FATHER OF 33.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1732, 24 April 1913, Page 9

FATHER OF 33.

v FAMILY ROLL-CALL EVERY NIGHT. Jlr. Frederick Bush Beckett, a Great Yarmouth baker and retired armourersergeant from the old Volunteers, recently celebrated his silver wedding with his second wife. Mr. Beckett was first married at tile aye of nineteen, and is now sixty-four. He has had in all thirty-three children, of whom nineteen aro still alivo. and ten are living at home. He hnd eleven children by his first wife and twenty-two by his present wife. Mr. Beckett was unable to tell a representative of the "Daily Mail" the names of all his children. "But," he said, "I can show ydu what some of them have cost me." After displaying a number of bills, he produced a bundle of photographs which, when spread out, almost covered the table. "These," he said, "aro photographs of a few of thorn. Every night wo have a roll-call to see that all the children aro all in." With the assistance of his wife and reference to a bundle of birth certificates tho following list of Mr. Beckett's children and grandchildren was compiled:— Out'of eleven children by his first wife the following are living. "M." indicates married and "S." single;— Annie Maria, in., 14.Albert Victor, s,, 37. Fredk. G. m., 43. Maud Eliz'b'tli, 111., 35 Win. Edward, s„ .IS, . Of Ihcsfl Annie has five children, Frederick six. and Ufaud (hree, so thnt Mr. Beckett lias fourteen grandchildren from liH first family. The children by his second wife arc:— Fred. S„ in., i-1. l.oltie Maud, dead. Neville George, iMllurricl. (lend. Arthur I!., in., I'dith Blomiield, 11!. Dorothy s., *Jl. Stanley Charles, 11. Alfred,' dead. Gordon Harold, 10. Miidred Maud, s„ W. Spencer, 8. .lames, 17. Horace, i. Sidney Stephens, 10. I.eslie Percy, ' Elsie Winifred, l.'i. Noel, dead. There were four more children who died before having been named. Frederick and Arthur have each one child, which brings I lie total of Mr. Beckett's grandchildren to sixteen.