l\uatrnlti1n 3Jrwtaq ijtntnrtrnl e,nrtrty VOL. ,V.
CONTENTS. Page .JEWISH COLONISTS IN MELBOURNE'S EARLY LAND' SALES. By Alan L. Benjamin ...... 217 WESTERN AUSTRALIAN .JEWRY, 1829-1897. Part I. : Fremantle. By David J. Benjamin ...... , 231 A IDSTORY OF THE DUNEDIN (N.Z.) .JEWISH CON- GREGATION (Continued). By Rev. A. Astor ...... 269 SEVENTH ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATE- MENT ...... 280 MEMBERS AND DONORS, 1945 AND 1946 ...... 284 OBITUARIES . . ... 2S7 CONTRIBUTIONS AND PUBLICATIONS ...... 290 PAPERS IN PROSPECT ...... 292 mustrations : THE FIRST MELBOURNE LAND SALE, 1837 ...... 219 COLLINS STREET, MELBOURNE, 1838 ...... 226 PLAN OF CITY ALLOTMENTS ...... 229 LIONEL SAMSON ...... 232 SOLOMON MILLER ...... 243 VICTOR MANDELSTAM . .... 248 LAWRENCE ALEXANDER ...... 253 BEN.JAMIN L. FAR.JEON ...... 270 HON. S. E. SHRIMSKI, ML.C...... 274 MAURICE .JOEL ...... 276 DR. WOLF HEINEMANN ...... 278 MORRIS ALEXANDER, K.C., M.P...... 283 D SYDXEY: June, 5706-1946. AUSTRALIAN JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY. (Founded &ugust 21st, 1938-5698.) Office-Bearers, 5705-5706.
Patron: The Right Honourable Sir ISAAC A. ISAACS, G.C.B., G.C.M.G., Associate Knight of Grace of St. John of Jerusalem, K.C., LL.M. President: ERNEST S. MARKS, C.B.E.
Past President : Colonel A. W. HYMAN, O.B.E., V.D. Vice-President : Rabbi Dr. I. PORUSH. Hon. Treasurer : ARTHUR D. ROBB, F.C.A. (Aust.). Hon. Sec1·etary and Editor of "Journal" : SYDNEY B. GLASS. Assistant Hon. Secretnry : DAVID J. BENJAMIN, LL.B. Committee: Rabbi L. A. FALK, C.F. Miss MARISE L. COHEN, B.A. M. AHRONSON. M. H. KELLERMAN, B.Ec, Mrs. WILLIAM L. COHEN. ALFRED A. KEYSOR. HERBERT I. WOLFF. Representative of the Society for Great Britain : NORMAN L. MA.."
Yo!. II. 19.JcG. Part \'. 1'he Society is not responsible for either the statements made or the opinio11s expressed by the authors of papers !l!lbiished in this Journt1l.
Jewish Colonists in Melbourne's Early Land Sales.
By AL\.N LIONEL BEN.JAMIN, LL.B. tllrad before the Society, February 7th, 1916, by Jliss Jlarisc L. Cohen, B.A.) ··The :-;tarting point of ).lelbourne proper·· has hL·en 1 ascribe i\lareh. 1~:37, the Oovnno1·, Sir Riehar l Il(•nry Gyh•s Tmner : ,1 History of th1 Colony of rictoria, chapter ix. ( Long-mans, G-ret•n & Co., 1904). :! .James Bonwkk: Port Phillip Sdtlcnu nt {Kampson Low, London, 188::!). 21~ Australian Jewish llisforical Socicfy. had lwen so won OY<'r by the wel('ome he rcreiYed that he had en·n waxed eloquent on ''thb; promising :,;cttk'rn<"nt, '' nnd had r(•fraine During the fonr1een years hetwc011 .Jnnc lst 1 1~37, and ,J ul:· 1st. ]8;}1, when Victoria ( ol' '· Port Phillip Distriet,' · ;is it wa}, until then called) he('anw S('IHH'att•d from New :-4outh \Yak•s, there \Ycrc to he twent)·-onc public auction sc1les of allotments of l\Ielbour1w Town. ..:\t many of thest' 0 town sales a1lotnwnts of' suhurhan land werC' also to be oft'e1·t·d and sold. In adtlitiou, the1·r Wl"l't~ to be, Department 1 and haye been frequently (and, at times, iPaceuratrlyl quotl'd hy historians and anccclotists of carlr :llelbourne. A snmmar,- of all the official reco1·ds has hcen C'Ompiled by officers: of that Department and pub lished b,- the Historical Soeiet)' of Yietoria.3 Of the carJicst of such rcrords." it has lH'cn remarked : Owing to the cirC'umstan<'CS surrounding- its settkmcnt tl1t• original sale of allotments in the City of 1Ielbourne has an attnH·tiy(> intcrC'st for Yietorlan Colonists. Lists of tlw pureha.sers from thP Crown have bePn preserYed in the local m·chfres and haYe acquired :.m importance somewhat akin to that with which thf' passPngcr roll of the hla,vfl.ower is rega-:-dcd in 1fassaehusetts. '\Yits ma)· say that, if the elaims of some Bostonian'> are to lw lwlicvcd, the passenger roll of the Jlayfloiccr must ha\'e been man~· timl'S that of th0 ()urcn Jlar!}_: hnt the roll of Port Phillip 's 1rnrc-ha:-:rrs from 1lw Crown has h0en listed with a degree of l'l'liahilit>·, for "·hi<1h l'utnn' historiarn.; will sure})~ be thankful. Australian Jews may find mneh of special h1tcre~t in sueh reC'or ~ \Y. -:\frllroy, Serxetary for Larn1s : "l\Ielbourne's Lan,l Sale::." (Parts I. and II.)-7'hc Victorian J/istori<'al J1lagozine, Yols. X\'l., ~o. 4, and XVII., No. 4. Reference is made to th,•se reeor1b1 throughout this paper. -l B,· Henry GYies Turner: A lli.~tor.11 of the Colon!f oj Victoria ( .-\ ppen;lix T. J: · Jielbottrne's Early Land Sales. 219 worthy Jewish colonists. It is the pnrpose of this papet· to give a brief account of the aetiYities of these early Jewish colonists in the land sales of the Port Phillip Dist1·iet period, that is, until Separation in 1851. A Census of 1841 numbered Port Phillip ·s Jewish eommunit;s· at 57 souls. B,· 1846 the total Jewish popu lation in the Port Phillip sett lcment was set down at 117, of whom 92 lived in i\Ielbourne and its environs. B,· the end of the period, in 1851, }Ielbourne ,Jewry ,;·ould certain!,· ha Ye numbered well owr 100.' Yet in the lists of those who purchased ]and from the Crown during thP First Melbourne Land Sale1 1837. entire period, the writer can find only eight or nine names which can be set down, with reasonable certainty, as having belonged to Jewish colonists. Why are so few Jewish purchasers listed, in comparison to the size of the J e,vish community¥ There were, no doubt, many Jewish colonists who did not purchase any land during the period. Doubtless there were others who did buy, but whose names do not appear 5 One Hundred Years-The Story of the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation, 1841-1941 (Freeman Press, Melbourne). And see Australian Jewish Historical Society's Journal, Yol. I., p. 222. 220 Australian Jewish Historical Society, in those lists, because they bought, not direct from the Crown at public auction, but from one or other of the original buyers, many of whom smartly subdivided and re sold their purchases at much profit. The history of those other Jewish settlers invites further research; but this paper is confined to the story of those eight or nine Jews who did bid for and buy their lands from the Crown at the first public auctions, One who visited Port Phillip on the day of the first land sale, June 1st, 1837, coming overland from Sydney, sets down in his diary the following description of the Yarra, the first, and possibly the most eloquent, tribute to that stream ever paid by a visitor from Sydney :- Until its junction ·with the Saltwater river, tlte banks were densely covered with tea-trees, &e . .... Below the junction, the banks are rr.ore openly wooded, so that we were enable_d to observe some fine spots of open forest country, well grassed. The Yarra is a most valuable river, fresh above the falls of the Settlement. The banks are generally high on both sides, and in some places very high, but in most places the water .might easily be made accessible to cattle, &c. On the immediate banks the land is generally of very :fine quality . ... ·, It is rather over-thickly. wooded, and with a great. deal of underwood which gives a scrubby appear ance, but it rright be cleared at no grEiat expense, and would form very capital homesteads, and afford·many beautiful siles· for building residences.6 · From another account of the Melbourne of that day, it appears that only some half-dozen huts were to be seen, and the Enterprise lay at anchor in the stream; "while yonder,'' observes the narrator, is a bushman tramping to the Settlement, staggering under a clumsily-made-up swag, and probably on his way to Fawkner's grog shanty further down, there to enjoy a little life, and dissolve the "order" for his three or sL"1: months' wages in the throat-scorching rum or execrable beer of the period.? · The township had been marked out by the surveyors, who had left only one house standing, :Mr. John Pascoe Fawlrner's public house. Every other house had to come down. The town was laid down in squares of ten acres, each of which was to be divided into twenty allotments of -0 Bonwic!c : Port Phillip Settlement. 7 "Garry Owen," "Chronicles of Early Melbo1:1rn?,~' - cited· -by'.:' Bonwick,ibid. Melbourne-'s Early Land Sales. 221 half an acre each.' No one but Fawkner had taken the trouble to put up anything but the rudest dwelling. He, having been obliged to provide accommodation, and so to spend more on his house, was more than a little fearful that someone at the forthcoming auction might bid against him. Such was the background of the first sale.9 The first sale was conducted by Mr. Robert Hoddlc, the suryeyor whom Governor Bourke had recently brought oYcr from Sydney, and who was to become Victoria's first Surveyor-General. The dignity of his office did not, how ever, deter him -from acting as auctioneer on this auspicious da;T-nor indeed from using as his rostrum the trunk of a dead tree. A print of the period10 shows him standing up there, resplendent in top hat and swallow-tail coat, offering allotments to the assembled crowd, most of whom are similarly attired, with here and there a wild colonial in bushman's garb. Behind Hoddlc is shown his auc tioneer's clerk busily recording bids, as he sits at his table in a tent, while a11 around are the gum-trees of a barbarous bush! Hocldle opened the proceedings h>-· expatiating on tlw consideration shown b,· Governor Sir Richard Bourke in bringing this golden 01;portunity into the very camp of the Port Phillip settlers, despite t-he fact that Sydnc,·'s bigger population and greater abundance of capital would have ensured higher prices had the sale been held there, as man,· of the crowd had feared it would be held. Then I-Ioddlc went on to read the conditions of sale. There was to be a cash deposit on the fall of the hammer, and a condition was to be inserted in the contract binding the purchaser to erect within two years on each allotment "a substantial building" costing not less than £20. 