A Russian Family in India

[bcgrown]

My grandmother, Olga Nadejda Demme Keiloff, was born in Bombay India on May 21, 1900 to Karl Nicholas Demme and Mildred Keiloff. She met my grandfather, Leonard James Simmons who was a British soldier, while she was working as a governess in Bangalore. They marrried, had three sons in India then came to Canada. Another son was born and ten years after that my mother was born. Unfortunately Olga died five weeks after my mom was born and we don't know anything about her family. I have managed to find out through a declaration of passengers to Canada that there was an uncle by the name of Walter Pereira whose address was care of Conservator of Forests Govt Bombay.  Can anyone help me here? I would love to find out more information and if there are any descendants alive today. Thanks for reading this.

[ShaunJ]

Walter Edward Pereira was awarded the MBE in 1937:

" Walter Edward Pereira, Esq., Bombay Forest Service, Personal Assistant to the Chief Conservator of Forests, Bombay Presidency,
Bombay"

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/34365/supplements/699

A mention in 1923 http://www.rootschat.com/links/0cct/

[bcgrown]

Thank you for that information. 1937 was the year that my mother was born.

[ShaunJ]

It might be worth finding a way to access the Times of India digitised archives which are licensed to universities and libraries by Proquest. http://www.proquestlearning.co.uk/assets/literature/products/databases/hnp_india_en_uk.pdf

[Charlesworth]

Hi, I notice the name of the uncle - do you know if he was a maternal or paternal uncle?  I am pretty certain that he would be what would be called a Goan - of Indian and Portuguese descent.  The Goan mix goes back to the early 17th century in India, and there will usually be records in churches.  Although unfortunately, Pereira is very common in Goa/Bombay (the Goan community is huge).

If you're looking at someone born in India around 1900, and if their families were in India for more than a couple of generations, it may be that they were Anglo-Indian - mixed European and Indian blood.  There are Anglo Indian associations in India (some online) who might be able to assist - who may be able to tell you if her surnames were also known in the AI community.  There were Europeans meeting and marrying other Europeans in India at that time, but there were also a lot of Anglo-Indians whose mother tongue was English, who were marrying other AIs or Europeans.

It is possible to carry out such research in India - but you may have to go there!    Rest assured that if you do, there are old records available in churches etc.

Louise

[bcgrown]

Thanks again. I was always told that my great grandparents left Russia during the revolution and I don't know who this uncle is - maternal or paternal. The goan link is interesting though. I did find someone by that name on Facebook and contacted the poor fellow. I didn't expect to find the uncle but maybe a descendant or relative. But not yet.

[Charlesworth]

Good luck - but as I say, Pereira is really common in India.  It would almost be as bad as looking for someone called Smith in England.

Russian revolutions (first attempt and biggie) were after 1900 - 1907 (I think?) and 1917 - so if her parents left Russia before 1900 it wouldn't be because of the revolution...

[bcgrown]

Good point. My grandmother was born in India in 1900 so the story was wrong.

[Charlesworth]

It's just a thought, but is the name Demme Russian?  I have no clue where it is from but to me it sounds more Dutch.  If it is Dutch that would make sense because the Dutch were the first Europeans to take over Bombay so there were Anglo-Indian communities of Dutch descent.  It's just a thought.  Let us know if you find out anything more, because it's fascinating stuff.

Louise