Film stars' ancestry uncovered in 1911 census

Film stars' ancestry uncovered in 1911 census

Records from the 1911 census are available online at findmypast.com

22 October 2009

From master bakers to Baker Street

Actor Jude Law, who stars as Dr Watson in the upcoming Sherlock Holmes film, is descended from a family of Brixton-based master bakers, while director Guy Ritchie's roots lie in the officer class of the army, reveal records released by findmypast.

The records revealing the turn-of-the-century roots of the Sherlock Holmes stars have been released to mark the 1911 census being made available online at findmypast.com.

Jude Law's baking ancestry is firmly rooted in South London, and William Law, his paternal great-grandfather, is recorded on the 1911 census as a Master Baker, living with his wife and their five children and two servants in a nine-roomed house in Brixton.

Director Guy Ritchie is descended from a military family, and his paternal great-great-grandparents, Edward (a retired Major-General) and Annie McLaughlin, are recorded as living in the 16-roomed Byron Hall in Worthing in 1911. Genealogy research has even revealed that Ritchie is descended from King Edward I!

Debra Chatfield, marketing manager at findmypast.com, said: 'Being a family historian is a bit like being a detective, as it's all about piecing together clues from relatives' memories and locating official records, to discover who your ancestors were and how they lived.'

The Census Collection

The 1911 census is now available as a six month or annual subscription package at findmypast.com. People can view the original census images and benefit from full and accurate transcriptions online to help trace their family tree.