Extract from papers on
Provincial Jewry in Victorian Britain

Papers prepared by Dr. (later Prof.) Aubrey Newman for a conference at University College, London, convened on 6 July 1975 by the Jewish Historical Society of England
(Reproduced here with Prof. Newman's kind consent)

Paper first published on JCR-UK: 11 January 2016
Latest revision: 26 February 2017

MANCHESTER

(For a brief outline of the Community's early history, see "Manchester" in Cecil Roth's "The Rise of Provincial Jewry", 1950)

A. The Manchester community was one which grew rapidly in the early nineteenth century. It was represented at the election of Chief Rabbi Adler, and in 1845 it made returns for two synagogues. That in Halliwell Street had 38 Ba'ale Batim and 33 seatholders; that in Ainsworth Court 32 and 19. In 1851 Halliwell Street had 256 appropriated seats and an attendance of 150 and Ainsworth Court had 80 appropriated seats, 157 individual members, and an attendance of 60. The estimated Jewish population over the whole of Manchester was about 2000.
[Primarily The Rise of Provincial Jewry (1950) by Cecil Roth or Social History of the Jews in England 1850-1950 (1954) by Vivian Lipman]

1874  [extracted from The Jewish Directory for 1874, by Asher I. Myers]

Great Synagogue, York Street, Cheetham Hill Road

First synagogue in Manchester; founded in 1780. Synagogue erected in Halliwell Street, 1806; present building erected 1857.

Under the spiritual supervision of the Chief Rabbi, Rev. Dr. N. M. Adler.

Has seat accommodation for 704 persons: 432 gentlemen's seats, 272 ladies' seats; Seat Rental - Gentlemen's seats from £1.8s.8d. upwards; Ladies' seats from 11s.7d. to £2.6s.4d.

Manchester Congregation of British Jews, Park Place, Cheetham Hill Road

Founded 1856.

Has seat accommodation for 332 persons: 204 gentlemen's and 128 ladies' seats. Seat Rental - gentlemen's seats from £2.2s. to £10 per annum; ladies' seats from £1.1s. to £2.12s.6d. per annum.

South Manchester Synagogue, Sidney Street, Oxford Street.

Founded 1873.

Services were first held at the Chorlton Town Hall; afterwards at 58 Upper Brook Street, and finally in the new structure which was consecrated by the Rev. Dr. Adler Chief Rabbi, September 17th 1873.

Has seat accommodation for 300 persons; 50 gentlemen and 150 ladies.

Manchester Congregation of Spanish and Portuguese Jews.

Temporary place of worship, 78 York Street, Cheetham. New Synagogue in course of erection, York Street, Cheetham. At present there are no salaried officials. The foundation stone of the new Synagogue was laid June 11th, 1873. It is intended to open the Synagogue May 7th, 1874.

The synagogue will have seat accommodation for 300 persons: 200 gentlemen and 100 ladies. The seat rental will be as follows: Gentlemen from £3.3s. to £10.10s. per annum; Ladies from £1.1s. to £2.2s. per annum.

Manchester Jews' School.

 Founded 1838.

(Boys' school, girls' school, infants' school).

Average number of pupils - 232 boys; 194 girls; 183 infants. During 1873, "the Institution has availed itself of the operations of the Manchester School Board to a considerable extent". Income, 1873 £1,079.18s.l½d. Expenditure, 1873, £1,159.6s.11¾d. Government grant to the school 1872-3, £311.5s.

Board of Guardians for the relief of the Jewish poor of Manchester.

Founded 1867. Office, 78 York Street, Cheetham.

Manchester Hebrew Philanthropic and Loan Society.

Founded 1825.

Committee Room - Jews' School, Derby Street, Cheetham.

Income relief department, 1873, £93.17s.4d. Expenditure, 1893, £80.13s.2d. Number of subscribers, 83. expenses

Manchester Hebrew Sick and Burial Benefit Society.

Founded 1860.

Objects - Relief of members during sickness and Week of Mourning; payment of funeral , etc.

Cracow Hebrew Society.

Founded January 1868.

Objects - Holding Divine Service on Sabbaths and Festivals; relief of members during Week of Mourning; providing Minyan at House of Mourning, etc.

Cracow Benevolent Society.

