Family Group Sheet
Family Group Sheet
NameSydney Ernest ‘Derek’ (---) Andrew aka Derek Williams
Birth5 Dec 1905, Manafon, Wales
Death5 Feb 1988, Croyde, Devon, England
Burial1988, Georgeham Church, North Devon, England
BaptismNewtown, Wales
OccupationActor. Served in the Royal Navy.
Note 1He was the illegitimate son of Alice Martha Andrew b. 5 Dec 1905 (father not stated). He was ‘adopted’ by Alice’s sister Sarah Maria and her husband Charles Williams who had just lost a child.
Note 2Sarah and Charles later had four children the youngest being William Stuart Williams, father of Roy Williams. Sydney is recorded as part of the family in the 1911 census for Glanrhiew, New Mills, Newtown.
Note 3Aged about 14 he left home to become an actor and was not seen by his family again who knew he had become Derek Williams, the actor, and thought he had been killed serving in the Royal Navy in WWll
Note 4He appears to have had a sister Annie, also illegitimate, who is thought to have had the same father as Sydney/Derek. This father may have been Col. Reuben Norton of Dolcorsllwyn Hall.
Note 5In his lifetime he was unwilling to disclose any details of his origin and childhood, often deliberately confusing fact with fiction. It was left to his daughter Alex to uncover the truth!
Father--- [Andrew] (?-?)
MotherAlice Martha (Richard) Andrew (1882-1976)
Marriage7 Jul 1948, Tonbridge, Kent, England
SpouseSophia ‘Sonia’ (George) Mavrogordato °, 3C1R
Birth28 Jul 1908, London, England
DeathFeb 2001, Croyde, Devon, England
Baptism17 Oct 1908, Greek Orthodox Cathedral, St Sophia, Moscow Road, Bayswater, London, England
Note 1Served in the ATS in WWll. “We all grew up together... She played at Wimbledon one summer...” Zoë Zygouras in 2000.
Note 2In fact she played at Wimbledon for at least seven or eight years, reaching the quarter-finals of the Ladies’ Doubles, partnering Mrs M. Moss.
Note 3A keen breeder of pugs.
God-parentsAlexandra Rodocanachi.
Flags***, Argenti, Calvocoressi, Cantacuzene, Caradja, Caralli, Coressi, Giustiniani Fi, Giustiniani Pi, Grimaldi, Ionides, Manuel, Mavrogordato, Maximo, Negroponte, Petrocochino, Ralli (Chaviara), Ralli (Pitsis), Rodocanachi, Scanavi, Schilizzi, Sechiari, Vlasto, Vouro, Xeno
FatherGeorge (Michael) Mavrogordato ° (1876-1950)
MotherIrene (Miltiades) Manuel (1883-1929)
Children
1 FEirene Nadine Drusilla (Sydney/Derek) Williams °, 4th Cousin
Birth1949
2 FAlexandra Serena ‘Alex’ (Sydney/Derek) Williams °, 4th Cousin
Birth21 Feb 1952, Barnstaple, Devon, England