Glasgow Jewry is a long established community and its origins
take us back to the early years of the nineteenth century.
The earliest record of a Jewish settler in Glasgow known so far
relates to Isaac Cohen who was admitted a Freeman of the City in 1812.
He was a hatter, believed to have come from Manchester and "to have
introduced the silk hat to Scotland". In 1817, an advertisement in
the Glasgow Chronicle is found in which P. Levy describes himself as
"the only fur manufacturer in Scotland". McFeat's Directory of 1819
has a reference to M. H. Schwabe and Gobert - merchants, and the 1822
Directory has e reference to Michael J. and H. Michael - Agents,
auctioneers and furniture warehouse. The 1828 Directory has a
reference to Joseph Levi - a quill merchant; 1831 - Davis Davis is
described as "optical and mathematical instrument maker", who was
probably the first Jewish person engaged in a professional occupation
in Glasgow. In subsequent years more and more names appeared in the
directories, such as 1832 - D. and J. Davis - jewellers; 1838 -
Philip Asher - stationer and general agent; Mrs. P. Asher - furrier;
Lekman Lesser - general merchant; Simon Prince - quill merchant;
G. T. Ascher - "French fancy goods merchant", and so on.1 As can
be clearly seen, the first nucleus of the present community was
strongly trade orientated within the lines of what are considered
to be the traditional Jewish occupations.
The only Census of Glasgow Jewry ever to be carried out by the
authorities was in 1831. It was reported by James Clelland, the
superintendent of the Works Council. He stated, "A Jews synagogue
was opened in this city in September 1823. Mr. Moses Lesenheim is
their priest, Hebrew teacher, and killer2."3
He found 47 Jewish persons - 28 males and 19 females, 11 born in Prussia and Poland,
12 in Germany, 3 in Holland, 5 in London, 10 in Sheerness and 6
in Glasgow.
The main area of settlement was around the city centre, and
the synagogue - which consisted of two rooms - was at 43 High Street,
near Glasgow Cross.4
In 1830, the small community proceeded to
acquire 125 square yards for burial purposes in what is now known
as the Necropolis.5
This purchase was seen as a sign of acceptance
and approval of the small Jewish community.
Until the 1870s the small Jewish congregation worshipped in
a succession of synagogues around the city centre, mostly in one
synagogue at a time, except for two periods of communal disagreement.6
However, during the 1870s, as a result of oppressive
measures in Russia, many Jews fled to the West and Glasgow
experienced a rapid numerical increase thereafter. This increase
was strongly felt in, the small Jewish community, then worshipping
in 240 George Street, in a synagogue which accommodated only 200
males and 60 ladies.7
A special meeting was called in 1875 to
discuss the problem of seating capacity of the synagogue, and it
was decided to purchase a new site and build a bigger synagogue.
The new synagogue, with 445 seats, was consecrated in 1879 at the
corner of Hill Street and Garnet Street. This synagogue, in the
West End, became the centre of social and educational acthrity, and
the congregation flourished and gained the respect of the non-Jewish
Glaswegians.
With further persecutions in Russia and Poland, the Jewish community gained
in size. However, the immigrants did not settle in the West End, alongside
the older established community, but built their homes on the southern bank
of the River Clyde. This coincided with a trend of business interests
towards the south in the general community, and a small congregation of Jews
grew in the vicinity of the Gorbals. New places of worship and Hebrew
classes mushroomed in the 1880s in the Gorbals. These were broadly speaking
branch synagogues of the Garnethill parent congregation which was
known then as the Glasgow Hebrew Congregation. In 1899 a new south
side congregation held services in Oxford Street, later to be known
as the Chevra Kadisha Synagogue, and in 1898, a few minyans amalgamated and proceeded to purchase a site in South Portland Street.
The new synagogue, consecrated in 1901, was later known as The Great
Synagogue.8
This was another landmark in the history of the Jewish community.
A.
