Immigrants from Poland - LEVY; lookup please?

[Bassworm]

Well, finally got back onto this search, after being distracted by work for so long (Don't you just hate it when that happens?).

We received Charles Levy's birth cert a day or two ago. It confirms his parents as Israel Levy and Eva Levy, previously Newman. I wonder if it was originally something like Neumann (Possibly German as suggested earlier) and the local registrar spelled it in the English way? Or is there a Polish equivalent of Newman?

Either way, I now have both names from the marriage which might help in tracking down a record somewhere back in Poland.

Justin, I think Morris left home after the 1871 census, as I did find a couple of Morrises of the right age living in London and suspect he might be one of them, but have not yet had the time to track him down fully. 

I couldn't find anything in the United Synagogue Marriage Authorisation lists for Sarah Levy. I suspect that she ended up marrying a gentile, I've found one or two likely candidates. I wonder if the family has left the Jewish faith at some time. I know that Sidney, my wife's grandfather deliberately changed his name to from Levy to Lever, either as a rejection of his Jewishness or possibly (Perhaps more likely?) to avoid anti-semitism? Certainly after Sidney, the family don't follow the Jewish way of life.  (Forgive me if I've got the terminology wrong).

So my next step is clearly to try to track down Eva and Israel in Poland.
 

[JustinL]

Knowing Eva's maiden name will be useful certainly. Rather than a Polish equivalent to Neumann, you will need to be looking forthe Yiddish version as it was written in Russian (the official language in Russian Poland) and then transliterated back into English.

Nonetheless without knowing which town they came from, the search will be very difficult.

The US online databases only covers the years 1882-86, which was probably too early for Sarah's marriage anyway. Many Jews did 'marry out' including my ggf. It makes the job of identifying the ancestral more difficult. It will be worth while really confirming that Sarah did marry out.

Where does Sidney fit into things?

Do you know when either Israel or Eva died?

Justin

[Bassworm]

Hi Justin,

After trawling through the Jewish Records Index in Poland, I'm beginning to realise just how difficult it will be, not knowing which part of Poland they came from. I suppose it's possible we may never know.

As for finding out the Yiddish version of Newman (Neumann?), can you suggest how I might go about researching that? In the JRI I've found names like Neuman, Nauman.

Sidney was my wife's grandfather. He was  a grandson of Israel and Eva.

I've got a death for an Israel Levy in 1908, and for an Eva Levy in 1905. Certs will be ordered shortly to see if they're the right ones.

Once again, many thanks for the advice.
Mike.

[JustinL]

Mike,

When you search the JRI-Poland databases always do a phonetic search. That will get over the transliteration difficulties.

Levy in Russian appears to have been wriiten with a letter that is transliterated as a 'w'.

Neumann often appears as Nejman or similar.

It may be possible to locate the Israel's and Eva's graves. The gravestones, if still standing and legible, may reveal their respective father's names.

How certain are you about the deaths? Where were they living in 1901?

Cheers, Justin

[Bassworm]

Hi Justin,

Yes, they're in the 1901 census, living in Fulham. I hadn't thought of checking their graves.

Yep, I'd found several Lewis in the JRI but none that seemed to fit. Also Evas and Ewas too

[JustinL]

Mike,

Do you not think that Israel's death was the 64-year-old registered in Chelsea in Q2 1903?

That Isarel Levy was buried in Plashet cemetery on 7 May 1903 in section D, row 44, plot 10.

Does the Eva Levy who died in Holborn in 1910 aged 68 not look promising? She too is buried in Plashet.

Justin

[Bassworm]

Blimey, where did you find all that?

Yep, that was the death record I suspected was 'my' Israel. And yes, I had wondered about the Eva in 1910. Although there is another Eva that caught my eye.

[JustinL]

Mike,

I hope you are seated!

The online archives of The Jewish Chronicle recorded the following in the issue of May 8, 1903:

Rest in peace.
LEVY. On the 5th of May, corresponding with 9th Iyar, at 117, Fulham-road, S.W
ISRAEL LEVY, aged 64, the beloved husband of Eva Levy, and father of Mrs. Gluckstein, 45, Broad-street …

Only subscribers can view the full image, but I think this is confirmation.

Furthermore, Sarah Levy married Raphael Gluckstein in Q1 1888 in London City (vol. 1c, p. 91).

There's little doubt that he was Jewish, so you should be able to obtain a marriage authorisation.

What do you think?

Justin

[Bassworm]

You are an absolute star! I owe you big time for that.