Photo of Frank Peers, father of Welsh singer Donald Peers

[Morganllan]

Elwyn also served in WW1, married Margaret Davies in Carmarthenshire 1921, then Helen in India in 1931. Went to Oz where he died.

Next child was Hywel, born ca 1901/2 in US
Janie (Jane Irene) was born Ammanford 1905
Donald was born 1908

According to the obit., there was a daughter Gwyneth but not sure when she was born.

[Gadget]

Struggling with the 1900 US for them and Illinois doesn't seem to have an online  birth reg index covering that time 

Re your census info Replies #14 and 16

The 1881 suggests that Daniel had remarried  (1881-1891)  and (slightly) changed his occupation:

1881
Ash St Cottage, Ash next Sandwich
RG11/993/12/17

Daniel Beer, 35, Baker and tailor
Eliza, wife, 36, b. Canterbury
Alfred J, son, 11
Minnie, d, 8
Annie M, 6
Austin, 4
Victor C, 1
All but Eliza b. Ash

So Alfred's mother was likely to be Eliza and not Mary.


gnu

[Morganllan]

The 1881 suggests that Daniel had remarried  (1881-1891)  and (slightly) changed his occupation:
.... So Alfred's mother was likely to be Eliza and not Mary.

I'd noticed that and wondered whether that is why Alfred went on his travels (altho he was 20 years old in 1891).

[TalkTalk17]

Thanks to everyone who helped with this, it confirms what I and another amateur genealogist suspected which is that Frank Peers probably changed his name from Alfred John Beer, although without getting all the relevant certificates we can't be 100% sure.

[ballyhooligan]

I'm one of the amateur genealogists that has been digging around into this mystery. One of the (several) things that made me lean towards the possibility of Frank Peers having been born Alfred John Beer is this:

On the terrynorm site it mentions " For some reasons Frank Peers' employment by his father-in-law did not prove an ideal arrangement and he applied for and was given a job as a clerk in a sawmill in Ammanford". On the 1911 English census Alfred John Beer is staying with his brother Austin Harry Beer in Ash. Alfred John's occupation is a clerk in a timber merchants. I'm guessing his brother recorded him under the name he had always known him as.

Also, in 1911, Mary Peers and the young Donald are staying in Ash with Henry William & Ellen Jane Court. Ellen Jane nee Beer .......

At first I thought my theory may be a bit far-fetched, now I don't think so.

[Morganllan]

Hello Ballyhooligan 

Welcome to Rootschat!

Not at all far-fetched! Also the name of Frank's son Elwyn Victor Austin gives a definite connection to the Beer family of Ash.

Kind Regards
Morgan

[TalkTalk17]

This looks like the marriage record for Alfred J Beer(e) and Mary Rees(e) who are known to have married in Chicago in 1894.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N76K-73D

An e has been added to both surnames.

[Morganllan]

Another piece of the jigsaw! All we need now is for someone to find a photograph of Frank to complete the thread.