Johann (Henry) Peter Heinrich Dittmer

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Taken in 1938 in Upton and sourced from Family Photos.

1938 Henry Dittmer

This picture was taken in 1938 in Upton and sourced from Family Photos.

Individual Picture Notes
- Only half a face, but its the olny photo I have of old Henry Dittmer, my great grandfater who imigrated from Germany.

Diersbüttel

Birth Notes

b 1867-8 in Hanover, Germany according to 1891 census, and also recorded as a "Nat. Brit. Subj."

Aged 23 in Apr-1891 so must have been born after April 1867.

Aged 24 when he married Freda, 28-Feb-1892, but his father was already deceased. Mum also remebers that the family came from Hanover.

Aged 42 on 1911 census (and Freda 41)

The probate records his name as "DITTMER Peter Henry" and his Naturalisation Certificate "Johann Peter Heinrich Dittmer". His nationalisation application (in the National Archive, Kew), also records his DOB as 17 Aug 1867, place of birth as Diersbuttel, as well as other information about perents etc. He submitted his birth certificate (issued 11 Aug 1886), so this information must have been verified. He must have applied for a new birth certificate from Amelinghausen to leave Germany, aged 19
.
DOB: 17 Aug 1867 (and of German parents)
Place of Birth: Diersbuttel, Amelinghausen, Hanover, Germany
Full Name: Johann Peter Heinrich DITTMER
Fathers Name: Johann Heinrich DITTMER
Mothers Name: Katherian Marie Magdalene KUHLMAUN

1939 register confirms DOB as 17 Aug 1867.

Johann Heinrich Dittmer

Katherina Marie Magdalene Kuhlmaun

Peter

Chris

Fred

Dorothee

West Derby

Landican Cemetery

Death Notes

Mum recalls he went to stay with relatives, and died in Belmont Hospital, Liverpool. He is buried with Freda in Landican cemetery (see references for picture).

The death certificate records Henry's place of death as 42 Belmont Road, Walton. This was the West Derby Union Workhouse until 1865 which then became Poor Law Institution. In the 1930's it bacame Belmont Road Hospital run by Liverpool Corporation. In 1948 it bacame Newsham General Hospital, run by the Ministry of Health.

The probate record shows he was living at 34 Bankburn Road, Tuebrook, Liverpool 13 before he was admitted to hospital.

See the following link for further details:
http://www.institutions.org.uk/workhouses/england/lancs/West_Derby_workhouse.htm

Headstone Inscription:

In Treasured Memory of
FREDA DOROTHY,
The beloved wife of
HENRY DITTMER
Passed away 20th October 1939
Aged 69
Peacefully sleeping, resting at last.
Life’s weary trials and troubles are past.
Also Henry, beloved Husband of above
Died 25th January 1950
Aged 82 years

Grave in CoE Section 8, number 820

Death cetificate shows Henry was of 37 Devonshire Road, Upton. Henry was retired Corporation Labourer. The death was reported by his son H Dittmer (i.e.Harry) on 26th Jan 1850. The registrar was Jamie Jones.

The probate records reveal much more information.
The record text is as follows:
DITTMER Peter Henry otherwise Henry of 34 Bankburn-road Tuebrook Liverpool 13 died 25 January 1950 at 42 Belmont-road Liverpool 6 Probate Liverpool 30 July to Harry Dittmer (the elder) engineer. Effects £231 15s 9d.

Henry wrote his will 18-Oct-1948, only 15 months before he died. Perhaps he was terminally ill then! A copy of the will was obtailed from the Leeds Probate Office be me 14-July-2012.

General Notes

Henry is possibly adopted, and the son of Johann Heinrich's first son George Heinrich Christoph who died young in 1871, aghed 32. This would also explain his sister Dorothee.

17 Aug 1867, Johann Peter Heinrich Dittmer (or Henry), the son of Henry a farmer was born in Diersbüttel, Rehlingen, Germany and went to school at Rehlingen (a 40 minute walk).

In 1874, when Johann Heinrich Christoph Dittmer married Magdalena Heuer, Johan’s father was also Johann Heinrich, farmer (deceased), so Chris and Henry are very likely to be brothers.

In 1886, Henry arrived in the UK from Germany, probably travelling from Hanover to Hull. There is a Heinrich Dittmer arrived at Hull 12 Aug 1854 on the Britannia from Hamburg, but this Heinrich was a ship's cook. Another Heinrich arrived at Hull from Hamburg in 1887, but this Heinrich appears to have continued his journey to the USA.

