Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019 £3.50 - Anglo-German Family History Society
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Summer 2019 £3.50
Mitteilungsblatt 123
Founded 1987
A MUTUAL
SELF-HELP GROUP
Blatt 123 COV 2nd proof.indd 1 25/4/19 17:54:02ANGLO-GERMAN FAMILY HISTORY SOCIETY
www.agfhs.org
Mobile Telephone No. (meeting days only) – 07879 718009
The Society’s online bookshop is at www.genfair.com
Founder Programme Organiser
Roy Bernard Ann Sternberg Gilmore
asgilmore@btinternet.com
Vice-President Address as above
Jenny Towey BA
4 Channel Heights Membership Secretary and
Bleadon Hill Membership Directory Search Service
Weston-super-Mare/Somerset Mrs Betty Anderson
BS24 9LX 15 Cromer Road
Tel: 01934 248399 Southend-on-Sea
jenny@towey.me.uk Essex SS1 2DU
iandbanderson@btinternet.com
Vice-President
Peter Towey BA (Hons) DipGen Minutes Secretary
peter@towey.me.uk Mrs Sue Neale
Address and telephone no. as above 6 South View Gardens
Andover
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS Hants SP10 2AG
Chairperson susan_ann_neale@hotmail.co.uk
Noële Barnfield
258 Hanworth Road, Hounslow Publicity Officer
Middlesex TW3 3TY Mrs Eluned Eidmans BA (Hons)
nbarnfield@yahoo.com Tresco, 26 Haddon Way
Carlyon Bay
Secretary/Regional Meetings St Austell, Cornwall PL25 3QG
Co-ordinator eeidmans@hotmail.com
Gwen Davis BA (Hons)
2 Monterey Park Website Editor
Rowantree Road website@agfhs.org
Newton Abbot, Devon TQ12 4BZ
Gwen@trongo.plus.com
Treasurer
Jeremy Gilmore
31 Danebury Walk
Frimley, Camberley, Surrey GU16 8XU
jgilmore@btinternet.com
SEE ALSO INSIDE BACK COVER
Blatt 123 COV 2nd proof.indd 2 25/4/19 17:54:02Editorial Contents
First of all we must thank our Website R E GU LARS
Manager, Jeremy Gilmore, for overseeing Gwen's Notes 2
the update of our editorial website. After
extensive testing this is now working Local Meetings 2, 5
very well and makes us more efficient
in processing your contributions. In Society Meetings 3
particular, we are now hoping to be able
Book & CD Review 9
to handle more illustrations than was
the case in the past. Membership Information 9
To enable us to deal with your
contributions more efficiently it would be Names of Interest 10
appreciated if you send letters and
articles which you wish to be published Subjects of Interest 10
as a word attachment rather than in the Society Bookshop 17
body of the e-mail. This is particularly
important if you are including links to a Feedback 21
website, since transmission errors often
arise when transferring your material from Recipe 33
an e-mail. Can You Help? 36
We are looking forward to receiving
your contributions. Please send to:
agfhsedit@gmail.com A rticles
There is no recommended length – your Internment in South Africa during
contributions can be long or short. WWII: Hugo Albert Dittrich 5
Please note that, however short your
contribution, it will be more swiftly Polish Immigrant Ancestors 8
processed if it is sent as a Word Johann Bernhardt Pfeil 11
attachment. Text sent in the body of the
e-mail will take longer to deal with. Finding Bullwinkle 13
Typed or hand-written contributions
can, of course, still be sent in. Please The Steigenberger Family and
send in duplicate, enclosing SAE if Berger Paints 24
acknowledgement required, to: The German Church in Brighton,
agfhs edit, c/o 55 Evesham Rd, Sussex 28
London N11 2RR
German War Graves at Langemark,
Flanders 33
Your Editorial Team
Front cover: Wreath of oak leaves,
German War Cemetery, Langemark,
Flanders (see article on pp. 33-36).
ISSN 0954-3457
Articles in this journal may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the
Author or Committee. The Society does not accept any responsibility for the views expressed in any of
the articles in this publication.
© 2019 – Published in England by Anglo-German Family History Society Publications
Design/origination by Rochart and printed by The Print Republic
AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019 1
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 1 25/4/19 17:50:02Gwen’s Notes
I'll start these notes with some comments about Victorian London from a
German journalist, Max SCHLESINGER on his visit in 1853. He was
unimpressed by being “surrounded by dirty streets, lanes, courts and
alleys”. He claimed to be in danger from “ being run over or tossed up by
drivers and beasts”. At night perils included the fact that “rapine and murder
prowl in the lane and alleys”. In fact given he reported his views in Germany
isn't it amazing so many of our ancestors came over to London at all?
The Liverpool Family Historian had an interesting article about one
member's ancestor. Part of his story is about him lodging with a Theresa KLEIN
in Daulby Street, Liverpool. Theresa was the daughter of Laura and Lehmann
Klein. I can send on the full article for 2nd class stamps and a sae.
“Discover Your Ancestors” has an article on celebrity families. Apparently
the actor Tom Hiddleston, (of Night Manager fame), has German ancestry
through the SERVAES family of Germany.
Finally I have an article from an old copy of Family Tree Magazine entitled
“When the Germans Invaded London” which gives background on German
emigration during the nineteenth century. Articles as above. It is by an
AGFHS member Janet Harris.
Gwen Davis, member 15
Local meetings
I would like to encourage members to consider whether they could
organise a meeting of the AGFHS local to them. It can be very
rewarding and I know from personal experience that people really
enjoy local get-togethers. The society can help in various ways,
perhaps by providing speakers, so please do contact me for more
information.
One meeting has already been arranged. Jenny and Peter Towey
are inviting members and friends to their home in Western-super-
Mare 5 Oct 2019. For more details see item later in the Blatt.
