Genealogy Chat

I have a Charles A Becker born 1829 Cassel Germany .He is a gilder by trade. On the 1901 census it says birth place Germany-British Subject. He was also baptized I beleive in 1899 in Pancras London.

Does this mean he was nationalized and for what reasons would this be done.
He had a grandson in 1921 with the name Alderman ,so I don't know if this is a clue on this families life etc.

Please advise. I haven't come across this type of thing before.

Thankyou
Donna

Hi Donna, Germany-British subject is usually employed where the person was born abroad to british parents, but could have become nationalized.
As for the baptism, that is very late in life. Is it possible it was a son of his?

He would have chosen to be naturalised. May be it helped with his trade.May be mum was English?

So where have you found him? You have him on the 1901 - yes? Why do you believe he was baptised in 1899 in St Pancras?

No I don't think so. His wife died 1899 and it was done then.
He didn't have a son called Charles. There was only Augustus, Herman and George and 3 daughters.

How do you know about the baptism?


His death?

e: Charles A Becker
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1831
Year of Registration: 1916
Quarter of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar
Age at Death: 85
District: St Pancras (1902-1977)
County: Greater London, London
Volume: 1b
Page: 171 (

1871 Living 14 Goodge Street. His occupation is "mount cutter and fitter up"

Name: Charles Becker
Age: 40
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1831
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Catherine
Gender: Male
Where born: Hesse, Germany
Civil Parish: St Pancras
Ecclesiastical parish: St John
County/Island: London
Country: England
Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Disability:

View Image
Registration district: Pancras
Sub registration district: Tottenham Court
ED, institution, or vessel: 5
Household schedule number: 13c
Household Members:
Name Age
Augustus Becker 7
Catherine Becker 24
Charles Becker 40
Emily Becker 4

Catherine is from Midhurst in Sussex

1891, he is a cabinet maker.

Name: Charles Becker
Age: 61
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1830
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Catherine
Gender: Male
Where born: Germany

Civil Parish: St Pancras
Ecclesiastical parish: St Pancras
County/Island: London
Country: England

Street address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status:

View Image

Registration district: Pancras
Sub registration district: Somers Town
ED, institution, or vessel: 10
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Catherine Becker 44
Charles Becker 61
George Becker 10
Minnie Becker 7

1881

Name: Charles Becker
Age: 50
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1831
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Catherine
Gender: Male
Where born: Cassel, Germany

Civil Parish: St Pancras
County/Island: London
Country: England

Street address: 74 George St
Condition as to marriage: Married
Education:

Employment status:

View Image
Occupation: Carver & Gilder Employing 5 Men 3 Boys

Registration district: Pancras
Sub registration district: Somers Town
ED, institution, or vessel: 3b
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Augustus Becker 17
Catherine Becker 34
Charles Becker 50
Emily Becker 13
George Becker 1
Herman Becker 16
Mathilda Becker 6

It was from another relative that I got the info on the bap. I have his wifes death cert and she died 1899 at 19 Exmouth street ,Pancras. This is were at the same time and address where he was also baptized.
His wife was English and born in Midhurst. All his children were born in London. Theyt had cabinet making business.Charles is believed to have come from Germany for the great exhibition. He was also a artist.

1881 - he is doing ok :)

Name: Charles Becker
Age: 50
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1831
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Catherine
Gender: Male
Where born: Cassel, Germany

Civil Parish: St Pancras
County/Island: London
Country: England

Street address: 74 George St
Condition as to marriage: Married
Education:

Employment status:

View Image
Occupation: Carver & Gilder Employing 5 Men 3 Boys

Registration district: Pancras
Sub registration district: Somers Town
ED, institution, or vessel: 3b
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Augustus Becker 17
Catherine Becker 34
Charles Becker 50
Emily Becker 13
George Becker 1
Herman Becker 16
Mathilda Becker 6

So what else do you want to know - you seem to have all the census info.

Catherine is a lot younger than him. Had he been married previously?

Yes thanks. It was the british subject really.The nationalization that i didn't understand. Would he have been well known in the community .perhaps a counciller of some kind. With his randson being named Aldername it got me thinking. How would I find out about such a subject?

Thankyou to everyone whos helped me with this one

Donna

AH!
Never thought of him being married before. I can't find the marriage to Catherine.

I dont really see what the grandsons surname has to do with it or do you mean it was a first name?

There was a great deal of anti German feeling at that time in the build up for WW1, many Germans anglicised their names around that time to fit in with the community. May be getting nationalised was another way of proving you were part of the British community? Ditto the baptism.

It was his grandson's middle name..The anti -German feeling would fit in .My grandmother didn't marry Charles son George,but they had 5 children together. It looks like my grandmothers mother disowned her and the children. George died suddenly in 1929 and my grandmother ended up in the workhouse. What I can't work out is why.

Donna,

If you want to pursue him in the records in Kassel (the modern spelling) then you will find some helpful threads on German genealogy here by the advanced search route.

Good luck,

Peter

Cheers for that. I'll give it a go. They do sound an intresting lot.

Donna

If it were his middle name, likely it is the surname of one of the rellies.

You can work out why gran ended up in a workhouse? Is that the place of death? Quite often workhouses acted as cottage hospitals - it may be she went there because she was ill. If you mean earlier, then the answer is she was destitute.

Yes she was destitute. Why is the question. They were quite well off before his death in 1929. Don't know where the money went. I thought the nationalized Grandfather would give me some clues .