Australia Australia - Marion Barter, 51, missing after trip to UK, June 1997 #12

[CrossingToSafety]

Possibilities:
- Ronse
- Geraardsbergen

here’s a list of orphanages (weeshuizen(Dutch)) from 1904 to start from. It’s from the province of Flobecq. In the menu you can choose other provinces. Ronse & Geraardsbergen are in the list (with a bit of extra info).
sorry, it’s in Dutch

Oost-Vlaanderen | zwysen.be

Oh you have located so much information on that website page @Carovb5 . Great find!

The Ronse one is interesting given the proximity.

Only 6km between Ronse and Ellezelles.

That website you linked I think states:
For needy orphan boys at the expense of the Public Benevolence of Ronse
The boys attend school up to the age of 13 to 14 years ; afterwards they are prepared for a profession of their choice. Children from other municipalities can be admitted.


This site has a picture of the orphanage.
Oude plaatsnamen te Ronse :: Ronse door de eeuwen



Looks like the Ronse orphanage was demolished in 1962 to make war for a town library:
Stedelijke Openbare Bibliotheek - Wikimapia

 

[Eyespywithmylittleeye]

Great points @mishy66

The lack of info on the orphanage is interesting too. It’s difficult to make out the name of the town RB names as the location of the orphanage he was sent to. Did one websleuth suggest it was Ellezelles? Can anyone help?

I easily find info on war orphanages in other Belgian towns. Many protecting Jewish children.

It’s tempting to explore the Wezembeek orphanage given it was run by a ‘Madame Blum’. But that name seems to be just a convenient coincidence as the town name doesn’t match at all. Many Jewish children were sheltered there. See half way down this article.
https://m.jpost.com/diaspora/orphan...vivors-reunite-over-70-years-later-656631/amp

Have I missed any sleuthing on this subject or does anyone have some leads?

Also coincidently Marie Blum-Alberts father was Chaim… surely he wouldn’t would he?

 

[mishy66]

Thanks to @hoodunnit who got me back onto a path I had dismissed long ago in regard to R.PENROSE.W. being RGW father.

I will post it all up with confirmed links once I collate it all.

But I can confirm that R.PENROSE.W. was RGW father.
He married Elizabeth C Anderson and they had 1 child RGW.
Elsie is RGW sister but I think through an earlier relationship of the mother.
I found her death notice but not her birth under Walker and there is no mention anywhere of her as a Walker. (Not really important in the scheme of things).
But I have found Elizabeth C Walker grave with her mentioned.

They ALL had nicknames/family names which is why it was so challenging finding them all!

R.PENROSE.W. is possibly connected to the Walker fame that I think @MrsWattle put up a while back.

If anyone has been searching passenger lists for the Walker side I can CONFIRM RPW is his father.

I have a family that came out to Coolgardie WA from UK and I am still trying to work through that.

 

[mishy66]

Has any been able to find any info for RGW sister...... ancestry says she was born in England....

Are you able to post a link to that @1965school please.

Also coincidently Marie Blum-Alberts father was Chaim… surely he wouldn’t would he?

I think you have found the answer!
Excellent sleuthing!!

 

[MrsWattle]

I have no idea if she is connected aka Madame Marie Albert Blum
Marie Blum Albert

 

[mishy66]

@ruby925 Regarding the inVALID pension received from Belgium, surely they would only forward it to an account in the original name of WW. The same goes for the Centrelink pension. I don't believe either would accommodate/approve ALL the name changes, without suspecting something that could allegedly be fraudulent. So I hope this is verified by the authorities as you suggest.

And is this why he officially changed his name back to WW in Dec89? Must have been something to do with the Belgian connection, pension or inheritance?

Fasinating given his 'mother/aunt' (sister of his father) died in 1990 !

He changed his name back WCW just in time it seems.

So much great sleuthing !

 

[mishy66]

Too late to edit my previous reply, but interesting to note most of the Jewish children in the orphanages/hiding places in WW2 changed their names to hide their heritage and if they were not in Jewish institutions, they mostly had to stop any Jewish customs/practise as well.

I find this VERY interesting @ruby925 because ages ago I found a Jewish booklet offering up prayers etc etc with a M. Blum and a Desire David in the same offerings.
I will try to find it and post it up.
I have the attachment but as we need links it might take a while because I didnt save the link uughhh.