Gwen Davis, member 15
2 AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 2 25/4/19 17:50:02Society Meetings
Meetings are held on the second Fis(c)her, Mead, Krause and
Saturday of alternate months (unless Bangerter but you will need to attend
otherwise notified) – February, April, the meeting yourself to hear more
June, August, October and December, about Chris’s interesting German
in the King’s Cross Methodist Church ancestors as he was reluctant to
Hall in Crestfield Street, WC1, directly give away much more of the story in
opposite King’s Cross Main Line rail advance, apart from having
station (please see map on the back descended from at least one rogue!
page). The hall is open from 12.30pm 12 October 2019
to 5pm.
1.30pm – German Immigration – Sue
8 June 2019 Gibbons, member and retired
1.30pm – AGM librarian at the Society of
3.30pm – WW1 POW Camps in Britain: Genealogists in London
An Update on German, Swiss and UK In Sue’s years of working at the SoG
Archival Materials – Colin Chapman she has acquired enormous
Colin will update us on his research knowledge of sources on German
on this subject and share his immigration and about sources for
experiences of, and the documents researching your German ancestors.
available in, some of the archives he 3.30pm – TBA
has used in the last year or two in 14 December 2019
Europe and the UK.
5 - 8pm – Summer Social – Please 1.30pm – ‘Dear Pastor, I will be arriving
contact Nöele Barnfield to book at Liverpool Street Station on 11th
your place. Those who attend enjoy January…’: The Help Given to
a good meal, the chance to get to Women by Women in the 1930s –
know other members a bit better Anette Jäger, historian
and take part in a fun quiz. For several years Anette has been
researching the stories of Christian
10 August 2019 refugees of Jewish descent. This
1.30pm – Travels in Search of Archives: second talk on her research is a
Chasing My Baltic Trader Across the compelling follow up to her first talk
Globe – Irene Cowan, member and focuses on the role of women in
We heard part of this story a decade bringing refugees to London in the
ago and it was fascinating. If 1930s. A main source for her talk is
possible, don’t miss this talk. information in letters found in the
3.30pm – A Victorian ‘Catch me if you archives of St George’s German
can!’ – The Strange Tale of Martin Lutheran Church in Alie Street in the
Georg Adolphus Konrad Meyer (a East End of London.
Reluctant Shoemaker) and other 3.30pm – Queen Victoria Seaman’s
German Ancestors – Christopher Rest, East India Dock Road and the
Rawlins, member German’s Seaman’s Mission in
(Please note that this talk was Tilbury Docks – Revd Cameron
originally scheduled for the June Kirkwood and Revd Mark Moeller,
meeting.) The story also includes a Pastors
second Shoemaker and at least one This talk about another aspect of life
Clockmaker and the surnames of in London’s East End was given at St
AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019 3
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 3 25/4/19 17:50:03George’s German Lutheran Church e-mailing me or it may be mistakenly
last November and I am delighted to deleted as spam. If you have
have them give the talk for us. contacted me and had no reply, your
5 - 8pm – Christmas Social – Please message may have gone astray and I
contact Nöele Barnfield to book can only apologise, so please try
your place. again. If you would like help putting
your illustrations into a Powerpoint
Please let me know if there are any Presentation, that can be arranged.
topics or speakers which you would We also have a traditional slide
like to have at a future meeting, and I projector, an overhead projector, and a
will try to oblige. Thanks to those who laser pointer available.
have already suggested speakers. If
you would like to tell us about Finally, ‘Thank You!’ to all those
researching your German-speaking members who have generously
ancestors (or some aspect of social volunteered to give a talk for us.
history) in a short or a full-length talk,
please contact me through my details Ann Sternberg Gilmore, Programme
inside the front cover. Your subject Organiser
line should include ‘AGFHS’ when
Christmas Social 14th December 2019
There will be a Christmas social as usual after the Society Meeting on
14 December.
Details will be put on the website nearer the time, and they will also
appear in the Autumn edition of the Blatt.
Noële Barnfield, Chair Person
Future Family History Fairs
Peter and Jenny Towey are organising for our stand to be at just one more
Family History Fair this year and are then hanging up their hats.
VOLUNTEERS FOR FUTURE FAIRS NEEDED
If you would like to book, organise volunteers and take the boxes of books
to future fairs then we will come along, with the Name Index (and our
hats!), and talk to customers. Do let Jenny or Peter know if you are
interested in taking on this role.
jenny@towey.me.uk
4 AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 4 25/4/19 17:50:03Regional meeting
5th October, 2019
Weston-super-Mare, N Somerset
On Saturday, 5th October, Jenny and Peter Towey are hosting a regional meeting
at their home in Weston-super-Mare. We will be “open” from 11am to 5pm – so
you can arrive/leave any time between those hours. Cheese and biscuits will be
provided for lunch (but do bring your own lunch if you prefer).
The Names Index, reference books and the Society shop will all be available.
You are welcome to come along to ask questions, chat about German FH or FH
in general or to ask others how they did their research.
Our address details are on the inside front and rear covers of the Blatt: do
park in the drive if space available.
Jenny Towey, Vice-President
Internment in South Africa during
WWII: Hugo Albert Dittrich
H
ugo Albert DITTRICH was born on 26 June 1904 in
Meerane, a town which lies midway between the towns of
Altenburg and Zwickau, west of Chemnitz. To the best of my
knowledge his parents continued to live in Meerane until they died.
He had a younger sister but neither I nor any of my siblings ever met
any member of his immediate family.