Immigration and Population Figures
In 1831 Clelland found only 47 Jews in the city. By 1858
there must have been over 300 Jews in the city, as we learn from the
seating. capacity of the synagogue in 240 George Street, which was 260.
However, with the first wave of immigration during the 1870s, A. Levy
estimates the size of the community in 1879 to be "less than 1,000".9
Others have estimated it to be "upwards 700",
10
and yet another
commentator saw the figure of "about 2,000"11
as an accurate account
of the size of the Jewish community at that same period.
By the turn of the century, with further persecution in Russia, the community was growing rapidly. Immigrants from Eastern Europe,
many hoping to go to America, were
often stranded with no money to continue their journey.12
There are no records as to the number of arrivals, and the estimates
for that period are grossly exaggerated. However, by 1896 the Jewish
population in Glasgow was estimated to be around 6,000,
and in 1902,
around 6,500.13
B.
The Development of Jewish Organised Life
Historically, three processes can be distinguished in the formation of the
early Jewish organisational structure in Glasgow.
The most common process of the formation of a large number of
organisations has been, as in most other communities,14
through
spontaneous associations which later crystallised into well organised
groups. This is the general pattern of the emergence of the synagogue.
The second process is of organisations arising out of meetings
or committees which were formed either due to a contemporary problem,
or to deal with ad hoc problems, and continued to function, constantly
re-defining their purposes. This is the pattern characteristic of
the formation of the Jewish Board of Guardians (now known as the
Jewish Welfare Board), the Glasgow Jewish Representative Council
and a large number of charitable and relief organisations.
A third process relates to organisations arising out of the
gathering of individuals with a set of common values, purposefully
coming together and agreeing to create an organised group for the
realisation of their goals. This is generally the characteristic
pattern of the formation of the literary and discussion groups.
1. The Formation of Synagogues and Religious Organisations
The historical background of Jewish migration has given rise
to a considerable number of synagogues and smaller places of worship.
The first place of communal worship - at 45 High Street, opened in
1823 - was only the first in a series of successive moves. Until
the consecration of Garnethill synagogue, the congregation worshipped
in four different premises15
in succession, except for two periods
of dispute. The first split occurred in the early 1830s when, due
to what is described as disagreement of the way the services were
conducted, a small sect, headed by Jonas Michael, conducted services
at home. It seems however,.that this split can be better described
as a struggle for leadership, especially when the size of the community
at that time is taken into account. Clelland found only 28 Jewish
males in 1831, and J. Michael with his sons mustered 8 males for
minyan within the community and was therefore a force to be considered
"where at times it must have been difficult to secure ten confirmed
males necessary for public worship".16
No sooner had the two rival camps reunited when a second
dispute tore the small community in 1842. At that time the congregation
was worshipping at Candleriggs, and by a majority vote decided to
move to more suitable accommodation at 204 George Street. This
decision was met by an unexpected opposition on the part of a small
minority. They claimed that the Andersonian Institute, where the
premises of the new synagogue were located, possessed a dissecting
room, and that it was against the principles of Orthodox Judaism to
hold religious services under the same roof as that of the dissection
of human bodies.17
The result was that the majority of the congregation moved to George Street and the dissenting minority remained
to worship at Candleriggs. This conflict had peaked in 1843, when
the problem of the burial rights of the dissenting minority arose.
The whole issue was brought before the Sheriff of Glasgow who in
1845 ruled in favour of the majority
group.18 The two congregations,
however, reunited about 1850. There is some evidence of another
split, in 1870,19
when a few seatholders decided to split from the
congregation and formed themselves into the "Glasgow New Hebrew
Congregation". They even applied to the Chief Rabbi in London
for recognition. This, however, was not granted, and the two
factions reunited in 1871 when the Chief Rabbi visited Glasgow.
It is not clear what triggered off this split, however it is possible
that the reasons lay simply with the lack of space in the synagogue
at that time at 240 George Street.
