JCR-UK


Jewish Residents of England Prior to 1290


Bedford

Benedict fil' Pictavus  –  A son of Pictavus of Bedford. Baptized in Ely.

Bonefard of Bedford – Accused in 1202 of causing the death of Richard, a nephew of Robert of Sutton, by "ementulation", but was acquitted.

Cok fil' Benedict  –  owned a property in the High street at the time of the expulsion in 1290.

Fleur de Luz – One of seven members of the Bedford community who paid, according to the provisions of to the Northampton donum, towards the ransom of Richard I .

Jacob of Bedford – Paid a substantial sum to King Henry I to recover a debt in 1185.

Jacob fil' Pictavus  –  A son of Pictavus of Bedford. Hanged for felony. Owned property in the High street which passed to the king.

Pictavus of Bedford  –  owned a property in the High street at the time of the expulsion in 1290.

Solomon of Bedford – Paid a substantial sum to King Henry I to recover a debt in 1185.

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Berkhamsted

Abraham of Berkhamsted – Unprincipled Jew who accompanied commissioners in collecting taxes from Jews, often with great cruelty.

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Bristol

Abraham of Bristol - A wealthy Jew who initially refused to pay a levy of 10,000 marks demanded by King John in 1210, but eventually relents, after seven of his teeth are extracted – one every day.

Belaset of Bristol – Wife of Moses of Bristol and daughter of Benedict fil' Moses. She loaned money in her own name to the King.

Benedict fil' Moses (Berechiah ben Moses of Nicole) - Father of Belaset.

Moses of Bristol - Husband of Belaset. Loaned money to the Crown.

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Cambridge

Vives of Cambridge – Loaned money to the Crown in 1176/7.

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Canterbury

Benjamin of Canterbury – Disciple and teacher of Rameru in mid 1100's. A quoted authority on the prohibition of buying milk from a gentile drawn from an animal without the Jew being present (c.1171).

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Guildford

Isaac of Southwark resided and had a business in Guildford. It is thought that Isaac was involved in the woollen trade, one of the centres of which was Guildford. He is also reputed, by some sources, to have owned the private synagogue in the town.

Josce of Guildford was murdered in 1283. Although it was suggested that he was murdered for his money, the Sheriffs were able to hand over 20 livres which he had on his body.

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Lincoln

Aaron of Lincoln (c.1125-1186) – Wealthiest man (liquid assets) in England and a leading financier of Europe. Home in Lincoln still extant. Financial operations extended to 25 counties. On his death, a special branch of the Exchequer was set up  to deal with his estate which was claimed by the Crown.

Copin of Lincoln – Jew accused of the ritual murder of a Christian boy (Hugh of Lincoln.  He was forced to confess, and was hanged, but not before implicating ninety-one Lincoln Jews.

Rabbi Elijah Menahem (Magister Elias fil' Magister Moses) - son of Rabbi Moses of Lincoln and brother of Hagin fil' Rabbi Moses of Lincoln.

Hagin fil' Rabbi Moses of Lincoln - son of Rabbi Moses of Lincoln and brother of Rabbi Elijah Menahem. Fifth Arch Presbyter 1258 to 1281.

Rabbi Moses of Lincoln - Father of Hagin fil' Moses of Lincoln.

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London

Aaron fil' Slemme - Owned property at the corner of Cateateon street and Colchirche, at the time of the 1290 expulsion.

Antera vid. Vives - Owned property in Cateateon street (adjacent to the synagogue), at the time of the 1290 expulsion.

Bateman fil' Cress - Owned property in Wude street, at the time of the 1290 expulsion.

Benedict fil' Hagin - Owned property in Cateateon street (adjacent to the synagogue), at the time of the 1290 expulsion.

Benedict fil' Jacob - Owned property in Milke street, at the time of the 1290 expulsion.

Benedict fil' Sara - Brother of Moses fil' Sara.

Brun of London -  Loaned money to the Crown in 1177.

Cok Hagin fil' Deulecreuse - Last Arch Presbyter 1281 to 1290.

Elias le Eveske - Fourth Arch Presbyter 1243 to 1258. Forced to convert to Christianity.

Elie Fraauceys - Owned property on the corner of Cateateon street and Bassishaw, at the time of the 1290 expulsion.

Elie fil' Mosse - Owned property in Colchirche, at the time of the 1290 expulsion.

Gamiel de Oxon - Owned property in Lady lane, at the time of the 1290 expulsion.

Isaac fil' Rabbi - Principal member of the London community. Partner of Jurnet of Norwich. Granted Manor of Ham for services to the Crown. Also owned Manor of Thurrocks until 1199.

Jacob fil' Bonami - Owned property in Milke street, at the time of the 1290 expulsion.

Jacob of London - First known Arch Presbyter 1199 to 1207, appointed by King John

Jacob of Orleans - A pupil of Tam, taught in London in mid-1100's and was murdered in the coronation riots of 1189.

Jorvin Sackerel - Owned property in Colchirche, at the time of the 1290 expulsion.

Josce fil' Isaac - Son of Isaac fil' Rabbi. Second Arch Presbyter 1207 to 1236. Deposed before his death.

Josce Quatrebuches - Loaned money to the Crown in 1177.

Leo fil' Cresse - Owned property in Isenmongre lane, at the time of the 1290 expulsion.

Rabbi Menachem of London - Wrote exposition (Midrash) that the is a requirement for two bills of divorce in circumstances when the husband has changed his name.

Manser fil' Aaron - Owned property in Cateateon street, London at the time of the 1290 expulsion.