He was a compositor by trade and but do remember being told by
immigrated to South Africa in 1929. mother that daddy gone ‘up north’ –
He and my mother married in 1930 an expression used in South Africa to
and my eldest sister Margot and elder explain that members of the South
brother Bill were born in 1931 and 1933 African military forces had gone to
respectively. I was born in 1935 and I North Africa to join the hostilities in
have two younger siblings, both that part of the continent. Whilst not
sisters, who were born in 1938 and strictly applicable in my father’s case,
1942. I guess the explanation was given to
At the outbreak of hostilities in avoid any suggestion that he was
1939 I was just four years old and our being arrested. On being given this
family was resident in information by my mother,
Pietermaritzburg. I have no first-hand notwithstanding that he had already
recollection of my father being taken left the family home, I do recall
away by the South African authorities waving goodbye to an already non-
AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019 5
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 5 25/4/19 17:50:03existent figure leaving our home. I godparents who also lived in
believe this was likely to have taken Pietermaritzburg and I was
place in December 1939. despatched to Durban to spend the
Dad’s internment was on the next two to three years living with my
grounds that he was an enemy alien maternal grandparents.
and, besides being an avid stamp After several appeals by my
collector, he was a philatelist mother, who was aided by a German-
indulging in a trading network with a South African friendship association
wide selection of similarly interested (of which I have no details), the
persons. He maintained that it was authorities relented and Dad was
his wide circle of fellow stamp released from internment in early
collectors (many of whom were of 1942 and he began a round of
German origin) that led the attempts to secure employment. In
authorities to suspect that he was Pietermaritzburg, the capital of Natal
engaging in some form of activity Province, this proved a most testing
prejudicial to the well-being of South time. Natal was at that time, and
African interests, given that the indeed for a good many years
country was supportive of British afterwards, regarded by many South
involvement in the prevailing Africans as “the last outpost of the
hostilities. British Empire”. Not a good time for a
His internment was at a camp in German to be seeking employment in
Baviaanspoort in the Transvaal that neck of the woods.
Province of South Africa. His lack of success in the
I have virtually no knowledge of employment field in Natal resulted in
conditions at Baviaanspoort and have him moving to Johannesburg where
not been successful in tracing any he successfully landed a position with
details of an internment camp there. an Afrikaans language newspaper Die
His departure created an Transvaler. About three months later
understandable host of problems for he secured a better job, this time in
my mother and her brood of three Bloemfontein and once again it was
young children. She was a maths with an Afrikaans language
teacher at a prominent school in newspaper Die Volksblad Koerant. He
Pietermaritzburg and she was was by all accounts held in high
allocated a small flat in the school esteem in his trade and, considering
grounds which she moved into with his mother tongue was German and
my eldest sister, Margot, then just the fact that our home language was
eight years old. Margot had been English, it is all the more to his credit
allocated a place in the school junior that he landed these jobs with
to my mother’s school, which was Afrikaans language papers at such a
located in close proximity to its higher tricky time.
companion school. Brother Bill, who However, I believe it was 1943
was a day scholar at Christian before the whole family got together
Brothers College, was sent to live with
6 AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 6 25/4/19 17:50:03again and we came to live in and, after several short-term periods
Johannesburg. of being apart, they eventually parted
Being a German national still company for good in the late 1940’s
presented my father with problems of and divorced a few years later. I saw
a social nature after his release from my father for the last time in the mid-
internment and as a consequence he 1950s. He returned to Europe, married
rarely spoke German and we, as a lady of Swiss origin and died in
children, were provided with little about 1956.
opportunity to learn the language. It is interesting to speculate on the
Inevitably, however, along with my fact that during my lifetime he was
siblings, we did pick up smatterings of always known as Jimmy. According to
German which in my case was to my mother, it seems at an early stage
prove of considerable assistance when of his working life in South Africa,
I was sent by my employer at the probably in his first job, that in his
grand old age of 23 to spend six firm there were men who had the
months in the Hamburg office of the same names as my father’s two
company. The only problem was that forenames – one was called Hugo and
all the permanent members of staff another named Albert. Quite a
were German nationals and they were coincidence. So he was given the
always trying to improve their nickname of Jimmy. Why Jimmy? I
English. It can be seen that certain can’t say but it is interesting to note
barriers still existed for me in this that I have no recollection of my
direction but I am happy to believe mother ever addressing him as either
that my spoken German has stood me Hugo or Albert; she generally
good stead over the years. However, I addressed him as James or Jimmy and
must admit that my wife generally introduced him to others as James –
refers to my spoken German as very English indeed!
Kneiperdeutsch.
Regrettably by about 1950 relations John Dittrich, member 5389
between my parents had deteriorated
Calling All Overseas Members
I would like to hear from overseas members about their research into
their German ancestry. You may remember that a few years ago,
Jeanette Spence our late former Secretary, appealed for information
and the resultant articles were very interesting. What research have
you done and do you have any unusual sources for German material?
If you responded before perhaps you can send an update. Please
contact me by email or letter – details on the inside cover of the 'Blatt.
Gwen Davis, member 15
AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019 7
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 7 25/4/19 17:50:03Polish Immigrant Ancestors?
In the Society of Genealogists’ September newsletter there were five tips
for researching Polish immigrants to England:
1 In the SoG library are records compiled by Antoni and Stella
Szachnowski, members of the Catholic FHS. Polish Subsistence includes
returns of Polish refugees receiving assistance from a Parliamentary
Grant, between 1838 and 1841. Polish Genealogy covers a diverse
range of records listing Polish immigrants. These include register entries
of the Chapel of the Virgin Mary of Czestochowa, baptisms from St Peter
Apostulate, electoral rolls for St Pancras (1891), Lambeth (1891), St
Marylebone (1892) and Westminster Borough (1908); plus entries from
the 1841 census of Portsea, Hants, the Polish Refugee Hospital and
naturalisation records. A (part) index is available on SoG Data Online.
2 Research Poland’s history – especially your ancestor’s region (if known).
Try to establish the name of the town or village of origin as names
changed over time. The following website http://www.polishroots.org
provides background information, history, contact details and advice
about how to make enquiries for records held in Poland.
