Beatrice had children with three spouses:

1. Beatrice married her first husband, Laurence Taylor, on 10 January, 1903 at All Saints Church, Edmonton. She had 3 children with Laurence (Charles Taylor, Richard Taylor and Florence Emily Taylor). Beatrice and Laurence likely separated before 1910 after which Beatrice met Alfred Walker. Some time after 1911, Beatrice got back together with Laurence and had at least two more children.
   
2. Her second spouse was Alfred Walker who she had 1 known child with named Phyllis Walker, born in 1910. They were unmarried. It is not known what happened to Alfred Walker.
3. In 1916 she married William Speller who she stayed with until his death quite some time later. She was able to marry William, but not Alfred, as Laurence would have still been alive at the time she and Alfred were together, preventing a marriage from taking place. Beatrice and William had three known children: Wilfred Bonard Speller, Kathleen Speller (known as Kitty) and Cyril Speller.

Beatrice died at the age of 86 at Langthorne Hospital in Leytonstone. Her cause of death is listed as myocardial infarction (a heart attack) and arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arteries).

The informant of Beatrice’s death was her son, Wilfred Bonard Speller, who was living at 4 Tomswood Court, Mossford Lane in Barkingside.

Greenwich’s association with the Royal Family dates back to the Tudor times and the reign of Henry V. But it is not just the town of Greenwich which has Royal links in the Borough. Eltham Palace was the childhood home of Henry VIII, and Woolwich and Greenwich both have rich Naval history.

2012 will definitely be a year to remember for Greenwich. This year it plays host to several games at the Olympics, receives Royal status and will see the Cutty Sark ship finally reopened to the public.

Greenwich is at the centre of my family history, with most of my family either being born there, immigrating there or coming there for work.

After immigrating here from Italy, my great great grandfather, Luigi Gargaro, lived in Woolwich, Greenwich and then Charlton until he died. He worked in many trades but mainly as a gas stoker/furnaceman in north Greenwich.

My great great great great grandfather, Francis Jackman, joined the Royal Navy and it is very likely that is what brought the Jackmans to Greenwich around the turn of the 19th century.

From what is now Poland, my German great great grandfather left the town of Stolp to travel west-wards over Germany evenutally reaching England, where he settled in Charlton and carried on his family trade of glass blowing. His son (my great grandfather) Otto Lippert, was also born in Germany and lived in Charlton until his death 1970. He worked in the United Glass Bottle Company’s factory in North Charlton on Anchor & Hope Lane for most of his life.

My mother was born in Greenwich and so was my mother’s mother, in fact every person through my maternal line, was born in Greenwich up until 1827, when Mary Ann Dunn was born in Bristol.

I intended to write this as a long piece about Greenwich but it’s turned into mixed up notes about the area as I’ve had to do it as quickly as I can! I’m sure come my next post, I’ll have more time to write!

]]> http://gargaro.wordpress.com/2012/02/04/greenwich-becomes-a-royal-borough/feed/ 2 gargaro24 GB_London_Greenwich_1 http://gargaro.wordpress.com/2012/01/19/paula-lipperts-german-birth-certificate/ http://gargaro.wordpress.com/2012/01/19/paula-lipperts-german-birth-certificate/#comments Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:21:20 +0000 Miles http://gargaro.wordpress.com/?p=4227 ]]> Here’s the birth certificate of my great great aunt Paula Mathilde Friederike Lippert. She was born on 3 September 1898 in Stadthagen, Lower Saxony in Germany to Paul August Ferdinand Lippert and Johanna Marie Auguste Beyer.

Obtaining it was as simple as e-mailing the archives of her city of birth with details of her name and date of birth with a polite message and a little bit in German just in case! It took a few months for them to e-mail back with the certificate but it was a pleasant surprise to receive it out of the blue. I’m quite glad it didn’t arrive sooner!

As you can see, the handwriting is quite hard to read and it is written in a gothic style (blackletter). Here is a transcript and a translation of the original certificate:

Stadthagen am 5. September 1898
Vor dem unterzeichneten Standesbeamten erschien heute, der Persönlichkeit nach auf Grund der vorgelegten Heirathsurkunde anerkannt, der Glasmacher August Ferdinand Paul Lippert, wohnhaft zu Stadthagen, Lokkumerstraße 2, lutherischer Religion, und zeigte an, daß von der Ehefrau Johanna Marie Auguste Lippert, geborenen Beyer, lutherischer Religion, wohnhaft bei dem Anzeigenden, zu Stadthagen in seiner Wohnung, am dritten September des Jahres tausend acht hundert neunzig und acht vormittags um fünf und ein viertel Uhr ein Kind weiblichen Geschlechts geboren worden sei, welches die Vornamen Paula Mathilde Friederike erhalten habe.
Vorgelesen, genehmigt und unterschrieben
Paul Lippert
Der Standesbeamte.
I.V.
Heine

