Edward Alfred Morse BECHER

1862 - 1938  (75 years)

• Name	Edward Alfred Morse BECHER
  Birth	12 Oct 1862	Shalapore, Bombay, India   [1]
  Christening	25 Oct 1862	Shalapore, Bombay, India   [2]
  Gender	Male
  Name	Edward Alfred Morse O'NEILL
  _UID	11C961881A7140CCBA5F109AB8F34F1D340B
  Death	20 Aug 1938	Twickenham, Middlesex   [1]
  Notes	Baptised by Alfred and Caroline Maria Becher. Edward has a Wikipedia entry under his stage name: "Edward O'Neill (12 October 1862 – 20 August 1938) was a British actor. He was born Edward Alfred Morse Becher in Solapur, British Raj and died at age 75 in Twickenham, Middlesex, England, UK." Wikipedia's selected filmography includes 37 silent films made between 1911 and 1929. 1891 Scotland Census: Edward O'NEILL (28, actor, born Sholapore, India) was a lodger at 136 Renfrew Street, Blythswood, Glasgow. 1901 census: at 6 Upper Cheyne Row, Chelsea, London (all O'NEILL), Edward (head, 38, married, actor, born Bombay, India), Rose (wife, 28, married, actress, born Stockwell, London) and Daune (daughter, 7, born Kensington, London). Also Elizabeth MELLER (mother in law, widow, 86, born London), Ida MELLER (sister in law, single, 26, journalist, born Norwood, Surrey). Lizzie INKPEN, maid, Bella MOLLOY, cook and Julia VENNEL, hospital nurse. 1911 census: at 125 Keppel Street, Chelsea, London (5 rooms) (all O'NEILL), Edward (head, 49, married, actor, born Sholapore, India), Rose (wife, 38, married 19 years, 1 child, living, actress, born Middlesex) and Daune (daughter, 17, born Middlesex). Also Mary BESTON, servant. 1921 census: at 13 The Avenue St Margarets, Twickenham, Brentford, Middlesex, Edward O'NEILL (head, 58y 8m, married, born Sholapore, Bombay Presidency (British born), out of work actor), Josèphe Mary O'NEILL (wife, 36, married, born Bordeaux, France (British resident), home duties), Ronald Edward Andre O'NEILL (son, 3y 4m, born St Margarets, Twickenham), Andre de PANIAGUA (visitor (father-in-law), 72y 7m, married, born Bordeaux, France (French visitor), wine merchant on own account at 3 Rue de Macay, Bordeaux, France) and Suzanne Gouhof (visitoe, 12y 5m, born Paris, (French visitor), whole time school). England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations), 1858-1995: BECHER Edward Alfred Morse or O'NEILL Edward of 6 The Barons Twickenham Middlesex died 20 August 1938 Administration Llandudno 17 April 1942 to Josephe Mary Becher widow. Effects £416 6s 10d.
  Person ID	I4923	Great Horkesley, Essex
  Last Modified	29 Oct 2026

  
  

  Father	Maj, Gen. Alfred BECHER,   b. 28 Jul 1827, St Pancras, London d. 26 Sep 1901, Hawthomdene, Longton Ave, Sydenham, Kent (Age 74 years)
  Mother	Caroline Maria MORSE,   b. 11 Feb 1838, Bombay, India d. Dec 1894, Lewisham RD (Age 56 years)
  Marriage	22 Jun 1858	St Mary Abbott's, Kensington, London   [3]
  Family ID	F1659	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Rose Adela Elizabeth MELLER,   b. Mar 1862, Stockwell, London d. Sep 1931, Chelsea RD (Age 69 years)
  Marriage	19 Dec 1891	Register Office, Wandsworth, London   [4, 5]
  	Papers relating to Edward and Rose's divorce are at England & Wales, Civil Divorce Records, 1858-1918 at ancestry.com: Rose sued Edward for divorce on grounds of adultery coupled with desertion - not defended - Final decree: 12 Feb 1917.
  Marital status	12 Feb 1917
  	Divorced
  Children	1. Olive Daune BECHER,   b. 18 Mar 1894, Kensington, London d. 22 Apr 1966, Dartmouth, Devon (Age 72 years)
  Family ID	F1660	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	29 Oct 2026

  
  

  Family 2	Josèphe Mary De PANIAGUA,   b. Abt 1885, Bordeaux, France d. 5 Dec 1963, Fulham Hospital, Fulham, London (Age 78 years)
  Marriage	Sep 1917	Brentford RD   [6]
  Children	1. Ronald Edward Andre BECHER,   b. 7 Feb 1918, Brentford RD d. 6 Jan 2005, Taree, New South Wales, Australia (Age 86 years)
  Family ID	F1658	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	29 Oct 2026

  
  

• Documents

  Edward Alfred Morse Becher (1862 - 1938) 1891 marriage certificate

  
  

• Sources

  [S628] Wikipedia, October 2026. [S630] India, Select Births and Baptisms, 1786-1947 at ancestry.com. [S178] BMD index, Q2 1858 Kensington 1a/70. (Reliability: 3). [S178] BMD index, Q4 1891 Wandsworth 1d/1264. (Reliability: 3). [S632] England & Wales, Civil Divorce Records, 1858-1918 at ancestry.com. [S178] BMD index, Q3 1917 Brentford 3a/473. (Reliability: 3).