the former

Huddersfield Synagogue

& Jewish Community

Huddersfield, Kirklees, West Yorkshire

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Town of Huddersfield

The town of Huddersfield (population about 145,000) is part of the Kirklees metropolitan borough in the county of West Yorkshire in the North of England. Kirklees was formed in 1974 from the merger of the county boroughs of Huddersfield and Dewsbury with a number of smaller local authorities, all of which had been part of the West Riding of Yorkshire. In 1986, Kirklees became a unitary authority when West Yorkshire lost its administrative status and became purely a ceremonial county. Huddersfield had been a county borough since 1889.

Huddersfield Jewish Community

A Jewish community was first established in the town in the mid-1890s, primarily by immigrants from central and eastern Europe, but which had become defunct by the early 1930s. However, by 1941, the number Jewish residents had increased, due in part to the influx of refugees and war-time evacuees, enabling organised Jewish life in the town be re-established, but which came to an end in the early 1960s.

Congregation Data
Name:	Huddersfield Synagogue or Huddersfield Hebrew Congregation
Address:	Initially, during the first phase of the congregation's existence, the congregation's address from about 1903 was Northumberland Street, Huddersfield.⁽ⁱⁱ⁾ This most probably consisted of a room or rooms in the home of Marks Kahn, whose address was also given as Northumberland Street⁽ⁱⁱⁱ⁾ and who served as the community's shochet and teacher until at least the 1920s. Later, in the second phase of the congregation's existence, from 1941 to 1963, the address of the synagogue and community centre was 11 Albion Street, Huddersfield,^(iv) which were rented premises, at least part of which had been sublet in the last year or two of the congregation's existence.^(v) The building no longer exits, having been demolished and is today a yard to the north of 15 Albion Street (leading by way of a narrow passageway into New Street).^(vi)
Date Formed:	Although at the time there was no synagogue, the first minyan was formed in 1895,^(ix) presumably in a private home. The congregation appears to have became formally organised by about 1902.^(x)
Subsequent Developments and Final Status:	The congregation, in its first phase, appears to have become gradually less active from about 1919 (when it ceased providing a specific address for the congregation),^(xi) through the 1920's, until finally 1932, when it appears to have become defunct.^(xii) Although a few Jews still remained in the town, it was not until 1941, that the congregation embarked upon its second phase of existence and was re-established, as there had been an increase in the number of Jewish residents due in part to the influx of refugees and evacuees.^(xiii) However numbers again began to decline in the 1950s and the last high holy day services were held in 1961 and the congregation finally closed in 1963,^(xiv) transferring its sefer torah to another congregation.^(xv)
Ritual:	Ashkenazi Orthodox
Ministers / Readers:	Marks Kahn - from about 1896 until about 1920^(xix) Rev. Mendel Marks Glaser - possibly served as a reader/shochet in about 1903^(xx) Rev. Srolowitz - from at least 1945 until about 1948^(xxi)
Lay Officers:	Unless where otherwise stated, the data on the lay officers of the congregation has been extracted from listings in Jewish Year Books.^(xxiv)
	First Phase (Northumberland Road) Congregation
	Presidents 1896-1905 - Henry Kruger^(xxv) 1905-1906 - D. Campland about 1906 - Marks Freedman^(xxvi) 1920-1924 - Marks Freedman^(xxvi) 1926-1929 - Marks Kahn^(xxvii) Treasurers 1896-1905 - Jacob Harris 1920-1924 - Frank Morley 1926-1929 - Phillip Horwich^(xxviii)	Hon. Secretaries 1896-1897 - M. Jacobs 1903-1906 - Alfred Salomon 1920-1924 - Frank Morley 1926-1931 - Dr. Jack H. Kahn^(xxix)
	Second Phase (Albion Street) Congregation
	Presidents 1945-1948 - Dr. Jack H. Kahn^(xxviii) 1948-at least 1956 - Dr. Leslie Ballon Treasurer 1945- at least 1956 - Miss Clara Schofield^(xxx)	Hon. Secretaries 1945-1950 - Edward I. Friend 1950-1951 - Ernest Friend 1951-1952 - C. K. Steingold 1952-1963 - Dr. N.V. Sapier
Membership Data:	1896 - 30 seatholders^(xxxi)
Registration District (BMDs):	Huddersfield, since 1 July 1837 - Register Office Website
Cemetery Details	There is no Jewish cemetery in Huddersfield