The consecration of Garnethill synagogue in 1879 "constituted
a distinct step towards the provision of adequate worshipping places
in the city and was a frank recognition of the growing demands of the
community".20 It
is described as being "Romanesque" in architecture,
and, as Chaim Bermant suggests, "the size and solidity of Garnethill
synagogue suggests that it (the congregation) must have had men of
considerable means among its
congregants".21 The cost of the
building including the cost of the site was
about £14,000.22
Garnethill was known as the "Englisher Shul", as it had English
speaking clergy and the sermons were conducted in English.
The beginning of the South Side congregation can be seen in
1880,23
with the establishment of the first minyan in the Gorbals,
which was the first wave of small minyanim. These were mainly
Landsmanshaft types of minyanim with the Minsker minyan, Pickeler
minyan, Odessa minyan, and so on. However, since the majority of
the immigrants came from Lithuania, another basis, which is probably
peculiar to Glasgow, has arisen - minyans which centred upon one's
occupation. Thus we can see the Tailors' minyan, which was attended
by the workers in the tailoring sweatshops, and the Travellers'
minyan, which was attended by the travelling salesmen. Henceforth,
there are some conflicting reports of amalgamations and splits which
seem to have occurred in the South Side.24
From the various reports
it seems that in 1887, the Garnethill congregation, then known as the
Glasgow Hebrew Congregation, received a petition to take over the
South Side minyans, and in 1885 the Auxiliary synagogue became a
branch of the main congregation. However, in 1898, the United
Synagogue of Glasgow came into existence. The two communities
became independent. The body consisted of the Garnethill congregation, the South Side congregation - an offshoot of the two main
minyans, then worshipping in the Standard Halls in Main Street -
and in 1899 the Oxford Street congregation, formed that year, had
also joined the United synagogue. This body continued functioning
till 1906,25
and incorporated the South Portland Synagogue, the
first synagogue built on the South Side (1901) later to be known
as the Great Synagogue.
2. Charitable and Welfare Organisations
A traditional task of every Jewish community is looking after
its poor and sick. Thus, a large number of charitable and welfare
groups sprang up towards the end of the 19th century. Virtually
all of these were set up by the established West End community in
an attempt to better the position of their immigrant co-religionists.
Thus we can see the establishment of the Hebrew Ladies Benevolent
Society in 1879, the Glasgow Hebrew Benevolent Loan Society, established in 1888, and the Clothing Guild, established in 1893 "to give
blankets and clothing to the poor".26
Most prominent amongst these,
however, is the Jewish Board of Guardians, now known as the Jewish
Welfare Board, the origins of which lie in the Jewish Philanthropic
Society known to have existed before
1858.27 The fact that towards
the end of the century the Jewish Board of Guardians also set up a
Loan Fund is an evidence to the advanced conception of charity in
the community. It also reveals that the outlook was not to the
short term effects of relief alone, but to the long term result of
these free interest loans which would enable the immigrants to become
independent of further charitable institutions.
3. Jewish and Religious Education
The earliest record of Jewish Education can be said to appear
in Clelland's report, with reference to Moses Lesenheim as "Hebrew
Teacher". Later reports show 8 pupils in the Hebrew school adjacent
to the 240 George Street synagogue in 1862.28 By
1874 there were
22 pupils in that same Hebrew school,29 by 1875 the number of
children at the Hebrew school was 38,30 and with the wave of
immigration into Glasgow, the Jewish Year Book reports 220 children
in the various chedarim in 1896. Until the 1920s however, there
was no attempt at establishing a Jewish day school.
4. Zionist Organisations
The beginning of the Zionist movement in Glasgow can be seen
as early as 1891 when the Rev. Z. A. Maccobey addressed two meetings
in Glasgow with a view to establishing a Glasgow branch of the
"Society for Colonising Palestine by Jewish Emigrants".31
There
is no record of this branch, and it was only towards the end of the
century that Zionism began to attract notice in Glasgow.
C. Social and Economic Conditions
To have a complete picture of the historical background we
must now examine the social conditions of the Jewish population in
Glasgow in its historical perspective.
