Who were the Hungarians?

[Roy G]

An except from the Wikipedia entry on Chatsworth House reads:
" ....... After Penrhos College left in 1945 the only people who slept in the house were two housemaids, but over the winter of 1948–49 the house was cleaned and tidied for reopening to the public by two Hungarian women who had been Kathleen Kennedy's cook and housemaid in London and a team of their compatriots."

I have since found that these were the Solymossy sisters.  Ilona and Elizabeth Solymossy were a teacher and chemist who arrived in the UK in 1938 as refugees and are now buried in Edensor.
It seems a quite fascinating story.  Were these two Jews in a predominently Catholic household and who were their compatriots?

Roy G

[heywood]

They are buried here http://www.stpetersedensor.org/page12.html

Added: sorry just noticed you already gave their burial place.

[Marmalady]

The Kennedy family may have been Catholic, but the Cavendishes (owners of Chatsworth) are not

[Roy G]

You are so right Marmalady. 
Having undertaken so much Hungarian research I'd almost been preconditioned to accept that at that time any 1930s refugee from the conditions and persecution of individuals in central Europe, predominently had a Jewish background.  In their case I was clearly mistaken and will have to find out whether St Peters of Edensor catered for any particular religion.
Roy G

[Marmalady]

St Peters is the Parish Church of Edensor so is Church of England.
Edensor village is within the grounds of the Chatsworth estate (one of the earlier Dukes had the original village demolished and rebuilt in a new location so as to not spoil the view from the Big House)

However, anyone living in the parish is entitled to be buried there, no matter what their religion. So the fact that these sisters are buried there does not preclude them from being Jewish -- it is more of an indication that they were still connected to the house many years after the war.

[Katekout]

The 2 Solymossy sisters were Catholic. I should know as Ilona Solymossy was my godmother. Hope this clears things up.

[Roy G]

Thanks              Roy G