german tailor

[ann.pitts]

where can i find any archives on tailors in london around 1860 onwards.
i believe an ancestor of mine was a tailor in shoreditch london.
becker

[pipsqueak]

Have you looked him up on the census of 1861 or 1871? That would tell you his occupation.

[Peter Goodey]

BMD certificates, census (mentioned above), trade directories.

[DONNAMCKENZIE]

What were their names? I have Becker family in Shoreditch also. Mine were cabinet makers and lived Cavendish Street.

[ann.pitts]

hello
well im not all that clear otto, dorothea are two names can i send you a person message
ann

[ann.pitts]

fritz frederick becker and daughter wilhelmina becker are the names i am searching as well
ann

[Vossy]

Hi

Have you tried the Anglo German Family History society. They have some records from the German Lutheran church in Alie Street, Whitechapel. Well worth joining. My great grandad was August Albert Franz VOSS(Franz) who had his own tailors business at his address in Chambers Street Whitechapel. That whole area was inhabited by Germans in about 1890-1910. Franz became a naturalised British subject in 1912 just before the First Word War when most Germans in the UK were put in prison camps for the duration of the war.

Vossy

[DONNAMCKENZIE]

I didn't know that most Germans were put in Prison camps in the UK. This migt sound a silly question,but if they were a nationalized German before the wat then they wouldn't be included. I knew the anti German feeling was bad ,but not to that extent.

No wonder my gran was disowned by her family in 1920 for taking up with a half German George Becker a man twice her age. A real kick in the teeth for her mother was that she never married him ,but had 5 children by him.I suspect he was already married and lead a double life.

Her mother probably lost brothers in WW1 so probably quite understandable at the time.

Thanks for the info Vossy

[Penny Gallo]

This really came to the fore after the sinking of the Lusitania http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/worldwarone/hq/hfront3_01.shtml and anyone with a German accent or name in working class areas could expect to get some trouble. Here in Nottingham, their windows were broken. My great grandfather had naturalized about 30 years before, so didn't get interned (this was mainly on the Isle of Man)http://www.gov.im/mnh/heritage/library/bibliographies/internment.xml
Other Germans who had not naturalized were actually sent back, and this continued after the War ended. Some of the papers are still under wraps at the National Archives.

I'll try and have a look for your Beckers now. As has been said above (when shall I learn to do the BG quotations mechanism?) the Anglo-German Family History Society are enormously helpful with a lot of concentrated resources. http://www.agfhs.org.uk/xxx Penny

[Penny Gallo]

I've found two possible Wilhelmina Becker-s on census records.

1881 Wilhelmina Becker, aged 23 (ie born c 1858) employed as a Children's Maid in the house of a French-born lady, Isabel O Lucas at 11 Westbourne Terrace. Wilhelmina is stated as being born in Prussia.

or 1901 Wilhelmina Becker aged 25 (so born c 1876), employed as a milliner and living at the house headed by a Peter Eid, together with his son and various other boarders. This time her birthplace is just "Germany".

There are also several marriages, including one throwing up a third Wilhelmina Becker. In 1913 a Wilhelmina J Becker married a Stephen A Pauen (another German name, ie) at Southwark (1d 222).

Any of these likely to be your relly? xxx Penny

[DONNAMCKENZIE]

This is nothing to do with my family history directly,but I have found this subject quite fasinating. Thanks for the links Penny. I have been on them all.

[ann.pitts]

penny
i did join aghs for a year they helped with me with address for germany.
all the census i have is that wilhelmina was born in germany.after a long time of searching i discovered a wilhelmina becker born in 1862 in whitechapel ? is she mine.i did send for the cert the mother is dorothea weil and fahter oeke ? tailor dorothea is a family name of the beckers
i know of wilhelmina on census with her husband and family not really sure before that which one she is i have one working in lewisham as a servant for a german family ? possible any of them
she married in 1887
i am now considering whether to rejoin aghs to see if there can search anything they have in london on the beckers i know here father is fritz.
her father was a foreman in the clothing trade i know little else of them
of their origin
ann

[Penny Gallo]

Might be useful to get a big piece of paper and start sketching out a family tree. Put in the info that you are CERTAIN of (ie have documentary evidence in form of copy certificates or people you remember), together with any dates and addresses. Sketch in pencil anything that MIGHT apply. It can be really difficult as immigrants in particular could move about so much. If you work backwards from the relatives you remember yourself, and gradually - hopefully - you will start to get some clues: it may be some Wilhelminas are simply too young or too old to be yours. It all sounds fascinating, so I hope you can get to the bottom of this!

Yes, Donna, I tend to read most threads because as you say, the historical facts and links that crop up are fascinating. Much better than most of the stuff on the telly!

[ann.pitts]

penny thankyou.i do know of my familytree, wilhelmina is the only german, one of her children has dorothea as a name
i will still continue to search