As mentioned earlier, the first settlers in the 1820s tended
to settle around the city centre, gradually, as they prospered,
moving towards the West End.32
It seems that these were largely
middle class well-to-do merchants, who by the 1870s were well
established citizens, and "gained the esteem and respect of the
non-Jewish citizens".33
And with wealth came the first sign of
acculturation, which was legitimised by administering sermons in the
English language.
When the first waves of immigrants started reaching Glasgow,
in the late 1870s and early 1880s, there were already "Ladies
Societies flourishing in Garnethill ready to welcome the newcomers
with hot soup, old clothes and words of comfort".34
This wave of migration, as all the subsequent ones, settled
in the Gorbals on the south side of the river Clyde, which was later
known as the "Jewish Ghetto". Most of these immigrants were poor
and hardly spoke any English. They lived in close quarters and
their arrival triggered off a large number of benevolent and charity
organisations for the relief of the poor. They were said to have
brought with them traditions which were different from those of the
established West End community, and it would be quite accurate to
state that here we witness another meeting between the East and
the West.
The Garnethill community consisted of mainly East European
Jews, successful businessmen thoroughly acculturated and very much
Anglicised. It was organised along the lines of the Anglo-Jewish
community in London, which was headed by the Chief Rabbi Dr. Adler.
He "moulded the community in its characteristic frame of Jewish
traditionalism with English culture",35
and introduced the collared
ministerial post. The religious life in Britain at the time lacked
in scientific scholarship and in depth the Talmudic learning of
Lithuania. This was mainly as a result of the lack of adequate
training facilities for Rabbis in Britain. The offshoot of that
was the existence of ministers (note, not Rabbis) who were sent to
the various provincial communities including Glasgow, which at that
time consisted of the Garnethill congregation alone. It was this
well organised community, of successful businessmen, well on their
way to assimilation who in the 1880s faced a period of change with
the arrival of the immigrants from Russia and Poland.
The new arrivals settled in the Gorbals and their life was
organised in the ghetto pattern familiar to them, yet foreign to
the West End community. They were very strictly orthodox, and
a large proportion of them were Talmidei-Chachamim, who were very
highly educated and Talmudic scholars.36
They were all penniless
and had no knowledge of the English language. This wave of
immigration also brought a large proportion of trained and semi-trained tailors, and this was the beginning of the clothing industry
in Scotland, with small sweatshops established in the Gorbals. They
worked long hours, were very poor, and more often than not had to
accept food and clothes from charity organisations to supplement
their income, as they had very large families. The more educated,
however, not prepared to work on the Sabbath, took to commercial
travelling and continued their scholarly Talmudic studies at night.
Thus it seems that there was not only the economic but also an
intellectual struggle, which preoccupied the community of the South
Side. However, it was the economic struggle which explains the
extensive missionary activity in the Gorbals and the rise of the
Workers Circle, which supported the Labour and Socialist movements.
The above account only serves to demonstrate how different
were the immigrants from the established community. They had a
mixed attitude towards the West End community. On the one hand
was admiration for their economic success, and a dependency upon
them for dealing with local authorities. The West End community
were at home, whereas the new immigrants were foreigners. On the
other hand, having a superior Talmudic education, they could not
be expected to accept the authority of the Minister of Garnethill
who had no Rabbinical Smicha. To them Ministerial post was a
"Goyish institution". It is not surprising therefore to learn
that as soon as their economic position improved, their synagogues
became independent.
Thus it can be seen that by the turn of the century there
were substantially two communities in Glasgow: the West End
community, mainly middle class successful businessmen, leading
what is very similar to what is known today as a "suburban way
of life", thoroughly acculturated and not very observant, and
the South Side community on the other hand, which was mainly a
working class Yiddish speaking community, strictly Orthodox, and
with a "Ghetto" type of life style. It was however the latter
which set the tone of the present day community, about 90% of
which reside now in the suburbs south of the river Clyde.
Introductory Paper on
Glasgow
Introduction to Papers on Scotland
Provincial Jewry in Victorian
Britain - List of Contents
Glasgow Jewish Community
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