11 The crowd numbered about 150, and competition was not keen. l\Iost of the purchasers seem to have been anxious merely to get a lawful title to some land on which s Cornwall Chronicle (Van Diemen's Land) of March, 1837, cited by Bonwick, ibid. 9 Bomviek, ibid. JO Reproduced .in Isaac Selby's Pioneers' Memorial History of Melbourne (McCarron Bird, Melbourne), p. 98. 11 Turner : A· History of the Colony of Victoria, chapter ix. Bonwick, ibid. 222 Ausfralian Jewish Historical Society, to build a home for themselves. The 100 allotments offered were distributed amongst 66 buyers, 51 of whom bought only a single allotment. Although there were some Sydney buyers, who bid for and secured some dozen or so allotments, speculation does not seem to have been rife on this occasion, for the highest price paid for any allotment was £95; some sold for £18, and the average price was £35, although each allotment was little less than half an acre in extent. 12 Perhaps amongst the crowd at this first sale was Joseph Solomon, formerly of London and Launceston, and member of the Port Phillip Association, who had arrived at Port Phillip in 1835 and squatted on the land allotted to him b;v his friend, John Batman, some ten miles out from the township. But, if Solomon had Tidden in to mingle in the throng at the sale, he did not on this occasion succumb to the blandishments of the auctioneer and bu,, land. Nevertheless, it is known for certain that he figured in the second sale held just three months later, on November 1st, 1837 ( and, like the first, held on the actual ground sold). For Joseph Solomon, just as he seems to have been the first Jewish colonist in Victoria, seems also to ha,·e been the first to buy land there. This first allotment bought by Joseph Solomon was in Bourke Street, just a few yards west of what is now the Bourke Street Post Office. Its position can be seen here on the accompanying plan of l\1elbourne (which, inciden tally, conforms exactly to Hoddle 's original plan, as appl'oved by Governor Sir Richard Bourke in 1837-an example of foresight in town planning the like of which few cities can boast). Solomon paid £39 for his allotment. The average price for the 83 allotments sold at this second sale was £43, a slight increase on the average at the first sale, but not enough of an increase to indicate any considerable speculation. John Batman bought_tl1e most of aU the 53 purchasers. He took five allotments. One allotment in Bourke Street was purchased for £10 by one John Hodgson, but he failed to complete the .sale and forfeited his deposit. This allotment was afterwards granted b,, the Crown for 12 Turner : A History of the Colony of Victoria, chapter ix. Bonwick, ibid. Jfclbourne's Early Land Sales. 223 the purposes of a Synagogue, and became the site of the old 1\Ielbourne Synagogue. The allotment is marked on the early plans, ''Jews Synagogue Grant.·· Some Sydney newspapers of the day professed to belie Ye that the prices paid at these first two sales were exorbitant for allotments in the wilderness. But the (foyernment in· Sydney evidently did not share this view, because it was decided to hold subsequent sales in Sydney, and to impose an upset price per acre. Consequently the next three sales-l\lclbourne's third, fourth and fifth sales -were held in Sydney in September, 1838, and February and April, 1839. The upset price per acre at the first Sydney sale was £5, and for the next two sales £150. The results must have been eminently gratifying to the Treasury, for at the :first Sydney sale the <.lYcrage price per allotment rose to £118 (as compared ,vith £+2 at the second :Melbourne sale, although the allotments offered were by no means as central); and at the next sale in Sydney the average climbed to £125. But however grati fying fisrally, these sales were politirally and economically disastrous to the early I\Ielbournians. For in Sydney speculators were eagerly buying up allotments, while in Melbourne settlers looking for sites for home could not get them, and much local indignation was aroused. The third and last sale to be held in Sydney was !hat of April 11th, 1839, and at this two Jewish colonists were buyers. Samuel Benjamin and Elias i\Ioses together bought two corner allotments, one at the corner of Flinders and Spring Streets, the other at the corresponding corner of Collins and Spring Streets. They paid £80 for the former and £75 for the latter allotment, just about the average price for the sale, which had dropped to f:i7. The peak of l\Ielbonme 's "Sydney land boom" had evidently been passed, and the Government was soon to retum to the policy of selling Melbourne lands in l\Iel bourne. All the sixteen subsequent sales of l\Ielbourne town lands in this period were to be held in auction rooms in ilfelbourne. Samuel Benjamin and Elias I\Ioses did not migrate to Melbourne. These two merchant partners, who had arrived in Sydney from London on the same boat in 1835, 224 A1tstralian Jewish Historical Society. were well established in business, with stores there and at Goulburn, 13 and they remained in New South \Vales. But their purchases made· in Sydney may well have been ma 13 Numerous references to Samuel Benjamin an Collins Street, Melbourne, 1838. :Moses, two more. Probably Solomon, in addition to buy in(T for himself, acted on this occasion as buying agent for hi; brother Samuel and partner, who remained in Sydney and Goulburn. No further Jewish purchases of Crown land appear to have occurred until June 27th, 1849, when a number of large allotments were offered in a locality which rejoiced in the native name of Cut Paw Paw, in the general area of what is now known as Braybrook, about ten miles from Melbourne. At this sale, and at a further sale in :iilay, 1850, Joseph Solomon bought five allotments all in the 17 See Pioneers' Memorial Hi.story of Melbourne. .11 clbounw 's Early Land Sales. 227 locality, totalling nearly 600 aeres, and paid about £1,100 for the lot. The position of these purchases fits in generally with an earlier reference (quoted by Bonwick) to "Solomon's station . . .. within a distance of ten miles from ifol bourne.' · It is likelv that what Solomon did at these auctions of 1849 and ·1850 was to buy in some or all of the land "granted" to him originally in 1835 by John Batman, who had claimed to luwe had it granted to him, along with five or six hundred thousand acres, by Jagga jagga, Bnn~arie, Y anyan and the other chiefs of the Dutigallars, in consideration of a yearly rent of ce1tain blankets, knives, tomahawks, suits of clothing, looking glasses, etc. John Batman got this "grant," John Holder \\T edge had Slu·veyed it, and John Batman had parcelled it out amongst his associates. \V cdgc 's notebook and map of 1835 refer to Solomon's selection of a block. Soon afterwards Solomon obtained a pastoral license from the Crown in the same general area, and probably over the same selection. At all events this Solomon is listed as a Crown lirc'nsee in the Cut Paw Paw district from 1S36 to 1849. 1' As 1849 was the date of his first purchase of land in the same district, it seems likely that he decided to buy in his original selection when his pastoral li<'cnse over it ran out and the land was put up for public auction. Joseph 8olomon is not named in the earliest lists of members of the Port Phillip s\.ssociation; but there is in existence a list of members of the .Association, signed by Charles Swanston, whose name is first on the list, and eontaining the name of Joseph Solomon as number 12. This document is in the possession of the Melbourne Public Library. There is a , great deal more about Joseph Solomon to be found in A. S. Kenyon's The Port Phillip Association 19 and in the ··Port Phillip Association Papers,'· originals of which are in the I\1itehel1 Library1 Sydney, with eopies at the Melbourne Public Library. According to Kenyon, Joseph Solomon came to Hobart in 1820 and ,joined his brother Judah in business in a firm which IS V. Billis and A. S. Kenyon : Pastoral Pioneers of Port Phillip (Maemillau & Co. Ltd., Melboourne, 1932), p. 1~3. 19 Paper rrad before The Vietorian Historical Soeiety, November 30t11, 1930, and published in the J[agaztne of the Society. 228 Australian Jewish Historical Society, became of considerable importance in Hobart and Laun ceston. How and when brother Judah came to Van Diemen 's Land is not known. Howeyer, a letter from John Pascoe Fawkner dated 1839 (now included in the "Port Phillip Association Papersn) contains a long, scathing diatribe against all the associates of Batman, and, in particulai\ in\·cighs against Judah Solomon, alleging that he was "at that time" (when the Port Phillip As soriation was formed in 1835) "a conYict and therefore his name was withheld.