JCR-UK

Southport Jewish Community

& Hebrew Congregation

Southport, Sefton, Merseyside
 

 
 

JCR-UK is a genealogical and historical website covering all Jewish communities and
congregations throughout the British Isles and Gibraltar, both past and present.
NOTE: We are not the official website of this congregation, the address of which is given below.

Town of Southport

The seaside town of Southport, with a population of about 90,000, is situated on the coast of the Irish Sea about 17 miles north of Liverpool in the north west of England. Until 1974, it was a county borough, geographically within the county of Lancashire, when it was merged with the county borough of Bootle and the urban district of Crosby to form the metropolitan borough of Sefton in the metropolitan county of Merseyside. In 1986, Sefton became a unitary authority, when the metropolitan county of Merseyside lost its administrative status, becoming purely a ceremonial county.

Southport Jewish Community

There have been Jewish residents in Southport since at least the mid-nineteenth century, although an organised (orthodox) Jewish congregation (see below) was not established until the 1890s. Following World War II, the orthodox congregation was joined by a reform congregation, now known as the Southport & District Reform Synagogue (dealt with separately).

Congregation Data

Name:

Southport Hebrew Congregation

Address:

Arnside Road, Southport, PR8 1LR

The foundation stone was laid in May 1924, and the synagogue consecrated on 2 September 1926(ii)

Previous Address:

Sussex Road (corner of Windsor Road), Southport.

The building, which was previously a chapel for the Plymouth Brethren, was acquired in 1893 and consecrated on 8 May 1893. In 1913, the building was reconstructed, with a new facade and an upper level ladies gallery was created. The house abutting the synagogue was used as a vestry and Hebrew classes.(iii)

Current Status:

Active

Date Founded:

1893(iv) (which is the date of consecration of first synagogue)

Ritual:

Ashkenazi Orthodox.

Affiliation:

The congregation was unaffiliated but under the aegis of the Chief Rabbi.

Website:

https://www.southportsynagogue.co.uk/

Rival Congregation:

In and about 1949/1950 the was a second orthodox congregations in Southport known as the Birkdale and Hillside Hebrew Congregation, which held services at 47 Trafalgar Road, Birkdale, Southport.(ix)

Principal Ministers(x):
(To view a short profile of a minister or other official whose name appears in blue- hold the cursor over his name.)

Rev. Noah Blaser - from 1893 until 1927(xi)

Rabbi Dr Alec E. Silverstone - from 1928 until 1967,(xii) and thereafter emeritus

Rabbi Michael Asher Alony - from 1967 until 1976(xiii)

Rabbi Ephraim Groundland - from 1976 until 1981(xiv)

Rabbi Clive Baddiel - from 1981 until 1983(xv)

Rabbi Jonathan Guttentag - from 1984 until 1987(xviii)

Rev. Lee Sunderland - from 1987 until 1988(xix)

Rabbi Meir Rogosnitzky - from 1988 until 1999(xx)

Rabbi Moshe Santhouse - from 1999 until 2001 (non-resident, part time)(xxi)

Since 2001 the community has been served by temporary and visiting rabbis and ministers on a rota system.(xxii) Amongst these was Rev. Ben Topp, who was appointed temprary minister in 2002 and was still serving the congregation in 2009.(xxiii)

Assistant Ministers, Chazanim, Teachers, Shochets, etc.(x):

Any of the following who also served as Secretary are listed separately below.

