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London and Middlesex / Re: William De Levante
« on: Friday 19 January 24 20:10 GMT (UK) »
William Delevante was the son of a Jewish Moroccan West India Merchant, Masahod Delevante and his English partner Jane Fitzwater. He was born in Hackney/Bethnal Green, London. Just a day or two before his 20th birthday, he married Jane Caroline Freeman (not Truman as one or two people have put here). They married at the church of St.James, Picadilly. William was something of a wheeler-dealer, and had several professions from Undertaker, Estate Agent, solicitor and Actor, and at one time, he was,unfortunately, jailed for the crime of debt. Having taken the surname Deville, when he went into acting, its likely he "borrowed" the name from an actor contemporary known as Mr. Deville, in the hope he would draw in the audiences and the money. Theatrical performers in his day were almost always known by their surname. As his 4x great-grandaughter I have to admit to inheriting acting and singing, being trained in both.