RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => Topic started by: Marianne Isaacs on Sunday 22 May 16 10:54 BST (UK)
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Recently while going through an old family album I came across a publicity shot if a very smooth looking man with the most amazing moustache . It was enshrined to my cousin Rose from your cousin Andre Kaya ( louis) London1930. Rose was Rose Rapke my grandmother . Louis is Australian and he became quit a successful tenor . They both lived in Melbourne Australia . I have no idea how Louis is related to Rose as so far as I know her parents Nathan and Pearl Rapke arrived from Poland in 1889 they were Jewish refugees from the pogroms hitting Poland at that time . There were no other family members so far as I know but I wonder if Louis Luscombe and his family may have also been Jewish refugees and maybe even the reason the family came to Australia . A mystery . Louis certainly looked fascinating though 😊
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Andre Kaya is noted in Welsh newspapers as performing in the area on a number of occasions between 1900 and 1910. he is often described as Polish (and a baritone rather than a tenor)
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This might help as it appears to give his birth name - the town of residence fits with a death for Andre in 1945, showing he was b c1875
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C11941906
Added - and this related entry in a list of those seeking naturalisation in the London Gazette shows it is your Andre
Leszczynski, Anton Ludwick (known as Andre Kaya) Russia; Professional singer and Teacher of Singing; 42, Strafford Road, Barnet. 29 March, 1924
And 1911 census entry - gives a place of birth
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWLK-JPR
All may help you make the links
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That certainly does look like my Andre . He came from Karlish which is where the Rapke family came from . Thank you so much for your rapid reply . This is really exciting . I have long wondered about Andre . How would I find out who his parents were and how they are related to Rose . Roses mother was Pearl Opas .can I find out about his life I wonder ?
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I can't help you with European questions - not my area - but you could try the Europe board here
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/europe/
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There's a piece in Trove with a photo of him
24 Jun 1899
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01hod/
born 1873, came to Australia when he was 13 and gives original surname. He had already had some success in Europe...
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There's a sister Bertha Luscombe mentioned too, wondered if we could find parents looking at Bertha. Just found her so looking!
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01hoe/
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There's an obituary in Trove, only mentions sister Bel
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01hof/
the following year in memory of him, she referers to him as brother and pal.....Bel Preshner
She married Morris Preshner, he died 1950's
Believe this his him
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XWG1-GVX
and he and Bel travel from England 6 Nov 1954
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Lots in the paper for the Preshner's, burial as Bel 1961, refs and military records on Australian National archives for Morris but I didn't see a marriage. They had one son who sadly died young.
https://billiongraves.com/grave/Bel-PRESHNER/5137584#
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Long way round..sorry bear with me; as I looked through the military records for Morris, there was a signature for Bel Slack 1922. Think I am on the right lines, so in Trove there is a divorce case between Bertha (Luscombe) formerly an actress and Horace John Slack 1923
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01hog/
which is as
Australia Marriage Index
Name: Horace J Slack
Spouse Name: Berta Luscombe
Marriage Date: 1901
Marriage Place: New South Wales
Registration Place: Sydney, New South Wales
Registration Year: 1901
The marriage took place on
August 29, 1901, at Phillip-street, Sydney, ac-cording to the rites of the Primitive Methodist Church. Mr. Maddocks Cohen appeared for the petitioner.
I kept looking in case the other surnames you mention came up, be glad of your thoughts
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Just found
Australian deaths
Name: Berta Preshner
Birth Year: abt 1883
Age: 78
Death Place: Victoria
Father's name: Jacob Luscombe
Mother's name: Unknown Annie
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Looking in the free searches for British newspapers, i can see some mentions of Louis Luscombe in 1900. he the switches to Andre Kaya by 1902 and is in his heyday until abuot 1910, after which there are only one or two mentions of him.
However I can't see him coming into the UK or on 1901 census under either professional name or his birth name
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Thank you so much . This is getting more and more interesting . It looks as if Andre's family and mine came out at the same time. I wonder how they were related ?
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As to the divorce , I know that marrying outside the faith was very much frowned upon , however more so for men as the faith is passed down the female line .
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Bel's marriage to Morris
Victoria Marriages 1836-1942
First name(s) Morris
Last name Preshner
Marriage year 1924
Spouse's first name(s) Berta
Spouse's last name Slack
State Victoria
Country Australia
Registration number 5903
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I have long wondered about Andre . How would I find out who his parents were and how they are related to Rose . Roses mother was Pearl Opas .can I find out about his life I wonder ?
Andre's mother Annie Luscombe was born with the surname LUEL, and her parents were Zelig LUEL and Rachel OPAS. They were from Kalisz.