Top 20 foreigners who came on board
Top 20 foreigners who came on board
26 January 2006
To coincide with Stephen Fry´s exploration into his family´s immigration to the United Kingdom in this week´s episode of Who Do You Think You Are?, The National Archives at Kew has compiled a list of famous names featuring in British Naturalisation Papers.
The National Archives holds both the Naturalisation applications, together with Home Office correspondence, from 1801 to 1934 and copies of approved certificates up to 1987.
The list includes:
Chaim (Charles) Weizmann: First President of Israel. Certificate 19762 issued 25 November 1910, Nationality: Russian.
Henry Solomon Wellcome: Founder of The Wellcome Institute. Certificate 19657 issued 1 November 1910, Nationality: American.
Sir Henry Morton Stanley: Explorer of Africa of "Dr Livingstone, I presume" fame. Certificate D51 issued 26 May 1892, Nationality: American.
James de Rothschild: A notable supporter of the arts and a trustee of The Wallace Collection and Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Supply during the Second World War. Certificate 5,784 issued 10 March 1920, Nationality: French.
Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim: inventor of the Maxim Gun. Certificate A11066 issued 16 September 1899, Nationality: American.
Charles Urban: Pioneer of cinematography. Certificate 16848 issued 17 June 1907, Nationality: American.
Viscount William Waldorf Astor MP: Owner of the Waldorf Astoria, husband of Lady Nancy Astor the first British woman to take her seat in the House of Commons. Certificate A10960 issued 11 July 1899, Nationality: American.
Sir Lawrence Alma Tadema, RA: Artist. Certificate A9421 issued 12 January 1897, Nationality: Belgian.
Raymond Chandler: US author of detective novels. Certificate 16789 issued 20 May 1907, Nationality: American. Reverted to American citizenship in 1956.
Hilaire Belloc: Author and MP. Certificate 12405 issued 25 February 1902, Nationality: French.
Adelina Patti: Soprano. Certificate A10369 issued 16 July 1898, Nationality: French.
Sir August Manns: Conductor. Certificate A7887 issued 21 May 1894, Nationality: German.
Henry James: American novelist. Certificate 1,067 issued 24 July 1915, Nationality: American.
Michael Marks: (co-founder of Marks and Spencers). Certificate A9621 issued 5 May 1897, Nationality: Russian.
Paul Julius Reuter: (of Reuters news). Certificate 2403 issued 17 March 1857, Nationality: German.
Joseph Conrad: Writer. Certificate A4800 issued 18 August 1886, Nationality: Russian.
Ira Frederick Aldridge: American black actor. Certificate 4215 issued 7 November 1863, Nationality: American.
Morris Burton: aka Sir Montague Burton (co-founder of Burtons). Certificate A18805 issued 17 February 1910, Nationality: Russian.
T S Eliot: Poet. Certificate 15337 issued 2 November 1927, Nationality: American.
Edmond Dulac: Artist. Certificate 21648 issued 7 February 1912, Nationality: French.
Details of some further 70,000 cases can be searched on The National Archives´ online catalogue.
Roger Kershaw, The National Archives immigration records specialist, said that in order to become a British subject in the early 20th century, a foreign national was required to present a memorial to the Secretary of State providing their age, trade, and duration of residence, accompanied by a declaration from at least four householders vouching for the respectability and loyalty of the applicant.
"The papers for the American-born writer Henry James, who was naturalised in 1915, include the former Prime Minister Henry Herbert Asquith as James's referee"
From 1914, the requirement for candidates to have an adequate knowledge of English was introduced, and memorials could include English proficiency tests.
In the 1930s, as Jewish refugees began to arrive in the UK from Germany and Austria, there was a marked increase in the number of refugees and subsequent applications for naturalisations.
"Ernst Freud and his family - which included Lucien and Clement - were naturalised on 30 August 1939. Had they not been naturalised before the outbreak of war on 2 September 1939, it was likely that they would have been considered for internment as they were of Austrian nationality and - as such - were regarded as enemy aliens."
The National Archives has launched a new comprehensive family history section to help Britons explore their own ancestral roots.
