Come Here To Me!

The Irish Independent – Sep 15, 1939.

In September and October 1939 a 21-year-old “coloured alien” by the name of Karl Schumann, who also used the alias Ashely Shoeman, was found sleeping, on at least on two occasions, on the roof of the Polo Pavilion in the Phoenix Park.

It was heard in court that Schumann first arrived into Ireland, via Limerick, on a German steamer boat and decided that he “did not want to go further”.

Due to the fact that he reached Ireland in a German vessel, there was some confusion over his his nationality.

He was described first in court in by Senior District Justice Little as a “German from Cape Town”. However Mr. Donovan from the Chief Solictor’s Office raised the point that it “was mere chance that he was on a German ship” and because of his South African birth he should be described as a “British subject”.

The Victorian Polo Pavilion on the Nine Acres in The Phoenix Park from ‘The Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic News’, September 8 1900.

At the time, Schumann was living at an address in James Street but the house number was not given.

Schumann was again up in court in October 1939 for the same offence and here he was described as “British national … born in Cape Town”. The case was dismissed by the judge.

That’s when his trail ends.

I wonder what happened to Karl Schumann? Did he stay in Dublin? Return to his birthplace of Cape Town? Or perhaps make a new life in Britain?

He was born in 1917/1918 so he has, most likely, passed away at this stage.

If anyone has any information, please get in touch.
[References –  Irish Press; Sep 15 1939 & Oct 03 1939. Irish Independent; Sep 15 1939.]