·' This letter of Fawkner 's is bitterly pal'tisan, and written ·with the aYo-wed aim of blackening the reputation of the Batmanites, so the allegation against Judah Solomon must be regarded with suspicion; nor does there appear to be any other evidence that ,Judah Solomon was ever connected, indirectl;y or directly-, ,vith Batman 's association. On the contrary, there is the evidence of an old legal document ( referred to by Kenyon) which recites a declaration of trust by .John Batman, in favour of Joseph Solomon, of one share in the Port Phillip Association. This deelaration of trust was dated July 18th, 1835, only two months after the formation of the ..As..•mciation. So Joseph Solomon, though not an original, seems to have been a ver:v early- member.20 Personalia of Joseph Solomon given in Pastoral Pionee,·s of Port Phillip comprise :- Born : London, 1819. (This date is perhaps wrong, as it wouhl make him only sixteen years old when he arrived at Port Phillip.) 1\farried: (Mrs.) Elizabeth Backaus (nee Graves). Arrived : December, 1835. Died : .April, 1890. Kc>nyon also comments that "Joseph, Jr., J.P., had a run on the Salhvater Hivcr where his name is preserved in Solomons Ford.21 His wife Sarah died at i\Ielbourne 20 One "J. Solon:.on" was amongst the signatories of the Petition of Hobart Jews in 1852 (Journal of the Australian Jewish Historical Society, Vol. I., pp. 108 and 110). 21 Robert Douglass Boys, in his First Years at Port Phillip (Robertson & }.fu11ens, Melbourne, 1935), at p. 91 makes the follow ing comment on Captain Lonsdale's report of March ~2nd, 1938, that he placed a small punt of his o,•.-n. on the Salt ,Yater RiYer a, littll' above its junction with the Yarra in order to shorten by ten miles the distances to "~illiam's Town and Geelong : "(N .-Prior to the installation of the punt, the Salt ''tater River had been crossed at Solomon's ford, about S or 9 miles higher up the river.)" Jlfclbo11r11c's Early Land- Sales. 229 in 1881.' · This Joseph Jr. may be identical with l\Iichacl Holomon, who is listed in the Pastoral Pioneers as hm·ing held pastoral licenses from the Crown at Keilor (1835- 18+1) an,! Carrum Swamp (1837-1842). Solomon Benjamin figured again in town and suburban ~ales in November, 18491 buying three allotments towards the north end of the town (Section 38) for a total of oyer t700, and a small suburban holding of two aeres. In May, 1851, in the last of the suburban sales be-fore Separa tion, he bought on his own account three additional allot ments at \Yarringal (Ilcidelberg), while he and his partner and brother DaYid together bought still a further lot there." The,- also contracted to buy three small allot ments at Footseray, but evidently did not consider these 22 ..c\.. S. Kenyon : Heidleberg, The City of Streams (Centenary Publication, 18:14-193-!). :Map at p. 82 shows purchases. 230 A1tstralian Jewish Historical Society, worth having· and forfeited their deposits. One Nathan Cohen is also recorded as having forfeited his deposit for another Footscray allotment at the same sale. In connection with the i\Ielbourne Town sale on J\Iay 28th, 1850, the name of Jacob l\Iarks occurs for the first time as the purchaser of two allotments towards the northern end of the town. Isaac Selby23 states that, amongst early l\Ielbournian Jews, one :Marks kept a hotel ; but Kerr's 1842 Directory lists only a single i\Iarks "l\farks, Jacob, Draper, Collins Street, 1\folbourne"; and the same man, or a namesake, is recorded as the holder of a pastoral license in "The Portland Bay District from 1849 to 1851. '' Perhaps there were two or three name sakes, 1\Iarks, although even at that time many l\Ielbournc merchants had pastoral interests, and many pastoralists speculated in l\Ielbourne allotments. The following year, 1851, saw the last sale of town allotments prior to Separation, and at that last sale i\Ioscs Benjamin, the fourth of the Benjamin brothers, features for the first time. With his brother, David, he bought up a large portion of Section 35, again towards the northern end of the town. Between them the two brothers bought eight out of a total of eighteen allotments offered for sale in the section. Their purchasers were not notably prescient, for that part of the town improved much less rapidly than almost any other. It has been suggested that one David Lyons, who bought two allotments in Section 35, was also Jewish, but the writer can find no evidence to support the suggestion. Kerr lists a "David Lyons, Innkeeper, Travellers' Rest, Collingwood.'' There is1 hffwever, one other Port Phillip publican whose Jewish 01·igin would seem more probable. He is Benjamin Goldsmidt. Levien, who became another pastoral licensee, but not a purchaser, of land. Levien is · gh·en the follmYing pel'sonalia in Pastoral Pioneers :- Born : London 1806. Married : Eliza Lindo 1833. Victoria Hotel Footscray 1840·184.3. Pastoral Licensee, Bourke County 1843-1846. Puntman Saltwater River 1945; Maraboo1 (sic.) River 1846. Why he watered down his way of life from publican to puntman history does not relate. 21 Pioneers' ]femorial History of Melbourne. Jlclbourne's E([l'ly Land Sales. 231 The only other Jewish purehascs of land before Separation were made by 1\Ioses and David Benjamin, each of whom bought some twenty acres of suburban land at i\loornbbin in l\la,-, 1851. i\Ioses Benjamin also bought two acres at South Melbourne. It was Moses Benjamin who was the father of Benja min1 aftrrwards Sir Benjamin Beujamin, a }Iayor of I\[elhonruc.2-1- It is written concerninp: the four brothers. :Moses, Solomon, David and Samuel Benjamin, the sons of Lyon Benjamin, merchant: of Hyde Park, London : · · Thcr,• ai·e now man:-~ desc•cndants of Lyon Benjamin in tlw Aus tralian States.' ·~ 1 Of those descendants of Lyon Benja min1 it should perhaps be stated in fairness to them. anc1 in eonelusion, the writer is not one. Western Australian Jewry, 1829-1897. PART I.-FREi\IANTLE. By DAVID J. BENJ~HN, LL.B. (Read before tllc Society, February 7tl1, 1.9.J6.) LiYy 1 the greatest of the Roman hh;torians, said in the Preface to his Hisiol'y of Rome that the object of his work was to assist in recalling the memor:v o (' the past, both to his readers and himself. In preparing this paper on tlw history of \Ycstern Australian Je,yr,~. I haYc had thl' same idea i;1 mind1 as so far no attempt h~s been made, beyoncl an oecasional newspaper article, to collect the illformatiou that exists on this subject or to present it as a eomw(·kd story. Prrhaps sonw explanation is neeessary as to why the appai·cntly arbitrary dates of 1829 and 1897 have been chosen as the limits for this paper. Although tlll're was considerable exploratory ,york done around the emrnts of \V cstcrn Australia before 1829 by English, Fl\~neh and Dutch sc>amcn, there is nothing in the surviving· data to assoeiate with it the name of any Jew. No doubt some members of the numerous e1·ews who touched or saw thP barren coast were Jews, for there have always been Jewish 2-1 Before the First Citizen of Melbourne was dignified with the title of Lord Mayor. 25 Sydney B. Glass : "Jews of Goulburn." 232 Australia,i Jewish Historical Society. mariners, but none has left us his name. It follows, there fore, that we must begin this tale with the foundation of the colony in June, 1829, when Captain (later Sir George) Stirling took possession of it in the name of King George IV. We may disregard the Albany settlement of 1827. The choice of the year 1897 as a conclusion is a less obvious one. It will, however, become clearer as the story unfolds, and the brief explanation that it was in 1897 that the present Perth Synagogue was consecrated and the Lionel Samson. efforts that gave rise to the building were consummated will suffice for the present. It is true that this is not a convenient date to cease the story of the Fremantle and Kalgoorlie congregations, but I shall try to tie up briefly any threads \vhich may he loose, so as to present a logical conclusion to their histories, even if that does take us beyond our period. · The history of ·western Australia as a British colony begins on 18th June, 1829. The lists of people who came out with Stirling show no one apparently Jewish, and the first definite information of a Jewish settler in the colony Western Australian .Jewry. 233 is the arrival of Lionel Samson on the ship Calisfo on August 5th, 1829. 