Rev. Naphtali Levy - shochet who helped found the congregation, about 1893(xxvii)

Rev. Hermann Abrahams - chazan and shochet from 1918 until 1928(xxviii)

Rev. Mark Bensky - headmaster from 1922 until 1928(xxix)

Rev. Isaac Gottlieb - chazan and shochet from 1928 until 1932(xxx)

Rev. Philip Brummer - chazan from 1931 until 1936(xxxi)

Rev. Jacob Kahan - temporary shochet from 1932 until 1933(xxxii)

Rev. Maurice Landy -assisting minister early 1930s(xxxiii)

Jonah Podhorzer - headmaster, 1937(xxxv)

Rev. Sandor Meisels - first reader from 1937 until 1940(xxxvi)

Rev. Shalom Segal - junior minister from 1936 until 1945(xxxvii)

Rev. Shalom Barron - headmaster from 1938 until 1939(xxxviii)

Rev. Reuben S. Bruches - junior minister, shochet, headteacher from 1939 until 1950(xxxix)

Rev. Orland Zicherman - first reader from 1941 until 1943(xl)

Rev. Morris Glazier - second reader, shochet and teacher from 1940s until 1960s(xli)

Rev. Chaim Goldman - assisting minister in 1946(xliv)

Rev. Ginsberg - teacher and youth leader in 1946(xlv)

Rev. Emerich I. Friedlander (later Yitzchak Eshel) - from 1947 until 1949(xlvi)

Rev. Isaac Norman Goodman - teacher and beagle from about 1949 until 1952(xlvii)

Rev. Reuben Berkovitz - first reader from 1950 until 1953(xlviii)

Rev. Simon Herman - headmaster, second reader and ba'al koreh from 1950 until 1951(li)

Rev. Meier S. Eisemann - headmaster from 1951 until 1953(lii)

Rev. Philip Copperman - chazan from 1955 until 1959(liii)

Rev. Solomon Greenstein - chazan from 1954 until 1956(liv)

Rev. Joseph Trabinovitz - chazan from 1959 until 1962(lv)

Rev. Samuel Lynn - chazan from 1963 to about 1965(lviii)

Rev. Aubrey Levin - chazan from 1967 until 1968(lix) 

Rev. Leslie Olsberg - headmaster from about 1970 until 1973(lx)

Rev Henry Chait - chazan from 1973 until 1975(lxi) 

Lay Officers (generally from 1896):

Unless otherwise stated, the data below has been extracted from Jewish Year Books, first published in 1896/7.(lxv)

Presidents

1896-1900 - S.M. Harris

1900-1903 - J. Hakim

1903-1904 - S. Frankenstein

1904-1906 - D. Finestone

1906-1907 - A. Haim

1907-1908 - H. Plotzker

1908-1917 - S.M. Harris

1918-1921 - J. Levi

1921-1924 - S.M. Harris

1924-1925 - H. Doniger

1925-1983 - none listed

1983-1984 - A. Horwich

1984-1992 - A.I. Cohen, JP

1992-2002 - Dr. Cyril Nelson

Vice Presidents

1917-1918 - S. Claff

1918-1921 - L. Hazan

1924-1925 - H. Harris

Wardens

1925-1927 - H. Doniger & S. Schama

1927-1928 - S. Schama & S. Tarshish

1928-1929 - S.A. Claff & J. Pearlman

1929-1930 - M.H. Goldstone & A.H. Rose

1930-1933 - H. Angel & J. Pearlman

1933-1934 - S.A. Claff & H. Harris

1934-1935 - I. Labovitch & J. Pearlman

1935-1936 - J. Pearlman

1936-1937 - S.A. Claff

1937-1938 - M.H. Goldstone & L. Stonefield

1938-1939 - S.H. Harris & H. Fletcher

1939-1940 - S.H. Harris & H.M. Brodie

1940-1945 - no data

1945-1946 - H.M. Brodie & Harry Smith

1946-1947 - Harry Smith & H. Jacobs

1947-1950 - M. Joseph & S. Kaitiff

1950-1953 - M. Joseph & S. Morris

1953-1954 - J.J. Jaffe & L. Solomons

1954-1955 - J.J. Jaffe & L. Potash

1955-1956 - J. Cowen & L. Potash

Treasurers

about 1893 - Rev. Naphtali Levy(xxvii)

