This is to show how easily
one can be led in completely the wrong direction. Things aren’t always what
they seem.
Whilst researching a branch
of the Apcar family with India connections I came across a Charles Apcar who
had been educated at Charterhouse School in the Surrey in the UK. Being sent
back to the UK from India was not unusual, hundreds of children born in India
were educated in England, so finding him at Charterhouse was no surprise. Their
Roll of Honour page for WW1 states: “Charles Apcar. Rifleman. Born 17th May
1894, only son of John Alexander Apcar and Ida Apcar, of Calcutta, India. He
was at Charterhouse [L] 1908 - 1912. He enlisted in the London Regiment (London
Rifle Brigade) and served with 5th Bn. He died on 8th November 1918 His grave is
in the churchyard at Outrijve in Belgium, close to the east end of the church.”
Of course I was keen to get his full details as well as those of his parents
John Alexander Apcar and Ida. When you read “of Calcutta, India” you would
naturally assume that is where he was born. I was struggling to find his birth
so I decided to see if I could find the marriage of John Alexander Apcar and
Ida. But what was her maiden name? I did not know.
Searching the birth marriages
and deaths for John and Ida’s marriage, it appeared they married in the second
quarter (Q2) 1899 in London. The records indicate that Ida had previously been
married to Edward de Pinto de Soveral also know as Vicomte de Pinto and Ida had
previously held the title of Vicomtesse de Pinto. Furthermore, records show
that Ida started divorce proceedings against Edward de Pinto in 1888, having
only married him a year before in London. She was seeking an annulment due to
his inability to consummate the marriage.
It is unclear if the divorce
was ever finalised but now, on a hunch, I searched for Charles de Pinto de
Soveral and his baptism record in Hounslow, London showed up on 5th August
1894. This told me immediately that Charles Apcar listed as “only son of John
Alexander Apcar and Ida Apcar” in the Charterhouse School listing was
incorrect. Now to find his place of birth, quite possibly in the UK, but never
assume anything. Since he died in WW1 in France his military record will have
that detail. Looking at the records “UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War,
1914-1919” I could see that he was born in Paris. Now I needed confirmation of
the date and I could be 100% certain that Charles Apcar of Charterhouse was
actually Charles de Pinto de Soveral. That confirmation came in a stroke of
luck. Whilst searching the National Archives I came across his naturalisation
application. “Charles Soveral also known as Charles Apcar”. On it was his date
of birth 17th May 1894, in Paris, France of Portuguese nationality and on the
application for naturalisation in the UK were the names of his parents Edward
de Pinto and Ida Anna Alexander Soveral Vicomtesse. Because he died on the 7
November 1919 he never got the notification that his naturalisation application
was granted on the 22 November 1919. Ida died in Q3 1920 in London and John
Alexander Apcar died 8 February 1921 in St. Leonard’s Sussex. They did not have
any children of their own but John Apcar treated Charles as his own son. No
records can be found for Edward de Pinto and as he came from a long illustrious
family in Portugal I would imagine that he ended up there. He either died
before 1899 or finalised the divorce before 1899 because Ida would not have
been free to marry John Apcar otherwise.
Charles Apcar, of Portuguese
descent, born in France, educated in England died fighting for the country he
wanted to belong to was not Armenian. 17 May 1894 – 8 November 1919
