photo by Prphotos.com
Birth Name: John Graham Mellor
Date of Birth: 21 August, 1952
Place of Birth: Ankara, Turkey
Date of Death: 22 December, 2002
Place of Death: Broomfield, Somerset, England, U.K.
Ethnicity:
*father – English, as well as Ashkenazi Jewish, Armenian, and Indian
*mother – Scottish
Joe Strummer was a British musician, singer, actor, and songwriter. He was the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of punk band The Clash. Other members of the band included Topper Headon, Mick Jones, and Paul Simonon.
Joe was the son of Anna (Mackenzie) and Ronald Ralph Mellor. His father was born in Lucknow, India, and had English, Ashkenazi Jewish, Armenian, and at least 3/128th Indian, ancestry. His mother was born in Bonar Bridge, Scotland.
In Chris Salewicz’s book Redemption Song: The Definitive Biography of Joe Strummer, 2012, Salewicz wrote:
[Joe’s father] had been born in Lucknow on 8 December 1916… His father was Frederick Adolph Mellor, who had married Muriel St Editha Johannes; half-Armenian and half-English, she was a governess to a wealthy Indian family. There was a large population of Armenians in Lucknow. Frederick Adolph Mellor was one of five sons of Frederick William Mellor and Eugenie Daniels, [a German Jew], who had married during the Boer War when his father lived in East Budleigh in Devon… Muriel Johannes was one of three daughters of Agnes Eleanor Greenway and a Mr Johannes… After the early death of her Armenian father, Muriel’s mother Agnes remarried, to a Mr Spiers.
Joe was married to Lucinda Tait, until his death. He had two children with his former partner Gaby Salter.
Joe’s paternal grandfather was Frederick Adolph Mellor (the son of Frederick William Mellor and Eugenie Daniels). Joe’s grandfather Frederick was born in India, as were his parents. Joe’s great-grandfather Frederick was the son of Frederick Mellor and Cecilia Bryant, and was of English origin. Eugenie was the daughter of Adolph Joseph Daniels, and possibly of Charlotte. Eugenie is described as being of German Jewish origin.
Joe’s paternal grandmother was Muriel St. Editha Johannes (the daughter of John Joseph Jacob Johannes and Agnes Eleanor/Ellena Greenway). Muriel was born in Lucknow, India. John was the son of John Joseph Johannes, whose father was of Armenian origin; and of Helen Short, who was of one quarter Armenian descent. Helen’s aunt was married to Ghazi-ud-Din Haidar Shah, the last nawab wazir of Oudh. Joe’s great-grandmother Agnes was born in Bengal, India, the daughter of Thomas Samuel David Greenway and Amelia Maria Shearin. She was of at least part English ancestry. Joe’s great-great-great-great-grandmother, Rose Anne (Anderson) Greenway, was the daughter of a Muslim Indian mother, and of a father, Lt. Samuel Anderson, who was the son of a British East Indian officer and a Muslim Indian mother. Rose was killed in the Cawnpore Massacre, along with several members of her family. A court case after her death investigated whether her will was valid on the basis of her being raised as a Muslim, and having married and lived most of her life as a Christian.
Joe’s maternal grandfather was David Mackenzie (the son of Donald Mackenzie and Catherine Ross). David was born in Carnmhor, Bonar Bridge, Parish of Creich, Sutherland, Scotland. Donald was the son of Alexander Mackenzie and Margaret Murray. Catherine was the daughter of David Ross and Catherine MacKay.
Joe’s maternal grandmother was Jane Gillies (the daughter of Alexander Gillies and Anne MacLeod). Catherine was born in Umachan/Iomichan, Isle of Raasay, Scotland. Alexander was born on the Isle of Raasay, the son of John Gillies and Isabella MacLennan. Anne was born on Rona, Isle of Raasay, the daughter of Donald MacLeod and Mary MacLennan.
Sources: Genealogies of Joe Strummer (focusing on his father’s side) – http://www.geni.com
https://www.wikitree.com
ncG1vNJzZmidpJ27qq%2FEpZybq16YvK57yaicZqukp8KuucSr