This site aims to untangle the web that is 'The Biddles'...  

The Biddle family are fairly widespread around the world.  Originally from the area
surrounding Birmingham, England, many settled in America however one son - Joseph
Thomas Biddle did return with his family to Birmingham, England... 

The mystery begins with John Joseph Biddle who was born in 1904 - possibly in
Birmingham Alabama, although he could've been born in Ireland (there is no birth 
certificate for him).  He was one of nine children of Joseph Thomas Biddle and Bridget 
Keely (both born 1879-1880) who appear to have hopped back and forward across the 
Atlantic.  A ship's passenger list of 1903 shows Joseph and Bridget (and baby daughter 
Esther) to be naturalised American citizens but gives their race as 'Irish'.  Bridget 
certainly was Irish; her husband JT was possibly born in Birmingham England however he 
could have been born in Ireland (en route to the USA) his mother's native country or 
even actually in the States (he can't be found on the 1880 US Census or the 1981 UK 
Census).  Joseph, Bridget and their young family eventually left the States and 
settled in Sparkhill, Birmingham around 1910 where they had several more children.  
JT's mother Esther meanwhile returned to her native Ireland.

Biddle family lore has it that the Biddles at some point used the name 'Roberts' due to
one family member going AWOL and deserting!  What isn't known is when this occurred -
possibly when Joseph Thomas & Esther Biddle left the States to go East (we now know
that 'Roberts' was Esther Snr's maiden name). 
 
There is an article that appeared in an American Journal that depicts this 'Pioneering 
Birmingham Family' of Joseph William Biddle who left these shores in 1886 to head for 
Birmingham Alabama.   An excerpt from this journal article can be found in the photo's 
section....