Stadthagen on 5 September 1898
Before the undersigned registrar there appeared today the person identified on the basis of the marriage certificate he produced as the glassmaker August Ferdinand Paul Lippert, residing at Stadthagen, Lokkumerstrasse 2, of the Lutheran confession, and registered that to his wife Johanna Marie Auguste Lippert, nee Beyer, of the Lutheran confession, residing with the registrant, at his domicile on the third of September of the year one thousand eight hundred and ninety eight at a quarter past five in the morning there was born a child of the female sex which has received the forenames Paula Mathilde Friederike.
Read, approved and signed
Paul Lippert
The Registrar
p.p.
Heine

View Larger Map

Because of a fantastic research tool which has digitised all the proceedings of the Old Bailey between 1674 and 1913, I was able to find out about the past of one of my ancestors in Blackheath.

My great great grandfather Alfred Jackman (pictured right) was born in Blackheath around 1849, he was one of at least six children of John James Jackman and Caroline Stone. When he was 18 years of age, he was accused of stealing livestock from a house named ‘Conduit Lodge’ in Blackheath Park. He stood accused at the Old Bailey on 19th August 1867.

Before Robert Malcolm Kerr, Esq.

GEORGE COSTON (16) and ALFRED JACKMAN (18), Stealing four tame chickens and four tame ducks, the property of William Brown.

MR. POLAND conducted the Prosecution.

JOHN LAWRENCE. I am gardener to Mr. Brown, of Conduit Lodge, Blackheath Park–on Saturday night, the 13th July, about ten o’clock, I saw some ducks and chickens safe on my master’s premises–I shut them in the coop, five in one lot and eight in the other–the chickens were three weeks and five days old–on the following morning I missed four out of the lot of five, and also four ducklings–a policeman came to me on the Monday morning and showed me four chickens, which I identified–I could positively swear to them–one of them had five claws on one foot and four on the other–I have not seen the ducklings since–the chickens were in Jackman’s yard–I took them away–Jackman told me they were seven weeks old, and that he had bred them.

WILLIAM LAWS (Policeman 67 R). On Sunday morning, the 14th July, about 6.30, I saw Coston with a boy named Woodley–from what took place then I took him into custody for being concerned with Woodley in stealing chickens–I took him to the station, and he told me if I went to Alfred Jackman’s house I should find some chickens and ducks that were stolen–I took the last witness and three other gardeners to the place, and found a quantity of young chickens and ducks, and out of them he identified four chickens–Jackman lives with his father–there was no appearance of any hen–I did not see Jackman until after the gardener had taken the chickens away, but on that night I was crossing the Heath just at the corner of the Park, and I met Jackman and Coston–Jackman said, “I am going after those chickens that were taken away from my place”–I went with them, and we got to the house Jackman said the four chickens were his property, and that he had hatched them–I showed them to Lawrence, Jane Thomas, and to Mrs. Lawrence, and they picked them out–they were mixed with other chickens–Coston told me that he and Jackman had been out several nights together, and that they had taken chickens from different places and sold them, and that Jackman and the others had not given him his share of the money.

COURT. Q. Did you tell Coston that what he said would be given in evidence against him? A. No.

ANN LAWRENCE. I am the wife of John Lawrence, gardener to Mr. Brown–I saw the four chickens–I am able to say that they were Mr. Brown’s property.

Witness for Jackman.

MRS. GUILLAUME. I have known Jackman nine or ten years–his general character is very good–I saw these chickens in Jackman’s house a month before Mr. Brown lost any–I saw seven in a bushel basket before the fire.

Cross-examined. Q. How came you to count the chickens? A. Mrs. Jackman showed them to me–they were very young–I saw no ducks and no hen, and no coop–they keep chickens, hens and ducks–the chickens were two or three days old when I first saw them–I said to Mrs. Jackman, “I do not think you will bring those chickens up without a mother,” and she said “Oh! yes, I have done so before.”

NOT GUILTY.

Alfred Jackman was not seen in court again it seems. His ‘friend’ George Coston was, however:

GEORGE COSTON (16) was again indicted, with WILLIAM WOODLEY (16), for stealing two tame chickens, the property of John Harvey Eugene.