 

[mishy66]

Quite the story, this part sounded familiar...

Perry wept on the stand, insisting that he killed no one. He also said that he had to marry all those women because they pursued him relentlessly.

He certainly is a lover of history and the use of past scammers look to be his method of play.
Fits right in with that other scammer we were researching Don Juan.
His story is a playbook for RB.

Pretty incredible really given the deH didnt/dont have a computer

 

[mishy66]

Thanks to the links made by other sleuths, it really helped sort this side out!

Such a confusing family to work out.
They all had family names/nicknames !

Collating it all here so it makes some sort of sense.

R.G.Walker (D.Walker father) - Family name "GORDON"
BIRTH 24 JAN 1912 Coolgardie Western Australia
DEATH 20 JAN 1987 Sydney N.S.W. Australia


In this Trove article - it links R.PENROSE.W. and E.C.Andersons brother ALBERT of the Anderson Meat Company -https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/220315606?searchTerm=%22Alfred%20William%20Anderson%20%22
A Light Matter. - TWO ELECTRIC GLOBES. AND A SCADDAN CERTIFICATE. - Truth (Perth, WA : 1903 - 1931) - 25 Aug 1917

His parents:

R. PENROSE " DICKY" Walker. born 1887
https://www.myheritage.com/research...+ln.Walker+lnmo.4+lnmsdm.1+lnmsmf3.1+lnmsrs.1
(sorry it won't allow me to attach report)

Death - June 26 1963 - age 74
27 Jun 1963, Page 18 - The Sydney Morning Herald at Newspapers.com
(see attachment)

Marriage to E.C. Anderson- June 1911
Family Notices - Sunday Times (Perth, WA : 1902 - 1954) - 28 May 1911
(see attachment)

Divorce - June 1938 (desertion) - RGW would have been about 26
IN DIVORCE. - (Before Mr. Justice Roper.) WROBEL V WROBEL. - The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) - 1 Jul 1938
(see attachments)

RGW sister E.H. WYNNE P.– Married 1934 Waverley, New South Wales - James Frederick Palme (his 2nd Marriage).
I have been unable to find her under the W name and she was the first born, given the Mothers Gravestone notice so I feel Elsie was born from another relationship ECAnderson had and it doesn't matter in the scheme of things but just for those still searching for her.
RGW death notice has her as Wynne - her family name. Linked previously.
(see attachment)

E.H. WYNNE P. Death and Will notice - 1988
21 Oct 1998, Page 22 - The Sydney Morning Herald at Newspapers.com
(See attachment)

E.C. Anderson Walker died - 1965
28 Aug 1965, Page 89 - The Sydney Morning Herald at Newspapers.com
(see attachment)
Interesting address ....and Will Notice...Pensioner
20 Nov 1965, Page 28 - The Sydney Morning Herald at Newspapers.com
(see attachment)

She is buried with her Parents
Elizabeth Caroline Walker (Anderson) Died: 27 Aug 1965 BillionGraves Record
(see attachment)

Her Brother Alfred Anderson death - 1956 ( for some reason I feel this is important....)
7 Aug 1956, Page 20 - The Sydney Morning Herald at Newspapers.com

 

[Carovb5]

Also coincidently Marie Blum-Alberts father was Chaim… surely he wouldn’t would he?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9052017042/ref=dbs_a_def_awm_bibl_vppi_i0

a book written by Marie Blum-Albert about the orphanage and the jewish orphans…..
so so so curious about the names and possibly pictures in this book!

would it be in libraries? Online?

 

[Carovb5]

This is an article about the Blum (Chaim, Albert & Marie) family during WWII. It’s in french. It mensions what they did to help the jewish community during the war. It’s interesting.
https://www.journalbelgianhistory.b...ta/articlepdf/chtp3_020_Bibliotheque4.pdf.pdf

 

[Carovb5]

It gets better. Albert Blum is named Freddy Blum.

