Introducing Wibird Penhallow

The first Portsmouth City Directory appeared in 1821, published by Wibird Penhallow (1791-1867). Born in time to see George Washington arriving in 1798, Wibird was among the city’s beloved and quirky characters.

In a rare photograph, with his dour expression and stovepipe hat, the rotund Mr. Penhallow looks like he stepped out of a novel by Charles Dickens. A part-time bill collector and bookkeeper, Penhallow was best known as the man who delivered groceries door-to-door in his sky blue wooden wheelbarrow. Thomas Bailey Aldrich wrote that, “Wibird had no expression whatsoever…his vacant white face lifted to the clouds, seemingly oblivious to everything.” 
He seemed unaware that local boys often jumped into his wheelbarrow for a free ride. Wibird died in 1867 at the age of 76. Portsmouth has both a Wibird and a Penhallow street.