British Newspaper Archives, Obituaries

One of the newest collections to be updated at FamilySearch will be a great source for those searching for ancestors from the British Isles. The collection, British Newspaper Archive, Obituaries covers the 1800 - 1900 time frame. The obituaries included come from a variety of newspapers from all parts of Britain. This amazing database, which at this time includes over 237,000 images was provided to FamilySearch by the British Library in partnership with FindMyPast.
The Gluckstein family, were prominent English Jews and I used them to show how this collection works. I entered the name Gluckstein into the database and 13 results were returned.

From the list above, I selected the first entry, the obituary of Montague Gluckstein. This obituary follows his death in 1922 and was published in the The Evening Telegraph and Post. Below is the extended entry from FamilySearch.

Under the image (located on right side) this record states that in order to see the original document, the user either needs to sign in or visit a local Family History Center. It is well worth it to do so, as the full image will be seen. This obituary is shown below.

This is a very valuable resource and a special thanks goes to the British Library and to FindMyPast.

Southern Cemetery, Manchester, England

Southern Cemetery, which is located in the Greater Manchester area is the largest cemetery in the United Kingdom and the second largest in all of Europe.  The cemetery opened in 1879 and included a Jewish section at the western corner of the cemetery. The property was original 40 hectares of land, however an additional purchase that was opened in 1926 almost doubled that amount.

The information from the headstones from the Jewish section have now been transcribed and are being added to the Knowles Collection - Jews of the British Isles. They will be available after the next update.

The Family of Lewis Davis of Plumstead, Kent

Lewis Davis, was born on 19 Jul 1807 in Woolwich,  Kent, England, the son of Israel Davis and Rosetta Levy. In 1829 he married Anne Jacobs, and they became the parents of 11 children, Frank Israel (1830) Hyman (1831) Benjamin (1833) Julia (1835) Fanny (1837) Emma (1838) Rosetta (1842) Lewis (1843) Anne (1845) Robert George (1846) and Richard Abraham (1848) before Anne died in 1848.
By all accounts, Lewis was a very successful man. In the 1851 census, FHL Film #174827 (shown below), taken at Plumstead, Kent, England, he lists his occupation as a Landed Proprietor, Brick maker, Auctioneer and Builder. All of his children, with the exception of his oldest, Frank Israel were living with him, as were 6 servants.

At the time of the 1861 Census, FHL film #542555(shown below), taken in Paddington, he had added Brewer and Farmer to his occupation. However only 4 children were still with him, but a cousin Rosetta Sampson had joined the household.

By most accounts the records build the story of a traditional Jewish English family, however, a further searching of records for this family, adds some some very intriguing details to the story. Details that not only add greatly to the record but also raise more questions.
From the fact we find him in the 1861 census, we know that Lewis the father died after 1858, but because of the fact we don't find him in the civil registration indexes, we don't know when exactly he died. However, dying after 1858, would place any probate under the Principal Probate Registry. Searching the indexes to the Principal Probate, which can be found at Ancestry.com, we find an entry to a 14 November 1868 probate for Lewis Davis, Esq.

In the record above we can be sure this is our Lewis, for a couple of reasons. First, the two addresses given for him are the homes we he was residing at the time of the census records above. Second, the son listed here is indeed his oldest child, Frank Israel. Also, the fact that his is listed as dying in Paris, France, would help explain why his death is not registered in England. This record does however add a new question, who is Henry Meyers, who is listed as an executor?
Index, in hand I was able to look at the original probate, which was in on Film #1850503, in the collection of the Family History Library. That document, a 3 page will with 4 codicils, quickly answers that question. In the probate various people are mentioned. They are;

Jane Lewis, my present wife

Frank Israel, my son

Hyman, my son

Lewis, my son

Robert George, my son

Richard Abraham, my son

Julia, my daughter, the wife of Henry Meyers

Fanny, my daughter, the wife of David Joseph

Emma, my daughter, the wife of Hyman A. Abraham

Rose, my daughter, the wife of Bennett Levy

and my daughter Anne.

