According to the 1911 Census taken in Dublin, Sam YODAIKEN was born in 1885.
 
My father, Samuel Dov YODAIKEN, came to Ireland around the turn of the 19th century. He was the son of Bassa Lapedus YODAIKEN, and Avraham Menachem Mendel YODAIKEN.
 
He had two brothers, Myer, and Isaac Joe, as well as two sisters, Paulina and Rosie. His brother Maurice, the youngest child, was born in Dublin, Ireland, the only YODAIKEN child of Bassa and Avraham Menachem Mendel who was born in Ireland.
 
He married my mother Rosie WEINER and set up house in Castlewood Ave, Rathmines, Dublin, Ireland, later moving to Mt. Harold Terrace, Leinster Rd. (Dublin)
 
He was classified as a Rubber Merchant but in fact he would buy the complete contents of warehouses and about to be demolished cars so became a scrap metal dealer.
 
There is an original letter in the Dublin Jewish Museum written by him to Robert Briscoe (Lord Mayor of Dublin in the 1950's) requesting his assistance of payment for a Crossley tenders (troop-carrying lorries) commandeered during the Irish/British Troubles.
 
He had a flamboyant volatile character and it was said that when he entered into an auction room all other bids ceased. He was also very argumentative with local Authorities and Government offices, usually personally defending or prosecuting his cases in Court.
 
This story was told to me by Mr. Peat senior, founder of Peat's Electronics who said that when he was a youth, Sam had applied for planning permission for No. 8, Lower Ormond Quay (street in Dublin) which premises had large glass windows and a narrow entry door between them. He was granted permission on condition that there be no change to the front windows.
 
It was impossible to drive a motor vehicle into the shop. The row of Lower Ormond Quay was made of identical buildings with each standing on its own foundations. Not to be bested my father consulted with Marine engineers from the Glasgow shipyards who sent over powerful jacks and successfully raised the building 7 feet, which were supported on bricks walls, and the outer damage repaired.
 
The original large windows were reglazed on the 1st floor and a new wider entrance made at ground level.
 
When summoned to Court he pleaded that the original shop front had not been altered, but just raised 7 feet - he won his case; I would never have believed this except for two things. I recall, after his death going with my mother to collect the rents of No.8. I remember wondering why the ceiling was so low.
 
Until very recently when the terrace of shops was demolished, if one stood on the other side of the Liffey, one could see that the first floor of No.8 was identical to the ground floor of the adjacent buildings.
 
Fortunately the building saved us from his many debts by the marriage contract.
 
My father was very fond of horses and travelled daily from Clanbrassil Street (street in Dublin) to Harold's Cross (district in Dublin, not far from Harold's Cross) in a trap and high-stepping fast horses. Many years later as a salesman, I introduced myself to a lady in a retail shop in Dun Laoghaoire, (Ireland).
 
Asking for my name and being answered "YODAIKEN", she enquired if I was related to the late Sam Yodaiken and then invited me into their small back parlour where her father an old man was lying on a couch.
 
He related that he had been a member of the D.M.P. Dublin Metropolitan Police during the British times (pre-1916). He was frequently on point duty at Leonard's Corner (an area in Johannesburg) where he would blow his whistle and hold up his hand to stop the traffic coming from Clanbrassil Street.
 
My father would come tearing down, regardless of other traffic, ignoring the policeman who told me that if he had a shilling for every time he had to jump for his life, he would have been a rich man!
 
My Dad was a good dancer in his young years and I have silver cigarette case engraved, as a price by the Jewish Dancing Club to Samuel Yodaiken.
 
I had scanned and will try to insert a poem by my late brother Leslie from his book "Signature of all things" which may give you a further insight.
 
Dad passed away on the 21st May 1931 in Dublin, Ireland.
 
Sam Yodaiken was married to Rosa WEINER and had 4 children.