HO 144/19403 and HO 334/134/4350

            Peter Alpiar (a.k.a. Pierre Jean Astine Alpiar, Pierre Artine Jean Alpiar, and Pierre Artin Jean) was born in Paris on June 1, 1909 to Jean Sharvashe (also spelled Sharvach) Alpiar, agent d’affaires, and Augustine Marie Madeleine Alpiar, née Gousset, rentière, both Ottoman Armenians and registered with police as Armenians. His mother was originally French and lost her natal citizenship upon marriage. Peter was born out of wedlock, but his parents subsequently married at the Holy Trinity Church in Manchester, the city’s oldest Armenian church, on October 28, 1914. Jean Sharvashe died in London in 1929.

            Peter was brought to Britain by his mother at the age of six months. He attended the St. John’s School in London from 1916 to 1925, and the Polytechnic from 1925-1929, obtaining two diplomas in electrical engineering and also graduating from the Institute of Electrical Engineers. From 1929-1931, he worked at Standard Telephones & Cables Ltd. and was then let off due to slackness of trade. From 1931-1933, he worked at Kye Electrical Ltd. and was again laid off for the same reason. Starting in 1933, he worked as an electrical engineer for Adey Portable Radio, earning £2.10.0 weekly as a radio mechanic. He had £58 in the Post Office Savings Bank but no other savings or investments. Unmarried, he resided with his mother in London. He paid her £25 weekly for board and lodging.

            When Peter registered as an alien with police in 1925, he did not realize that he was born “illegitimate,” and thus produced his father’s passport and registered as Armenian. He became legitimate under the Legitimacy Act of 1926. On his naturalization application, Peter described himself of French nationality since he was born in France, despite not having a French passport nor having applied for recognition by French authorities.  

            His referees included his family doctor; his former next-door neighbor, an overseer employed at the Printing Department in the Stationery Office of Westminster Bank; the headmaster of St. John’s Schools; and a senior partner in the firm of Thompson, Diamond & Butcher, dealers in gramophones and wireless sets.

            He was 24 years old when he applied in 1933 and was naturalized the following year. Subfile 1/1 was destroyed. This file was originally closed until 2035 and declassified in 2007.