He further adds;

Joseph, my brother

Elizabeth, my sister 

and Rose Samson, my cousin.

After the mention of family members, Lewis is very gracious and leaves remembrances to his clerk as well as the St. Alban's Synagogue. Using the names of the spouses, it is possible to also follow the daughters through the various census records. Not surprisingly many of the children and grandchildren can also be found in the records in France. Perhaps, Lewis died their while visiting family.

Perhaps, the most intriguing questions involves Lewis, the son. He was not as easy to follow through the records and I also had a hard time finding his death being registered. The answers, and more questions seem to take us to Japan.

Finally after much aggravation in trying to find him, I resorted to the most basic of genealogical searches, Google. I didn't real expect to find much, with the name Lewis Davis not exactly an uncommon name, however I was very surprised with one entry.

Located in the Jewish section of the Yokohama, Japan Foreign General Cemetery is a burial with the following inscription;

Lewis Davis

Fourth son of Lewis Davis of Plumstead, Kent, England.

Born 16 May 1843

Died 4 Jun 1895.

Aged 52

As with most of the research we find, one answer leads to many questions. Why was Lewis in Japan? what was his life like? etc. Maybe the search will continue.

Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain (JGSGB)

I am often asked, "How is the best way to start researching a Jewish family?". My reply is always the same, begin by contacting your local Jewish Genealogical Society, and share in the wealth of information and knowledge that they have available. For those living in the British Isles, or researching families who came from there, they are most fortunate to have one of the best societies available to them. The Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain, or JGSGB is indeed one of those societies that others strive to be. Began in 1992, the JGSGB has 4 very simple objectives, which are:

* To help one another to learn and discover more about genealogy

* To encourage genealogical research

* To promote the preservation of Jewish genealogical records and resources

* To share information amongst members

While it is easy to write down your objectives, what is most impressive is how the Society puts their words into actions. The JGSGB has one of the most incredible websites where everything is available to researchers. That site (shown below) can be found at www.jgsgb.org.uk.

The records available on the site, including the 1851 Anglo-Jewry Database, are worth far more than the cost of a membership, yet they are but a small part of the benefits of belonging to the society. A few of the other benefits, include access to their Library and Resource Center and copies of Shemot, which is the society journal.

Regardless of how long one has been researching his or her family, it is always nice to get together with others with the same interests. The JGSGB is a leader in providing outlets for this to happen. In addition to the annual Manchester Regional Conference, which will be on May 8th of this year, and the annual London Conference, which will be on the 30th of October, the society has a calendar that appears to have something going almost weekly. Included in those events are the Special Interest Group (SIG) and Regional Group meetings.

The society has seven regional groups including; The Chilterns Group, East of London, Leeds, Manchester, Oxford, South Coast and South West London groups. These provide a great opportunity for members to get together and help one another. If your interests are more specific, there are 6 SIG's for research help. They are; Anglo-Jewish, Dutch, Eastern European, German, Sephardic and South African.

The Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain is a great place to begin your research. If you have any questions, visit the website, or contact them directly. If nothing else, you will meet some of the nicest people. If your in London in October, please come to the conference and say hello, it's always nice to meet new genealogists.

1894 Commercial Directory of the Jews of the United Kingdom

There are many great sources for finding our Jewish ancestors. Depending on which country our ancestors lived in, those records may or may not be easily obtainable. Thanks to the internet some of these records are now able to be viewed in our own homes. One great source for Jews of the British Isles, is the 1894 Commercial Directory of the Jews of the United Kingdom by G. Eugene Harfield.

This directory, while a great tool for identifying where our ancestors had their businesses, has not always been the most accessible source. Now, thanks to Internet Archives (http://www.archive.org/) everyone can search this from their own home.

The directory, which is done alphabetically by location, provides names, addresses and type of business. This directory can then be used as a stepping stone toward more genealogical records. In the example at left, we have J. Mosesson, of 9 Charles Street, working as a house-furnisher in West Hartlepool, Durham, England.

