Sydney Ernest (unknown) Andrew [Derek Ernest D. Williams]^{[1, 2, 3, 4]}

1905 - 1988  (82 years)

• Name	Sydney Ernest (unknown) Andrew [Derek Ernest D. Williams]
  Nickname	Derek Douglas Williams
  Birth	05 Dec 1905	Manafon, Powys, Wales UK
  	From Christopher Long: He claimed to have been born 5 Dec 1909 in Manafon in mid Wales, and that he was related to Lord Alfred Douglas. The truth emerged in 2010-11. According to his cousin Roy Williams he was the illegitimate son of Alice Martha Andrew, b. 5 Dec 1905 (father not stated). He was 'adopted' by Alice’s sister Sarah Maria and her husband Charles Williams who had just lost a child. Sarah and Charles later had four children, the youngest being William Stuart Williams, father of Roy Williams. Sydney is recorded as part of the family in the 1911 census for Glanrhiew, New Mills, Newtown. Aged about 14 he left home to become an actor and was not seen by his family again (he later turns up as Derek Williams, the actor); they thought he had been killed serving in the Royal Navy in WW II. He appears to have had a sister Annie, also illegitimate, who is thought to have had the same father as Sydney/Derek. He may have been Col. Reuben Norton of Dolcorsllwyn Hall. The birth of Sydney Ernest Andrew was registered Newtown, Montgomeryshire, England, Jan-Feb-Mar 1906, v. 11b, p. 155.
  Gender	Male
  Death	05 Feb 1988	Ceoyde Georgeham, Devon, England UK
  	The death notice of Derek Douglas Williams appeared in The Times [London], 9 Feb 1988.
  Burial	Georgeham Cemetery, Georgeham, Devon, England UK
  	Plot B, Lot 25
  Notes	Occupation: Actor. Role of Raleigh in the Broadway cast of R. C. Sherriff's Journey's End, which opened 22 Mar 1929, Henry Miller's Theatre. Photos archived at Harvard and at The New York Public Library digital collection. The troop, including playwright Robert Cederick Sherriff and producer James Whale, is listed on a ship's manifest. Appeared in Good Hunting, play by Nathaniel West and Joseph Schrank, which closed after two nights at Hudson Theater, Broadway, opening 21 Nov 1938. Served in Royal Navy, Lt. R.N.V.(S).R. at the time of their marriage. His origins before the age of 18 are a mystery (see above). Residence: 1948, Robber's Hall, Croyde, North Devon, England. He appears to have had a sister Annie, also illegitimate, who is thought to have had the same father as Sydney/Derek. This man may have been Col. Reuben Norton of Dolcorsllwyn Hall (Christopher Long). 1911 England census for the household at 19 Havannah Terrace, New Washington Co, Durham, headed by Thomas Charles Williams, 44, b. Gloucestershire Park, married 20 years, 12 children born alive, 8 still living, coal miner deputy; wife Sarah, 42; sons William, 16, coal miner brakeing (sic) incline; Lancelot R., 14, newsboy; Alfred 12, pupil; Ralph 10; daughter Rhoda 8; son T Charles, 6; daughter Sarah, 4; son Sydney 2, all b. Durham. 1921 Census Of England & Wales includes: D E Williams, b. 1906, Mold, Flintshire, Wales; Charles Williams, b. 1881, Mold, Flintshire, Wales; Elizabeth Williams, b. 1880, Mold, Flintshire, Wales; for a household in Holywell, Flintshire, Wales. The 1939 England and Wales Register for the address 81 Queens Gate, Kensington, London, lists Derek E D Williams, b. 30 Apr 1906, actor. Travel: Derek E D Williams, 23, b. London, nationality British, ethnicity Irish, arrived New York, 19 Mar 1929 from Southampton, England, aboard Aquitania.Derek Williams, 25, actor traveling with two other actors from St. James Theatre, London SW, departed Liverpool for New York, 5 Sep 1931 aboard the Cedric. Derek Williams, 25, actor, b. Newtown, arrived New York from Liverpool aboard the Cedric, 13 Sep 1931. Derek E D Williams, 26, b. London, arrived New York, 3 Mar 1932 [crossed off manifest for 27 Feb 1932], from Hamilton, Bermuda, aboard Monarch of Bermuda. Derek Williams, 8 John St., London, artist, 26, arrived Liverpool from New York, aboard the Halifax, 21 Mar 1932. Derek Williams, 24, b. Newtown, Wales, actor, arrived New York, 30 Jan 1934 from Southampton aboard the Aquitania. Derek Williams, 24, actist, 87a Culote?? Street, Park Lane, London, arrived Liverpool, 9 Jun 1934 from Africa aboard the Britannic. Derek E D Williams, 29, artist, 81 Queens Gt, SW7, departed 23 Oct 1938, Southampton, England for New York aboard the Bremen. Derek Ernest D Williams, 29, b. Newtown, artist, arrived New York, 28 Oct 1938 from Southampton aboard the Bremen.
  Person ID	I1362	Negroponte-Agelasto
  Last Modified	29 Jan 2022

  
  

  Father	Alice Andrew unknown partner
  Mother	Alice Martha (Richard) Andrew,   b. aut 1882, Newtown, Montgomeryshire, Wales UK d. 1976 (Age 94 years)
  Notes	Sydney was the illegitimate son of Alice Martha Andrew b. 5 Dec 1905 (father not stated). He was 'adopted' by Alice's sister Sarah Maria and her husband Charles Williams who had just lost a child. (Christopher Long) After adopting Sydney, Sarah and Charles Williams had four children. Sydney is recorded as part of the family in the 1911 census for Glanrhiew, New Mills, Newtown (Christopher Long).
  Family ID	F1717	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Sophia (George) Mavrogordato,   b. 28 Jul 1908, London, England UK d. Jan 2001, Barnstaple, Devonshire, England UK (Age 92 years)
  Marriage	07 Jul 1948	Tonbridge, Kent, England UK
  	Marriage notice appeared in The Times (London) 9 Jul 1948.
  Children	+ 1. Living   2. Living
  Family ID	F575	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	31 Dec 2008

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 05 Dec 1905 - Manafon, Powys, Wales UK Marriage - 07 Jul 1948 - Tonbridge, Kent, England UK Death - 05 Feb 1988 - Ceoyde Georgeham, Devon, England UK Burial - - Georgeham Cemetery, Georgeham, Devon, England UK  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos		Derek Douglas Williams
  		Journey's End Derek Williams as 2nd. Lieut. Raleigh (left) and Colin Keith-Johnston as Captain Stanhope (right); photo courtesy New York Public Library.

  
  

  Documents		Review of Journey's End The Stage [New York], 11 Apr 1929, p. 21.
  		Derek Ernest Douglas Williams 1988 UK Probate

  
  

• Sources

  [S82] UK National Probate Calendar Indexes, 1858-1966, 1973-1995. [S119] 1911 England Census. [S154] 1921 Census of England and Wales - 19 Jun 1921. [S124] 1939 England and Wales Register.