1 Samson, born in 1798, brought out with him a load of merchandise, with which he set up business at Fremantle in the year of his arrival as a wine and spirit merchant and wholesale grocer. The business is still in existence, and is still a purely family concern one of the romances of Australian commerce. The license to sell wines and spirits. dated September llth, 1829-one of the first issued in the colony-has been renewed annually ever since. Samson di at communal organisation was begun. For this1 of course, we must not be too critical of Samson, for the difficulties were immense. The struggles for existence in the early days of \Vestern Australia were just as great as in those of the early days of New South Wales, except that the convict problem was absent. Of famine, drought and dissension Western Australia in the first twenty years had her full share. And, in addition, she had very few Jews. Those that she did have were mostly members of Samson's own family and that of his wife, some of whom came with her when she eame to Western Australia in 1843.4 His wife was l\iiss Fannv Levi and Samson had married her in England which he 'visited in 1842 on a short trip. The members of her family do not appear to have made their· 234 Australian Jewish Historical Society. mark on either the general or the Jewish life of the colony, and no public records of them survive. Other members of the Samson family were, however, prominent in various \\"allrn of life. \Yilliam Samson came to \Vestern Australia with his brother Lionel in 1829 1 and for a time assisted in the business. He later went to the sister colony of South Australia, where he became successful in his own business. IIis public work, howeyer, has gained no particular notice, and his name does not appear in the large collection of prominent Jews mentioned in fllr. :.\lunz's work. 5 The other early member of the Samson famil v whose work earns him a mention in any record of this f;rmatiYe period is Lionel Samson's nephew, Horace. I-Ie came to Western Australia as a boy with his uncle after the trip to England in 18-!2. He apparently led a quiet life, as no records or recollections of him survive which deal with his early years in the colony. In 1S53, however, he was draftsman in the Survey Department at a salary of £225 a year.6 Ilc must have done the job well, for a year later his salary is recorded as £275 a ycar,7 and he combined the duties of draftsman with those of lithographer. It was those latter duties which enabled him to design and p1·int the first issue of the postage stamps of \Vestern Australia, which was on sale in the early part of 1854.8 Philatelists, especially the wealthy ones, must be grateful to him, for the issue was very fruitful in producing those err01·s and varieties so dear to the hearts and the pockets of stamp collectors. The formidable list of errors which appears in the standard catalogues is no very great- compliment to the technical skill of the printer. The almanacks of the period do not ascribe either the design or the printing of these stamps to any particular person, but the tradition that Horace Samson did both is a firm one in the family, and there is no reason to doubt it. As a draftsman he would have had the technical ability to design the stamp (a very simple one), and as lithographer both the art and the equipment to print it. It is said that this first issue was "lithographed by 1\f. Samson, Government Printer in the Colony,' '9 but this statement, though on high authority, is contrary to the family memories and is diminished in force by the fact that the contemporary almanacks make Western A11stralian J cwry. 235 no reference to the office of Government Printer. The present generation of the Samson family know of no "i\l. Samson'' except :Michael Samson, a younger son of Lionel, who was born in 1844 and could scarcely be printing stamps at the age of ten. I mn forced to the conclusion, therefore, that Western Australia owes its first issue of stamps to llorace Sampson. After leaving the public se1·viee in \Yestern Australia, Horace went to Yictoria, where he became Registrar of Titles. He died in England in 1910. 'u \Yhaiever the achievements of Horace Samson, the giant of the early family remains its founder, Lionel. The business prospered, the family grew, and Lionel 's love of public life took him to race meetings and the Legh;lativc Council, then a nominee body. \Yhcrcvcr there was work to do, whether political or social, Lionel Samson was rea ~ion of his wanderings, toils and disappointments. He returned to Perth in 1\lay, 1846, having undergone the greatest hardships and having lost all his equipment, but none of his courage. l\Ioney was urgentlj~ needed if the losses were to be repaired and the mission successfully established. Salvado considered approaching the residents of Perth and Premantle for funds, and had gone so far as to prepare a list of the people he would visit. He may now tell his own story :- I therefore set about preparing tl list of their names when I conceived the idea of offering the public a musical evening. I passed on this thought to Monsignor.13 He approved1 and the idea seemed blessed by God, because all the residents of Perth vied ,vith one another in putting it into effect. Governor Clarkel 4 graciously lent me the large room in the Court House for the assembly. The printer, though a Protestant, offered to print the handbills and the progran:mes free of charge. The Anglican :i\finister sent me candles from his church, though I did not ask him for them, and his sacristan himself offered of his own free will to arrange for the lighting of the hall. Finally a Mr. Samson, though a Jew, took upon himself the distribution of the tickets, us well as the tusk of inviting the principal families. Many Protestants offered me their pianos, but I thanked them and asked the n:embers of the Order of Mercy for theirs, which they were pleased to lend me.I'> The concett was a success. It deserved to be if only as an example of tolerance and co-operation from which we can still draw a moral. Such instances of friendly help for others abound in pioneering days, and W('l'C not by an,v means restricted to \Vestern AustraJia. Similar help was noticeable enough in South Australia to receive men tion in the newspapers when Adelaide's first Synagogue was being built. This co-operation was the basis of an appeal to the Christian community to contribute to the Synagogue building fund. 16 That assistance to members of other faiths continued in the Samson family, and, when a group of French nuns of the Order of St. Joseph arrived in Freman tie in 1855, it was l\Irs. Lionel Samson1 the only woman in Fremantlc who could speak French, who taught the Sisters English, and managed their domestic concerns until they learnt the Janguag·e. 17 Samson was not only a power in the. social and com mercial life of early Frcmantlc; he was devoted to public life, and served for a considerable period as a member of the nominee Legislative Council. I-fis terms of office there iv· estern A1.lstralian ,/ czv1~y. 237 eoverecl almost tlw whole of the goyernorships of Fitzgeral been a tailor in Frcmantle, but little reliance ean be placed upon this tradition, as it is possible that the recollection has been dinnned by the years, and he may have been con fused with another Myers who certainly did conduct a tailoring business in Fremantle in the late 'nineties. In 1849 an Act of Parliament was required in Western Australia in 01·der to grant naturnlisation, and from the fact that l\Iyers was naturalised by Act of Parliament we are justified in drawing two inferences : first, that he had heen in the colony some years, not less than three; and, seeondly1 that he was a man of good character. \Yith those inferences he passes out of histor;T-if, indeed, he ever really entered it. Another Jew flits across our pages for the same reason. I-lyman Lipschitz vrns naturalised by Act of Par]iament in 1859.22 I-Ic, like :Myers, is a mystery. In fact, there is not C\'Cn a tradition as to the business he carried on. His natun1lisation evoked no excitement-not e-ven a debate on the second 1·eading of the Bill.23 Nothing was said of him in the Legislative Council. Nothing can be said of him here. This searcitv of Jews is remarkable in view of the g1·adual growth 'of the prosperity of the colony. True, Western Australia had its ups and downs. Some of them were briefl~v mentioned in the obituary notice of Lionel Samson. But there was a vigorous propaganda carried out in Eng-land on behalf of the young colony, singing its praises and glowingly describing its virtues. Yet that did not attract Jews. Whatever the reason for this it does not appcar to ha,·e been anti-Semitism. There is prac tically no trace of this poison in the press of \Vestern A ustra1ia for the first twenty· years of its existence. A fairl~· close reading of the accessible files of the early news papers has disclosed only one attack on Jews, and that in 1hC' Slcan River Guw·dian- based on a rumour of a Roths child loan to Russia at a time when Anglo-Russian relations were strained in 1836. The matter, like most of the articles in that turbulent paper, is scarcely worth attention, except to assist in proving a negative. Even that article, only eleven lines, was not directed against individuals in Western Australia. \Vhatever the reason for the comparative absence of :)40 Australian Jewish Historical Society. Jews, it is certainly a fact. In the population statistics for 1848, quoted by Salvado, Jews arc not mentioned except by implication, where they figure anonymously under the heading '' Chinese and others not specified.' '24 By 1854, however, when the first official statistics were published in the colony, Jews at least appear in the open. Here they are grouped under the comprehensive heading of "Jews, Mohammedans and others not specified.'' The total is given as 1,904, of which 323 were free and 1,581 bond. The usefulness of this type of information reqi1ires no comment~ especially when it is coupled with the Registrar General is admission in the preface that the religious statistics may not be aceurate.2r Compare this with the figures :for South Australia1 where, in 1844, only eight years after the foundation of the colony, there were 25 Jews, and by 1846 there were 58. Go further, and note that, in 1850, the first Synagogue was built in Adelaide. 