1896-1900 - A. Price

1900-1902 - A. Blumberg

1902-1903 - S. Frankenstein

1905-1906 - J. Pearlman

1906-1907 - H. Plotsker

1907-1909 - M. Strawbaum

1909-1911 - S. Claff

1911-1914 - L. Abrahams

1914-1918 - J. Pearlman

1918-1920 - H. Weinberg

1920-1921 - J. Pearlman

1921-1923 - L. Raiher

1923-1925 - A. Rose

1925-1927 - A.H. Rose

1927-1928 - J. Pearlman

1928-1930 - H. Adler

1930-1931 - A. Morrison

1931-1933 - H. Adler

1933-1934 - J. Pearlman

1934-1936 - I. Levy

1936-1937 - B. Kaitiff

1937-1938 - S.H. Harris

1938-1939 - M. Joseph

1939-1945 - no data

1945-1947 - M. Joseph

1947-1953 - L. Solomon

1953-1956 - R.N. Davidson

Baalai Segan

1925-1927 - H. Harris

1927-1928 - B. Kaitiff

1928-1929 - S. Tarshish

1929-1930 - I. Myers

1931-1933 - H. Harris

1933-1935 - H. Fletcher

1937-1938 - H. Fletcher

1938-1939 - A. Arlick

1939-1949 - no data or none listed

1949-1950 - M. Freeman

1950-1956 - R. Davidson

Secretaries and Honorary. Secretaries

Hon. Secretaries

1896-1901 - Max E. Lambert

1901-1904 - S. Abouhab

1904-1906 - N. Leachinsky

1906-1908 - J. Lambert

1910-1911 - Abraham Claff

1911-1912 - L. Abrams pro tem

1912-1914 - Emil Dulberg

1914-1917 - H. Weinberg

1918-1920 - H. Franco

1920-1921 - C.L. Levy

1921-1929 - A. Isaacs

1929-1930 - A. Morrison

1930-1933 - Dr. S. Burns

1933-1937 - M. Joseph

1938-1939 - H. Brodie

1939-1940 - J. Reuben

1940-1945 - no data

1945-1947 - M. Goldberg

1947-1950 - I. Desser

1950-1953 - W. Grosswald

1954-1955 - J. Mayer

1955-1956 - A. Kay

Secretaries

1908-1910 - Rev. Noah Blaser(xi)

1925-1928 - Rev. Mark Bensky(xxix)

1930-1935 - H. Hart

1935-1937 - Rabbi Dr Alec E. Silverstone(xii)

1937-1945 - Rev. Shalom Segal(xxxvii)

1946-1950 - Rev. Reuben S. Bruches(xxxix)

1950-1952 - Rev. Isaac Norman Goodman(xlvii)

1952-1953 - J. Mayer

1953-1974 - I. Freeman

Officers of Rival Congregation:

The following of the officers of the Birkdale and Hillside Hebrew Congregation in 1949/50:(lxvii)

Chairman: M.J. Canter;  Vice Chairman: C. Polak;  Treasurer: I. Rabinowitz; Secretary:  H. Green.

Membership Data:

Number of Seatholders(lxviii)

1896

1897

1899

1900

1901

1905

1907

1911

39

36

37

40

50

57

50

55

1914

1916

1917

1918

1920

1922

1924

70*

83*

80*

84*

86*

143*

158*

* Including females

Reports & Surveys(lxix)

1977 - 320 male (or household) members and 137 female members

1983 - 350 male (or household) members and 150 female members

1990 - 374 members (comprising 165 households, 63 individual male and 146 individual female members)

1996 - 252 members (comprising 147 households, 13 individual male and 92 individual female members)

2010 - listed as having 100 to 199 members (by household)

2016 - listed as having 50 to 99 members (by household)

Registration District (BMD):

Sefton (since 1 July 2011)(lxx) - Link to Register Office Website.

 


Search the All-UK Database

The records in the database associated with Southport include:

Burials

Southport Jewish Cemetery, 1894-2012 (1,629 records)

1851 Anglo Jewry Database (updated 2016)

Individuals in the 1851 Anglo Jewry Database who were living in Southport during the 1850s (5 records), 1860s (3 records), 1870s (2 records), 1880s (2 records), 1890s (2 records) and 1900s (4 records).

