Photo of Frank Peers, father of Welsh singer Donald Peers

[TalkTalk17]

Frank Peers lived in the Ammanford area roughly between 1905 and 1953, and was a Plymouth Brethren preacher. Does anyone know whether a photograph exists? His son Donald included a photo of his mother Mary Peers in his autobiography Pathway, but not his father. I wonder if a photo was included with Frank's obituary in the local newspaper? I think he died on 14th May 1953, age 83.

Donald wrote in Pathway that his father was born in the Kent village of Ash (where I live) and his grandfather delivered letters and parcels in the countryside around Canterbury. However, I can't find any BMD or census records for Frank or his father in Kent.

[Morganllan]

Hello TalkTalk17 

Welcome to Rootschat!

For those of us too young to remember Donald Peers, there's this story on Terrynorm's Ammanford site:

http://www.terrynorm.ic24.net/donald%20peers.htm

Unfortunately there's no photo of Frank, although there is a pic of Donald signing autographs in Ammanford.

Best wishes
Morgan

[Morganllan]

Hello 

I wonder whether Frank could have changed his name. There's the birth of a boy named Osborn Francis Beer in 1869 (Dec quarter). Although it's not Eastry registration district, it could be worth looking into because Beer is not a good name for a member of the Brethren!

GRO Reference: Dover 2a 864

PM sent also
Modified - Once you have made 3 postings on here you will be able to use the Personal Message (PM) system for exchanging personal data with other Rootschatters. Not sure whether you can see my PM until you make 3 postings.

See Help-Page:  http://www.rootschat.com/help/pms.php

Kind Regards
Morgan

[TalkTalk17]

Hi Morgan, thanks for your posts, I can't read your PM, I just tried to reply with a long post but lost most of it (is there a character limit on here?), will try to PM you if allowed, I have done a lot of research into the name change possibility and suspect that Frank Peers was born Alfred John Beer, and he changed his name whilst living in Chicago.
Regards,
Eddie

[TalkTalk17]

Hi Morgan, just read your PM, Beer is a common surname in this part of Kent, which doesn't help. I shared this name change possibility with Terry Norman of the Ammanford website and he referred it to a Plymouth Brethren historian. He dismissed the idea that a Brethren preacher would change his name from Beer because of religious views, and that he would also change his first name as well. Maybe getting the certificates is the only way to solve this but the expense of that wouldn't be justified in the circumstances. I am not related to the Peers, I am just curious!

[welsh lady]

Have you looked in the 1911 census to see where Frank says he was born?

Welsh Lady

[TalkTalk17]

Hi Welsh Lady, there is no trace of Frank Peers in the 1911 census. According to Donald's autobiography, his father Frank was born in Ash in Kent. According to Frank's obituary in May 1953 he was born in Kent. I will PM the rest.

[Gadget]

Hi

I read on one site (can't fined it now     ) that Mary and Frank met in the USA and married there in the 1890s and that Frank was a bit of a roamer.  Have you considered checking for their marriage/census info there?

gnu

PS - see that you have him in Chicago

[TalkTalk17]

Hi gnu, Frank Peers married Mary Rees in 1894 in the USA, but there isn't any trace of a marriage or census record. But if his name wasn't Frank Peers at the time then that could explain why there isn't a record.