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| Tracing one’s British roots
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A new book published by the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain aims to help the community trace their Jewish roots within the United Kingdom.
‘A Guide to Jewish Genealogy in the United Kingdom’, part of the Jewish Ancestor series, features detailed information on the holdings of various resource centres throughout the UK, including archives, libraries, museums, record offices and synagogues.
More information
The JGSGB’s book grew out of a previous publication, A Beginner’s Guide to Jewish Genealogy in Great Britain — now virtually out of print — which included sections on how to begin researching and the addresses of some Jewish organisations but did not provide information on what the records the organisations held.
“It was an extremely successful book,” explained Rosemary Wenzerul of the JGSGB, “but we felt that rather than issue it again, we would include the whole of the UK and enlarge on the information it contained and omit the sections specifically for ‘beginners’.
“If you need to find a Jewish cemetery within the UK, then I believe we have listed most of them, giving some indication on when they opened and closed, who is responsible for their upkeep and records plus details of the location in order to help people visiting the UK from overseas.
“You may just find the vital clue you are looking for to continue your research.”
The enlarged publication incorporates the whole of the UK and not just Great Britain and has a large section on Using Public Records (with details on passport records, adoption records, census records, wills/probate, electoral registers, naturalisation records, shipping records, trade directories and military records) as well as information on using the internet and looking at hospital, burial and marriage records.
A full list of Jewish cemeteries throughout the UK is given with information about each and where they are located and a bibliography states where many of the books relate specifically to individual towns.
Series of explorations
Other guides in the Jewish Ancestor series include A Guide to Jewish Genealogy in Germany & Austria, A Guide to Jewish Genealogy in Latvia & Estonia (this is sold out and a new one is due shortly), A Guide to Jewish Genealogy in Lithuania and A Guide to Organising your Family History Records.
A registered charity, the JGSGB was founded in 1992 and is run by volunteers. It promotes and encourages the study of and research into Jewish genealogy and has around 900 members, including many from abroad.
Each year, Wenzerul added, the society receives numerous enquiries from both Jewish and non-Jewish researchers who need help in tracing their Jewish roots.
“A tremendous number of people, especially those living abroad, just don’t know where their family is buried or where they can locate Jewish records.
“In addition, they have no idea on how to go about tracing their family in the UK. “Having given a lot of thought to this problem, I decided that the best way forward would be to bring as much information as possible together under the various UK towns.
“We trust that this book will help to locate the records for which you are looking,” she added.
A Guide to Jewish Genealogy in the United Kingdom, published by the Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain, costs ?5.95.
For more information on the society and its publications, visit www.jgsgb.org.uk
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