Person    | Male  Born /10/1870  Died 1933

Frederick Peters, "Blind Fred"

Categories: Friend / family

Frederick Peters, "Blind Fred"

Within a few days of publishing this memorial two colleagues responded with more information: 

Andrew Behan went into the archives and discovered the following:
Frederick Peters was born in 1870 in Hackney, the son of Frederick and Mary Peters. His father was a cabinet maker.

The 1871 census, which was taken on the 2nd April 1871 shows him as being six months old and his birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 1870. At the time of the census the family were living at 57 Palace Road, South Hackney. He was baptised on the 11th April 1872 at St John of Jerusalem Church, South Hackney and the family were living at 17 Havelock Road, South Hackney.

The 1881 census shows the family living at 33 Sheep Lane, South Hackney and by then he had a sister, Mary J Peters, aged 3, and a brother, John T Peters, aged 1.  Frederick Peters was shown as blind from birth.

The 1891 census shows the family at 9 Casterton Street, Hackney. His mother was not shown on the census and by now he also had another sister, Lilly Peters, aged 7. Both he and his brother, John T. Peters, were shown as blind, but this condition did not affect his sisters.

The 1901 census shows that he was boarding at 19 Marian Street, Homerton, with a James and Elizabeth Brown. His occupation is shown as 'Dependant on Charity' and he is shown as 'Blind from Birth'.

The 1911 census shows exactly the same information and confirms that he was single.

Electoral registers for 1930, 1931, 1932 and 1933 show that he was still living with James and Elizabeth Brown, but now at 6 Marian Street. His death was registered in Hackney in the 2nd quarter of 1933. He was aged 62 years.

Meanwhile Jamie Davis found Hackney Memories  by Alan Wilson where, as a child, the author remembers seeing Blind Fred: “He was shabbily but neatly dressed in an overcoat and bowler hat, and sat all day long, in all weathers, in the depths of that gloomy churchyard, reading a Braille bible and selling matches and bootlaces.  This he had done since his youth. … {he} was never seen as a beggar.  All treated him with respect, for he had become an institution, as much a part of Hackney as St John’s Church and the Hackney Empire.  He was always cheerful.  When we visited him my mother would say ‘Put a penny in his box,’ and this I always did.”

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Frederick Peters, "Blind Fred"

Commemorated ati

Blind Fred

That antique word "hereby" is the perfect choice to conjure up Blind Fred sta...

Read More

Other Subjects

G. H. Kerbey

G. H. Kerbey

B&S. HKVDC.

Person

War dead, WW2
1 memorial
Gerald Horsley

Gerald Horsley

Architect. Son of John Callcott Horsley. His best known buildings are in a Baroque style. He designed St Paul's Girls' School in Hammersmith, and a few stations for the North Western Railway such a...

Person, Architecture

1 memorial
Pte. Frank G. Newman

Pte. Frank G. Newman

Served in the 32nd Batt.Royal Fusls.

Person

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Robert C. Winter
War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Pippa Rea
1 memorial

Previously viewed

Paul Mason

Paul Mason

Sculptor working mainly in stone and marble. Born Lancashire.

Person, Sculpture

1 memorial
The Beatles

The Beatles

George Harrison,  John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr.

Group, Music / songs, Seriously Famous

7 memorials
Cobley Farm and  Fallow Farm

Cobley Farm and Fallow Farm

First documented in 1674, at its largest the farmland was bounded by High Road, Ballards Lane, Long Lane, Squire's Lane.  The Cobley family owned he farm from 1680 to 1902 when it was sold, the bui...

Place, Gardens / Agriculture, Property

4 memorials
The Garage

The Garage

From Mamacolive: "Opened in 1993, The Garage quickly established itself as the capital’s finest indie and rock venue; performing at the venue is a rite of passage for many bands. The venue has also...

Group, Music / songs

1 memorial
John Tweed

John Tweed

Sculptor. Born Glasgow. Good friend and associate of Rodin. Also by Tweed is the Wellington Monument in St. Paul’s Cathedral. Died in a nursing home at 18 Langham Street.

Person, Sculpture, Scotland

5 memorials