With that information, it is then easy to search the 1901 England Census and find the family. The census record below, taken from http://www.findmypast.com/, shows Jacob and his wife Helene, living at that same address with their daughter and four grandchildren.

This is a great source that should be used for those with British ancestry. The Internet Archives site, has thousands of other records that can be a great help to all researchers.

Unusual Occupations of English Jews

Its always fun to look through the records for our ancestors. Yesterday as I was researching a couple of English families I came across a couple of interesting items.

The first entry is from the 1861 Census of England. Living at #4, Lower Road in Islington, is the family of Joseph Andrade. A very typical family, mom, dad and one daughter. What is unusual is the father's occupation. he is listed as a"Ostrich Feather Manufacturer". Up until this moment, I always thought this was the job of the Ostrich.

The second entry was from the 1891 Census of England. According to the transcript online, Harris Dancyger was listed as being a "water maker". This would be an incredible talent to have, and be a wonderful thing for our world. However, if you look at the original census, you will find that he is actually a watchmaker.


Sometimes, it pays to take a closer look at the original records.

Dancyger Family of Russia and London

In the records of Sandy's Row Synagogue in London, we find at least three marriages of people with the surname of Dancyger. In all three, the only information given about their families is that their father is listed as Harris Dancyger, beyond that not much is known.


A check of the 1901 British Census finds the family of Harris Dancyger living at 35 Scarborough Street in Whitechapel.

From this census we find that Harris age 48, is a Jewish Minister from Russia. His wife, Jane is also 48 and is herself from Russia. From the census we find that there are 7 children still living at home at the time of the census. In addition to the family of Harris we find three other families of the same surname. While the name is not a common one and they are most likely all related, the census just doesn't give us enough information to know for sure.

There is however a great source for this time frame. In 2004, Miriam Pollak released her great work on the Jewish Chronicle of London. That work, The Jewish Chronicle Project; Personal Announcements 1900-1909 (FHL CD#2697) is a must for those researching England families at the turn of the twentieth century. In searching the database for the surname Dancyger, we get 6 hits. Of those hits, one adds a great deal of information to what we already know. It says:

Death 28 Oct 1904

Jerrochaim (Jerochoam) Dancyger

of 16 Brantridge Street, Bow

In his 81st year

Wife; Mrs. B. Dancyger

Relatives: Rev. H.Dancyger (son) 35 Scarboro Street

Mr. S. Dancyger (son) 27 East India Dock Road

Mr. J. Dancyger (son) 435 Commercial Road

Mr. J. Dancyger (son) 18 Brantridge Street

Mrs. London (daur) 65 Ellen Street, Commercial Road

Mrs. Saunders (daur) 331 Commercial Road

Mrs. Fisher (daur) 16 Brantridge Street

Jewish Chronicle 4 Nov 1904

Additional Notes: Tombstone set at Edmonton Cemetery 19 Nov 1905.

With the additional information provided by this great source, we now know that the other three Dancyger families are indeed the parents of Harris, and the families of his two brothers Jacob and Joseph. What began as three sinple marriage records is now a combined family numbering close to fifty people. What a wonderful source.

The records of the Dancyger family can be found in the Jews of the British Isles.

Henry Raphael of London and Melbourne

The story of Henry Raphael is a very interesting one. It actually is two very different stories that when combined tell an incredible story. The first takes place in London, where in 1825, Henry is born to Phillip and Grace Raphael. Not a lot is known of his life in London, except that on 4 Jun 1851, in the Great Synagogue, he married Caroline Simmons.

Caroline was the daughter of Simon and Catherine Simmons of Edgeware Road, London. Apparently the two families got along well as her sister, Esther married Henry's brother Ralph. The census below, taken in 1851, shows Caroline living with her parents (http://www.findmypast.co.uk/).

