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ALAN LEWIS
FREEMAN & KARIMEH ASSAD
JAMAL |
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Alan Lewis FREEMAN
was born on October 22, 1895, in Christchurch, New Zealand.
He was the eldest son of John
Lewis Freeman and Minnie
BOWDEN. It was while
serving overseas with the New Zealand Forces in World War 1 that Alan met Karimeh
Assad JAMAL. In 1920 she
came to New Zealand and they were married in Christchurch.
Their wedding certificate records Karimeh’s birthplace as
Jerusalem and a birthdate of about 1894. Some time in the late 1920s/early 1930s they went to live permanently in Egypt where Karimeh’s brothers were in business. It is thought they were connected with Thomas Cook and/or Shepheard’s Hotel and Alan worked with them. During World
War 2 Alan and Karimeh Freeman entertained many New Zealand soldiers at
their home near Cairo. |
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In 1952
rioting broke out in Cairo and Shepheard’s Hotel was burned to the
ground. It is said
the Jamal brothers’ business was lost and the family including Karimeh
was reduced to a life of poverty. Alan may
have died before this—we have been unable to establish when he died, but
it could have been about 1945. It
is possible Karimeh may have returned to Palestine with her family. Karimeh and Alan Freeman on their wedding
day. Father John Lewis |
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| We would
very much like to find out what became of Karimeh and any further
information about Alan and their life in Cairo.
Please contact Barbara at barbmet@xtra.co.nz |
