Lucy Ann (Cornwell) Brecht

Lucy Ann Cornwell lead an extraordinary life, as did her husband George Henry Brecht aka "Tich"!

I have summarised what research has been undertaken to date:

Christening 1881

St Luke's, Millwall

Lucy Ann Cornwell
bp 30.10.1881 born 6.10.1881
(parents Charles, Coffee House Keeper, 209 West Ferry Road & Sarah)

1891 Census

12 Sanford Street, West Ham

Louisa Cornwell Age 9 living with parents Charles& Sarah

Son Albert Ernest Cornwell

Son Albert Ernest Cornwell born 1900 Workhouse, West Ham (father George Henry Brecht)

Holy Trinity, Harrow-Green, Essex

Albert Ernest Cornwell
bp 12.8.1900 (Mother Louisa Cornwell)

Census 1901

77 Lansdowne Road, West Ham

Louisa Cornwall Age 19 Jam Factory Hand (living with mother Sarah, Widow)
Albert Cornwall Age 10 months born West Ham, Essex (grandson of Sarah)

St Mary the Virgin, Plaistow

Lucy Ann Cornwall (age 22)
(father Charles Cornwall)
married 21.4.1902
George Henry Brecht

1911 Census

1 Oak Road, Canning Town, Essex

Lucy Ann Brecht Head Married 29 Factory Hand Bottle Fillers born Millwall, Middlesex
Albert Ernest Brecht Son 10 born Tidal Basin, Essex
George Henry Brecht Son 8 born Tidal Basin, Essex
Alf Brecht Son 5 born Plaistow, Essex
Frank Bert Brecht Son 15 months born Plaistow, Essex

Her husband was in HM Prison, Pentonville and on release emigrated to Australia.

Second Marriage 1916

Register Offive, West Ham

Edward John Rutter Age 38 Widower
Dock Labourer of 66 Adamson Road, Custom House
(father Edward Rutter (deceased), Coal Porter
married 3 June 1916
Lucy Ann Brecht Age 35 Widow, 59 Adamson Road, Custom House
(father Charles William Cornwell (Deceased), Carman

George Henry Brecht

One of the extraordinary finds in 2007 was tracing a further cousin, a descendant of George Henry Brecht of whom I knew very little.

It appears that George Henry was a violent criminal and bully:

• he had an illegitimate son Albert by Lucy Ann Cornwall in a workhouse in 1900
• he married Lucy Ann in 1902 and they had a further child George Henry Brecht later that year
• George Henry Brecht Senior was violent towards Albert and his mother
• he emigrated to Australia in 1911 (and his wife remarried in 1916)
• Albert was disgusted with his father and adopted the surname Cornwall
• it is reported that George ran a brothel in Australia
• Some of the family followed him to Australia
• He was accused of murder but the court case broke down. Later he was coviceted of another attempted murder
• he was himself murdered in 1951 (age 71 or 72)

A newspaper article at the time gave more details:

Murder of George Brett

His descendants have since obtained other newspaper articles and a copy of George Henry Brecht's criminal record in Australia. which includes his crimes in England.

They also obtained George Henry Brett's death certificate:

7 Agar Steps, Millers Point, Sydney

George Henry Brett, Widower, Wharf Labourer, Age 74 died 12 July 1951 "from the effects of a fracture of the skull and injury to the brain feloniously and maliciously"
- finding of an Inquest held at Sydney on 4 August and 20 September 1951.

Married Louise Cornwell

Issue

Cornwall A.E. 51 years
George H 49
Alfred 47
Bert 45
One female deceased

Informant: G. Brett, son, 52 Bream Street, Googee or Coogee

Colin Bower
14 February2021

Links to:

Brecht One Name Study - Main Index