The second part of the story of Henry Raphael takes place in the far away land of Australia. In his incredible book These Are The Names: Jewish Lives in Australia 1788-1850 (FHL book #994 K3l), John S. Levi, documents his life in Australia. The original source should be looked at as it is a wonderful history, however a few of the highlights are:

• Arrived in 1842
• Founding member of the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation in 1843.
• Reputation as a heckler and trouble maker.
• Left Melbourne to"find a wife", but returned before 1854, when he was accused of calling the officers of the synagogue "a set of thieves", because of this he was fined and his membership cancelled from 1 Jan 1854.
• A son, Joseph George Raphael was born on 21 Jun 1861.
• Became involved in the creation of the East Melbourne Synagogue in the 1870's.

This most colorful story ended when Henry Raphael died on 3 May 1894. His wife Caroline died on 3 March 1896, at the age of 62.

The records of this family can be found in The Jews of the British Isles.

Sir Edward Albert Sassoon

The Sassoon family is one of the truly remarkable families in Jewish history. This family, known worldwide, finds its origins in Baghdad, Iraq. The head of the family, Sassoon ben Salih, was a banker to the provincial Governor of Baghdad. Later, his son, David, took his own family and fled to Bombay, India, where he established the international business firm of David Sassoon & Company. In Bombay they became a very prosperous family, even becoming known as the "Rothschilds of the East".

Some members of the family eventually settled in England. Sir Edward Albert Sassoon was born in Bombay India on 20 June 1856. He was the fifth and youngest child of Sir Albert Abdallah David Sassoon, the son of David Sassoon. Upon his father's death in 1896, he became baronet. Sir Edward Albert married Aline, the daughter of Baron Gustave de Rothschild of Paris, in 1887.

Throughout his life he established himself in many fields. He was a military man, serving as a Major in the Duke of Cambridge's Hussars Yeomanry. He was a member of Parliament, a director of and leader in several business, as well as President of the London Spanish and Portuguese Congregation.
Sir Edward Albert Sassoon died on 24 may 1912 at Park Lane, London. The marker at right is located at the Willesden Liberal Cemetery, Pound Lane.







The records of this family are located in The Jews of the British Isles

Norden family of London and Cape Town

In the previous post, I discussed briefly some of the history of the Jews of South Africa. In that post I mentioned that in 1841 the first meeting of the Congregation took place in the Norden home. That home belonged to Benjamin Norden, of Cape Town, who arrived with Willson's party of settlers in 1820. While all of this is true, it doesn't tell the whole story of the Norden Family and their impact on the country of South Africa.

Benjamin, was born in London in about 1798, the son of Abraham and Abigail Nordon. he had 4 brothers and 1 sister, all born in London. Joshua Davis (b.1800), Marcus (b.1803), Samuel (b.1805), Harry (b.1806) and Sarah. After arrival, he became very involved in the Jewish community. First the congregation gathered in his home, until 1849, when the synagogue was completed. He was the one responsible for the building of this new synagogue, the first in Cape Town. In 1858, he and his wife Abigail returned to England. The family can be found in the 1861 census (www.findmypast.com).

Benjamin died on the 14th of May 1874 in Ramsgate, Kent, England. He and his wife Abigail are buried in the Jewish Cemetery in Ramsgate. That cemetery, is located on land that Benjamin and his wife presented to the congregation in 1872.

Benjamin's brothers also left there mark on their new homeland. On 25 Apr 1846, Captain Joshua Davis Nordon, died at the head of his troops during the Gaika War. he was buried in Grahamstown, with full military honors.

Marcus, bought land in Grahamstown, and settled there.

Samuel, was killed in 1858, leading a charge of men during the Basuto War.

Harry, bought land and settled in Graaff-Reinet.

Sarah, married John Norton.

This is truly a remarkable family, which has left a rich legacy for their descendants.

The records of this family can be found in both The Jews of the British Isles and The Jews of Africa and the Orient.

The Kino/Knowles family of Russia and London

The story of the family of Charles Julius Kino is one of great mystery. Family tradition states that he was born in Russia and eventually made his way to England during the 1870's. A search of the 1881 census seems to verify parts of this story (FHL film# 1341005).In this we find Charles and wife Louisa living at #3 Edinburgh Terrace in London. Included in the household are the three children, Hugh C., Margaret M., and Guy J. F.

