ROOTS
4/12/2009

Monica has been on hunt for 20 years

Monica McMullin, of Liverpool, is writing a book on her 20-year search for her father and his family.

She is now tracing her grandfather Louis Friedman's Jewish roots. His surname became Freedman then Freeman.

Monica has traced Louis' father, Tobias Freedman, to Dublin.

She has found a Tobias Freedman who died in Dublin on April 29, 1902.

His address was given as 2 Emorville Square. Dublin and his occuspation was traveller.

His death wasn't registered until June 9, 1902 by Solomon Benjiman, who was also present at his death and was on the Board of Guardians.

Monica would like to know Solomon's relationship to Tobias.

She also needs to know who Tobias' wife was and their children - and where he was buried.

Monica's research has so far found her a first cousin in Liverpool and other family in Australia, Surrey and Cheshire.

"It wasn't until my mother died in 1989 that I actually discovered who my father was," Monica said.

"I have since learned that my parents had a 25-year secret relationship, which ended when I was born in 1953.

"Neither of my parents ever married, but I now know, that they kept in touch with each other throughout their whole lives.

"My mother was Catholic and my father was Jewish. It was after my mother's death that I found a letter, which gave me a clue as to who my father was. The letter was in a stamped addressed envelope from the warden of Rose Bush Court, Parkhill Road, Hampstead, London.

"It appears my mother was enquiring about a man who lived in Flat 13. The warden's reply gave my mother the news of his death.

"I now know that this man was my father and he had lived at Rose Bush Court from 1969 until he died in May 1984.

Louis Friedman is first traced in the UK when he married his first wife, Russian-born Rachel Simon in Leeds in 1890. Louis is on the 1891 UK census living at 37 Back Byron Street, Leeds - living with Morris and Rebecca Rosenberg.

On the 1901 UK census, Louis and Rachel are living in Liverpool with their children Gedaliah/Daniel/Dal/David/Dave (born 1891 in Leeds) Hyman/Harry (1893 Liverpool), Nellie/Helen/Lillian (1894 Liverpool), Samuel (1896 Liverpool), Elias/Eli (1898 Liverpool), Isaac (1900 Liverpool).

In 1904 Rachel died, aged 40 and on the 1911 census Louis is married to his second wife, Russian-born Rebecca Cohen -Monica's grandmother. The family are now living at 49 Pleasant St, Liverpool.

Other children listed on the census are Abraham (born 1895 in Russia), Teri/Edward/Teddy (1905 Liverpool), Harry/Henry (1907 Liverpool).

Abraham might be Rebecca's son from her first marriage, but Monica has lost trace of him after the 1911 census. Rebecca died of cancer just two weeks after the census was done, aged 36.

By 1914, Louis was married to his third wife, Rosa Greenblatt (formally Yankelovitch), at 48 Moon St, Liverpool with another daughter; Eva, born 1914. Louis died in 1949, aged 83.

Monica has found a Louis Friedman on a shipping list, travelling from Hamburg on November 2, 1889.

He gives his residence as Lomza, Russland (Russia) If this is Louis, Lomza is now in Poland and Monica is trying to trace any similar given names in either Lomza city or Lomza Province.

But she needs the religious names of Louis' family.

As well as wanting to find out about where Louis came from and the origins of her grandmother, Monica would also like to trace one of the daughters of Teri/Edward/Teddy who married Annie Blair.

Olive married Philip Brown and died in 2008, but Monica knows nothing about second daughter, Joyce

Monica also wants to discover what happened to her father between the mid-1950's when he left Liverpool, until he moved into Rose Bush Court in 1969.

Email monicamcmullin@mac.com


Marcus made journey to Oz - and back

Leah Kausman, of Australia, is looking for descendants of Marcus (Mark) Frank, who was born in Manchester in 1909.

His parents were Kate (nee Kaufman) and Isaac Frank. Marcus travelled to Australia in 1913 with his mother and siblings Abraham, Ada, Hilda, Hyman (Harry) and Charlotte - although he was living back in Manchester sometime before 1947.

Write to 3 Benbow Court, Hawthorn East, Victoria, Australia 3123 or email leahkausman@gmail.com


Hungary origins

Judith Granat Goldstein, of Philadelphia, is looking for relatives in Manchester. Her grandfather, David, was born in Victoria, BC, in 1889.

The family, named Granath, began its journey in Hungary. David's father was Arthur.

Email menuchagold@gmail.com or telephone 001215 3428680.


Compensation claim

Reuven Frajerman, of Jerusalem, is searching for Danielle Lipmann. She married to Geoffrey Malcom Taylor. Reuven would also like to speak to their descendants for an affair related to them from the French Commission for the Compensation of Victims of Spoliation.

Email frajer@zahav.net.il or write to PO Box 6225, 91061 Jerusalem, Israel.


Original name

CLIVE LEWIS, of California, wants to find out about his family's original surname Ruddaminsky.

His grandfather, Alfred Lewis, was born in Leeds in 1899, but changed his name back to Ruddaminsky - even though his father was known as Michael Lewis.

Write to 4749 Saint Clair Ave, Valley Village, CA 91607, USA, telephone 001818 3831010 or email clivewlewis@gmail.com


Jewish background?

Stephen Kristian is trying to determine if the first names Kesia or Keziah have any Jewish backgrounds?

Email stephenkristian@gmail.com


Twins were given up

Martine Monceau is looking for information on Harris Seigel and Golda Kaufmann.

The Russian-born couple were married at the Holy Law Beth Aron, Manchester on December 31, 1899.

At the time, they were living at 14 Hodgson St, Cheetham.

They appear on the 1901 Census, living at 13 Hedwig St, Pendleton, Salford, with their son, Joseph, and Harris' father, Barnet. Harris was a waterproof-garment maker working at Rubber Works. By 1911, they were no longer at this address.

On Joseph's birth certificate in 1901, their surname is spelt Siegal and Golda is registered as Goldie. Her father's name is David Kaufmann.

Golda gave birth to Martine's grandmother, Pauline, and her twin brother Bernard, in 1911 in Paris and subsequently gave them up to be taken care of by the state.

Pauline was legally adopted at the age of 15 by the couple who had taken her as a baby. Her brother was never adopted. Records from the Paris Archives say that Harris went to America several months earlier.

However, the children's birth certificate state that Harris and Golda are married, working as daily workers, and gives the address in Paris at which they are both living.

Email harrisgolda@googlemail.com


3 months in Liverpool

Joanne Spiegel, of Missouri, is looking for relatives of her maternal grandfather, Israel Noach Abramovitz.

He was born on April 2, 1882 in Honell/Hummel, Russia, to Jacob and Rose Abramovitz.

According to late family members, he had brothers who emigrated with him to Liverpool. While the brothers stayed in the UK, he emigrated to America in December 1906 after three months in Liverpool.

Write to 81 Willow Brook Drive Saint Louis, Missouri, USA, telephone 001314 9932004 or jspiegel@spiegel-eg.com


Toronto wedding

Rachael Freedman, of Vancouver, is looking for information on her grandparents Sarah and Ely Freedman.

Sarah (nee Glustrom) had four sisters who arrived in Canada with her from Ukraine, while Ely was a Polish orphan. They met and wed in Toronto.

Email rachaelfreedman@hotmail.com


Rabbi information

Eric Moonman, of London, is looking for information on Rabbi Schulim Moskovitch. Romanian-born, he was in Southport from 1941-3 and died in London in 1958.

Write to 1 Beacon Hill, London N7 9LY.


To make an appeal, email MIKE COHEN at roots@jewishtelegraph.com
Please include your home address and contact telephone number.


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