People of German origin in nineteenth century Liverpool

[greyingrey]

I know that certain parts of Liverpool attracted a lot of immigrants of German origin in the nineteenth century, but I was wondering if anyone knows if those communities also attracted people of German origin who had been living in Britain for a while. I've got a family who had been living in Leicester since 1800 (can't trace back before them) & a member of the family moved to Toxteth in the 1870s (he did return after a few years) I have suspected that the family had German origins,.....they have the same name as other families in the Leicester area with definite German origins....although I haven't found proof of a connection....but it may just be that he went up there for another reason.

Is there any literature on this topic ?

Thanks

[Hollander]

Hi Greyingrey,

My Zimmer ancestors came to Liverpool from Germany in the late 1840's, like many others to work in the sugar refining trade.

They seem to have spent the next 50 yrs living in the St Anne Street/Richmond Row area.
Associated surname Lottig.

[greyingrey]

Hello, Finbar

Thanks for your reply....yes, my Dreher (anglicised to Dryer) ancestors came over in the late 1860s/beginning of the 1870s. My Christian Dreher/Dryer was a cabinet maker, but they were living in the area associated with the sugar refining plant, so I suspect some of the family were working there.....I know it relied heavily on German immigrant labour (it was a kind of spin off of the German dominated sugar baking trade in London) & I also have a friend whose husband's German ancestors worked there.

But, what I'm wondering is whether the fact that there was a German community there attracted people with German roots whose families had been living in Britain for a little while. This is really for a friend....she can trace her family in Leicester back to 1800 but no further. They have the same surname as other families in the area who we know came from Germany., but she has no other indication that they could have German roots. A member of her family (a carpenter) moved to Toxteth in the 1870s....he took his wife & family with him. It could have been for any reason, of course.....I was just wondering if there was any evidence that there could be a connection

[Hollander]

Hi Greyingrey.

Although the nucleus of my family remained in Liverpool (my gt gt grandparents), many of their children moved further afield - all to either the Bury area of Lancashire, or the Leeds area of Yorkshire, which does seem to suggest movement in between communities.

[greyingrey]

Yes.....I don't know what's happened to the bulk of my family who were there (I know it was a "whole" family....not just a a couple of young men), but I know one branch moved down to Nottingham....I don't know why because my mother remembers family visits, so there wasn't a big argument & the Dreher/Dryer concerned married someone who had been living in London (she & her parents moved up to Liverpool), so that wasn't the reason). Because Dryer is a common British Lancashire name (more especially in Manchester) it would be hard to sort them out now

[Blue70]

My German ancestor was Maria Katharina Albach born Burkhardsfelden, Germany on 7/1/1848. The family settled in Grimsby in 1853. She married Charles Atkinson in Oldham in 1873 under the name Mary Albridge and eventually settled in Everton, Liverpool in the 1880s. She died on the 26th May 1910.

C   

[garstonite]

Hiya....my gg grandfather was from Heligoland which was British from 1807 until 1896 and then became German..I have found this link very interesting
 http://www.liverpoolhistoryprojects.co.uk/merseysidealiens/

although it only covers 1878 to 1912 it may give some info for you....allan

[tilly25]

Hi

My gg Grandfather John Frederick Behn came from foreign parts according to 1841 census I think Germany maybe Hanover area and he worked as a sugar refiner in Liverpool and married Alice Pattison.

I haven't been able to obtain further information regarding his german past although have joined a German forum.

Judy

[greyingrey]

Judy/tilly

I know another British person who is trying to find out about a German ancestor from Hannover, though not with any connection to Liverpool & I'm meeting up with a British friend tonight  whose husband's ancestors were from Hannover & worked in the sugar place at Liverpool & she's successfully traced his family....I'll ask her if she's got any particular tips. My lot were from Berlin.....haven't started looking at them yet. Probably stuff you've already done/thought of, but no harm asking. Have you tried the archives in Hannover ? Just asking, because my other friend may be doing this soon & , if you have, it would be interesting to know how you got on