From the marriage record we find that on 15 Apr 1874, under the direction of the West London Synagogue of British Jews, Charles Julius Kino age 33, the son of the late Israel Henry Kino and Louisa Essinger, age 24, the daughter of the late Max Essinger, were married at the home of the bride's mother, 24 Belize Road.

To this point things are pretty straight forward, but then the fun begins. At some point shortly after the 1881 census, the family of Charles Julius Kino changes their surname. The new name is Knowles, which is obviously of great importance to the author. By the 1901 census, Louisa is listed as a widow. because of this I searched for a will for Charles Julius Knowles. Upon finding the will, that is when the mystery began. In the indexes to the Principal Probate Registry, I find not one, but two wills for Charles Julius Knowles.

The index lists a first probate granted 20 Mar 1900 to Hugh Charles Knowles, worth 1.2 million pounds and a second probate granted 6 Jul 1900 to Guy John Fenton Knowles for almost 400,000 pounds. A further search of the original wills, shows the first will to be a beautifully written document, listing many relatives and organizations that he supported, while the second will is basically just a few short paragraphs.

With this information, many questions are left unanswered, but two are of particular interest. First, why did this obviously successful man change his name? Secondly, why the difference in the way the sons were treated. While both amounts would be very nice inheritances, one is still 3 times as large as the other. Hopefully further research will answer some of these questions.

The records of this family are in The Jews of the British Isles.

J. Lyons Company and the Glucksteins.

Recently I was introduced to a family that I had no previous knowledge of, the family of Samuel Henry Gluckstein and his wife Hannah Jacobs. Samuel was like to so many others, the son of immigrants who moved to Spitalfields to work in cigar manufacturing. He was born in Prussia, 1 of 8 children, moving to England at the age of 20, he stayed in the home of his aunt Julia Joseph. He must have enjoyed the stay as he married her daughter, Hannah, on 25 May 1845. Samuel and Hannah had 12 children, two of whom died in infancy. In addition to finding the family in the records of The Great Synagogue, the family can be found in all of the traditional civil records, i.e. census, probate, civil registration, etc.

Samuel and his brother Henry started their own cigar making business at 35 Crown Street. They later moved the business to Leman Street in Aldgate. Disagreements over the business led to it being dissolved in the Chancery Court and the assets dividing. It was at this point that Samuel started another cigar manufacturing business that would soon establish the family name in english history. Samuel, with his two sons, Isidore and Montague and his son-in-law Barnet Salmon formed what would become the J. Lyons Company Limited.

These few short paragraphs are not meant to tell the family story, it would take volumes to do so. Instead, I hope to bring attention to a source, I for one have not used enough, corporate business records. While searching for more information on this family I discovered the J. Lyons Company Limited website http://www.kzwp.com/. The records found at this site are incredible, from a history of the company to a collection of obituaries of some of the prominent employees. I cant imagine that any search of this family would be complete without a complete search of these records.

The records of this family are ine The Jews of the British Isles.

Edgar and Ree Alice Corer

The seventh day of May 1915 is a day many will never forget. On that day the RMS Lusitania, was hit and sunk by a German U-boat off the coast of Old Head of Kinsale, Ireland. Of the 1959 people on board, 1198 of them lost their lives. Many believe this single act was responsible for the United States entering World War 1.

For one family, this day means much more. It was the day that Ree Alice Corer lost the man she loved, her husband Edgar. We know very little of him, from his headstone at Willesden Cemetery in London we know he was 43 years of age. Both husband and wife are missing from any census records, which could mean that England was not home, just a final resting spot.

Knowing now how her husband died, makes the epitaph even more fitting. As a last thought to her beloved husband the following quote is left.

For love is strong as death---

Many Waters cannot quench Love:

Neither can the flood drown it.

Song of Songs

The records of this family are in The Jews of the British Isles.