Christian Westpfahl and Sophia Duncacke had come to Liverpool about 1882 but only married in Liverpool March 1888. The 1883 birth records for daughter Bertha shows he had already married Sophia, presumably in Germany before he came to England. Friederike Westphal who Henry was to marry in 1892 was his landlord’s daughter, but she wasn’t in England in 1891 at the time of the census.

In 1891, Henry Dittmer (23 and single) and Peter Gellerson (47) from Hanover were lodging at 89 Opic Street, North Everton, Liverpool. The head of house was Christian Westpfahl and his wife Sophia (46 & 39) and daughters Betha (8) and Merri (5). Both men were labourers at the sugar refinery; hard, hot and sometimes dangerous work!

28 Feb 1892, Henry Dittmer (24), son of Henry a farmer, married Friedericke Westphal (22), daughter of Christian Westphal a sugar refiner at All Saints, Liverpool. Both were living a 2 Great Nelson Street. Their marriage witnesses were Charles and Bertha Heinz.

Ather they married Henry and Freda lived at Opic Street, North Everton, Liverpool.

In 1893, the family were living at 104 Opic Street, North Everton when Harry was born.

In 1894, Henry was listed in Kelly's directory as a "Sugar Boiler", living at 104 Opic Street, South Side.

In 1897, the family were living at 104 Opic Street when son Harry started school at St Peter's COE School, Sackville Street, Everton, aged 4.

About 1901 Henry returned to Germany for 2 weeks to visit his sister (her name not disclosed) in Diersbuttel, Germany (which is also where Henry went to public school).

In 1901, Henry and Friederike (33 & 31) were living at 4 Brunswick Road, Drypool, Hull, Yorkshire with their son Harry (aged 8). Henry was a labourer at the Oil Mill (probably the historic Isis Oil Mill and Silo at Morley Street next to the River Hull).

In 1911, Henry and Frederika (aged 42 & 41 and both German subjects) and were living with their son Harry (18) at 56 Mossman Street, Windhill, Shipley, Yorkshire. They had been married 19 years and only had the one child. Henry was a labourer on a Sewage Farm for the municipal corporation.

Around 1914 to 1918, during WW1, Henry was interned on the Isle-of-Man.

In 1921, Henry and Fredericka were at Idle, North Bierley, West Yorkshire.

In April 1927, after the war and living in the UK for 41 years, Henry applied to be a UK citizen.

In Sep 1939, Henry (DOB 17 Aug 1865), a retired Grease Boiler, and Friederike D (DOB 15 Feb 1870) were living at No.6 Doctor Lane, Idle. This was a small stone terraced house with a shared WC at the end of the terrace. Freda died 20 Oct (just after the register was taken).

In 1939, after Freda’s death, my mother recalls that Henry and son Harry came to live in Devonshire Road, Upton for a while. However, there wasn’t much space for him there so he went to live in lodgings at Glebe Park Rd (near Arrowe Park) for a while

About 1942 Henry moved to 34 Bankburn-Road, Tuebrook where he lived with some Dittmer relatives, possibly two old aunts. My own DNA confirms we are related to the Liverpool Dittmer family.

30 July 1950 Peter Henry Dittmer (otherwise Henry) of 34 Bankburn-Road, Tuebrook, Liverpool 13 died at 42 Belmont Road, Liverpool 6. He left his estate of £231 to his son "Harry Dittmer (the elder) engineer".

Occupation Details
- From about 1890 to 1902 Henry's occupation was Sugar House Labourer in manufacturing for Sugar Refinery, in Liverpool.
  - Occupation Notes
    - Henry Dittmer was a labourer at Sugar Mill in 1891, 1892 and 1901. In 1893 and 1894 he was recorded as a "Sugar Boiler", living at 104 Opic Street.
  From July 27th, 1915 his occupation was Interned intern in Isle of Man.
  - Occupation Notes
    - Interned during WW1 at Handford, Isle of Man, Leighterton (Gloucestershire), Alexander Palace, Frimley, and then discharged as a Grease Boiler.
      
      Hanry was released from internment and granted exemption from repaturation.
  From 1902 his occupation was Grease Boiler in services for Sewerage Works, in Idle. He retired in 1933.
  - Occupation Notes
    - Worked at Sewerage Works in Idle, Bradford (1920's). This was also recorded on the 1911 census. Henry's UK Citizen application (April 1927) records him as a "Grease Boiler" by occupation, and employed by the City of Bradford Sewage Dept with 25yrs of service.
      
