Progress 2017

I was pleased to hear from a branch of the Brecht Family Tree for the first time.

Edward & Clara Brecht

The enquiry from the correspondent/cousin made me look at the 1891 Census records while I had the papers out.

I found that one of the missing entries for Edward & Clara Brecht had been recorded by the enumerator as Bright:

11 Lee Street, Limehouse

Edward Bright (should be Brecht) Head Age 30 General Labourer born Shadwell, London
Clara Bright Wife Age 27 Sewing Machinest born Lambeth, London
Clara Bright Daughter Age 8 Scholar born Limehouse, London
George Bright Son Age 2 born Mile End, London

Lucy Ann (Cornwell) Brecht

I also did some research into the name Lucy Ann (Cornwell) Brecht:

Lucy Ann (Cornwell) Brecht

Research September 2017

In September 2017, I tried something that I have not tried before, i.e. to put a single entry in the name of a person named Brecht into Ancestry and let the whole database be searched.

Brecht is a rare name in the UK and I entered:

William Brecht
George Brecht
Charles Brecht
Edward Brecht
Henry Brecht
Julia Brecht

Entries from the database included:

- The Civil Registration of births, marriages & deaths
- Parish Records
- Probate Records
- Passenger Lists (by way of a link which appeared to require payment!)
- British Phone Books
- Electoral Rolls
- Local Directories

Whereas previous searches had shown the surnames of spouses who had married Brechts, these random searches also gave first names.

I did not respond to every record but I did come up with some additional information:

1. Some entries in Parish Records

Entries in Parish Records

2. Some entries in the Probate Registers

Entries in the Probate Registers

3. Entries in some Other Records

Workhouse, Stepney

Mary Brecht (54) Laundress
Henry Brecht (14)

Admitted 7.6.1862 Discharged 9.6.1862

Poor Law Removal& Settlement Records

Poplar Union - Order of Removal 6.3.1907

Sidney Brecht aged about 11 years
John Brecht aged about 8 years
Ethel Brecht aged about 4 years

- living in No 14 Cottage Grove and the Infirmary, Mile End Old Town
- father Edward Brecht (now absent) previously at 15 Southill Street
- by Clara his wife (now deceased)

Notes have been handwritten on the documentation:

- father left children at sisters in Rowsell Street
- wife died in ................1906
- previously in High Street, Poplar
- 15 Southill Street will set up
- no idea where father is

4. First Names of Spouses Obtained

Brecht Spouses where first names found

5. Names where Spouses’ First Names not obtained

Brecht Spouses where first names not found

6. Entries in the name of Barnett-Brecht

Entries in the name of Barnett-Brecht

Additional BMD Entries

When I lived nearer to and worked in London, I made countless visits to Holborn and Islington to record entries in the Births, Marriages and Death registers (before they were moved to Kew).a requirement for a One-Name Study. These records were available in large heavy ledgers, in 4 quarters, which had to be hefted! I recently checked the Ancestry transcriptions up to and including 2005 and found 4 additional entries:

Marriages:

1992 - Rose M. Brecht
Ipswich December (Donald O. Taylor)
One I missed!

2003 - Paul M. Brecht
December (Rachel E. Bagulay)

Deaths

2003 - Molly Pauline Brecht
Worthing August (DOB: 3.6.1916)

2005 - Ellen Eva Brecht
Brentwood February (DOB: 6.5.1902)

Electronic Filofax

After all these years, I have still not found the bp of my Great Grandfather George Frederick Brecht born c 1834/5, giving his mother's name (we are largely in the dark about the family from 1819 - 1837).

Also I am not 100% certain about the German ancestors of my 2 x Great Grandfather Heinrich/Henry Brecht.

For the moment, I have decided to include in the family tree in the Electronic Filofax the potential parents of Harriet Piper (Henry's second wife, married in 1837)

I have assumed that the information about Henry's German ancestors is correct and have added it to the family tree.

I hope to give the Brechts the Big One! treatment this winter, when more information may come to light.

Colin Bower
24 December 2017

Brecht One Name Study - Main Index