Miss Behrend Remanded

View from High Street to Church Lane, Sharnbrook  c.1920 [Z50/100/83]

Friday 30th October 1914: Miss Pepita Eleanora Henrietta Ottilia Behrend appeared at Sharnbrook Police Court for the second time today charged under the Aliens Orders 1914. One of the magistrates, Mr Stileman Gibbard, asked whether he should retire from the Bench as he was both Miss Behrend’s landlord and a personal friend; the prosecuting solicitor stated that he was happy for Mr Gibbard to continue. Miss Behrend’s counsel asked for the case to be remanded again to give him time to prove her place of birth. He had received a letter that morning from her brother, stating that he was prepared to give evidence that she was born in England.

The prosecutor explained that the issue was not whether Miss Behrend was a reputable person, but whether or not she was required to register as an alien. He agreed that no great importance should be attached to the fact that no record of her birth could be found as registration did not become compulsory until 1875 and his own birth had not been registered. He had found a baptism recorded at St Andrew’s Church, London for a Josephine Pepita Eleonora Ottilia Behrend, but as this was dated 8th March 1865 and her date of birth was 25th January 1865 it was still possible she had been born in Germany. As her brother was prepared to come and give evidence he agreed to a further remand and Miss Behrend was released on bail until Monday 9th November.

Source: Beds Times 6 Nov 1914