      1939 register also shows "Grease Boiler Retired"

Occupancy & Contact Details
- Henry lived on a temporary basis at 89 Opic Street for four years from 1891 to about 1895.⁴
  - Occupancy/Contact Notes
    - Henry Dittmer was a Lodger with Christian and Sophie Westphahl and daughters Bertha and Merri in 1891
  He lived at 104 Opic Street from March 1893.³
  - Occupancy/Contact Notes
    - Harry Dittmer was born at 104 Opic Street, which was also their registered address (born 28-Jan, registeded 13 March).
  He lived at 4 Brunswick Road from 1901.⁵
  He lived at 56 Mossman Street for five years from 1911 to about 1916.⁶
  - Occupancy/Contact Notes
    - Home of Henry, Friedericke and young Harry (aged 18) in 1911
  He lived at 6 Doctor Lane for twenty-three years from April 20th, 1916 to 1939.¹
  - Occupancy/Contact Notes
    - 1939 Register also shows 6 Doctor Lane, so must have moved to Upton after register taker, or only as a temporary stay.
  He lived on a temporary basis in Upton for one year from 1939 to 1940.⁷
  - Occupancy/Contact Notes
    - After Freda’s death, Henry (and son Harry) came to live in Devonshire Rd, Upton for a while (~1939). However, there wasn’t much space for him there so he went to live in lodgings at Glebe Park Rd (near Arrow Park) for a while and then moved to Liverpool (about 1940), where he lived with some distant Dittmer relatives, possibly two old aunts.
  He lived at 34 Bankburn Road for nine years from about 1941 to January 1950.⁸
  - Occupancy/Contact Notes
    - Henry was believed to have lived with some distant Dittmer relatives, possibly two old aunts.
      Several of the Liverpool Dittmers lived at this address

Social & Emotional Relationships
- Henry and Johann (Chris) Heinrich Christoph Dittmer knew each other.
  - Relationship Notes
    - Probably brothers as both fathers are Henry/Heinrich (farmers).
      Where in West Derby together in 1892/3 where John and Harry were born.
      Believed to have traved to Liverpool together on the British Queen in April 1872.
      Henry lived with Catherine Dorothee Sophie Dittmer after his wife died. This was quite likely his spinster step-sister and closest living relative.
  He lived with Christian Friedrich Westpfahl.
  - Relationship Notes
    - Henry was lodging with Christian and Sophie Westphal in Everton, Liverpool in 1891
  He lived with Matthew (Mat) Walker.
  - Relationship Notes
    - Matthew and Lizzie Walker lived at 34 Bankburn-road Liverpool until 1949, when he died at The Eye and Ear Infirmary, Liverpool
  He funded Harry (Harold) Dittmer.
  - Relationship Notes
    - Peter Henry Dittmer left his eatate of £231-15-9 to his son Harry (the elder), or should he have predeceased him, then to his grandson Harry (the younger)
  He was a relative of Johanna (Anna) C Dittmer.
  - Relationship Notes
    - Possibe cousins (DNA connection)
  He lived with Anna (Mary) Marie Christina Dittmer.
  - Relationship Notes
    - Henry Dittmer was recorded as living at 34 Bankburn Road, Tuebrook in 1950 before he died. Anna also lived at Tuebrook, Liverpool.
      It appears Henry lived with his niece until she died in 1942, and then took over the house until he died in 1950.
  He lived with Peter Gellerson.
  - Relationship Notes
    - In 1891, Peter Gellerson (47) and Henry Dittmer (23) were lodging at 89 Opic Street, Liverpool
      Both Nat. Br. Subjects and Sugar Refiners from Hanover, so appear to be together.
  Henry was a relative of Dorothee Ahrens nee Dittmer.
  - Relationship Notes
    - According to his nationalisation application Henery visited his sister Dorothee for 2 weeks in Germany about 1901.
      At the time of his nationalisation application in 1926, Dorothee was the only living sibling (parents also dead).

Ancestor Pedigree Chart
- Johann Heinrich Dittmer
  - b.~ 1821 in Germany d.< 1874 in Hannover
  
  Johann (Henry) Peter Heinrich Dittmer
  - b.17 Aug 1867 in Diersbüttel d.25 Jan 1950 in West Derby
  
  Katherina Marie Magdalene Kuhlmaun
  - b.~ 1821 in Hannover d.> 1867

Personal Timeline

Johann (Henry) Peter Heinrich Dittmer

Occupation Details

Occupancy & Contact Details

Social & Emotional Relationships

Ancestor Pedigree Chart

Personal Timeline