26 Comparisons with the other States would not be applicable, for New South Wales and Tasmania were both convict settlements at this time, and South Australia, like ·western Australia, was free. It is true that \Vestern Australia has to some extent lagged behind other States in other ways, but that was not so noticeable in early times as it is now. However we look at it, the tardy Jewish development of Western Australia is surprising-all the more so when we see its vigorous development later into the third community of the Com- monwealth. · We have said that the link between the earlier and the later periods covered by this paper is the business of Lionel Samson & Son. That business, after the death of Lionel Samson, was carried on by his third son, William Frederick, and a manager, Elias Solomon, both of whom were prominent in the early years of the FremantJe. eongregation. The story of the rise and fall of this extinct congre gation is not unique in Western Australia; both in Cecl gardie and Kalgoorlie congregations formed with a flonrlsh and died. Fremantle lived longer, but died for the same· reason-the removal of the Jewish population. The WOl'k of Solomon and Samson was partly, though by no means wholly, responsible for the growth. The death resulte It is more difficult to write of the yonnger Samson. His chief concern was the business and his communal work. His record of public service is one rather of staunch sup port of worthy causes than of energetic membership of public bodies, but he is, nevertheless, an important per sonality in the history of 1Vestern Austmlian Jewry. 'rlrnt importance derives not only :from his own work, but from the social and commercial position he had inherited. It must not be regarded as in any way derogatory of other Jewish families if some little stress is laid on the impor tance of his social position, because it ,vas that ,vhich very largely contributed to his selection with Elias Solomon for some of the more public functions of the congregation, such as Trustee-not a specially important position in itself, but one which demands worth and soliditv.29 He died suddenly on i\Iarch 5th, 1900'. aged forty-five. His life had been spent well; many bodies, both Jewish and non-Jewish, had benefited from his advice. He was twice l\'Iayor of Frcmantle, a Councillor for many years, and Consular Agent for France for twenty years. His funeral in the Jewish portion of Fremantle Cemetery was largely attended by the most prominent men in the colony, including the Premier (Sir John Fonest). The address in praise of his work was given b,· the Rev. (later Rabbi) D. I. Freedman.30 It vrns men such as these who, with a small group which arrived in Fremantle in 1887, built the Fremantle Hebrew congregation. In J anuarr of that year the sailing ship ]Iampshire, commanded by a Jew, Captain JVIattias, brought Vietor Mandelstam and his family, Gustus Luber and Joseph Miller, all of them to be among the pioneers of the congregation. i\Iandelstam brought with him a Scroll of the Law and the necessary equipment for the ritual killing of poultry. The Scroll on the journey out occupied a place of honour in the state-room of the Jewish captain." That vear saw the arrival of a considerable number of Jews in Fremantie to join with the few families, such as the Samsons, J osephsons, Greifs, Wolffs, Solomons and R-0galskys, who were already there. i\iembers of the Luber, Kott; Brecklcr and Shrimski families arrived then, or in the C'Ourse of the next few years. Their arrival \\' est cm Anstralian ,/ C1l'ry. 243 stimulated the Jewish consciousness of the town, and at last services were held regularly on the Holy Days in the Mandclstarn home. Frnm that date on the story is one of continual growth. There is little detail available as to some of the men Solomon Miller. who laboured to build up Judaism in those days. 'l111eir monument must be the present community. · There re mains, howeve1\ enough to giYe an outline i)iciure of some of them-cn.'n if it is only to say that they had a true Jewish spirit. The majority of them were foreign born, chiefly from Russia or Germany. Solomon :Miller, for instance, was born in Russia, and arrived in 1890 to join his brother Joseph, who in the tln·ee years he had been in Fremantle had built up a drapery business in High Street. Solomon I\"Iiller's interests were communal; the motive force of his life was seniee to Judaism. He was a capable reader, often preached at the services, and did some of the killing of meat until the arrival of a qualified Schochet in later years. His hospitality to newcomers was a byword; invitations to Sabbath meals at his home, charity of a 244 A.ustmlian Jewish Historical Society, tangible kind, and a thorough practice of all the virtues he preached marked Solomon Miller's life. If there is any one man who was mainly responsible for the successful building of the Fremantle congregation, it was Miller, though there had been some work done before his arrival.32 One of the earlier immigrants who assisted in the formation of the Fremantle congregation was Abraham Moise Josephson. The date of his arrival is not known, and his origin is at least uncertain. He was, however, in business as a storekeeper in Fremantle in 1872,33 and a recent ,vriter on the street names of Fremantle has said of him that he "was said to be a Jew of high birth exiled from Russia for political reasons.'' This should, however, be accepted with reserve. Josephson Street in Fremantle, where he built a row of three houses, is named after him. The same authority says that in the very early days (by which must be meant some date after 1871, since the direc tories do not show his name before that date) he kept a shop where the National Hotel now stands-that is, in High Street. Later the business was in Cliff Street, by which time it had become the well-known firm of Josephson & iVIcCleery. 34 • A. contemporary of Josephson 's, whose influence on the little band in Fremantle was important, was Henry Seclig son. There is some doubt as to the date of his arrival in the colony, but it is clear that by 1868 he was in business in St. George's Terrace, the main street of l_)erth then, as now, as a je,veller and general dealer.H The directories do not list his name earlier than that, though one cannot infer from that that he had not arrived earlier, for direc tories of that period give only the names of men actuall, in business. Bv 1873 the business had become one of jewellery only, though it retained the old address.36 The business gradually grew in prosperity, and, with the coming of a number of Jews in 1887, Seelig.3on's communal interests grew. Though a resident of Perth, not of Fremantle, he made and maintained contact with the Jews of that latter town, and by his greater experience of the colon~, was able to render important service to the newcomers. Seeligson is the connecting link, as we shall see later, between the Fremantlc congregation and the congregation which was later formed in Perth. l\'cs/crn Australian Jewry. \V c of to-day a1·e apt to regard Fremantle merely as a suburb of Perth, but it was no so regarded by the residents in the late 'eighties. It is some tweln" miles distant hv road, and CYen now the journey by 'bus takes more thai1 half an hour. In those days the journey b,- horse or roach took two and a half hours, and by train about an hour. They were cities apart. Frcmantle was the more important commercially, though Perth was growing. For our purposes, too, Fremantle was the more important, beeause it was there, as the commercial centre, that the majority of Jews lived. Until the formation of the Perth congregation in 1892, the journey to Fremantlc hatl to lw undcl'taken if one wanted to attend divine service--no lig-'.:1 task. The great interest that Seeligson took in the affairs of Jewish Fremantle is therefore the more notic('ablc, foi' the1·e was not only the journey to contend with, but that real freling that Pe1·th and Fremantle were separate cities. II(' was an active worker, dispensed liberal charity, an ma11 1 with a mind of his own, he laboured long to keep the congregation on sound lines, and but for his early death would haYe left his mark on Jewish organisations. Not the least part of the influence of Gustus Luber was his family lo,·alty, which induced him to see that his brother and cousins, members of the Brcckler family, joined him in the colony. The Brecklers at once joined him in the congregation, but, being young men, were not at this early period, capable of exercising the influence they lrnve wielded over the Perth community in late ~?ears. The work of the present President, i\Ir. Mayer Breekler, who has held office for sixteen years, is an eloquent tribute to the worth of members of that family. 