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DeBeger, Bushey & Leverstock Green, early 20th century September, 2009 |
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DeBeger, Bushey & Leverstock Green, early 20th century September, 2009 |
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John Marshman (jdm108 @t verizon.net) of Georgetown, Texas, USA, writes: My wife spotted this name in Leverstock Green Chronicle article by Barbara Chapman. My Parental great grandfather was a DeBeger who lived in The World's End area of Chelsea, London. I believe he was a Jewish immigrant who earned a living as a Tailor. If you have any information that could help me to identify these DeBeger's and where they came from in Europe I would be grateful. My Father's mother was Fanny DeBerger his daughter I think?.
The relevant section of Leverstock Green Chronicle records:
DeBeger, George Norfolk Regiment by May 1915 discharged from 5th Northants Regiment Memorials: Leverstock Green, Hemel Hempstead Died of wounds in France 17 August 1915 aged 30 Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery grave IX B 24 Born in Notting Hill. Husband of Minnie (Woodward) Banns record November 1914
[widower. parish of St Martins, Chereton - presumably Cheriton, Hampshire]Information from Hemel Hempstead Gazette, October 14th 1916 The Roll of Honour web site contains similar information and describes him as Lance Corporal George DeBeger, No 17376, of the Northamptonshire Regiment
Using the above information it is possible to locate the following entry, using Ancestry, in the 1901 census. George was living at 77 Villiers Road, Bushey, Herts.
| Name | Age | Occupation | Born | |
| George W De Beger | Head | 41 | Plumber, etc | London, Shepherds Bush |
| Alice M De Beger | Wife | 42 | London, Oxford Street | |
| George M De Beger | Son | 15 | Mason's Labourer | London, Paddington |
| Mabel E De Beger | Daughter | 11 | London, Notting Hill | |
| Florence G De Beger | Daughter | 9 | London, Notting Hill | |
| Albert L De Beger | Son | 7 | London, Notting Hill | |
| Frederick G De Beger | Son | 2 | Herts, Bushey | |
| Alice V De Beger | Daughter | 1 month | Herts, Bushey |
This fits pretty well and while George (junior)'s place of birth is given as Paddington, this is close to Notting Hill, where he lived as a young child. In addition Bushey is close to Watford and not far from Leverstock Green. This could be confirmed by purchasing George (junior's) marriage certificate to Minnie Woodward (Reference: Dec 1914 St Albans 3a 1629). This will give his father's name and occupation. This should confirm the reference of Cheriton, Hampshire, and it should be noted that he may have been there in an army camp. After all the First World War was well under way and there were a number of training areas in Hampshire. It should be noted that units of the Norfolk Regiment was based in the Watford area (possibly including Leverstock Green), but this was not until several months after the De Beger/Woodward marriage.
Because George was described as a widower in the Leverstock Green Banns (reproduced on the Leverstock Green Chronicle) I checked FreeBMD for his first marriage. This showed that George Montague De Beger married Mabel Spires in the Oct-Dec quarter of 1907 in the Watford area (reference 3a 1377), while a 27 year old Mabel De Beger death was recorded for the April-June 1914 quarter (Watford 3a 749). It would seem that they had one child as the birth of Alice E Debeger was registered April-Jun 1913 (Watford 3a 1733). It would seem that George was widowed with a young daughter to look after, and married again quickly. Certificates would need to be obtained an checked to establish this for certain, and to establish where in the Watford area they were living - perhaps even Leverstock Green.
At the time of the 1901 census Mabel Spires was living in Pinner Road, Watford, with her parents and siblings. (I have not checked the 1911 census, which may provide further evidence.)
A preliminary online search of the earlier censuses (using the variant surnames De Beger, DeBeger, Beger and Berger) supports the idea that George William Debeger was born in London circa 1860 and his father was a John Daniel Berger, who was born in St James, London about 1813. It may well be that they tie up with the De Beger family who the census shows was living in Chelsea at the time of the 1901 census, as both come from the London area.
Page created September 2009
