Olympic Bandsmen 1920's

[Hummingbird]

My great uncle was a bandsman on the Olympic and other ocean liners for many years. He was a notorious womaniser and married bigamously five or six times. He met wealthy women on his voyages! I would love to have a photograph of him, or any gossip....for the family archives. Although a 'blacksheep' he obviously had
some charm! Name: Albert Piper, in 1926 he was 22 years old. Other members of the band.....bandmaster George Payne, bandsmen....Frederick Shepherd, John Beames, William Jones, Stanley Matthews, Patrick Mcmanus.

 

[Ioannis Georgiou]

You don't happen to have a photo of him? I have a few photos taken in 1926 on board Olympic by one of the stewards (Webster) and I think there is a photo with one or two members of the band if I remember right. But as no names are written it is not possible to tell if your great uncle is among them or not.

 

[Hummingbird]

olympic bandsman

You don't happen to have a photo of him? I have a few photos taken in 1926 on board Olympic by one of the stewards (Webster) and I think there is a photo with one or two members of the band if I remember right. But as no names are written it is not possible to tell if your great uncle is among them or not.

Sadly I dont have a photograph. I dont know how to get one.....I suspect that Her Majesty's Prison Service has some on file I have a pictures of his siblings so I'm hoping there would be family resemblances.

I would be extremely grateful if you could email me the photos you have?

[email protected]

 

[Ioannis Georgiou]

This is the photo I have but he does not look like an "lady-killer". (It was taken on the starboard side of B Deck.) The other photos show only stewards.

 

[Hummingbird]

Thank you. No this man doesnt look like a 'lady killer' on the contrary! So I will keep searching. I am sure Gt Uncle Albert must have been very good looking or a great charmer to have seduced so many women!

 

[Ioannis Georgiou]

I went though my photos, here are the other photos I have.

 

[Ioannis Georgiou]

I am not sure regarding this one. The person on the right must be another member of the band but not sure about the person on the left.

 

[Hummingbird]

You are very kind. Thank you. These look more promising. He was 22 years old in 1926. In fact the first picture has a very strong resemblance to my brother in his 20s. I suppose it will be very hard to know who they are until I can find other photos which is going to take time! I am fascinated because he was so naughty. He came from one of the smallest, most remote villages in Sussex, England, was a gifted musician and got a scholarship to the Portsmouth School of Music. Portsmouth is one of the coastal towns where all the ships, liners, etc., sailed from, so guessing he managed to get onto the ships from there. His first brush with the law was in 1927 in New York where he was arrested for stealing a car and ended up in Sing Sing for over a year. I am discovering more marriages every day.....so far one legal and 6 bigamously and thats only between 1925 and 1941. He was still on the liners all through 1940s, 1950s, so I'm guessing there will be more attempted marriages. "A girl in every port" seems to be true in this case

 

[Hummingbird]

I was just browsing another thread and it seems that the Public Records Office at Kew may have Crew photographs. Not far from me so I will investigate.

 

[Ioannis Georgiou]

Would be great if you can find out! (Have planed for a long time a visit to Kew but it never worked....)

Thank you about the details about your great uncle! It seems he did not only limited himself to have one girl in each port but possibly more!

 

[Hummingbird]

Yes indeed more! Thank you for your help. If there is something I can look up for you at Kew let me know.

 

[Ioannis Georgiou]

Thanks! That is very kind of you! A friend of mine is already looking for me but if you find anything about the your great uncle would be very welcome!