JCR-UK

Provincial Jewry
in Victorian Britain

 

 

   
 


Extract from papers on
Provincial Jewry in Victorian Britain

Papers prepared by Dr. (later Prof.) Aubrey Newman for a conference at University College, London, convened on 6 July 1975 by the Jewish Historical Society of England
Reproduced here with Prof. Newman's kind consent)

  

Page created: 9 May 2017
Latest revision: 22 May 2017

JEWISH ALIEN PAUPERS
(Appendix to Paper on Poverty)

Digest of reports from the London and principal provincial
Jewish Boards of Guardians and other bodies
(from the Royal Commission on Alien Immigration Report)
19 March 1903

Number of Aliens relieved, with details.

Remarks compiled from Correspondence with the Bodies making Returns

LONDON

There are included in the first column persons who, in some cases, have resided in England forr 10 years and more, and who are, therefore, only aliens in name.

Disinct relaxation of the extreme pressure experienced in 1900. Noteworthy decrease in th enuber of foreignersarriving in 1901 requiring relief. of of the new cases dealt with during the year, 1,124 were only asisted to return home or emigrate abroad.

the actual proportions of the new cases who were assistedto emigrate only were:-

Cases
resident
7 years
and
upwards

Cases
resident
less
than
7 years

Total
cases

Of whom
following were
foreigners
arriving during
the year

1897

2,079

1,695

3,775

   294

1898

2,107

1,868

3,975

   351

1899

2,132

1,691

3,823

   307

1900

2,112

2,809

4,931

 1,199

1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901

1901

2,215

2,336

4,551

   403

49% 53% 49% 50% 61% 45%

BIRMINGHAM

Most of the old cases are those of widows orphans, old people, or persons temporarily unable to support themselves, through illness or slackness of trade. New cases are mostly professional brggars, persons in search of work, those who wish to try their luck in a new locality, through failiure of business or being security for loans. Cheap week-end excursions place cheap locomotion at the disposal of this class. During the last 3 years only one alien stated that he came direct to Birmingham, so the rest have helped to swell the returns for other towns. There is an increase in resident Jewish aliens, and consequentlt ofthe number of poor to be dealt with. Included in the above are many who received a small start in trade to make them independent. Others were granted loans for the same purpose, which in many cases have been repaid.

Total

Old
cases

New
cases

 

1897

302

203

99

 

1898

322

227

95

 

1899

357

240

117

 

1900

403

251

152

 

1901

526

290

236

 

These include both native and foreign Jews.

BRADFORD

Figures furnished by Foreign Aid Society.

No doubt that many of the persons relieved here pass from town to town.

1897

231

of  whom

195

were new cases

1898

221

of  whom

168

were new cases

1899

133

of  whom

109

were new cases

1900

162

of  whom

118

were new cases

1901

201

of  whom

141

were new cases

BRIGHTON

Fully 50% of those visiting Brighton are professional beggars. Many of the casuals visit Brighton, as they do other relieving bodies, three or four times a year, and have been in the country for many years.

Total

Residents

Casual

 

1897

113

6

107 

 

1898

130

7

123 

 

1899

182

-

182*

 

1900

135

-

135*

 

1901

211

-

211 

 

*Casual here means resident less than three years.

CARDIFF

Many of those relieved were helped by other Jewish bodies before and after leaving here. One third per cent(sic) of those relieved are professional beggars. They are not, in any sense, greeners or new immigrants.

 

 

Total cases

 

1897

 

 

180*

 

1898

 

 

195*

 

1899

 

 

140*

 

1900

 

 

230*

 

1901

 

 

240*

 

*These figures are approximate.

GLASGOW

No doubt that many of those relieved have already received relief elsewhere, and will receive relief at other towns after leaving here, thus swelling unduly the total of cases relieved in the country.

1897

310

of  whom

120

were new cases

1898

376

of  whom

100

were new cases

1899

201

of  whom

108

were new cases

1900

286

of  whom

155

were new cases

1901

234

of  whom

160

were new cases

HULL

This city, owing to its position, is the first to appreciatee any veriation in foreign immigration. The flow has from time to time been increased by themenforcement of legislation against the Jews in East Europe, but it seems now appreciably and regularly on the decrese.

1897

1,300

of whom 493 were resident under 3 years

1898

1,306

of whom 769 were resident under 3 years

1899

1,157

of whom 681 were resident under 3 years

1900

1,113

of whom 467 were resident under 3 years

1901

   945

of whom 303 were resident under 3 years

LEEDS

Decided and regular decrease in benign casuals relieved during past five years. Many Jews come here from London, attracted by unfounded reports of good wages. The casuals relieved here undoubtedly travel from place to place, and get relief elsewhere during the year.

Total

Residents

Casual

 

1897

1,133

716

417

 

1898

1,010

699

311

 

1899

1,066

723

343

 

1900

    932

615

317

 

1901

   916

621

295

 

LIVERPOOL

Considerable proportion of those relieved here have had relief elsewhere.

Total

Residents

Casual

 

1897

360*

130

230

 

1898

379*

127

252

 

1899

292*

131

161

 

1900

366*

141

225

 

1901

288 

147

141

 

*Two per cent. of these cases were English.

MANCHESTER

Our figures are made up to 31st March of each year. Of the total relieved, 43 cases, comprising 78 individuals, were assisted to leave England (59 individuals were sent back to the Continent and 19 individuals to America. Probably the greater portion of those who came to Manchester during the year have been assisted by other Boards of Guardians en route.

 

 

Residents

Total

Over
one year

Less than
one year

1897 - 1898

431

222

209

1898 - 1899

426

220

206

1899 - 1900

338

167

171

1900 - 1901

497

218

279

1901 - 1902

526

258

268

*All the figures represent cases, not individuals.

NEWCASTLE

Great reduction in new cases. The temporary relief was either to aid while work was being sought or to assist to ultimate destination. Slackness of trade accounts for slight increase in old cases.

Total

Old cases

New cases

Temporary
relief only

1898

280*

20

110

150

1899

244*

27

87

130

1900

206*

29

68

111

1901

150#

37

12

101

* About 4 per cent. are English
# About 3 per cent. are English

SHEFFIELD

The year runs fromMay to April. Many of the casuals only receiverelief to enable them to reach their work elsewhere.

Total

Residents

Casual

1896 - 1897

254

68

186

1897 - 1898

209

94

205

1898 - 1899

319

71

248

1899 - 1900

261

69

192

1900 - 1901

228

77

151

Provincial Jewry in Victorian Britain - List of Contents

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Formatted by David Shulman

 


 

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