North Shields Jewish Community

North Tyneside, Tyne & Wear

References to the North Shields Jewish Community
Appearing in the Jewish Chronicle 1907-1988
Compiled by Harold Pollins

Jewish Chronicle, 29 March 1907, page 16

Board of Deputies.

Letter read from Rev B.N. Michelson of Newcastle. His attention has been drawn to a disused Jewish cemetery near N Shields which had a most forlorn look - the wall broken in many places. He asked if the Board could make arrangements for repairs. Mr Joseph Davis said that the congregation that he represented had no funds. Matter left to chairman and another to get details and estimate.
[see 15 August 1924 below]

Jewish Chronicle, 8 January 1909, page 6

Advertisement.

Kruger silver wanted ...highest offer in England. Merkel's, Pawnbroker, North Shelds. 'Established half-a-century'.

Jewish Chronicle, 11 June 1910, page 14

Reference to service conducted in Durham synagogue by Rev D. Lyons of North Shields.

Jewish Chronicle, 23 December 1910, page 14

Reference to Rev Samuel Pearson of Tynemouth

Jewish Chronicle, 22 December, 1911, page 33

[Extracted from article on Sunderland by Rabbi Dr Salis Daiches of Sunderland]

'The sailing vessels that brought to the Tyne and the Wear the precious goods of the Dutch ports carried now and again across the North Sea some enterprising and determined members of our race who left their native land in order to make use of the permission to settle on British soil and to seek their fortune in the North-Eastern coast towns. Their continental experience and their linguistic abilities seem to have facilitated their settlement and their progress in those ports where the crews of foreign vessels were in need of a middleman and an interpreter and where their services met with the appreciation of the foreign sailor and merchant.

In this way Shields, Newcastle, Sunderland, the Hartlepools, became attractive centres for the Jewish emigrant who came not only from Holland but alaso from Hamburg, Bremen and other important continental ports. Although, however, the smaller towns had, in the first few deacdes of the settlement of Jews on the north-east coast possessed the largest Jewish population and have, indeed, the oldest congregational records, the last century saw the gradual influx of Jews to the larger and busier centres, and while there is scarcely a minyan left in North Shields (the oldest congregation in the North), Newcastle and Sunderland now boast important Hebrew congregations, and are the centres of Jewish life in the North of England'.

Jewish Chronicle, 22 March 1912, page 34

Death of Jacob Foster, President of the North Shields congregation, at his residence, Frederick Street.

Jewish Chronicle, 10 November 1916, page 17

'The Synagogue, Linskill Street, North Shields, has received £10 from the Chief Rabbi towards the cost of repairing the structure'.

Jewish Chronicle, 22 June 1917, page 24

'The Synagogue has received from the Chief Rabbi prayer-books and grammar-books for the Hebrew Classes'.

Jewish Chronicle, 29 October 1920, page 24

'North Shields: Linskill Street Synagogue: An Appeal

From: Mr. H. SALTMAN, President, and Miss[sic] ESTHER SHECKMAN, Hon. Secretary, 30 Alma Place, North Shields

[TO THE EDITOR]

SIR, - This synagogue is possibly the oldest in the North of England. At present there are only about twelve Jewish families living in the town.

On the synagogue there is an old mortgage of £130, and we are now trying to clear this off. The few members have subscribed about £45 and we now appeal to anyone, who, in years gone by, had any association with this synagogue, or anyone who can assist us. We shall be most grateful for any donation, however small, and late. A list will be published in the JEWISH CHRONICLE'.

Jewish Chronicle, 3 September 1921, page 54

Services will be held during the High Festivals at the Synagogue, Linskill St. 'Residents and visitors in Whitley Bay and district are invited'.

Jewish Chronicle, 21 October 1921, page 27

'NORTH SHIELDS. The Mortgage Fund List of the Congregation is still incomplete. Donations from old members gratefully accepted. Communications should be addressed to Mrs Esther Sheckman, 30 Alma Place'.