40 \Ye ha Ye now reached the stage where a decision has been made to form a congregation, and we have seen glimpses of some, but not all, of the men who formed it. There are no reliable statistics of the number of Jews actually in \Vestern Australia at this time. 1.'he official records published for the year 1886 to 1889 do not include figures of religious adherents. An unofficial publication of 1889 says ·'there is not a J·ewish Church in \Yestern Australia, and there are not more than eight or nine of the denomination. ".ft The figures are clearly wrong, though it is true that, H by ''chu1·ch '' is meant synagogue building1 the first part of the statement is correct. Tlw nurnbc1· of Jews in Fremantle in July1 1888, was about 50. 'I'l,e official figures for 1890 do include references to the mwbers of adherents of the various Christian faiths, hut makfl no mention of Jews, eYen -among marriages. Th~ lf.iDl figures, which were the result of a decennial ecrnms. ,hnw that for the period 1881-1891 the Jews increased by 129."':: However, no totals for either year are given. Useful statistics giving real details of the J·ewish population do not appear until 1896, and must be rCsfl'\·cd for a 1ate1' stage in the story. Until the records of the Fremantle congregation for the period 1887-90 are discovered most of the history of the time must remain unwritten. Guess-work would have to take the place of history. ',Ye can, howeYCr, say that the congregation went on for a time, but went on haltingly. It seems most probable that the organisation, which was never very strong, died out. The reason for this view 248 A11strnlian ,Jc,cish Historical Society. will become clear later when we deal with land grants. However, the surviving minutes begin ,vith the record af a meeting at which Alexander took the chair, and which agreed that a "new society" to be called the \Vest Aus tralian Hebrev;r Congregation be formed. These minutes are undated, but from their position in the book I estimate the correct date to be approximately April, 1891. Alexander ,vas elected president1 Henry Seeligson treasurer, Viet-Or Mandelstam. and Herman i\Iandelstam (son of Vietor) sccretar.v and collector. The committee consisted of i\lessrs. Levine, Luber (no initials given), Victor i\Iandelstam, Joseph i\Iiller and Woolf (no initials, but probably i\I. T. Woolf). It was resoh~ed that the subscription be not less than one shilling a week. 43 What amount was finally decided upon does not appear, as the book contains no financial infor mation of any value. Apart from the names given above as officials of the congregation, two others took part in the proceedings, proposing the names for the various offices, i\Iessrs. Abraham Kott and Rogers (no initials). It is worth notice that at least two of the persons mentioned Western Australian J cwry. 249 lived in Perth, not Fremantle-Secligson and Rogers. The latter, who was a loyal supporter of the congregation, was of Sephardic descent, 44 but none the less mingled freely with other Jewish residents, an instance of how Australian eonditions can reconcile two elements in world Jewry which rarely mix. The outstanding event of V{estern Australian Jewry in 1891 was the visit, at the request of the Fremantle con gregation, of the Rev. A. T. Boas, of Adelaide. Though at least one distinguished Jew, Sir Julius Vogel, had visited the colony before this, his Yi sit was not specifically J cwish and does not seem to have caused even a ripple on the ,Jewish consciousness of the early 'eighties. Sir Julius had been engaged on railway development schemes and suggestions for cable connections with the European systems. H The present visitor, however, had come for J cwish purposes only, and his visit caused considerable excitement. The immediate occasion for the minister's visit was the necessity of circ'i.uncising a number of boys who had been born in Fremantle in recent years, but it can well be un Lawrence Alexander. fuller, but it must be remembered that man:'-· of the mem bers were still in the throes of their early struggles with the English language. That, however, does not excuse the disorder in the arrangement of the details of meetings, which make the book a ve1T difficult soul'ee from which to draw conelusions. It is th~e very barest of hones on which one has to build the body of a story. Although as early as 1887 arrangements had been made to hold weekly services, they were not in fact held. No doubt several of the congregation visited one another's 254 Australian Jewish Historical Society, houses for Sabbath services, but regular congregational services were a development much later than 1891. Up to the High Festivals of that year, services were held in the i\:Iandelstam home. In 1891, as we have seen, they were in the Town IIall, and that arrangement continued until 1895, after which use was made of a small stone building belonging to the Immigration Department on the site where the Synagogue was later built. The story of how this land came into Jewish possession will be told later. This building, which was "like a prison, complete with bars on the windows,'' to quote one who saw it, 61 was well fitted up inside for the holding of services. The Scroll of the Law that l\Iandelstam had brought with him was used. This was presented to him by a nephew of Sir i\:Ioses llfontefiore with the object of assisting to establish a Jewish community in the colony. 62 It served its purpose, and now rests in the Perth Synagogue. l\Iandelstam was also the first Schochet, and carried on these duties until the arrival of Phillip Cohen. The celebration of marriage was under taken by Henry Seeligson, who was the first man officially recognised to perform that duty. 63 He was also the moving spirit in the educational sphere. He had a. useful and busy life among the growing community of a city in which he did not reside. The early part of the year 1892 was taken up with the consideration of the question of engaging a minister, a matter to which brief reference has alread,· been made. The committee at its meeting on February 11th, 1892, approved the proposal to engage the Rev. A. T. Chodowski, then in New Zealand, provided that a general meeting agreed. The general meeting was held on February 28th, hut a resolution was passed that the matter be deferred pending further negotiations. J\feanwhile, the secretar:y was to canvas the members soliciting support-presumably financial support.64 The matter was so satisfactorily de ferred that it reecivcs no further mention. The Fremantle congregation never had a minister of its own 1 but after the arrival of the Rev. D. I. Freedman in April, 1897, to ~erve the Perth congregation, they made use of him when required. There were no especially important develop ments during 1892. At a meeting on June 21st, Herman l\Iandelstam resigned as secretary, but the minutes say nr cstern Australian .J cwry. 255 nothing of the appointment of a snccessor.6'i Later, a man named Goldman was appointed collector, but it is not clear whether he was also to be secretary.66 The Annual General Meeting of that year was held on October 5th. The minutes fully report the objections raised by Lawrence Alexander· to his re-election as president, but he none the less was pressed into office. Levine, whose name we have met before, was elected treasurer, "the right man in the right place,'' one speaker said.67 By this time the congregation numbered approximately 37 adult males. This figure is taken from a list spreading over two pages of the minute book. From its plaee in the book, by no means an infal lible guide, it would seem to relate to some date between ~June and October, 1892. The list, hmvever, is not com plete. At least one name, which was later to be important in \Y cstcrn Australian history, is missing-1\Iatthew Louis Moss. I\Ioss was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, on December 1st, 1863, and after his education in that city was caJJed to the Bar in 1886. In September, 1891, he came to \Yestern Australia and commenced to practice in Fre mantle.68 At a meeting of the congregation held on October 25th, 1891, he, with Abraham Kott, was appointed anditor and was asked to assist the committee to draw up rules for the organisation. 