In Search of the DeLa Cruz
Family (also known as Delacrus)
Filipinos in Liverpool:Little Manila on Frederick St.
(Part 1)
Please forward any queries or information to Nestor P. Enriquez (phix7@yahoo.com)
Liverpool is the most famous seaport in England, often described with
its shifting light, fogs, gulls and poignant emptiness. For 200 years,
Liverpool ruled the seas as a world-beating port and cornerstone of
the British Empire, built on slavery, commerce and emigration. Between
1830 and 1930, nine million hopefuls - English, Scottish, Irish, Swedes,
Norwegians and Russian Jews - set sail from the Mersey's docks to find
a better life in Australia and the USA. Many would-be emigrants decided
to travel no further than the Pier Head; this was particularly true
of the Irish escaping the potato famine, and the city's Irish character
is still apparent today. Liverpool was also the port of entry for migrants
from Britain's far-flung colonies, and the resulting Caribbean, Indian
and Chinese communities that developed made it one of Britain's first
multicultural cities. It is the biggest seaport near London, many people
immigrated from here to America and Australia.
map of Liverpool in 18th century
[view
larger]
Liverpool reached its height of
seaport activity in the late 1880’s. Ocean steam liners frequently
sailed through its dock. Amongst the little known members of the trading
ship’s crew were sailors from Manila. Eustaquio De La
Cruz came to Liverpool around 1860 and married a local girl,
Mary Jane Florentina on March 28, 1866 at St. Luke’s
Church of the Liverpool Parish.
On March 28, 1866, Eustaquio Dela Cruz,
31, (British subject) male mariner, place of birth Philippines, son
of John Dela Cruz (also a mariner) married Mary Jane Florentina, 17
years old spinster, born in Liverpool, a boarding house housekeeper
.(from the marriage certificate
sent by Ted Washbrook)
He settled in Liverpool and managed a boarding
house near the dock. The boarding place had 3 servants from Liverpool
and Ireland. There was a regular clerk classified as annuitant, 59 year-old
Leon Marina from Manila. It housed the De la Cruz family including the
growing family of 19 Greetham St. He later moved to Frederick St. where
there were more sailors from Manila. His wife Mary Jane became a publicly-licensed
victualer.
Another large boarding house was located at
12 Frederick St. and was owned by Marcos Buena Ventora,
a boarding housekeeper who was born in Manila 50 years earlier. He married
26 year-old Sophia Buena from Hamburg, Germany. They
had about dozen sailors from Manila.
Another sailor, Philip de la Cruz
married another Liverpool girl named Mary. He lived
in the upper Frederick St and converted his dwelling into safe heaven
for more Filipino Sailors. Thomas Harrison and his
wife Mary lived at 17 Frederick St. had a few lodging
sailors. The census reveals that the family of Antonio Rose,
John Santos, Fernandez Rappole, John Sappezz, Bristo Parrield, Mathew
Ignacio, Willam Henry, Sabastina Braddyl and few more De la
Cruz congregated at the Frederick Street. There were others who were
just listed as boarders and probably hundred more sailors who were at
sea not counted by the census. It became the Little Manila of Liverpool.
Spaniards living in the city as the Suez Canal
was completed founded the Larrinaga Steamship Company
in Liverpool in 1862. The shipping lines from Liverpool, the Basque
Trading Company opened Cadiz to Manila. The ship “Isla de Cebu”
left Mersey and was lost at sea in 1889. She was just one of the passenger
and mail steamers plying the Liverpool-New York and Liverpool-Havana
runs.
By 1900, Eustaquio retired,
but Agustina at the age of 24 kept the family tradition
working as boarding house manager.
Domingo De La Cruz came ashore
in the early 1890’s and married Isabella, daughter
of a Liverpool widow, Mary Gallaway. From this union,
Carlotta Dela Cruz was born on Aug 17, 1896 at 27 Frederick
Street after Maria who was a born year earlier. Both
girls became tailoressess. The girls sailed on the Transylvania (CUNARD
Lines) on May 04, 1915 and arrived at Ellis Island in New York to join
their Aunt Sarah Gallaway of 16 Cornelius St in the
heart of New York City’s Greenwich Village.
By 1900, there were 26 members of the Delacruz
family alone listed living in Liverpool. Isabella De Cruz,
younger daughter of Eustaquio became a music teacher,
her sister Francesca married a German sailor,
Otto Krumbholz. Francesca had a grand daughter, Brenda,
who went back to the South Pacific, Australia and now married Ted
Washbrook of Perth, Australia.
Most of the descendants who worked on the docks
and shipping lines carried with them a seafaring tradition that brought
them to Liverpool. Eustace Dela Cruz was onboard a
ship transporting new immigrants to America in the beginning of the
1920. They shared the Irish attributes and more since they came halfway
around the world and made Liverpool a truly multi-cultural city of Europe,
as global a standard as the Greenwich meridian.
