I’ve supported Liverpool FC for as long as I can remember. It was more than just football - it was a thread I could hold onto. One of the only things I knew about my dad was that my Gran came from Liverpool. So following the team always felt like a quiet way of staying connected to a family I’d never fully known.
A number of years ago, I bought a match programme for a Liverpool vs. Hearts game on eBay. Just something small - a bit of memorabilia. But instead of the usual envelope arriving a few days later, I got a refund notification and a message I’ll never forget:
“I’ve refunded the programme and sent it to you with some extras. It’s the least I can do after all of these years. Dad.”
That single moment opened a door I never expected - one that led me to connect with my Dad and his side of the family, to discover my Gran’s roots in Bootle, and to trace a lineage reaching all the way to the centuries-old walls of Muncaster Castle and a legacy older than the Norman Conquest.
My Gran was born in Bootle, a tough but proud part of north Liverpool shaped by shipbuilding, docks, and a strong working-class spirit. Her grandparents were John Henry Pennington - English - and Margaret Anne Monaghan, who was of Irish descent. I’ve seen their faces thanks to old photos shared by relatives who still live in Liverpool. And as I dug deeper, I started to uncover something remarkable.
The Pennington family of Bootle were builders by trade. They weren’t just laying bricks - they were shaping the skyline. They built the Muncaster Arms Hotel, the Royal Muncaster Theatre, and the Metropole Theatre. Their work helped define the area during a period of growth and resilience. But it was a crest on the front of the Muncaster Arms Hotel that pulled me further in.
The Latin motto on the crest read “Vincit amor patriae” - “The love of country prevails.” At first, I thought it might just be decorative. But I quickly discovered it wasn’t random at all. That motto belongs to the Penningtons of Muncaster Castle - a family still living in Ravenglass, Cumberland, with a history stretching back over a thousand years.
The Penningtons were already powerful before 1066. They stayed rooted at Muncaster Castle through centuries of English history - enduring wars, plagues, and revolutions. Family legend says they sheltered King Henry VI during the Wars of the Roses, and in gratitude, he gifted Sir John Pennington the Luck of Muncaster - a glass cup believed to guarantee good fortune for the family, as long as it remains unbroken.
Then I looked again at my great-grandfather’s name: John Henry Pennington.
John - after Sir John Pennington, who gave shelter to a king.
Henry - after the King he protected.
A name isn’t always just a name.
It can carry a legacy - silent, powerful, and waiting to be uncovered.
A story passed down through generations, from Muncaster to Bootle.
And now, to me.