family living in British India and in possible Indian ancestry. I am also a member of FIBIS, the Families in British India Society, who have done a lot of work making India Office records available online. On my mother’s side there were four generations living in India, including my mother and uncle, who grew up in India but then came “home” to England. I, too, however, have suspicions that there could be Indian blood somewhere, since photographs of my mother’s paternal grandmother lshow her facial appearance as rather Indian and my uncle has rather Indian looking eyes and swarthy skin. But I have no proof so far. Everyone in their family appeared to be Scots. Nobody has taken up the question of DNA so far in the discussion on this page, and it doesn’t look as though Rupert Penry-Jones has tried that approach either. Any comments?
My 2nd Great Grandparents died of Cholera in India and I have been unable to find any trace of them. All I know is their names and that they were in the service of the British Consule. Any suggested sources to look for them would be helpful. I checked all of the graveyards I could find online.
I have not seen the programme yet as I am on holiday, but i am interested in people with relatives in Imperial India as my wifes grandfather was Indian, his name was Jumont.Various internet searches have revealed the name to mean someone who lives between 2 of something (hills, rivers, etc.) and it appears to be of Flemish origin. The mystery deepens as his fathers name was Thomas Jumont who served in the army (British or Indian, we are not sure which).My wifes grandfather also was a sailor and at the end of his life worked on the tugs in London, from which we understand, in order to do so, you had to have family already employed on them, as it was a bit of a closed shop.
At this point point the trail peters out and we have been unable to take it any further, any suggestions would be appreciated.
I have not seen the programme as I live in Australia but I am interested in where the name Penry comes in becuase I have been following the PENERY Family name for about 20 years and try and follow up on everything I can. My wife’s maiden name was PENERY.
Penry comes from Wales. It means Son of Henry.
From the Welsh ‘ap Henry’.
Also
Price - ap Rhys - son of Rhys
Prichard - ap Richard - son of Richard
Parry - ap Harry - son of Harry
I intend watching this episode again on I-player- to glean more information about where records could be sought.
What response can one expect from writing to the local churches in India or Pakistan for a record search? Anyone try this route?
This series is particularly great. Such a huge range of backgrounds - posh to not so posh! Totally absorbing viewing.
I was born in Karachi,Pakistan in 1949 in a Nursing Home to English parents, but don’t have a birth certificate as presumably my birth was not registered. Is it possible that it may documented somewhere?
I really enjoyed Rupert’s relative’s history. My father was also at the BATTLE OF MONTE CASSINO. He was badly injured, by shrapnel injuries on his back and also shot in the skull. I am very pleased to say he survived and become a Dentist, and had 5 children! Perhaps Rupert’s Grandfather came to his aid.sadly my father passed away in 1996, I am sure he would have been very interested in the series. I was so pleased to see the film work of the area too. My father also didnot speak of the battle to us, but it was so very interesting to see the area and the enormous Fort.
I am interested in geneology myself and have found many interesting characters in our family history line! and I can get back to 1650s in Denmark. I often wonder if find my past will do some of the ‘commoners’!? sometime! I’d love to come on!!
Whilst I thoroughly enjoy these programmes, I have never heard an explanations of the cost of researching all the information, obviously the programme makers pay for researchers to do this job including obtaining copies of records, this I know from experience cost quite a lot. So I think it would only be fair to explain the costs involved to the average person trying to track his ancestors.
You know, make the most from that as you can.
No mention is made of where and when Thomas Johnstone married Louisa Smith (it isn’t on the IGI) although it was presumably before their daughter Louisa was born in 1851. If Louisa Smith was born to the same family as the Louisa who died in 1836 she would have been quite young at the time. Was the identification of Louisa as daughter of Samuel Smith and Susannah Collum purely on the basis that she was born at about the right time (in 1832). There are several Louisa Smiths born in India in that period. The one born in Madras in 1825 may be most likely from the regional point of view but there were others born in Bombay in 1827 and Calcutta in 1828. It seems that the flawed Nagpore identification was purely to try to assign the Anglo-Indian ancestry that had already been supposed.
It is very easy to solve Rupert Penry-Jones’ concerns. Just do DNA test and he will find whether he has Indian blood or not.
To Sue Humphries :
I too have English relatives born in Karachi around 1949. Have you tried checking the local church for baptism records (either catholic or anglican?). There is the Holy Trinity Cathedral (anglican) and St. Lawrence’s church (catholic) that have been around many years.
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I’m a huge fan of Match Point, which Rupert Penry Jones is in, and have been a fan of his every since the film. Interesting read about his Indian background and his family’s history.
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