The following information reveals that Filipino
sailors congregate in communities at seafronts all over the world
Name |
Mar |
Age |
Sex |
Birthplace |
Rel |
Occ |
Eustaquio DE LA CRUZ |
M |
45 |
M |
Sebu British Subject, Philippines |
Head |
Boarding House Keeper |
Mary J. DE LA CRUZ |
M |
31 |
F |
Liverpool, Lancashire, England |
Wife |
|
Francis A. DE LA CRUZ |
|
14 |
M |
Liverpool, Lancashire, England |
Son |
Scholar |
Margaret P. DE LA CRUZ |
|
10 |
F |
Liverpool, Lancashire, England |
Daur |
Scholar |
Mary J. DE LA CRUZ |
|
8 |
F |
Liverpool, Lancashire, England |
Daur |
Scholar |
Josephina DE LA CRUZ |
|
6 |
F |
Liverpool, Lancashire, England |
Daur |
Scholar |
Augustina DE LA CRUZ |
|
4 |
F |
Liverpool, Lancashire, England |
Daur |
Scholar |
Isabel C. DE LA CRUZ |
|
3 |
F |
Liverpool, Lancashire, England |
Daur |
Scholar |
Elizabeth DE LA CRUZ |
|
1 |
F |
Liverpool, Lancashire, England |
Daur |
Scholar |
Elizabeth MURPHY |
U |
19 |
F |
Liverpool, Lancashire, England |
Serv |
General Serv |
Bridget FULLAM |
|
15 |
F |
Liverpool, Lancashire, England |
Serv |
Nurse Girl |
Martha COLLINS |
W |
40 |
F |
Ireland |
Serv |
General Serv |
Leon MARINA |
U |
59 |
M |
Manila |
Annuitant |
Annuitant |
Philimina TANAL |
U |
38 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Theranonis ARBOLIDA |
U |
28 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Philip MABASA |
U |
29 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Juan AUGESTAN |
U |
25 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Siberio PELIO |
U |
29 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Ambroco MANADERA |
U |
28 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Barcelo GURRINA |
U |
25 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Beneto NEBERA |
U |
30 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Pedro SARCINA |
U |
31 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Juan MOLLINA |
U |
35 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Gelgora MAGBANGA |
U |
28 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Santigo ARGANASO |
U |
22 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Juan SMITH |
U |
22 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Tomas PUDRES |
U |
28 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Daniel PELIO |
U |
25 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Domingo BESERA |
U |
25 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Julian PLARIS |
U |
45 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Antonio MASINDOS |
U |
20 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Plaridinero AGOTE |
U |
28 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Philip ANNA |
U |
24 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Calistro FARNCIES |
U |
29 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Andrigue DE CABIGA |
U |
30 |
M |
Manila |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Another sailor with the same name, DelaCruz
is entered:
Name |
Mar |
Age |
Sex |
Birthplace |
Rel |
Occ |
DE LA CRUZ,Philip <1847> |
M |
|
M |
Manilla |
Head |
|
Dwelling:
5 Court Upper Frederick St
Census Place: Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Source: FHL Film 1341866
PRO Ref RG11 Piece 3615 Folio 39
Page 34
Name |
Mar |
Age |
Sex |
Birthplace |
Rel |
Occ |
Philip DE LA CRUZ |
M |
34 |
M |
Manilla |
Head |
Sailor |
Mary DE LA CRUZ |
M |
29 |
F |
Liverpool, Lancashire, England |
Wife |
|
Manuel ANGEL |
U |
35 |
M |
Manilla |
Boarder |
Sea Cook |
There are more dwellings in the vicinity
of Frederick and Upper Frederick. The Filipino sailors married women
from Liverpool, Ireland and other parts of Europe
|
I found a younger daughter, Francesca
De la Cruz, was born in 1881 after the census count. Ted Washbrook
(now living in Perth - Western Australia) while looking for a
Boarding House in Liverpool found my website article. He was searching
for the family roots of his wife, Brenda. Francesca DeLa Cruz
happened to be the Brenda’s grandmother; Ted was able to
link through the name of the first son, Francis DeLa Cruz (or
DeLa Cruse.) Francis was the only son who could carry on the family
name.
Ted sent me a picture of Francesca (who lived till early 1950)
and Brenda readily recognized as her great grandmother.
On Oct 1900, Francesca Delacruz, then 19, married Otto Krumholz,
a 33-year old mariner. At the time of this marriage Francesca’s
address was 26 Nile Street and her father, Eustaquio listed profession
was Shipping Agent. From this union, came Brenda’s parents.
|
Wedding of Brenda’s mother,
the dark gentleman at the left is her uncle
Resemblance of Franscesca De La Cruz
(Brenda's sister)
Photos courtesy of T. Washbrook
As we all try to trace our genealogical
lines, we often encounter problems in family name changes. It is a very
common occurrence for people coming from different countries. DE LA
CRUZ, a Spanish name meaning “from the cross” might have
been anglicized to DeLaCruse along the way.