69 IIe long continued to assist the Fremantle congregation with legal advice, and in 1ater years was honorary solicitor to the Perth congregation. His work in that connection will be touched upon later. In 1895 he entered the Legislative Assembl:v as membe1· for North Fremantle, but was defeated by six votes in 1897. Later he was elected to the Legislative Council, and served in various ministries as Colonial Secretary and Attorney-General. The Fl'C'mantle congregation was for tunate in having four men who were prominent in publi<,· life-Alexander, Solomon, Ramson and 1\Ioss-espccial1y as all of them worked and were not content to remain merely as figureheads. So far we have spoken only of the men of the congre gation. But no history could pretend to be complete that lCft the women quite out of account. There are few records that deal with them; not one woman is mentioned in the minute book, but the;i, were there, as always, exert- 256 Australian Jewish Historical Society. ing their influence for Judaism. The communal achieve ments of some of them, for instance, l\lrs. Sarah Joseph,70 l\Irs. l\Ioses Luber, l\Irs. Victor l\Iandelstam and her daughters, l\lrs. Abraham Kott and l\Irs. J oscph i\Iiller, 71 i\Irs. Solomon i\liller and i\lrs. Lawrence .Alexander, would bear comparison with those of any man.72 By their influence on the men they helped in no small way the progress of the early communities of Perth and Fremantle. The year 1892 passed with the congregation happily carr;dng on under the guidance of Alexander, served by a capable committee. The same year saw the beginnings of the present Perth congregation. It is, however, more con venient to carry tJ1e Fremantle story up to the limits of this papel' before considering the affairs of Perth. From now on, however, it must be remembered that the two ·were working on parallel lines exercising influence one upon the other. Passing mention has already been made of the question of' land grants. Before sketching the course of the negotiations in respect of land at F1·emantle, it may be well to explain that prior to 1897 the system adopted in Western Australia was to make an outright grant of land to trustees appointed by religious bodies. The trustees held the land on trust for the purposes of the body eon rerned, but without power to sell except with the consent of the Governor. This system was altered on January 1st, 1897. After that the trustees could obtain only a 999 years' lease-almost indistinguishable from freehold, but with the difference that the trustees could mortgage or sell only if the Governor consented. The change in the law gave the Perth congregation many worried moments in the middle of 1897. Against that legal background we can east our minds back to the situation in 1888, a year after the Fremantle congregation was formed. During that year the congre gation had apparently been making plans, for on i\Iay 18th, 1888, the secretary, Benjamin Solomon, wrote to the Com missioner for Crown Lands (Hon. John Forrest) in words that are worth quoting :- I have the honour to inform you that a Hebrew Congregation ·consisting of about "fifty members has been formed at Fremantle, and, ns they contemplate building a place of worship at a not far distant time, on their behalf I beg to ask you to place before his 11' cstern .tiusll'alian ,] cwry. 257 Excellency the GoYernor an application for a portion of land in n. conYcnient position in Fren:antle that may be at the disposal of the GoYernment, and would be suitable for tha.t purpose. I understand that it is usual to grant Yarious llenominatious land for the purpose mentioned, and trust this application may meet with your approYal.73 The l\Iinister replied on July 27th, 1888, that a formal application (eYen in those days one had to fill in forms !) would be favourably considered. The matter, howeYer, rested there, probably because the congregation was too weak finan<:ially to consider building, despite the secretary's optimism, until April 26th, 1889, when Elias Solomon and \Y. F. Samson jointly wrote to the )linister as Trustees of the congregation :- Referring to your letter of 27 July, 1888 to the Secretary of the Fremantle Hebrew Congrcgtttion respecting a grant of land for a. Synagogu(', and to our conversation with you yesterday we beg to select as a suitable site for the purpose a piece of land on South Terrace .... asking you to place the applieation before his Ex· eellency the Governor for his approYal. 'l'his piece of land, however, was portion of that formerly belonging to the Convict Establishment, and as such it was not at that time under the control of the \Vestern Australian Government. No application for the block selected could therefore be granted, and the :\linistcr replied accordingly on l\lay 21st. Nothing more was lward on the matter until Solomon and Samson wrote again to the Alinister (W. E. i\Iarmion) on April 30th, 1891. The opinion has already been expressed that the con gregation died out at this time. This view, which cannot hC' confirmed by the memories of persons no-w liYing1 is supported by the tone of the undated minutes mentioned earlier, the reference in them to the foundation of a new body, and the long delay which occurred between the refusal of the application for land in April, 1889, and the renewal of it in April, 1891. Whatever the trne position may be, it can only be made clear by the discovery of new records, and meanwhile the view expressed may be accepted as an interim opinion.73 The letter of April 30th, 1891, refers to the applieation made in April, 1889, and the l\Iinister's reply, and con tinues:- The land referrecl to (in the earlier correspondence) now being under the control of your Government, we shall be pleased if you ean comply with our request. The land which we think would he 258 Australian Jewish Historical Society, suitable is a piece bound on the South \-Vest by Lot 1366 (Presby terian Church), and on the south by the North side of Norfolk Street continued. As regards area. we might respectfully point out that nearly all other denon:inations have received liberal grants of land whilst the Jewish community have not received any whatever. On July 22nd, 1891, the Minister replied that a grant of the land asked for had been approved, that the land had been reserved, and that a notification would appear in the Gazette. The receipt of this reply must have given a fillip to the enthusiasm of the congregation, which at that time was being aroused by the visit of the Rev. A. T. Boas. There was, however, considerable delay in the issue of the title deeds, and on July 11th, 1892, the president, Lawrence Alexander, vnote a rather teri:,e letter to the l\finister asking for the issue of the deeds. 'l.'here was to be another delay, however, owing to the congregation's action in appointing Elias Solomon, Alexander and Josephson as Trustees, and omitting to tell the Department that Josephson was one of them. When this error was smoothed out, Alexander wrote again, more politely this time, a letter dated J"tlly 28th, 1892, in the course of which he says :- I shall feel obliged if you will kindly have the deed signed and sent down to me ,vith as little delay as possible, as my Com rr~ittee have already ealled :for tenders to erect a building on the ground. The minutes make no mention of either tenders or buildings, but as the congregation was prone to make opti mistic plans before they arranged the finance there is no reason to doubt the truth of Alexander's statements. In any case they put up no building, and when difficulties arose in 1895 in connection with the land the congregation was perfectly willing to surrender it in exchange for another block which had a building already on it. The story of the surrender comes more properly at a later stage. It is regrettable that the minutes for 1893 and 189± are not included in the book, and have not yet been found. The story, therefore, must miss those two years entirely. \Ve may assume that the congregation continued to grow, as the prosperity of Western Australia grew. The lure of gold was there1 and immigrants rushed to the colony. Fremantle, as the main port, shared in the immigrants, and the increase in wealth. Natmally a proportion of newcomers was Jewish. l\.fany v.rent direct to the gold- 11' estern Australian J cwry. 259 fields of Coolgardie and later Kalgoorlie, where there was Yigorous Jewish deYelopment between 1894 and the end of our period. Gold had attracted Jewish immigrants to 7 Victoria, and they had prospered thcre. i" Similar reasons and the hope of similar results brought them to Western Australia. 76 \Ve pass, then, to 1895. During· that rear it had beeome clear that the congregation's land was not in a suitable position. It adjoined the Fremantle 0Yal, which the l\lunicipal Council was anxious to extend. The ,Yholc matter was laid before the i\Iinistcr in a letter from the Town Clerk of Fremantle to the Under-Secretary for Lands, dated August 2nd, 1895 :- Hermvith I have the honour by direction to endosc you a traeing of a proposed fresh site for the Jewish Synagogue in lieu of Lot 13GG adjoining the l~remantle 0Yal, and which, I understand, the Trustees are willing to e.xc-lumge for the portion .... at the corner of South Terrace and Norfolk Street on which at present stands the Old Guard Room. I think you are fully aware how large a portion of Lot 1 :rno projects on to the Fremantle 0Ya1, and that o\'ertures were n:ade by the Municipalit~· to the Trustees at the time the Fremantle 0ml was granted to the Town but without avail, at that time eertain difficulties being in the way ·with tlle •rrustees in reference to the transfer of the land. These difficulties are now happily rt'moved, and the Trustees are willing to accept the proposed lot· in lieu of Lot 1366.77 \Ye knmv nothing, owing to the dearth of records, of the negotiations which led up to the writing of this letter or of the diffienlties to whieh the Town Clerk refers. 