Online Articles and Other Material
relating to the Huddersfield Jewish Community

on JCR-UK

"Pesach - memories of life in the sticks" by Diane Langleben née Friend
Press Reports to the Huddersfield Jewish Community 1872-2014.

from third party websites

A Communal History of Jews in Huddersfield (pdf) by Anne C. Brook, which initially appeared in the Huddersfield Local History Society Journal No. 25 (2014/2015), pp. 9-17.
The history of Huddersfield's lost and influential Jewish community (including photograph) on YorkshireLife webside (https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/)

Notable Jewish Former Residents of Huddersfield

Lord Joseph Kagan (1915-1995), textile manufacturer. (Independent - Obituaries.)
Ruth Lawrence (b. 1971), UK's famous child prodigy, grew up in Huddersfield. (Mail0nline.)
Albert Rosenfeld (1885-1970) of Huddersfield Rugby Club. (International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.)

Other Huddersfield Jewish Institutions & Organisations

Educational & Theological

Hebrew and Religious School (date founded uncertain, but still functioning in late 1920s)^(xxxv)

Other Institutions & Organisations

Charitable Fund (about 1896) - "There was a small Fund to relieve tramps on their way to Leeds or Manchester, supplying them with meals and a Railway Fare."^(xxxvi)
Jewish Historical and Literary Society (founded by 1916)^(xxxvii)

Huddersfield Jewish Population Data*
1896	50	(The Jewish Year Book 1896/7)
1916	45	(The Jewish Year Book 1917)
1948*	45	(The Jewish Year Book 1949)
1950	70	(The Jewish Year Book 1951)
1963	20	(The Jewish Year Book 1964)
*The Jewish Year Book 1945/6 gave a Jewish population figure of 10 (which was repeated in the two subsequent editions). This is believed to have been an error, especially having regard to the rejuvination of the community which took place during World War II, and was possibly an historic figure relating to the period immediately before the war, when the community was not listed.

Notes & Sources
(↵ returns to text above)