“Celui qui est responsable des homes de l’AJB à la fin de l’Occupation est Alfred (dit Freddy) Blum, qui épousera Marie Albert après la Libération31. Il assure cette fonction depuis l’arrestation de Maurice Heiber en mai 194332. Alfred Blum est né en août 1918, il a donc 26 ans en septembre 1944. Son père, Marcel Blum, a été, à partir de décembre 1942, président de l’AJB. Ils sont belges. La famille doit sa prospérité aux établissements J. et M. Blum, gros négoce de textiles. Même si c’est le nom de son père, Marcel Blum, qui figure parmi les signataires de la convocation pour Malines, en tant que président de la Communauté israélite de Bruxelles, Freddy Blum a aussi exercé d’importantes responsabilités au sein de l’AJB. Dès janvier 1942, il est membre de la direction du Comité local de Bruxelles (où Chaïm Perelman le rejoindra) et trésorier, puis secrétaire de ce comité33. Des familles de déportés ne lui pardonneront jamais de ne pas les avoir mises en garde devant le danger alors que les Juifs angoissés venaient demander dans les bureaux de l’AJB comment réagir à la convocation pour Malines34.​

Les homes d’enfants juifs à la Libération

There’s a picture of the kids in 1945.

 

[MrsWattle]

Another link with more details. d.2001
Still no idea if connected to RB

Marie Blum

 

[mishy66]

It gets better. Albert Blum is named Freddy Blum.

“Celui qui est responsable des homes de l’AJB à la fin de l’Occupation est Alfred (dit Freddy) Blum, qui épousera Marie Albert après la Libération31. Il assure cette fonction depuis l’arrestation de Maurice Heiber en mai 194332. Alfred Blum est né en août 1918, il a donc 26 ans en septembre 1944. Son père, Marcel Blum, a été, à partir de décembre 1942, président de l’AJB. Ils sont belges. La famille doit sa prospérité aux établissements J. et M. Blum, gros négoce de textiles. Même si c’est le nom de son père, Marcel Blum, qui figure parmi les signataires de la convocation pour Malines, en tant que président de la Communauté israélite de Bruxelles, Freddy Blum a aussi exercé d’importantes responsabilités au sein de l’AJB. Dès janvier 1942, il est membre de la direction du Comité local de Bruxelles (où Chaïm Perelman le rejoindra) et trésorier, puis secrétaire de ce comité33. Des familles de déportés ne lui pardonneront jamais de ne pas les avoir mises en garde devant le danger alors que les Juifs angoissés venaient demander dans les bureaux de l’AJB comment réagir à la convocation pour Malines34.​

Les homes d’enfants juifs à la Libération

There’s a picture of the kids in 1945.

I think you have just blown the lid of his alias Ric Blum
I am finding it VERY difficult to believe DdeH did not know about all of this
IMO JMO

 

[MrsWattle]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9052017042/ref=dbs_a_def_awm_bibl_vppi_i0

a book written by Marie Blum-Albert about the orphanage and the jewish orphans…..
so so so curious about the names and possibly pictures in this book!

would it be in libraries? Online?

It gets better. Albert Blum is named Freddy Blum.

“Celui qui est responsable des homes de l’AJB à la fin de l’Occupation est Alfred (dit Freddy) Blum, qui épousera Marie Albert après la Libération31. Il assure cette fonction depuis l’arrestation de Maurice Heiber en mai 194332. Alfred Blum est né en août 1918, il a donc 26 ans en septembre 1944. Son père, Marcel Blum, a été, à partir de décembre 1942, président de l’AJB. Ils sont belges. La famille doit sa prospérité aux établissements J. et M. Blum, gros négoce de textiles. Même si c’est le nom de son père, Marcel Blum, qui figure parmi les signataires de la convocation pour Malines, en tant que président de la Communauté israélite de Bruxelles, Freddy Blum a aussi exercé d’importantes responsabilités au sein de l’AJB. Dès janvier 1942, il est membre de la direction du Comité local de Bruxelles (où Chaïm Perelman le rejoindra) et trésorier, puis secrétaire de ce comité33. Des familles de déportés ne lui pardonneront jamais de ne pas les avoir mises en garde devant le danger alors que les Juifs angoissés venaient demander dans les bureaux de l’AJB comment réagir à la convocation pour Malines34.​

Les homes d’enfants juifs à la Libération

There’s a picture of the kids in 1945.