 

 

Bibliography, On-line Articles and Other Material
relating to Southport Jewish Community

on JCR-UK

  • "Southport" from Provincial Jewry in Victorian Britain - From papers for a conference at University College, London, convened by the Jewish Historical Society of England, prepared by Aubrey Newman - 6th July 1975.

  • Bibliography

    • Southport - No. 2 in the "Small is Beautiful" series by Rabbi David Katanka, initially published by the Jewish Tribune, and subsequently included in the selection of Rabbi Katanka's writing, entitled Kol Dodi (2015), pp 95/6.

    • other Southport Bibliography.


Notable Former Jewish Residents of Southport

  • Sophie Abelson, television actress, was born in Southport in 1981. (Jewish Chronicle report of 3 June 1910)

  • George Berthold (Bertie) Samuelson (1889–1947), director and film producer -"a pioneer of British cinema", was born in Southport. (Profile on the Congregation's website.)

 

Other Southport Jewish Institutions & Organisations

Educational & Theological

  • Religious Classes (founded 1893)
    Headmaster was either the minister or reader of the congregation or one of the persons listed above.
    Number of pupils:    (lxxvi)

    Year

    1896

    1897

    1899

    1897

    1900

    1901

    1906

    1907

    1909

    1911

    1914

    1915

    1919

    Boys

    15

    19

    10

    19

    12

    15

    17

    17

    18

    16

     

     

     

    Girls

    18

    21

    15

    21

    18

    20

      4

      9

    10

      7

       

       

       

    Total

    33

    40

    25

    40

    30

    35

    21

    26

    28

    23

    28

    32

    26

Other Institutions & Organisations(lxxvii)

  • Anglo-Jewish Association branch (founded by 1920)

  • Chevra Kadisha (founded by 1913)

  • Hebrew Ladies Union (founded by 1910)

  • Jewish Convalescent and Aged Home, 81 Albert Road, formerly 46 Avondale Road (founded by 1948)

  • Jewish Home for the Blind, Manchester House, 83 Albert Road (founded by 1964)

  • Jewish Literary Society (founded by 1915)

  • Jewish Refugee Hostel, Harris House, 27 Argyle Road (corner of Hesketh Road) (February 1939 to May 1940), which gave sanctury to some 20 young Jewish girls rescued from Nazi oppression (and near certain death) in Austria and Germany.(lxxviii)

  • Ladies Mizrachi Group (founded by 1947)

  • Ladies' Philanthropic Society (founded by 1950)

  • Literary & Social Club (founded by 1920)

  • Sharon House Rest Home, 111 Leyland Road, Southport (founded by 1993)

  • Southport Hebrew Philanthropic Society (founded 1897)

  • Southport Nursing & Care Home, 126 Leyland Road, Southport (founded by 1994)

  • Mizrachi Society (founded by 1945)

  • Young Women Zionists (founded by 1953)

  • Zionist Society) (founded by 1939)

 


Southport Jewish Cemetery Information

Southport Cemetery, Jewish Sections, Duke Street and Cemetery Road, Southport PR8.

Consist of two plots:

  • the small Old Section, in use from 1894 to 1938; and

  • a larger New Section, still in use.

Burial records (1894-2012) are searchable on the All-UK Database. See above.

(For additional information, see also IAJGS Cemetery Project - Southport.)

 

Southport Jewish Population Data

1895

200

(The Jewish Year Book 1995/96)

1902

250-300

(The Jewish Year Book 1902/03)

1913

300-350

(The Jewish Year Book 1914)

1918

350-400

(The Jewish Year Book 1919)

1945

700

(The Jewish Year Book 1945/46)

1946

2,400

(The Jewish Year Book 1947)

1954

3,000

(The Jewish Year Book 1955)

1971

2,610

(The Jewish Year Book 1972)

1973

2,600

(The Jewish Year Book 1974)

1986

1,500

(The Jewish Year Book 1987)

1990

1,382

(The Jewish Year Book 1991)

2001

650

(The Jewish Year Book 2002)

2003

699

(The Jewish Year Book 2004)

 

Notes & Sources
 (↵ returns to text above)

  • (i) Reserved.