Please email me if you have any additional information. Any information
on the DE LA CRUZ (AKA DE LA CRUSE) and any one of the boarders will
be appreciated. So far, all the dates and ages of the members of the
DE LA CRUZ family matches the information provided to me.
I would also like to know what happened to the Boarding House at 9 Greetham
St. in Liverpool, Lancashire, England.
The other house owned by Philip DE LA CRUZ at 5 Court No 3 Upper Frederick
St
Liverpool, Lancashire, England is interesting.
I recently found the following information from the Ellis Island/Statue
of Liberty website (American Family Immigration History) where more
than 12 million immigrants came to America between 1892 and 1954.
Marie Delacruz, 20 years old, and Carlotta
Delacruz, 19 years old, both single females, arrived onboard
the ship Transylvania (CUNARD Lines) on May 04, 1915. The ship came
from Liverpool and the immigration record lists both women as tailoressess,
their ethnicity as Filipino/British, and their mother as Mrs. Delacruz
who lived at 30 Liver St, in Liverpool, England.
They listed their destination as their Aunt Sarah Galloway’s home
on 16 Cornelia St New York. (The street is located in the heart of New
York City’s Greenwich Village)
A copy of Carlotta’s birth certificate reveals that she was born
Aug 17, 1896 at 27 Frederick Street UD, and her father; Domingo Delacruz,
was a seaman in the merchant service and her mother was Isabella Dela
cruz (formerly Isabella Gallaway.)
Isabella and Sarah Gallaway might be the same sisters born in Great
Ayton, York (listed as 2 & 5 years old in the 1881 census.) The
Gallaways were also likely residents of 13 Hurst Street, as listed in
the 1891 census.
Name |
Age |
Birthplace |
Rel |
Occ |
S? Londo |
31 |
Spain |
Head |
Seaman |
Catherin Londo |
22 |
Liverpool |
Wife |
|
Ellen Doyle |
19 |
Liverpool |
sister |
|
Mary Gallaway |
35 |
Liverpool |
widow |
Bottle Picker |
Isabella Gallaway |
15 |
Liverpool |
dau |
Bottle Picker |
Sarah Gallaway |
17 |
Liverpool |
dau |
Scholar |
Joseph Gallaway |
6 |
Liverpool |
son |
|
Hurst Street is a couple of pages before
Liver Street on the CD. Sarah's age may be wrong, as I think it would
be unusual for her to be still a scholar at age 17 while her sister,
age 15, is working.
In the 1881 UK census, the Ignasious along with John Delarcruz (and
his wife Elizabeth) lived at 27 Frederick St and across the Florentia
family also from the Philippines
Dwelling:
27 Frederick St
Census Place: Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Source: FHL Film 1341866
PRO Ref RG11 Piece 3615 Folio 35
Page 26
Name |
Mar |
Age |
Sex |
Birthplace |
Rel |
Occ |
Matthew IGNASIOU |
M |
35 |
M |
Manilla |
Head |
Sailor |
Mary A. IGNASIOU |
M |
26 |
F |
Liverpool, Lancashire, England |
Wife |
|
Margaret IGNASIOU |
|
8 |
M |
Liverpool, Lancashire, England |
Daur |
Scholar |
Matthew IGNASIOU |
|
2 |
M |
Liverpool, Lancashire, England |
Son |
|
Ann MOLINA |
|
46 |
F |
Liverpool, Lancashire, England |
Mother In Law |
Sailors Wife |
Dwelling:
28 Upper Frederick St
Census Place: Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Source: FHL Film 1341866
PRO Ref RG11 Piece 3615 Folio 36
Page 28
Name |
Mar |
Age |
Sex |
Birthplace |
Rel |
Occ |
Peter FLORENTIA |
M |
40 |
M |
Manilla |
Head |
Sailor |
Sarah FLORENTIA |
M |
27 |
F |
Liverpool, Lancashire, England |
Wife |
|
Elizabeth MITCHELL |
U |
6 |
M |
Northwich, Cheshire, England |
Niece |
Scholar |
Peter GONZALOS |
U |
25 |
M |
Manilla |
Boarder |
Sailor |
Ref: American Family Immigration Center
There were European immigrants with Filipino
ethnicity whose right of passage was Ellis Island after living in Europe.
It is like an end run called “the old Statue of Liberty”
play in football or “the Brooklyn side strike” in Bowling.
Another example is the name Abaya. There were also new immigrants from
Barcelona who were born in Manila. They were probably expatriates trapped
in Spain before it surrendered the Philippines to the United States.
Between 1892 to 1924 there were over 22 million passengers and ship’s
crewmembers processed through the Ellis Island and Port of New York.
The members of the crew are listed and the names above were just a few
of the Filipino mariners who traveled along millions of new Americans.
During the final years I found that Filipino-Americans made up almost
20% of the crew. The ethnic classification was either, Filipino or Philippino.
|