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the former

Minehead Jewish Community

Minehead, West Somerset, Somerset

 

 

   


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congregations throughout the British Isles and Gibraltar, both past and present.

Town of Minehead

Minehead is a town on the southern coast of the Bristol Channel in South East England, with a population of about 10,000. It was an urban district until 1974, when it merged with neighbouring districts to form the local government district of West Somerset, remaining within the county of Somerset.

Minehead Jewish Community

A small Jewish community, composed mainly of evacuees, existed in Minehead during World War II.

Congregation Data

Name:

Minehead Jewish Community

Address and Formation:

Founded in 1939. The Jewish Chronicle of 13 October 1939 reported "Minehead - For the first time in the history of this Somerset seaside resort, services were held during the Holy-days at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Lincoln, Southcourt, Warden Road. It is proposed to continue services at 10 o'clock every Saturday morning and visitors to Minehead will be welcome."(iii)

Closure:

The community ceased activities, probably shortly after 1940, but certainly by 1945.(iv)

Affiliation:

The congregation was not known to be affiliated to any synagogue organisation.

Ritual:

Ashkenazi - Orthodox

Hon. Minister:

Reuben Lincoln (previous known as Rev. Reuben A. Tribich) - at least in 1939.(v)

Registration District (BMDs):

Somerset (since 1 April 2007)(vi) - Link to Register Office Website.

Cemetery Details

There is no known Jewish cemetery in Minehead.

 

Press Reports relating to
Jewish Activity in Minehead

  • The Jewish Chronicle of 13 October 1939
    MINEHEAD - For the first time in the history of this Somerset seaside resort, services were held during the Holy-days at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Reuben Lincoln, Southcourt, Warden Road. It is proposed to continue services at 10 o'clock every Saturday morning and visitors to Minehead will be welcome.

  • The Jewish Chronicle of 3 November 1939
    MINEHEAD - The first Barmitzvah in this Somersetshire town was celebrated on Sabbath last, when Norman Newman attained his religious majority. Mr. Reuben Lincoln conducted the service and addressed the Barmitzvah. Services are held on Friday evenings at 6.30 and Saturday mornings at 10.30 at South Court, Warden Road.

  • The Jewish Chronicle of 3 May 1940
    VINE, - Herbert Basil, only son of Mr. and Mrs. S. M. Vine, of 222, Harrow-road, W2 will read a portion of the Law at Minehead Synagogue on May 4, 1940. No festivities.

Notable Jewish Connections with Minehead

  • Naomi Bentwich Bimberg (1891-1989), daughter of Zionist leader Herbert Bentwich, moved her Carmelcourt School from Birchington-on-sea, Kent, to Exford, near Minehead, during World War II. The school was advertised on a weekly basis in The Jewish Chronicle.

  • Harvey Miller (1925-2008), art and scholarly publisher, who developed Phaidon Press, was evacuated to Minehead during the war with fellow pupils of the Regent Street Polytechnic in London.

  • Sir Robert Waley Cohen KBE (1877-1952), director of the company Shell and President of the United Synagogue, had his country residence at Honeymead, in the village of Simonsbath, on Exmoor, near Minehead. He leased the house from 1924 and in 1927 he purchased a 1,745 acre estate there.

  • Sir Bernard Waley Cohen, 1st Baronet (1914-1991), son of Sir Robert, retained the country residence at Honeymead. Sir Bernard was elected Lord Mayor of London in 1961 and that year was made a Baronet of Honeymead in the County of Somerset. His wife Joyce Constance Ina Waley-Cohen, educationalist and public servant, who became Lady Waley-Cohen JP,  died at Honeymead in 2013.

  • In the mid 1930s a Miss C. Goldstein maintained Marston Lodge at Minehead, a guest house under Kedassia supervision.

 

Notes & Sources
( returns to text above)

  • (i) and (ii) Reserved.

  • (iii) The congregation was listed solely in the Jewish Year Book 1940, which stated that services were held at South Court, Warden Road.

  • (iv) The latest press report of activities was in May 1940 (see section on press reports) and Minehead was not listed in the Jewish Year Book 1945/6, the first to be published following the cessation of publication in 1940.

  • (v) Referred to in press reports of 13 October 1939 and 3 November 1939 and listed as hon. minister in Jewish Year Book 1940.

  • (vi) Previous Registration Districts: Williton (from 1 July 1837 to 1 April 1936); Exmoor (from 1 April 1936 to 1 April 1974); and West Somerset (from 1 April 1936 to 1 January 1974). Any registers would be held by the current register office

Jewish Congregations in Somerset

Jewish Communities of England homepage

Page created: 7 May 2006
Page most recently amended: 2 April 2023

Research by David Shulman and Steven Jaffe
Formatting by David Shulman


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