  • (ii) Jewish Year Book 1927. ↵

  • (iii) History on the congregation's website, accessed April 2021. ↵

  • (iv) Jewish Year Books from 1896/7 and Congregations's website, accessed April 2021. ↵

  • (v) to (viiii) Reserved.

  • (ix) The only listing of this congregation was in the Jewish Year Book 1950. Apart from the names of the then officers, nothing further is currently known about this congregation. ↵

  • (x) The primary source for these lists of ministers and other officials and the dates of service is Philanthropy, Consensus and Broiges, managing a Jewish community. A history of the Southport Jewish community by John Cowell (2019) ("Cowell's Book"), which lists the ministers in Appendix 13 and provides short biographies. Other sources (primarily the Jewish Year Books), are given in the footnotes below. ↵

  • (xi) Rev. Blaser was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from the first edition (1896/7) through 1928 and as secretary in the 1936 and 1937 editions. ↵

  • (xii) Rabbi Silverstone was listed as rabbi of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1929 through 1967 and as secretary in the 1926 and 1937 editions. ↵

  • (xiii) Rabbi Alony was listed as rabbi of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1968 through 1976. ↵

  • (xiv) Rabbi Groundland was listed as rabbi of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1977 through 1981. ↵

  • (xv) Rabbi Baddiel was listed as rabbi of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1982 and 1983. ↵

  • (xvi) and (xvii) Reserved.

  • (xviii) Rev. Guttentag was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1985 to 1987. ↵

  • (xix) Rabbi Sunderland was not listed as minister of the congregation in any Jewish Year Book. There were no ministers of the congregation listed in the editions 1988 and 1999. ↵

  • (xx) Rabbi Rogosnitsky was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books from 1990 to 1999. ↵

  • (xxi) Rabbi Santhouse was listed as minister of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 2000 and 2001. ↵

  • (xxii) Jewish Chronicle report of 22 June 2018 - (report on "Southport 125th birthday party") and congregation's website, accessed April 2021. ↵

  • (xxiii) Jewish Chronicle of 2 December 2002 reported that "[t]he synagogue, with an estimated 300 members, ... has been without a minister since 2000. The community has been relying on the services of a temporary minister, the Reverend Ben Topp." The Jewish Chronicle of 30 July 2009 reported that at "a special Shabbat service to celebrate the 80th birthday of Hymie Katz" at Southport Synagogue, "Reverend Ben Topp paid tribute to Mr Katz’s regular shul attendance and sense of humour". ↵

  • (xxiv) to (xxvi) Reserved.

  • (xxvii) History on the congregations's website, accessed April 2021. Rev. Levy is not listed as a minister in Cowell's Book. ↵

  • (xxviii) Rev. Abrahams's only listing in Jewish Year Books with regard to the congregation was in 1927 and 1928 as second reader. ↵

  • (xxix) Rev. Bensky's only listing in Jewish Year Books with regard to the congregation was in 1927 and 1928 as secretary. ↵

  • (xxx) Rev. Gottlieb was listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1929 through 1933. ↵

  • (xxxi) Rev. F.(sic) Brummer is listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1934 through 1936. ↵

  • (xxxii) Rev. Kahan was not listed in any Jewish Year Book with regard to this congregation. ↵

  • (xxxiii) Jewish Chronicle report. Rev. (later Rabbi) Landy was not listed in any Jewish Year Book with regard to this congregation, nor mentioned in Cowell's Book. ↵

  • (xxxiv) Reserved.