(i) Reserved.
(ii) This was the address under which the congregation listed in Jewish Year Books from 1903/4 through 1915. ↵
(iii) Northumberland Street was M. Kahn's address from at least 1905 (Jewish Year Book 1905/6) until at least 1932 (Jewish Chronicle report of 9 January 1932). In The Communal History of Jews in Huddersfield by Anne C. Brook (HLHS Journal No. 25) ("The Communal History") ) pp.10/11, she considers the most likely location for the synagogue to be 11 Northumberland Street. ↵
(iv) Jewish Chronicle reports of 31 October 1941 and 16 August 1963. This was also the address under which the congregation was listed in Jewish Year Books from 1945/6 through 1964. ↵
(v) Jewish Chronicle reports of 16 August 1963 and 23 August 1963. ↵
(vi) The Communal History, p.11. ↵
(vii) and (viii) Reserved.
(ix) Jewish Year Book 1896/7. ↵
(x) The Jewish Year Book 1 1902/3 first lists officers of the congregation and refers to a synagogue, although its address is not given until the following year. ↵
(xi) The Jewish Year Book 1 1919 still refers to a "Synagogue" but no longer lists any address. ↵
(xii) From about the Jewish Year Book 1 1927 entries do not appear to have been updated and in the editions for 1930 and 1931 the only information given is that of the hon. secretary, the community ceasing to be listed from the 1932 edition. ↵
(xiii) Jewish Chronicle reports of 18 July 1941 and 31 October 1941. ↵
(xiv) Jewish Chronicle report of 16 August 1963. ↵
(xv) Jewish Chronicle report of 27 December 1963. ↵
(xvi) to (xviii) Reserved.
(xix) M. Kahn, a draper, was born in Russia and became a British citizen in 1913 (The Communal History, p.13). He was listed as minister of the congregation solely in the Jewish Year Book 1 1896/7 (before the establishment of a synagogue), but from the next listing of the community (1902/3) until the 1920 edition, he is referred to as shochet and teacher (although probably performing many of the functions performed by a minister or reader in a small community) and is also listed as the congregation's president in the late 1920s. He, nevertheless, continues to reside in Huddersfield (in Northumberland Road) until at least 1932, when he was elected Vice-President of the Huddersfield and District Chamber of Trade (Jewish Chronicle report of 9 January 1932). He was the father of Dr. J.H. Kahn. ↵
(xx) This was claimed by a contributor to Ancestry.co.uk website (accessed 1 September 2023), but is not certain as no corroboration was provided. Not found in any Jewish Chronicle report. (Jolles's Encyclopaedia of Chatanim, September 2023 revision.) ↵
(xxi) "Rev. - Srolowitz" was listed as reader in the Jewish Year Books 1945/6 through 1948. According to The Communal History, p. 15, he was "almost certainly Lithuanian born Moses Srolowitz, who is described as an assistant teacher in Bradford at the time of his naturalisation in 1947". He was possibly the son of L. Srolowitz of Doncaster (d. 1925) ↵
(xxii) and (xxiii) Reserved.
(xxiv) Where a person is first listed in a year book as holding a particular office, it has been assumed that his term of office commenced in the year of publication of the relevant year book and that he continued in office until the commencement of office of his successor, unless the office was vacant. Initially year books corresponded to the Hebrew year, and thus ran roughly from autumn of one year - the year of publication - until autumn of the next year. From 1909, year books were published according to the Gregorian year, being published generally towards the end of the year prior to the year appearing the title of the year book. For example, if an officer is listed in Jewish Year Books 1925 through 1928, it is assumed that he commenced office in 1924 and continued in office until 1928. However, it should be noted that this is only an assumption and, accordingly, his actual years of office may differ somewhat from those shown here. Jewish Year Books were not published during WWII. There were no Jewish Year Book listings of lay officers (other than secretary) subsequent to 1956. ↵
(xxv) Henry Kruger was listed president in the Jewish Year Book 1896/7 and from 1902/03 (when Huddersfield is next listed) through 1904/5 and it is assumed that he served in a similar capacity in the intervening years. He was a Prussian-born photographer, who moved to the United States in 1914. (The Communal History, p. 11) ↵
(xxx) Jewish Chronicle report of 6 July 1906 refers to M. Freedman as president, although he was not so listed in Jewish Year Books at such time. He was manager of the Empire Picture House in Huddersfield. His son Pvt. Myer Freedman was killed in action in France on 18 September 1916, just a few days after being awarded the Military Medal. He was the only Huddersfield Jew available for military service in World War I. (Jewish Chronicle report of 1916 and Huddersfield Daily Examiner report of 1916.) See also article by Anne C. Brook, entitled "Mark Freedman and the Early Cinema in Huddersfield" in Huddersfield Local History Society Journal No 26 (2015/2016), pp.9-14. ↵
(xxvii) See footnote (xix). ↵
(xxxii) Listed as "P. Horich"(sic) in Jewish Year Books 1927 through 1929. Phillip (Pesach) Horwich (c.1878-1950), a dentist, had been closely associated with the congregation during the 40 years he lived in the town and was life vice-president and hon. lay reader at the time of his death (Jewish Chronicle obituary of 10 March 1950). ↵
(xxix) J.H. Kahn (Dr. from about 1929) was the son of Marks Kahn. ↵
(xxx) Formerly Schoolberg. She was the daughter of Solomon Schofield (formerly Schoolberg), a Hull-born wallpaper merchant. (The Communal History, p.13) ↵
(xxxi) Jewish Year Book 1896/7. ↵
(xxxii) to (xxxiv) Reserved.
(xxxv) Jewish Year Books 1928 and 1929. ↵
(xxxvi) Jewish Year Book 1896/7. ↵
(xxxvii) Jewish Year Books 1916 through 1920. ↵

World War II Evacuee Communities

Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees Jewish Communities home page

Jewish Congregations in West Yorkshire

Jewish Communities of England homepage

Page created: 22 August 2005
Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 2 October 2017
Subsequent significant expansion of data: 7 February 2021
Page most recently amended: 12 September 2023

Reserach by David Shulman and Harold Pollins, assisted by Nigel Grizzard and Steven Jaffe
Formatting by David Shulman

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