3 Check immigration records as your family may have arrived here via
another country, such as Germany. The Ancestry site has some German
ships’ passenger lists but remember to think laterally with name
spelling.
4 The Jewish Gen website has useful resources for finding Ashkenazi
Jews. It has a useful link for identifying place names:
www.jewishgen.org/ShtetlSeeker. Jewish congregations in Poland were
required to retain birth, marriage and burial registers.
5 Before 1874, when Poland began civil registration, the baptism, marriage
and burial registers were maintained by Catholic and Protestant
churches. You can discover the location of both church and civil records
by searching a database on the Polish State Archives website www.
archiwa.gov.pl. Those parts of Belarus and Ukraine which were in
Poland are held in those respective countries. For most recent records
contact the consular division of the Embassy of Poland
http://www.london.mfa.gov.pl/en/.
With many thanks to Tim Lawrence and Emma Jolly of the SoG.
Jenny Towey, Vice-President
8 AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 8 25/4/19 17:50:03Friend or Foe?
The fascinating story of women’s internment during
WWII in Port Erin and Port St Mary, Isle of Man
By members of Rushen Internment Camp Heritage Action Team
Published in 2018, ISBN 978-0-9932914-4-9, £18.95, pp256
This is the story of Rushen Internment Camp – in the villages of Port Erin and
Port St Mary on the Isle of Man – which was the only internment camp for
women and married couples (and their children) in Europe in WWII.
Written in a relaxed and easy to read, yet informative, style – despite
having seven authors. An interesting and valuable contribution to the
internment story.
Jenny Towey, Vice-President
Membership Information
Deceased
1747 Mrs Rosamund Lodge, 3 Suffolk Court, Brandon, Suffolk, IP27 0GY
4796 Mr Robert W Downes, 63 Hawks Way, Ashford, Kent, TN23 5UW
Change of address
0048 Mrs Lily Stone, c/o 82 Myddleton Avenue, London, N4 2FH
0732 Mrs Barbara Freake, 55 Lode Close, Soham, Cambridgeshire, CB7 5HR
1254 Ms Christine Chambers, 4 Tenby Close, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN3 1LN
5239 Mr Michael Austin, 9 Silky Oak Rise, Kew, New South Wales 2439,
Australia
5396 Mrs Madeleine Mills, 14 Hoy Crescent, Ifield, Crawley, West Sussex,
RH11 0GG
Welcome to the following new members
5494 Mrs Patricia Williams, Flat 2, Restway Court, Danescourt Way, Llandaff,
Cardiff, CF5 2SF
5495 Mrs Shirley Lloyd, 2 Sunview Rise, Bouvard, Western Australia 6211,
Australia
AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019 9
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 9 25/4/19 17:50:045496 Mr Rory McGregor, 25 St Mary’s Mansions, St Mary’s Terrace, London,
W2 1SQ
5497 Mrs Christine Williams, 2 Kinveachy Gardens, Charlton, London, SE7
8ED
5498 Mrs Barbara J Wood, 3 Akera Close, Hillarys, Western Australia 6025,
Australia
5499 Mr John Holsgrove, 56 Monnow Road, London, SE1 5RQ
Names of Interest
DRAESEKE London 1760-1820/Jamaica 1760-1820/
Canada 1820-1860 5496
FICKEN Hannover Bierdem Prussia/Limehouse
Bromley/Essex 5498
HOLTZGRAFE London/Devon 5499
HOLZGRAFE London/Devon 5499
HOLZGRAVE London/Devon 5499
HOLZGREFE London/Devon 5499
LA ROCHE Hollenbach 1821-1897 5495
LEMMER Frankfurt /Jersey Channel Islands/ Cardiff 5494
WALTER Antigua British West Indies 1760-1820 5496
ZIPFLEGER Middlesex Whitechapel 5497
Subjects of Interest
Business and Occupations People, Places and Populations
Sugar bakers – refinery London Whitechapel as a place of arrival
1846 5498 for German immigrants
1780-1800 5497
The 1910-1915 Lloyd George Domesday Survey
This survey was created after the written annotations. The
1910 Finance Act: it was designed Genealogist also has the
to produce a tax on property. The complementary Field Books that
unique combination of maps and provide researchers with detailed
residential data is held at The information regarding the valuation
National Archives, at Kew, but is of each property, the owner, the
being digitised by The Genealogist occupier, the size and address.
(a subscription website).
The maps are large scale and Jenny Towey, Vice-President
exceptionally detailed, with hand-
10 AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 10 25/4/19 17:50:04Johann Bernhardt Pfeil (1685-1716)
I
t is of immense interest to me that my 6x great grandfather is
fairly well documented in his career at the Residence of the
Prince of Hesse in the small mediaeval fortified city of Butzbach.
The German PFEIL family came Godfather to Leopold Heinrich, who
from a long lineage of devout was named after him. When the
Lutherans living in Butzbach. The Baron passed away in 1730 Bernhard
Church records of St Mark’s Lutheran Pfeil became Hofmeister to Prince
Church go back to our patriarch of Heinrich of Hesse. It seems that
the family tree – my 11x great Bernhard was a well-trusted
grandfather Johann Heinrich Pfeil, a companion to the Prince. As a
contemporary and acquaintance of young man he had been supportive
Dr Martin Luther himself, the great of the Hesse brothers at the naval
Protestant reformer. victory which saved Gibraltar from
Bernhard(t) Pfeil was the son of the threat posed by a combined
Philipp Pfeil of Butzbach, and he Spanish and French fleet in 1704.
commenced his illustrious career as (The younger Hesse brother, Georg,
the cook to Prince Heinrich von died).
