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Page created: 21 August
2005
Latest revision or update: 19 June 2017
Birmingham & District
Jewish Community
City of Birmingham
and the Boroughs of Solihull and Walsall
Birmingham, in the English Midlands, is the second largest city
in England, with a population of approximately one million. In the
vicinity of Birmingham are a number of towns whose Jewish communities have looked to
the Birmingham community for support or shares facilities,
including Walsall immediately to Birmingham's northwest and Solihull immediately
to Birmingham's southeast.
Until 1974, Birmingham, Solihull and Walsall were county boroughs,
the first two in the county of Warwickshire and Walsall in the county of
Staffordshire. Each then became metropolitan boroughs within the newly created metropolitan county
of West Midlands (the areas of Solihull and Walsall being increased at the time by the incorporation
of adjoining areas). These
metropolitan boroughs became unitary authorities in 1986, when
West Midlands
lost its administrative county status, becoming purely a ceremonial and
geographical county. Solihull had been an urban district until 1964, when
it received county borough status.
The Birmingham Jewish Community
Birmingham did
not develop as a major centre until relatively modern time and, accordingly,
there was no medieval Jewish community in Birmingham. There was, however, a
medieval Jewish community in Warwick, (34 miles away) and
in Coventry (23 miles away). The modern Jewish community dates from the
eighteen century, the earliest records of a synagogue and a Jewish burial ground
being about 1730.
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Jewish Congregations
The following are the Jewish congregations that exist or existed in Birmingham:
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The following are former or alternative names of the above
congregations:
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On-line Articles
and Other Material
relating to the Birmingham Jewish Community
on JCR-UK
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"Birmingham" from The Rise of Provincial Jewry by Cecil Roth, 1950. Available
on JCR-UK as part of the
Susser Archive
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Provincial Jewry in Victorian Britain - papers for
a conference at University College, London, convened by the
Jewish Historical Society of England, prepared by Aubrey Newman
- 6th July 1975:
on third parties' websites
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Other Birmingham Jewish Institutions & Organisations
(that had been formed by 1900*)
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Educational & Theological
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Birmingham Hebrew National School, later
Birmingham Hebrew School and ultimately
King David School (founded 1840/43,
paced under Government inspection, 1867). website -
www.kingdavid.bham.sch.uk
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Other Institutions & Organisations
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Birmingham Hebrew Philanthropic Society (founded 1828 or
1838). In 1874, objects described to grant relief in cases of
sickness or distress; render assistance by gifts of money; grant
loans not exceeding £5; lend or hire sewing machines; distribute
coals and blankets during the winter months; grant provisions to
aged and infirm persons In 1896/1900 objects were: (a) the
relief of indigent tradesman, (b) granting pensions to aged
persons, (c) undertaking all cases of deserving people not
eligible for consideration by the Board of Guardians.
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Hebrew Benevolent Educational Society, later
Hebrew Educational Society (founded
1851). In 1874, objects described to assist necessitous children to obtain education to
provide them with books and clothing, apprenticeship. In 1896/1900
objects were to pay all necessary support of the Hebrew schools and
to apprentice Jewish children leaving school.
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Loyal
Independent United Israelites Benefit Society (founded 1853) for relief of
members during sickness and week of mourning, allowance to widows, etc.
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Jewish Mutual "Birmingham" Benefit Society (founded 1862)
for relief during sickness and week of mourning, medical attendance,
pension in old age, funeral expenses, allowance to widows, etc.
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Birmingham Hebrew Board of Guardians (founded 1870)
for relief of the Jewish poor and casual.
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Birmingham
Provident
Co-operative Matza Association (founded 1870).
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Ladies' Benevolent Society (from
at least 1874)
for relief of sick women and children, supplying clothes and other
necessaries to women in confinement, etc., later
Hebrew Ladies Benevolent Visiting Society
for relief of sick women and children. Care of women during
confinement. Visiting the homes of the poor generally.
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Recreation
Classes for Girls (founded 1887) to instil into the minds of Jewish
working girls a profitable method of spending their leisure time. To
improve their tastes generally.
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Birmingham Aid
Society of the Jews' Hospital and Orphan Asylum (founded 1888)
to assist the parent institution by purchasing life governorships.
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Birmingham
Jewish Charities Aid Society (founded 1892) to make annual
grants to the Birmingham Jewish Charities.
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Sabbath Meals
Society
(from at least 1896) to provide meals on Sabbaths and
festivals to poor Jews passing through the town.
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Jewish Working Men's Educational Institute
(from at least 1896) to provide an English Education for
foreign co-religionists and Mutual Improvement
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Birmingham Naturalisation Society (founded
1897).
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Birmingham Hebrew Schools Old Boys Association
(founded 1898) to promote good fellowship among the former pupils
of the Hebrew Schools, and to unite in any movement calculated to
advance the interests of the school or the community generally.
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Birmingham Jewish Working Men's Club (founded 1899) to
afford its members the means of social intercourse and rational
recreation.
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Chovevi Zion Association - Tent No 20 (from
at least
1900).
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Anglo-Jewish Association, branch (from at least
1900).
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Bikur Cholim
(from at least
1900)
to supply visitors to the sick poor and watchers for the dying.
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Jewish Young
Men's Association (from at least
1900).
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Birmingham Hebrew Ladies' Boot Fund (from at least
1900).
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Court 'Jacob's Pride' No. 5946 AOF (from at least
1900).
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Birmingham Jewish Lads' Brigade (from at least
1900).
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* As listed in the Jewish Directory of 1874 and the Jewish Year
Books 1896 & 1900. |
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Birmingham Jewish Cemeteries Information
Listed below are the cemeteries used by the Birmington Jewish Community:
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The Froggery Jewish Burial Ground.
In used by 1730. Situated in the garden of
The Froggery Synagogue. (Now site of New Street
Railway Station.)
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Granville Street Burial Ground. In use from 1766
to 1825 (Redeveloped as part of railway redevelopement.)
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Betholom Row Jewish Burial Ground, between Bath Row and Islington Row, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15.
Opened about 1823 and closed many years ago.
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Witton Jewish Cemeteries. Comprises two
sections at the Witton municipal cemetery - the Witton
Old Jewish Cemetery and the Witton New Jewish Cemetery.
Opened in 1868 and still in used. The (New)
cemetery is used by both the City's Orthodox and
Progessive congregations.
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Brandwood End Cemetery, Jewish Section,
Woodthorpe Road, Kings Norton, Stirchley, B 14. Acquired
in 1918 by the
Birmingham New Synagogue.
Records of the Witton and Brandwood End cemeteries
are on the All-UK Database (see above).
(For additional information, see
IAJGS Cemetery Project
- Birmingham) |
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Birmingham Jewish Population Data
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1730 |
First Jewish settlement (possibly earlier) |
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1851 |
752 |
Paper by
Birmingham Jewish Local History Study Group) |
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1895 |
3,000 to 4,000 |
(The Jewish Year Book 1896) |
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1900 |
3,500 |
(The Jewish Year Book 1901) |
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1909 |
5,000 |
(The Jewish Year Book 1910) |
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1934 |
6,000 |
(The Jewish Year Book 1935) |
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1946 |
6,000* |
(The Jewish Year Book 1947) |
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1955 |
6,300 |
(The Jewish Year Book 1956) |
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1969 |
6,300 |
(The Jewish Year Book 1966) |
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1990 |
3,500 |
(The Jewish Year Book 1991) |
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2004 |
2,342 |
(The Jewish Year Book
2005) |
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*Same source also gives 49
for Walsall in 1947 |
Jewish Congregations in
West Midlands
Jewish Communities of England home page
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