Jewish Chronicle, 17 November 1922, page 41

Meeting of the congregation. 'It was decided to hold a service in the synagogue on every Rosh Hodesh' [sc New Moon].

Jewish Chronicle, 8 December 1922, page 27

Lady members of the synagogue held a social evening at the Schoolroom. Prizes were given by Mr & Mrs S. Brodie, Mr & Mrs M. Brodie, Mesdames Marco, M. Sheckman and Brodie, the Misses L. Weiner, B. Marco and D.Weiner, and Mrs S. Sheckman. Mrs E. Shechtman the Hon. Sec. was responsible for the arrangements.

Jewish Chronicle, 19 May 1924, page 24

'The remains of a Jew and a Jewess, Hart Samuel and Rachel Samuel, which were buried over a century ago in a small Jewish cemetery in Billy Mill Lane, Balkwell, were disinterred last week, and with the headstones, transferred to the Jewish cemetery at Preston. A special service, prior to the work of disinterment, was held and conducted by the Rev. E. Drukker, B.A. of Newcastle, assisted by Messrs. M. Max and I. Caller. The North Shields community which flourished over a century ago, is almost extinct. with the exception of about six families. Within the last few years, most of the Jews in the town have joined the South Shields congregation, of which the Rev. I.J. Goldston is minister'.
[see 15 August 1924 below]

Jewish Chronicle, 27 June 1924, page 32

Solomon S. Shechtman of North Shields, proprietor of the Hippodrome Cinema and his manager, Stanley Dunn, were charged at the Durham County Police Court with 6 offences under the Finance (New Duties) Act 1916. Tax should be charged for admission but there was no stamp on the tickets. Shechtman owned 5 similar halls in the district. Dunn fined £5 for each offence, ie £25; Shechtman fined £19. Defendants to pay £8.10s costs.

Jewish Chronicle, 15 August 1924, page 14
See article entitled: "An Jewish Old Cemetery" by B. Kyanski, from this issue of newspaper. [Also, see reference under 19 May 1924, above.]

Jewish Chronicle, 23 January 1925, page 28

A dance organised by Messrs J. Myers, H. Joseph, N. Science and Mrs E. Scheckman, in aid of the funds of the synagogue, was held last week. Prizes presented by Mrs S. Brodie.

Jewish Chronicle, 30 May 1930, page vii

Population figures (prepared by the Board of Deputies, in accordance with the Jewish Year book).

North Shields 40

Jewish Chronicle, 26 June 1931, page 2

North Shields: Wanted. Teacher & Reader. SIngle msn. £150 p.a. Apply Mrs Sheckman, Hon. Sec. 6 Percy Gardens, Tynemouth.
[repeated 3.7.1931 p.2]

Jewish Chronicle, 5 May 1950, page 6

Mr David Summerfield has died in Newcastle. He took the initiative in establishing a hostel for 30 refugees girls in Tynemouth which was removed during the war to Windermere. [sc refugees from Nazism].

Jewish Chronicle, 24 July 1953, page 14

'Disused Synagogue in North Shields'

"Preserving the Records"

'A report on the condition of the North Shields Synagogue, Linskill Street, which is no longer in use, and the North Shields Jewish Cemetery, was given at the monthly meeting of the Newcastle Jewish Representative Council ...'

The synagogue was well looked after by the resident caretaker. The railings separating the Jewish part of the cemetery had been taken down but there was a coping-stone marking the division.

The Sepher Torah was now at Newcastle Synagogue, Leazes Park Road.

Lewis Olsover requested that the records be preserved. They were being taken care of and would be preserved.

If the North Shields community were to be revived the synagogue would be there.

Jewish Chronicle, 23 September 1988, page 11

A prayer house with tahara room has been built at the Newcastle Reform Synagogue's North Shields Cemetery.

Formatted by David Shulman for JCR-UK, October 22, 2007

North Tyneside Community

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