Hesse at his castle residence. The Bernhard was saddened when, in
first step up on his career ladder was 1741, Prince Heinrich von Hesse
in the New Year of 1710. The passed away, and retired from service
following year he married Anna to found a small merchant banking
GRIST of Butzbach, whose brother business based in Frankfurt-am
Philipp Grist was also a cook to the –Main, which was about twenty-five
other aristocrat in the town, namely kilometres south of Butzbach. He
Graf zu SOLMS. The brother-in-law retired early and was well-known in
became a close friend, and indeed, Butzbach as ‘Herr’ Bernhard – a title
one of Bernhard’s sons, Georg, in those days only used for the
became a menu writer. mayorality.
Bernhard and Anna Pfeil had He led an eventful life indeed –
eight children, of which five survived the only cloud being the ravages of
infancy (child mortality was a feature the Seven Years War which engulfed
in those days). It was the second son, that part of Europe from 1756-1763
Leopold Heinrich, who was to Bernhard Pfeil’s wealth can be
continue the family line. seen from his tax returned – but it
In 1720 Bernhard Pfeil was was less evident when the
promoted to Butler to the Prince of commanders of enemy troops were
Hesse under his mentor, the billeted on his household. The same
Hofmeister, Baron Leopold Heinrich thing happened to Goethe’s family
von FORSTENER Y DAMPENOY. much later, during the Napoleonic
The Baron von Forstenor was conflict.
AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019 11
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 11 25/4/19 17:50:04It was Bernhard’s son Leopold Goethe’s grandfather, Friedrich
Heinrich Pfeil who moved to Georg Goethe (Gothé) had to leave
Frankfurt and married Frederica Lyons in a hurry because of the
WALTER, whose aunt, Cornelia revocation of the Edict of Nantes.
Walter, was the grandmother of the The Goethe family, like the Pfeil
famour poet Johann Wolfgang von family, were Lutheran believers.
Goethe. Leopold Heinrich took his Friedrich Georg Goethe returned to
career in a different direction – he his home city of Frankfurt and in
was a notable master of the French order to join the Guild of Tailors
language as well as Headmaster of married Cornelia Walter, aunt to my
the prestigious Pfeil private school in 5x great-grandmother Frederica
Frankfurt. He taught French to, Charlotte Wilhelmina Walter. My 5x
among others, Wolfgang and great-grandparents married in
Cornelia Goethe. Frankfurt on 3 May 1747.
Postscript Charles Pfeil, member 1765
It is believed that Bernhard Pfeil was
born in 1685. That same year,
What’s On
• The Genealogy Show 7th & 8th June 2019; NEC, Birmingham
This is another new venture being run by an international group of
genealogists. www.thegenealogyshow.uk
• The Family History Show 22nd June 2019; York racecourse
Run by the people from The Genealogist – who also organise the Sandown
Park and SWAG fairs. https://thefamilyhistoryshow.com
• Family History Show South West, Saturday 6th July, 2019, Exhibition Centre
at University of West of England, Bristol
• The London Show 24th August 2019; Sandown Park Racecourse
Also run by The Genealogist people. https://thefamilyhistoryshow.com
• AGRA (Association of Genealogists and Researchers in Archives) Conference
27th & 28th September 2019; Pembroke College, Oxford
Commences with formal dinner on 27th and lectures held on Saturday 28th.
You don’t have to attend dinner and stay the night if you just want to hear the
lectures. Open to all, not just AGRA members. www.agraconference.com
• RootsTech London, 24th-26th October 2019, ExCel London Convention
Centre
Jenny Towey, Vice-President
12 AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 12 25/4/19 17:50:04HELP WITH REFRESHMENTS AT
SOCIETY MEETINGS
Could you help prepare the refreshments for the meetings of the
Society, with a view to taking over fully from Rose Mint when she
'retires'. Meetings are held 6 times a year on the second Saturday
of the month near King’s Cross station, London.
We are preferably looking for at least 2 volunteers. You will have
access to a fully equipped modern kitchen, but will be asked to buy
the tea, coffee, milk and biscuits etc. for which the Society will
reimburse you.
If you would like to offer your help, please speak to Noële or
Rose at a meeting.
Alternatively, contact Noële on: 07940584730/020 8737 0371,
or email: nbarnfield@yahoo.com, who will be happy to answer any
queries you may have.
Finding Bullwinkle
I
n 2014, I was lucky enough to have a researcher in Germany
produce my KORTEN & BEHNKEN German family tree which –
in a heartbeat, following nearly twenty years of my own research
– took me from my paternal great grandparents all the way back to
the 17th century. At last I had found some sense of my German
identity and I am so grateful for this. As a child, my English family
refused to explain the origin of our family name or to discuss any
connection with Germany. The relative recent memory of World War
2 had led to self-denial.
The sadness of all that was that have not been in contact with my
we never knew our German relatives cousins, their two daughters, since
and anyone who knew any detail has then. Getting to – shall we say –
now gone. mature years, I decided it was time to
The English family group broke try to draw my family back together
apart during the 1960s following a again before it is all too late. So it
family fall-out. One particular aunt was that during 2018 I made contact
and uncle of mine were totally with all my cousins and we are
estranged from the family and so I
AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019 13
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 13 25/4/19 17:50:04hoping to be reunited again
sometime soon.
In conversation with one of my
long-lost cousins, I mentioned that I
am a keen family historian and this
resulted in a declaration that they
were in possession of an old family
photo album which I didn’t even
know existed. I was consequently
delighted to receive copies of all the
photographs from the album and I
have since been trying to allocate
names to the faces. Most of the
photos are not named so it will be a
long-term project and I have to
accept it may ultimately be a fruitless
quest without some remarkable good
luck coming my way.