Moses fil' Sara - Brother of Benedict fil' Sara. Loaned money to the Crown in 1176/7.

Mosse fil ' Elie - Owned property at the corner of Lady lane and Milk street, London at the time of the 1290 expulsion.

Mosseus Crispin - Owned property in Milk street, London at the time of the 1290 expulsion.

Muriel fil' Cresse - Owned property in Milk street, London at the time of the 1290 expulsion.

Nathaniel haCohen (Deodalus Episcopus) - Loaned money to the Crown in 1176/7.

Petrus Alfonsi (Moses of London) (1062 -1110) - Born on Islamic Spain. Physician to King Henry I; converted to Christianity 1106 and author of "Training School for Clergy" and a frequent visiter To Malvern Abbey.

Robert of Reading  – A University deacon, who converted to Judaism and married a Jewess.  He is burnt alive in 1222.

Roes' Anteman - Owned property at the corner of Milk street and Lady lane, Oxford at the time of the 1290 expulsion.

Roesia Truyte - Owned property in Milk street, London at the time of the 1290 expulsion.

Rubi Gotsce (Rabbi Joseph) - Father of Isaac fil' Rabbi. Born in Rouen, France. Head of the London Community in mid 1100's. Possibly the foremost Jewish scholar in the first half of teh twelfth century.

Sara Diei - Owned property in Lady lane, London at the time of the 1290 expulsion.

Thippe vid. Isaac - Owned property in Cateateon street, London at the time of the 1290 expulsion.

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Knaresborough

Brunne fil Manaser of Knaresborough, the son of Manser Knaresborough, ca.1262

Manser (Manaser) of Knaresborough, the father of Brunne fil Manaser of Knaresborough, ca. 1262

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Norwich

Benedict of Norwich - Loaned money to the Crown in 1176/7.

Isaac of Norwich (d. pre-1247) - Son of Jurnet of Norwich. Wealthy financier, forced to pay 10,000 marks to King John at the rate of one mark per day. The victim of possibly the oldest surviving antisemitic caricature dating from 1233.

Isaac of Yarmouth (Ysaac de Gernemutha) -  Referred to in a deed of 1280. Possibly a resident of Norwich.

Jurnet of Norwich - Father of Isaac of Norwich. Loaned money to the Crown in 1177. Parner of Isaac fil' Rabbi.

Rabbi Meir of Norwich - a medieval Talmudist.

Leo of Norwich - Royal Goldsmith to King John.

Solomon ben Elieb - The groom, referred to in the marriage contract of 1249 on the occasion of his marriage to Zeuna, daughter of Yomtov ben Moses.

Yomtov ben Moses - The father of Zeuna, referred to in the marriage contract of 1249 on the occasion of the marriage of Zeuna to Solomon ben Elieb.

Zeuna bat Yomtov - The bride (daughter of Yomtov ben Moses), referred to in the marriage contract of 1249 on the occasion of her marriage to Solomon ben Elieb.

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Oxford

Aaron fil’ Isaac (Aaron of Oxford) (b. c-1100) -  the earliest known and most influential Oxford Jew.  His home was burnt down in 1141 by King Stephen in order to exact payment of a fine.

Benedictus le Puncteur (Berechiah ben Natronai Krespia ha-Nakdan) - one of the five Oxford Jews contributing to the Northampton Donum.

Robert of Reading  – A University deacon, who converted to Judaism and married a Jewess.  He is burnt alive in 1222.

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Yarmouth

Isaac of Yarmouth (Ysaac de Gernemutha) -  Referred to in a deed of 1280. Possibly a resident of Norwich.

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York

Aaron of York (d. 1268) – Son of Josce of York  Led the revived York community. Becomes the third Arch-Presbyter (1236-43). In his time wealthiest Jew in England. Died in poverty.

Benedict of York (d. 1189) – Wealthy Jew. Forced, temporarily, to accept baptism during the disturbances at time of the coronation of King Richard I. Dies of his wound on his way back to York. His widow and children are murdered in their home during the York massacres of 1190.

Rabbi Elijah of York (d. 1190) - Respected rabbinical authority. Died in York massacres

Josce of York (d. 1190) - Father of Aaron of York and one of Aaron of Lincoln's principal agents. The leader of the York Jewish community at the time of the York massacres.  Head of besieged Jews in the Clifford's Tower, who chose to commit suicide rather than surrender to the mob.

Rabbi Yomtob of Joigny - A poet and legalist. Died in the York massacres of 1190 The Jews.

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Winchester

Deulacresse (Cresselin) - An agent of Aaron of Lincoln, and who received possession of some of his lands following Aaron's death

Gentill - A Jewess who paid a fine for the privilege of not marrying a certain Jew

Sir Henry of Winchester (13th century) - a Jewish convert to Christianity and baptised in the name of the King Henry III who knighted him. In 1278-9 he was involved in the conviction and execution of a number of Jews for coin clipping and was rewarded by receiving some of their confiscated property.

Isaac of Chernigov -  lived in Winchester in 1182.

Licoricia of Winchester - a successful female financier, whose main place of business was Winchester. She formed a close working relationship with Henry III and Queen Eleanor. Taxes she paid made a major contribution to the construction costs of Westminster Abbey. She was murdered at her home in Jewry Street, Winchester in 1277. A statue of Licoricia in Winchester was unveiled at Jewry Street in February 2022

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Researched, compiled and formatted for JCR-UK byDavid Shulman

Page ceated: 22 April 2005
Page most recently amended: 16 May 2023

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