The person responsible for the AJB men at the end of the Occupation was Alfred (known as Freddy) Blum, who married Marie Albert after the Liberation31. He has performed this function since the arrest of Maurice Heiber in May 194332. Alfred Blum was born in August 1918, so he was 26 in September 1944. His father, Marcel Blum, was, from December 1942, president of the 'AJB. They are Belgian. The family owes its prosperity to the establishments J. and M. Blum, a large textile trade. Even if it is the name of his father, Marcel Blum, who appears among the signatories of the convocation for Mechelen, as president of the Jewish Community of Brussels, Freddy Blum also exercised important responsibilities within the AJB. From January 1942, he was a member of the management of the Local Committee of Brussels (where Chaïm Perelman would join him) and treasurer, then secretary of this committee33. Families of deportees will never forgive him for not having warned them of the danger when the anguished Jews came to ask in the offices of the AJB how to react to the summons for Mechelen.
Homes for Jewish children at the Liberation

There's a picture of the kids in 1945.

 

[KiwiNZ]

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9052017042/ref=dbs_a_def_awm_bibl_vppi_i0

a book written by Marie Blum-Albert about the orphanage and the jewish orphans…..
so so so curious about the names and possibly pictures in this book!

would it be in libraries? Online?

I wish I could read French !! So interesting.

Been Jewish myself I instantly felt RB was of Jewish heritage, just some of the things he said, some of what others would think odd would make sense if you were Jewish and of his age, name changing (lack of personal identity), hording money, penny pinching etc... that's just my theory

Thanks for this find it is really interesting and I feel this is a real possible link, IMO.

 

[mishy66]

The person responsible for the AJB men at the end of the Occupation was Alfred (known as Freddy) Blum, who married Marie Albert after the Liberation31. He has performed this function since the arrest of Maurice Heiber in May 194332. Alfred Blum was born in August 1918, so he was 26 in September 1944. His father, Marcel Blum, was, from December 1942, president of the 'AJB. They are Belgian. The family owes its prosperity to the establishments J. and M. Blum, a large textile trade. Even if it is the name of his father, Marcel Blum, who appears among the signatories of the convocation for Mechelen, as president of the Jewish Community of Brussels, Freddy Blum also exercised important responsibilities within the AJB. From January 1942, he was a member of the management of the Local Committee of Brussels (where Chaïm Perelman would join him) and treasurer, then secretary of this committee33. Families of deportees will never forgive him for not having warned them of the danger when the anguished Jews came to ask in the offices of the AJB how to react to the summons for Mechelen.
Homes for Jewish children at the Liberation

There's a picture of the kids in 1945.

WOW WOW WOW!!

 

[ruby925]

Oh you have located so much information on that website page @Carovb5 . Great find!

The Ronse one is interesting given the proximity.

Only 6km between Ronse and Ellezelles.

That website you linked I think states:
For needy orphan boys at the expense of the Public Benevolence of Ronse
The boys attend school up to the age of 13 to 14 years ; afterwards they are prepared for a profession of their choice. Children from other municipalities can be admitted.


This site has a picture of the orphanage.
Oude plaatsnamen te Ronse :: Ronse door de eeuwen
View attachment 338753


Looks like the Ronse orphanage was demolished in 1962 to make war for a town library:
Stedelijke Openbare Bibliotheek - Wikimapia

Oh this one sounds possible, also ties in with RB saying he 'walked out of there in 1951' at age thirteen, although he also says his mother came and got him.

 

[Carovb5]

WOW WOW WOW!!

Thanks @MrsWattle for the translation.
I like posting in the original language because there are people here from all over the world & sometimes things get ‘lost in translation’. + i hope everyone can use google translate
When i post in the original language, people can copy/paste when searching for more.

 

[ruby925]

Good links about Marie Albert Blum everyone. Yonah Tiefenbrunner was also a prominent name re Jewish orphanages in Belgium during the same time. Tempting to keep looking for RB as Jewish because there are so many records of these children during WW2. RB's account is not clear why he was in an orphanage from approx 1942 , possibly because of his mother's amputation/disability but it could have been to keep him safe from deportation if the family was Jewish. Either way, it is clear there were thousands of 'orphans' accommodated in Belgium during that time as Jews fled the Nazis from all over Europe. The survivors' stories paint vivid pictures, sad and harrowing as families were split up. I understand now why RB said at the inquest he didn't really know who he was.