For the last few months I have
been working on dating the pictures
and identifying a police uniform
depicted in one of them. On Henry Bullwinkle
examining them all very closely baker database (www.mawer.clara.
through a magnifying glass, I spotted net) and who wrote the excellent
that a photo of a very smartly dressed book ‘Sugarbakers, From Sweat to
portly gentleman had the name Sweetness’ for the AGFHS. I knew
BULLWINKLE pencilled on it. Who, from previously corresponding with
I thought to myself, was Bullwinkle? him that he had researched a vast
It certainly wasn’t a name that number of German immigrant
appeared in my family tree. I wanted families and the name Bullwinkle is
to know who he was and why he was specifically mentioned in his book.
there. Bryan narrowed the possible subject
In July 2018 I contacted Bryan down to one of two Bullwinkle men,
Mawer who maintains the sugar one of whom was the most likely
Extract from 1871 census
14 AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 14 25/4/19 17:50:05candidate because he had lived in between the late 1860s and 1874. One
the same streets of east London as of his sons, Johan (known as John),
my great grandfather, was of about inherited the lease when his father
the same age and had also worked as died, but John junior transferred the
a sugar baker in the same sugar lease to his cousin Henry (born
refinery at the same time. We Hinrich) who held the lease between
spotted them together in Christian 1875 and 1879.
Street Tower Hamlets in the 1871 Were the publican Bullwinkles
census return. anything to do with my family and
So clearly this man would have was one of them the mysterious
been a part of my family’s photo man? At this point I decided
community, possibly attending the to revisit my old AGFHS fiches
same church so he must have known containing the church registers for St
them and thus was likely to be at the George’s Alie Street and St Paul’s
very least a friend or acquaintance. German Reformed Church. I simply
His name was Johan Heinrich made a note of all the Bullwinkles
Wilhelm Bullwinkle. Following a tip who appeared in the baptisms,
off from Bryan and a quick session of marriages and burials registers with a
research on www.ancestry.co.uk I view to gradually working my way
confirmed he was born in Germany through them. And it was then that I
in about 1848, in 1871 married Sophie discovered the St Paul’s baptisms of
Margaretha Engel RATHER, a fellow various children of Heinrich
German immigrant, at St George’s BULLWINKEL & his wife Johanna
Lutheran Church Alie Street and was BEHNKE/BEHNKEN between 1873
buried at the City of London & Tower and 1884, with the most important
Hamlets (“Bow”) Cemetery in 1910. pieces of information being his
Johan and Sophie had about fourteen addresses in each record: 196 St
children between 1871 and the mid- Georges Street (1877 & 1878) – the
1890s, none of them, as far as I can exact location of the Red Lion
tell, having married into my family. Tavern, The Fox & French Horn at
I thought the story ended there as Clerkenwell Green (1880 & 1882) and
I assumed he was most likely a family the Railway Tavern, Victoria Dock
friend. But my curiosity remained. So (1884).
I went back to Bryan’s research notes Reverting to the pubshistory.com
and looked at the other Bullwinkle website, I established that Henry
man he had shortlisted. Johan Bullwinkle and his family were at the
Bullwinkle was born in 1819, a sugar Red Lion up until 1879 and the Fox &
baker who later became a publican French Horn between about 1881 and
and who died in 1874. Bryan 1882. There was no listing for the
referenced the website www. Railway Tavern for 1884 or
pubshistory.com on which I found thereabouts. The family were also
Johan listed as publican at the Red listed as residing at the Fox & French
Lion Tavern in St George in the East Horn in the 1881 census return.
AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019 15
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 15 25/4/19 17:50:05So there we have it. The documents, it transpires the 1891
Bullwinkles were related by way of census enumerator must have
marriage to the family of my great incorrectly transcribed Eimer
grandmother Becka Catharina Bullwinkle age 91 as father-in-law of
Behnken. But where did Johanna fit the head of household when he was
in the Behnken tree? Becka was born actually Henry’s father. The
in 1841 and I knew of the existence of misunderstanding had been further
four siblings born between 1837 and compounded by the fact that Eimer’s
1846 but no Johanna. first name was hard to read as the
My next port of call was an email census record contains a rather
to Pete Smee in January 2019, who I messy correction which has
had noted had contributed to the consequentially been interpreted as
information on the pubshistory.com Ernst.
website. Pete runs the Bullwinkle, Of course, I still have no concrete
BULLWINCKEL, BULLWINKEL, evidence as regards the specific
BULWINKEL and BULWINKLE identity of the Bullwinkle man in my
One Name Study project (www.one- photo but in my view it could well be
name.org) and is a grandson of one my great grandmother’s brother-in-
strand of the Bullwinkle Family. law Henry Bullwinkle (born about
AGFHS members may remember his 1847, date of death not yet known).
presentation to the Society on the I am not familiar at all with dating
Bullwinkle family in London in 2013. photos or clothing from the Victorian
Pete told me that the Bullwinkle era. The only information on the
family pub empire collapsed after reverse of the picture is the
1883 when one of Henry’s brothers photographer’s name and location: H
was found “violently drowned by Turner of 245 Commercial Road. This
person or persons unknown” in the would be Henry Turner of east
River Thames at Limehouse Pier – London. I understand Turner did not
that sounds like an interesting story have this studio between 1892 &
to follow up! He also advised me that 1908/9 as during that period it was
Johanna was born in 1850 and her occupied by members of the Martin
parents were Ernst Behnken and family.
Beke Adelheid SEEBECK. My great Are any readers able to help? How
grandmother’s parents were Johan old could the chap in the photo be?