THOMAS FIELD. I am a gardener in the service of John Harvey Eugene of Blackheath Park–about 7.30 on the morning of the 11th July I missed eleven chickens from the coop–they were safe at half-past eight on Wednesday night–on the following morning constable Laws showed me two chickens, and I am able to say that they are two of the eleven that were missing–I put them to the hen and they took to her.

WILLIAM LAWS (Policeman 67 R). About 6.30 a.m. on Sunday, the 14th July, I was coming up May’s Hill [sic], Greenwich–I saw Coston and Woodley together–just as they were passing I heard some chickens squeak–Woodley ran away and I after him–he threw two chickens over a wall and got away–I secured Coston and the two chickens, and afterwards took Woodley on Saturday night; he said, “Oh! can’t you let me be until Monday? I intended coming up on Monday morning”–I showed the chickens to Mr. Fields and Mr. Chamon.

PHILIP CHAMON. I am in the service of Mr. Harvey Eugene–the two chickens were brought to me, and I identified them as two of the eleven that were missing.

The Prisoners’ Statements before the Magistrate:–Coston said, “I found them in a field.” Woodley said, “The boy Crowle went in and drove the ducks out, and the fowls I found in a field.”

NOT GUILTY.

Luigi’s first child, Dominic Gargaro, was born in May 1880 in Bermondsey and a year later during the 1881 census, the family were living in Woolwich. Apart from Dominic’s birth certificate, the 1881 census record was the first record of Luigi in the United Kingdom. He lists his occupation as a musician, which was common for many young Italian immigrants in London who turned to busking and performing magic tricks on the street to earn a living. Living with Luigi and his family during 1881 are three Italian boarders. Two are also musicians and one is a refreshment hawker.

In 1883 they had a second son, Lewis Richard Arthur Gargaro, and a year later, Charles Michael Gargaro. In 1888, Elizabeth and Luigi had a baby girl named May Beatrice Grace Elizabeth Gargaro, who sadly died later that year.

On the 1891 census, Luigi, Elizabeth, and the their three sons are living at 33 Conley Street in Greenwich. Within the next two years (1891 to 1893) however, things don’t seem to go very well for the couple. In September 1893, Luigi marries (as a bachelor) a lady named Frances ‘Annie’ Smith, at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene, Southwark.

Frances died just over a month after getting married to Luigi, at the age of 32. I won’t know how she died until her death certificate is purchased. Her death must have happened at an exceptionally bad time for Luigi, who would have recently paid for their marriage and now for her funeral – aside from normal expenses such as looking after his three young boys. Frances was buried in a common grave at Charlton Cemetery (several metres from the plot where Luigi was buried 26 years later).

Less than 6 months after Frances’ untimely death, and less than 7 months after previously getting married, Luigi marries for a second time. This time (as a widower) to Emma Louisa Watson-Bates, a spinster, 7 years his junior. She was living at 110 Peckham Park Road at the time of marriage.

Whilst thinking about Elizabeth Farley, my first thought was that she must have died, leaving Luigi to care for the three sons. But after a bit of research, I noticed that there were no Elizabeth Farley or Elizabeth Gargaro death records anywhere to be seen which would fit the dates. Then, when I posted a question about the mysterious Elizabeth, somebody managed to find another Elizabeth Farley living with another family in a neighbouring town with her birth place listed as the same small village in Devon – Monkleigh. I now believe that Elizabeth must have left the relationship and did not have any contact with her children. Although it’s unlikely that I’ll find out what happened, I plan to research as much as I can.

Luigi had a further nine children with Emma Louisa Watson-Bates, three of whom died as infants. His youngest child, Edwin Alfred Gargaro, was born in 1910 when Luigi was in his early-50s. By the time of the 1911 census, Luigi and Emma were living with their six living children at 749 Woolwich Road, Charlton. Luigi is working as a furnace man at “Charlton Paint Works” a factory near the River Thames which was run by The Silicate Paint Company.

Luigi died in 1920 around the age of 62. He was laid to rest at Charlton Cemetery, and eight years later, he was joined by his wife, Emma Louisa Gargaro who was buried with him.

Paul August Ferdinand Lippert was born around 1867 in Stolp, a city in the region of Pomerania, formerly part of Germany but now part of Poland. I have only recently discovered his name and place of birth, so very little is still known of him.

What I do know is that he slowly migrated westward over the course of his lifetime, eventually ending up in London, where he died under difficult circumstances which I will try to explain.

He was a glass-blower by profession, as were his two sons, Paul and Otto. It is highly likely that the family stayed in this occupation for generations before him, as glass-making in Germany was a trade which was usually passed down from father to son and hard to get into if you were not part of a glass-making family.