  • (xxxv) Jonah Podhorzer was not listed in any Jewish Year Book. ↵

  • (xxxvi) Rev. Meisels was listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1938 and 1939. ↵

  • (xxxvii) Rev. Segal was listed as senior reader of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1945/6 and as secretary in the 1938, 1939 and 1945/6 editions. ↵

  • (xxxviii) Rev. (later Rabbi) Barron was not listed in any Jewish Year Book with regard to this congregation. ↵

  • (xxxix) Rev. Bruches was listed as a minister of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1947, and as second reader and secretary in the edition from 1948 through 1950. ↵

  • (xl) Rev. Zicherman was not listed in any Jewish Year Book with regard to this congregation, which was not published during the relevant period. ↵

  • (xli) An Industrious Minority, a history of the Bolton Jewish Community by Hilary Thomas & John Cowell, 183. Rev. Glazier was not listed in the Jewish Year Book. ↵

  • (xli) to (xliii) Reserved.

  • (xliv) Rev. Goldman was not listed in any Jewish Year Book with regard to this congregation. ↵

  • (xlv) Rev. Ginsberg was not listed in any Jewish Year Book with regard to this congregation. ↵

  • (xlvi) Rev. J.(sic) Friedlander is listed as first reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1948 and 1949. ↵

  • (xlvii) Jewish Chronicle reports and I.N. Goodman's listing as secretary in the Jewish Year Books 1951 and 1952. He is not mentioned in Cowell's Book. ↵

  • (xlviii) Rev. Berkovits is listed as first reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1951 through 1953. ↵

  • (xlix) and (l) Reserved.

  • (li) Rev. (later Rabbi) Herman, whose surname was more often spelled Hermon, was not listed in any Jewish Year Book with regard to this congregation. ↵

  • (lii) Rev. Eisemann was not listed in any Jewish Year Book with regard to this congregation. ↵

  • (liii) Rev. Copperman was not listed in any Jewish Year Book with regard to this congregation. ↵

  • (liv) Rev. Eisemann was not listed in any Jewish Year Book with regard to this congregation. ↵

  • (lv) Rev. Trabinovitz was listed as reader of the congregation in Jewish Year Books 1960 through 1962. ↵

  • (lvi) and (lvii) Reserved.

  • (lviii) Rev. Lynn was not listed in any Jewish Year Book with regard to this congregation. ↵

  • (lix) Rev. Levin was listed as reader of the congregation in the Jewish Year Book 1968. ↵

  • (lx) Rev. Olsberg was not listed in any Jewish Year Book with regard to this congregation. ↵

  • (lxi) Rev. Chait was not listed in any Jewish Year Book with regard to this congregation. ↵

  • (lxii) and (lciv) Reserved.

  • (lxv) Where a person is first listed in a Jewish 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 1935 through 1938, it is assumed that he commenced office in 1934 and continued in office until 1938. 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 World War II subsequent to 1940, nor was there any listings of lay officers (other than secretary and later presidents) subsequent to 1956. ↵

  • (lxvi) Reserved.

  • (lxvii) Jewish Year Book 1950. ↵

  • (lxviii) As reported in Jewish Year Books. ↵

  • (lxix) Reports on synagogue membership in the United Kingdom, published by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and which can be viewed on the website of the Institute of Jewish Policy Research. Click HERE for links to the various reports. ↵

  • (lxx) Former registration districts: Ormskirk - 1 July 1937 to 1 April 1934; Southport - 1 April 1934 to 1 April 1980; Sefton North - 1 April 1980 to 1 July 2011. Any records would now be held by the current register office. ↵

  • (lxxi) to (lxxv) Reserved.

  • (lxxvi) Data extracted from relevant Jewish Year Books. ↵

  • (lxxvii) Unless otherwise stated, dates given reflect first appearance in Jewish Year Books. Those listed here represent only a selection of those appearing in the Year Books. ↵

  • (lxxvii) Congregation's website. ↵

 

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Page created: 18 April 2004
Data significantly expanded and notes first added: 26 April 2021
Page most recently amended: 30 June 2024

Research and formatting by David Shulman

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