Behnken and Beke Adelheid Can we give the picture a more
Seebeck! accurate date? Is there any additional
The 1850 baptism I have found for information out there about the
Johanna clearly indicates her parents photographer Henry Turner and the
as Johan Behnken and his wife Beke dates he was at the Commercial Road
Seebeck. So there we are: she surely studio?
must be my great grandmother’s
younger sister. Following hours of Lorraine Dicksee, member 3535
poring over the various evidential
16 AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 16 25/4/19 17:50:05Society Bookshop
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#
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 19 25/4/19 17:50:06Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 20 25/4/19 17:50:06
Mitteilungsblatt 116 and Isl shows that he was in Islington
PoW Camp. Clicking on the record
p. 31 should then lead to further
information, elsewhere on this
I found Richard DRUHM's WW1 website, but searching for it can be a
interment record (attached) on the tedious and difficult task.
International Red Cross website, by I have heard a similar story to
putting his name (surname first) in Katrin Fitzherbert's from the English
the search engine and choosing the descendants of my great-uncle Ernst
'CIVILIAN prisoners of war' option. The GUTMANN. He too married an English
whole record is in French: Alld stands wife, who joined him in Germany after
for Allemand (his German nationality) he went back there in 1919 or 1920.
In his case, I'm told his return was
voluntary, I was also told that his wife
couldn't settle there and returned to
England on her own. However, the
family still kept in touch by letter and
his adult children later visited him.
Eva Lawrence, member 5270
Mitteilungsblatt 122
p. 13
Apologies to Michael Gaze. There was a
transmission error in the last paragraph
of his article on 'Wehrmann Delius'. The
correct version is:
" – who did the crossed swords of a
Rittmeister (Master of Horse) that
used to hang above her bed as a
child belong to?"
AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019 21
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 21 25/4/19 17:50:06Would you like some help researching
your Family in Germany?
woerteragentur provides research assistance for anyone seeking
information about their family in the following areas of Germany:
Hamburg, Bremen, Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt.
Research is undertaken by Corinna Meiss, who has many years
experience researching her own family history in Germany, in England
as well as throughout the rest of the world. She offers advice as well as
a fee-based service providing detailed research in the above areas of
Germany.
Fee based research carried out by woerteragentur in parish and church
records, regional and national archives etc., searches sources such as
original documentation in church registers, wills and probate, registration
cards, address books, obituaries in local newspapers etc. etc.
Great care is taken to ensure the accuracy and reliability of all sources.
All information obtained is treated with complete confidentiality. The
fee-based service includes transcription and translation of sources into
English. We are also able to provide reproduction of historic records
upon request.
To find out more, contact Corinna Meiss at:
Email: info@woerteragentur.com
Website: www.woerteragentur.com
22 AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 22 25/4/19 17:50:06NEW PUBLICATION
UBLICATION
Interned in Alexandra Palace
– Wilhelm Reinhold Teuchert
Paul Barnfield, Rupert Ridgewell & Jennifer Taylor
This is the story of one of the many
German economic migrants who
came to Britain in the nineteenth
century in search of a better life.
Reinhold Teuchert trained as a
chef, settled in London and raised
a family, only to be caught up in the
mass internment which followed the
sinking of the Lusitania in 1915. He
became one of the approximately
3,000 German civilians interned in
Alexandra Palace in North London
for the duration of the war.
His biography is, sadly, not
uncommon. What makes it special
is that he left a diary which
chronicled in detail his feelings and
experiences in the first months of
his captivity. After the war he was
‘persuaded’ to return to Germany with his family, but finding the post-war
conditions in Germany not conducive to prosperity he returned to Britain.
Naturalised in 1939 he narrowly escaped the next wave of mass internment
which began in 1940.
His internment diary, reproduced here in its entirety, lifts him out of the
faceless mass of his fellow migrants to give him a place in history, however
modest.
Anglo-German Family History Society
ISBN 978-0-9571763-6-2 £8.50
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 23 25/4/19 17:50:07The Steigenberger Family
and Berger Paints
T
he STEIGENBERGER family were an illustrious lot and I will
try to write a concise account of them. I have tried to find their
origins in Germany with no luck yet. I have been helped by
many people – descendants of this family world-wide, and factory
records summarised by several people. Also, two books have been
written about them but with some discrepancies.
The Early Days George's Ratcliff and he let out a room
Ludwig Emilius Christian Adolph for the other two to work in – they
Steigenberger came to England in 1760 seemed to have lodged there as well.
age 19, supposedly from Frankfurt-am- Louis Steigenberger brought over a
Main. He eventually created Berger & recipe for making a greenish-blue
Sons Dye Works in Hackney. The name colour named 'Prussian Blue'. Some
Steigenberger is confusing: Ludwig sources said he invented it, but that
dropped the Steigen early on and was not so as it was discovered in 1704
called his works Berger. However, his in Berlin; however, Louis may have
children were baptised as been one of the first to produce it in
Steigenbergers – but the surname England.
reverted to Berger in the next The area of Limehouse, Shadwell,
generation. One son, Samuel, was and Ratcliff away from the river was
married as a STEIGEN (clerical error?). open, rural and had good houses near
Grandchildren often had Steigen as a Princes Square in the 1760s. But the
second Christian name – my north side of the river was crowded
grandfather and cousin had with buildings for lightermen,
Steigenberger as an extra Christian watermen, rope makers, rat-catchers,
name. etc. All goods had to be unloaded onto
Lewis (Louis/Ludwig) Steigenberger small boats to be brought ashore.
came to London with his brother, John, By 1768 Lewis was living in Narrow
a 'colour chemist' or 'colour maker'. Street, Limehouse. In 1772 there was an
There is a claim that the two brothers order from Dublin addressed to Lewis
lived separate lives – that was not so, BERGER, Blue Maker, Narrow Street,
although their paths separated later. Limehouse for Blue, Rose Pink, Blue
A deed of partnership for seven Verditer, Indigo, Gum Bocage. He was
years was drawn up with Ludwig making painters' materials as well as
Steigenberger, Frederick RAPP and Prussian Blue and was very successful.