Paul married a lady named Johanna Marie Auguste Beyer. As I do not know where or when this marriage would have taken place I can’t expect to find a record for it until the time comes when German civil records start to get the same online treatment as those from the United Kingdom and the United States. However my first guess for a marriage record between them would be in the place of birth of their first child.

By the time he was aged about 29, Paul and his wife had their first [known] child, Otto Wilhelm Lippert, in Altona – now a district of Hamburg – in 1896. Two years later, Paula Mathilde Friederike Lippert is born in Stadthagen, a town in Lower Saxony in 1898. They don’t seem to stick around for very long as by 1900, Johanna gives birth to Paul Lippert, Jr., their last [known] child, in Hörstel in North Rhine-Westphalia.

Between 1900 and 1911 the family make what was probably the biggest change of their lives so far and move to London. The exact year they arrived isn’t clear, but I should be able to narrow it down in the future by buying several birth and death certificates for a couple of Lipperts in Woolwich and West Ham which are listed on the General Register Office’s birth, marriage and death index registers.

It is not known whether or not Johanna travelled with Paul to London, but I believe she did. Paul was a widower by 1911, leaving the three young children without a mother. This probably became a strain upon the father, looking after three children in a foreign country whilst working to clothe and feed them.

In 1908, there is a death record [which I plan to purchase after Christmas] for a Johanna Lippert aged 35 years-old in the district of Woolwich (which included North Woolwich on the other side of the River Thames).

When the 1911 census was taken, Paul and his three children are living at 3 Kent Cottages on Dock Street in North Woolwich. This could tie-in with the Johanna Lippert death record as mentioned.

Their next residence is 12 Siemens Road – a street in Charlton which was named after the German company, who had a factory in the area manufacturing telegraphic cables and other equipment. They would have moved here sometime between 1911 and the beginning of the Great War in 1914. The war would have a huge impact on the family.

Along with all other Germans residing in the United Kingdom, the Lippert family were subject to tribunals which would determine whether they would be deported or be sent to intern camps around the country. As he was of military age, Paul was sent to be interned at Alexandra Palace near Wood Green in North London. He might also have been interned previously at the Knockaloe Camp on the Isle of Man before being sent to Alexandra Palace. It was very common to be sent from place to place for various reasons. Some men who had lived in London for a while were sent to camps which were closer to ‘home’, but there may not have been space at the time. Unfortunately there are no surviving records of internees at these camps.

It is not known what happened to Paul’s three children during this time. Otto Lippert would have just turned 18 around the time of these procedures against Germans, so it could have been very likely that Otto was sent to a concentration camp too. This raises questions about who was looking after the other two children, Paul and Paula, who would have been 14 and 16.

There is the possibility that Otto joined the British Army. The 30th and 31st Battalions of the Middlesex Regiment were formed as labour battalions for those of enemy alien origin in the United Kingdom. I am unable to find any record for Otto such as a medal card on The National Archives website, but there is the possibility of him using an alias such as William or something entirely different.

Two years into the First World War, tragedy strikes the family when Paul August Ferdinand Lippert dies at Alexandra Palace of a 5-day-long brain hemorrhage. Part of me feels that he would have been alive had it not been for his internment. The inmates’ hardships are documented in a notebook written by a German doctor who was interned there. Their diets were restricted to a very small amount of food and the same buckets used for cleaning were used to serve their food. I also feel that as the anti-German feeling was so high in England at the time (Germans were subject to endless attacks for being German)  that they were no doubt treated with contempt by the officers of the camp grounds.

Several Germans were known to have committed suicide during their internment at Alexandra Palace. In total, 51 of them died during this period of different causes. Their bodies were transferred to the Great Northern Cemetery in New Southgate (now called New Southgate Cemetery) where they were buried in public graves in a section of the cemetery near the entrance. There is a memorial which was placed by the British Government after the war to list those 51 men. It reads, in German:

“Hier ruhen die genannten 51 deutschen Maenner die waehrend des Weltkrieges in Zivilgefangenschaft gestorben sind.” (Here rest in God the named 51 German men who died during the World War in civil imprisonment.)

With more than a year until the war was to end and eight months after his father’s death, in February 1917, Otto married Phoebe Violet Mogridge in Canning Town. His address is still listed as 12 Siemens Road, Charlton.

There is still so much more to find about Otto, Paul and Paula’s early lives. I am planning visiting Greenwich Local History Centre, The National Archives, Newham Archives & Local Studies Library and the London Metropolitan Archives for more information before ultimately taking a trip to Germany and Poland to see the home of the Lipperts for myself.