Immigration from Prussia to the Uk. Morris Samuel

[marybeth44]

Hello Everyone,

I am researching my Gt Grandfather, but have little to go on.
He was Jewish, name Morris (Moses?) Samuel but an s was added later.
The census tells me he came from Pruessen, Prussia.

The family story as far as I remember it, was that he came to the UK as a baby together with the other children of the family but that the parents didn't come with them.
The trouble with that story is that there is no record of him on the 1841 census, in fact none I can find until 1851. He would have been born about 1819.

There was a Jacob Samuels who married Clara Cohen, the sister of Morris's wife my Gt Grandmother.  
Jacob too was Jewish and came from Europe, he and Clara were married in 1844.  
Both Jacob and my Grandfather were Glaziers as was another
man named Samuel Harris who married another sister and also came from Pruessen, Prussia.

I suspect but don't know for sure that these three men were brothers.

Does anyone have any ideas on this conundrum and is it possible to find shipping records from Germany to the UK for about this period.  They must have arrived after the census of 41.

Appreciate any help,
Marybeth44

[JustinL]

Hello Marybeth,

I share your suspicion about Morris and Jacob; such intermarrying was fairly common.

I fear you may have a bit of a struggle to research such early immigrants.

What was the name of Morris' wife? I may be able to find something in the early Jewish records.

Justin

[marybeth44]

Hello Justin,

Thanks for taking an interest.

Morris's wife's name was Amelia Cohen, She was born in Portsea, Hampshire and was the daughter of Isaac Cohen and Phoebe Myer.  She was born abt 1827

Her sister married to Jacob was Clara and the one married to Samuel Harris was Rebecca.

I can't find marriages for either Amelia or Rebecca b. abt 1823.

On the 1851 census for Spitalfields Middlesex, Morris and Amelia have two children, a new Baby Isaac my Grandfather and Sarah abt 2 yrs old.

Thanks again,
Marybeth

[JustinL]

Hello Marybeth,

Frustratingly, I am not in a position to provide any additional information. The vast majority of Britain's Jews lived in London in the 19th century and I only have records for the London synagogues.

I would strongly recommend that you sign up for the British-Jewry mailing list. Here's the website:

http://www.british-jewry.org.uk/index.html

I would be confident that some BJ forum members would be able to offer in relation to the Portsmouth and Gravesend communities.

Justin

[marybeth44]

Hi Justin,

Thank you for your interest.
I did used to subscribe to British Jewry, but will do so again at your suggestion.

Just a thought, do you have any records for Houndsditch as Phoebe (Fradel) Myer d/o Moshe Joseph Myer was born there about 1780,
also she and Isaac Cohen were married at the Gt Synagogue.
2 Sept 1799, it would be interesting to see if there is any more info on them.
Thanks again
Marybeth

[JustinL]

Marybeth,

Sorry that I ignored you. I had seen your request, then forgotten about it.

The only records I possess are the synagogue records from the BJ site. You appear to have the marriage record already.

I do hope that BJ can be of some help.

Justin

[marybeth44]

Hi Justin,

Thanks for your help.

Marybeth