John STALDER. Some people have By 1773 Lewis had moved to a house
since misinterpreted it but it appears in the market square (now a memorial
that John Stalder owned a house in St
24 AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 24 25/4/19 17:50:07park) at St Paul's Shadwell. He was Family Life
there for six years. In 1768-9 he married Elizabeth ALGER
In 1775 his representative, J said to be the daughter of Jeremy Alger,
Tennant, in York asked for Prussian a sea captain. The record of this
Blue at 4/6, 5/- & 10/- a pound for marriage has not been found. They
clients in Wakefield and Leeds. had thirteen children, baptised in four
A letter book of 1778 shows Lewis different churches, St Anne's
had clients in Leeds, Chester, Hull, Limehouse, St Paul's Shadwell, St
Worcester, York, Manchester, Derby, George's German Lutheran Church,
Stroud, Bristol, Dublin and Liverpool. Alie Street, Whitechapel, a few miles
Loads were sent by sea to Dublin, away from Homerton, the last one at St
Liverpool, Hull and York. John's Hackney, although their last girl,
A manifest shows that ten dyes Charlotte Sophia, was 13 when she was
varied from 1s 3d a lb to 80/- lb. baptised. There is a Berger vault at St
John's, Hackney with nineteen burials
Factory and Office Premises – but some dates are not accurate.
In 1780 he moved a few miles north to The eldest son, Lewis, married
Homerton, part of Hackney, with his locally and had 3 children. John
wife and six children. The house, married in Kidderminster, and Samuel
which he rented from a Mrs Smith, and Emilia both married a sister and
stood in a meadow 100 yards from brother SHARP – children of William
Hackney Brook; there was a bend in Sharp, a tailor in Cambridge. What was
the river with spring well water which the connection between the Bergers
led to Steigenberger's decision to build and the Sharps: did the Bergers send
his factory there. Hackney Brook was Sharps dyes for their clothing
flooding over Water Lane and it was materials?
diverted to allow it to flow over Berger Lewis Steigenberger, the founder,
Meadow. Later, a reservoir, stocked put out a statement in 1792 saying he
with fish, was made between the house had a son and grandson born in
and factory. England and wanted to buy property
As well as the factory the Bergers but was not keen to go to the expense
had an office at Well Court, Queen of naturalization. His brother John
Street, Cheapside. though took denization in 1805 – it was
On 12 September 1788 his eldest cheaper. Lewis, the son, died in 1800
son, Lewis, aged 18, signed a letter – so but his brothers, John and Samuel,
Steigenberger introduced his sons early carried on. Lewis Steigenberger, senior,
to the business. Some people did not died in 1814.
settle their bills but he did accept
pictures in payment. The Dye and Paint-Making
By 1790 he was selling 19 different Business
colour shades, as well as black lead, The dyes were made from natural
sulphur, sealing wax, and mustard. products like madder and saffron,
shellfish murex for imperial purple and
others. In 1704 DIESBACH found
AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019 25
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 25 25/4/19 17:50:07Prussian Blue and in 1724 More buildings were put up, also
WOODWARD described it to The vats bought for many different colours,
Royal Society. Before 1800 carmine was and granite rollers for paint making –
the most expensive dye made from the 450 tons of coal a year were used, also
cochineal insect – women used it to 180 quarters of oats for horses.
paint their faces! In 1879 Bergers became a limited
There were many processes in company, with capital of £150,000 – ie
making dyes: solution, extraction 1500 shares of £100. Arthur John
precipitated by alumina, washing, Berger, fourth son of Lewis Curwood
filtration, drying, calcing, sublimation, Steigen Berger, became Managing
dry grinding. Director on £1000 a year. His older
Over the years the factory was brother, Lewis John Berger, was
extended, horse-driven grind-stones to solicitor to the firm. There were six
produce dry powders gave way to directors: Lewis Curwood Steigen
steam, and a boiler was installed in Berger, Capel Berrow Berger, Arthur
1884, costing £264. The North London John Berger and three others.
Railway built a viaduct over Berger Capel Berrow Berger's surviving
land, and gave them £1000. son, Rev Arthur Hastings Berger,
In 1850 the population of England complained about the running of the
and Wales was 18 million. Two company. His younger brother, John
hundred and fifty firms made paint, Cecil Berger, worked at the company
varnish or colour – 130 of them were in until sacked in 1882 for
London. Between 1840-50 many insubordination. It seems that Arthur
patented inventions were published. John Berger, age 35, led the company
Lewis Curwood Steigen Berger (the into disaster – he was not efficient and
founder's grandson) already may have been fraudulent.
manufactured copper sulphate in Expansion and enlargement
Southall. In 1853 free trade caused continued, and in 1886 the company
difficulties for Berger's. By 1860 60-70 obtained control of the Whitehead
workers in Homerton and Well Court Lead Factory, Sheffield. This, however,
were paid 13-15s per week for 80 hours was not a success.
work – some workers stayed fifty years In 1888 John W Garson joined the
with the firm. firm as an export clerk and went to
Samuel helped with the firm but manage branches in America and
then bought a starch factory – his Canada. Representations were sent to
children did not go into Berger's. He Africa, South America, India, and
died a very rich man. Two of his sons Australia.
ran the starch factory. In 1894 Rev A H Berger
John Berger died in 1860 aged 87, recommended changes in
and left £60,000 – his sons-in-law were management. Garson was recalled
executors. His sons, Capel Berrow from USA and suggested
Berger and Lewis Curwood Berger took amalgamation with an American
the option to become owners of the company but it fell through. It was
company. suggested Arthur Berger had lost them
26 AGFHS Mitteilungsblatt 123 Summer 2019
Blatt 123 INS 3rd proof.indd 26 25/4/19 17:50:07You can also read