(In connection with the Cracow Hebrew Society, particulars of which are given above.)

Object - Relief of natives of Cracow.

Jewish population about 22,000. 1900, 142 marriages, 304 burials.

Great Synagogue, Cheetham Hill Road. Seatholders, 496.

Manchester Congregation of British Jews, Park Place, Cheetham. Seatholders, 150. Annual income about £900.

Spanish and Portuguese Jews' Congregations, Cheetham Hill Road. Founded 1874.

Central Synagogue, Cheetham Hill Road. (Founded 1895.) Seatholders 250. Income 1900-1, £855.17s.3d. Expenditure £865.13s.8d. Fund of Burial Board Income £272.7s.2d., Expenditure £234.19s.11d.

North Manchester Synagogue, Bury New Road. (Founded 1891.) Seatholders, 192 male, 167 female. Income 1900 £1133. Expenditure £1136. The total seating accommodation is 680. A large Beth Hamedrash has been lately added in connection with this synagogue.

New Synagogue and Beth Hamedrash, Cheetham Hill Road. (Founded 5649.) Seatholders 270. Income £1167.17s.11d. Expenditure £1212.17s.11d.

South Manchester Synagogue, Sydney Street, All Saints. (Founded 1872.) Seatholders 56. Income about £550.

Holy Law Beth Aaron and Beth Hamedrash, Bank View, Cheetham. (Founded 1901.) Seatholders 140.

Hightown Synagogue, Bell Street, Hightown.

Courland Synagogue, Waterloo Road.

Salford Congregation.

Strangeways Synagogue, Harris Street, Strangeways.

Jewish Board of Guardians, 18 Knowsley Street, Cheetham. (Founded 1867.) Objects - Relief, general and medical; also granting loans without interest and apprenticing Jewish youths. Relief, £1153. Loans granted £3751. The conditions of relief are poverty, old age, and sickness. The mode of election is annually by ballot of the subscribers.

Hebrew Philanthropic and Loan Society (established pursuant to 3rd and 4th Victoria cap 110), 18 Knowsley Street, Cheetham. The Society was established in 1861 for giving weekly allowances to persons of the Jewish faith over the age of 60 years and the granting of loans without interest to respectable persons. Loan department transferred to Jewish Board of Guardians.

Visiting Committee of the Hebrew Congregations of Manchester and Liverpool.
Founded in 1885 upon the principle of the London United Synagogue Visiting Committee. The functions of this conjoint committee may be summarised as follows:- The object of the visitation of Jewish ministers to hospitals, prisons, workhouses, etc., is confined exclusively to the religious requirements of the Jewish inmates. To take note of any infringement or modification of discipline bearing on their religious observances. To furnish the Jewish inmates of the various institutions with prayer books and other religious requirements. The Visiting Committee also arranges for the due observance of the practices of Judaism by Jewish boys committed to industrial schools and also for their religious education. The general affairs of the Committee are managed by a Board consisting of Delegates representing the Synagogues of both cities. Local acting sub-committees are appointed for Manchester and Liverpool.

Literary and Debating Society (In connection with the Jewish Working Men's Club)

Manchester Jewish Young Men's Religious Association, New Synagogue Chambers.

Manchester Jews' School, Derby Street, Cheetham. (Founded 1838) There are 2,300 scholars (800 boys, 800 girls, and 700 infants). Income 1900-1, £4750.08.11d. Expenditure £4723.12s.6d.

Polish Jews' Burial Society. Cemetery at Urmston. New mortuary house consecrated June 30th, 1901.

Manchester Naturalisation Society, Jews' School, Cheetham. Object - to assist aliens to become naturalised. Founded 1895.

Manchester Jewish Working Men's Club (Founded 1887). Members, 886; Lady members 412.

Manchester Jewish Cricket Club.

Manchester Jewish Tailors', Machinists', and Pressers' Trade Union, Labour Hall, Bury New Road.

Manchester Jewish Master-Tailors Trade Protection Society.

Provincial Jewry in Victorian Britain - List of Contents

Return to the top of the page

Formatted by David Shulman
 

Explanation of Terms   |   About JCR-UK  |   JCR-UK home page

Contact JCR-UK Webmaster:
jcr-ukwebmaster@jgsgb.org.uk