'l'hcre was some little delay in attending to the matter, and on August 26th the Tmvn Clerk wrote again, giving reasons why the matter was urgent. After setting out the Council's viewpoint, he wrote :- The Hebre\';· Congregation are also desirous now to have this exchange assented to as early as possible, as they hope to he able to hold their special services at their yearly festiml, which falls due in about three weeks from this date in the Old Guard Room. The Department approved of the transfer, and in a letter acknowledging receipt of the approval the Town Clerk, on September 4th, put his finger on one real reason for the congregation's consent :- .... it will certainly be a satisfactory exchange to the J cwish Community, as they will have a roon: to meet in all ready for them, and moreover will be removed from the noise of the football matches. 260 Australian Jewish Historical Society. On the same day, Solomon and Samson, as Trustees, forwarded the title deeds of Lot 1366 to the Under Secretary. There was more delay while various formali ties and surveys were being completed, and on April 16th, 1896, the piece of land already referred to at the earner of Norfolk Street and South Terrace was granted to Solomon and Samson as Trustees '' for a place of worship for membern of the Jewish Church. " 78 The Old Guard Room referred to in the Town Clerk's letter has already been described. The building actually belonged to the Immigration Department, which at that time controlled all the buildings which had formerly been part of the old Convict Establishment. The congregation moved in at once, though the grant had not been formally issued, and the annual meeting for 1895 was held there. There were eleven men at the meeting-apparently annual meetings were as poorly attended then as now and Lawrence Alexander was in the chair. Probably he had been president for 1894-5, but this is not certain. However, apparently still desirous to retire, he proposed that J. D. Stecnbohm be elected, and his nominee was appointed unopposed. Lawrence Alexander became treasurer, and the committee consisted of the President, Victor i\Iandelstam and i\foscs Luber. Phillip Cohen was appointed secretary and collector at a salary of £2/5/- a week. Any collections he made over that amount were to go to congregational funds.79 Phillip Cohen, who was a kin.sman of the i\fillcrs, had been brought out during 1895 to act as schochct and teacher to the congregation. I-le did not remain long in the colony, but while there showed himself a good teacher, an energetic collector and a capable· reader. He took over the respon sibility for the little school tl_rn congregation were still conducting under the guidance of IIcnry Seeligson. In addition to the rather small salary he received, he was entitled to fees for killing meat, which caused a small and unimportant upset in July, 1897, when he required a fixed wage for killing. so In addition to a more suitable piece of land-which the minutes do not mention-the congregation now had a second Scroll of the Law. This was one presented by \Festern A11stralian Jcwl'y. 261 Joseph Scbag i.\Iontefiore, through the agency of the Rev. S. Singer, and the meeting passed a vote of thanks to i.\Iontefiore for his gift. It, like the i.\Iandelstam Scroll, is now in the Perth Synagogue. By the end of 1895 many of the congregation had left Fremantle for the goldfields, the country or Perth. The gradual dee line of the -port community was not peculiar to its Jewish inhabitants, but the whole commercial centre was gradually shifting. In future Perth was the capital, in faet as well as in name, and the Fremantle Hebrew Con gregatjon suffered, as did all organisations in the city. Yet there was plenty of vigour left-sufficient to build a Synagogue after the turn of the century. The question of building a Synagogue arose during 1896, but once again nothing was done-further evidence of the slump in im portance that Fremantlc was experiencing. At a meeting heh! on i\Iarch 8th, 1896, it was decided to open subscription lists for the purpose of erecting a Synagogue. The canvass was evidently successful. 1\Iean whi1e, it was decided to make some renovations to the Old Guard Room before Passover, and to repair the fencing. The meeting elected Samson, who had been a trustee for years, to the Committee-the first occasion on which he had served.81 The discussion on the building of a syna gogue was continued at another meeting held on June 29th, 1896. It was considered by some speakers that the building then on the land should be used for a school, and a new synagogue put up; others thought that the money collected should be used to improve the Old Guard Room, and the building of a synagogue should be deferred until the congregation grew larger; still another preferred a small synagogue now, to be extended later. The minutes do not disclose what decision was reached, but no synagogue was built for six years. Only hvo resolutions were passed at. that meeting-one that Josephson should be treasurer of the building fund, and the other that he and Phillip Cohen should sign the cheques. All the remaining motions appear to have been talked out, and the synagogue re mained a dream. The next recorded meeting was held on July 10th, 1897. The minutes are worth quoting, not because of the intrinsic importance of the subject under discussionr 262 A1tstralian Jewish Historical Society. but as a fair sample of tbe type of minutes that the con gregation kept :- July 10/97. Meeting at Synagogue. Present : J. Lion, Vice President in Chair, Messrs. Jonas, Josephson, D. Cohen, M. Luber, Jacobson, Myers, H. Cohen, and P. Cohen, Secretary. Mr. Lion explained that Mr. Luber desired to change butcher, and 11r. Cohen w·ould not kill elsewhere than Chester unless he had a ft..::ed guaranteed wage. A discussion ensued. There being no resolution, and not able to come to such, the meeting closed.S2 Please pity the poor historian ! As the minutes of the general meeting for 1896 were ncn•r written, the above is useful as giving us a list of Borne of the offiee1·s of the congregation for the year 1896-7. It is not clear whether these minutes refer to a general meeting or a committee, but the subject matter of the dis cussion is more suited f'or a committee meeting. HO\vevel\ the meeting of August 29th, 1897, was dearly the general meeting, for it elected the officer_s :for the :foJlowing year. Levine, a capable reader, devout Jew, .and common-sense character, was elected president. Prior to this, however, the meeting had shattered all recognised rules by confirming the minutes of the previous annual general meeting, which, say the minutes now lmdcr dis cussion, ''were never entered.·· To act with Levine as -executive, the meeting appointed .Lion vice-president, and Jacobson treasurer. The committee consisted of ill. Luber, Josephson, and two Breeklers-which two the minutes do not bother to tell us. The only other matter decided was the appointment of readers for the approaching High Festivals. This was dealt with in the time-honoured way. It was left to the committee." The committee met on September 21st. One would have expected some reference to the consecration of the Perth Synagogue, which took place on September 1st, but there is nothing. For the past two years the Perth con gregation had been growillg apace. It had a minister and a synagogue, and was 110\V far ahead of Fremantle as the leading congregation o:f Western Australia, but the minutes of Fremantle give us no indication of any contact between the two, though the latter was only too glad to make use of the Perth 11Iinister, Rev. D. I. Freedman, when possible. 1l' estcrn Australian ./ cwry. 263: Nor is there any mention of Coolgardie, which by this date had a flourishing congregation ,vith a fine synagogue. Parochialism, laziness or simply an inexperienced minute· maker 1 The committee meeting which prompted that digression decided that the reading of the services should be shared between Lion, Cohen (presumably Phillip), :i\Iiller (prc sumab1y Solomon), and Epstein (no other identification given). But there was one other topic discussed at that meeting. Apparently Lion had been appointed to read a Sabbath service in the Old Guard Room, which the congregation usually referred to as the synagogue, but instead had held a service in his own home. The matter blew over, and receives no further mention.84 It was merely one of those little storms that disturb all congre. gations now and again, both large and small. Fremantlc at this NOTES. 1. "Lionel Samson, the Pioneer :Merchant of West ~\..ustralia," hy Olisch Silbert, in the Westralian Judacan-, Septen:ber, 1932. 2. Battye: Cyclopaedia of Western Au::tralia (Perth, 1912), Vol. L, p. 681. 3. Silbert, loo. cit. 4. From the family recollections of Councillor W. F. Samson, of Fremantle, a son of Michael Samson, youngest son of Lionel. 5. Munz: Jews in South .d.11stralia, 1836-1[)36 (Ad<'laide, 19:Hi). 6. The Inquirer Western Australian .:1.lmanacl.:. 1853, p. 17. 7. The b1quirer Western Australian Almanack, 1854, p. 2?,. 8. From the recollections of Comrnillor Samson. 9. "Stanley Gibbons' Catalogue of the Stan:ps of the \Yorld," sub. tit., ".,.estern Australia. 10. From the recoUcc.tions of Councillor Samson. 11. Silbert, loo. cit. 12. \Vestern Australian Historical Societv's Journal, Yol. I., Part 1., p. 18. • 13. John Brady, Bishop of Perth, 1845-51. 14. Lt.-Col. Clarke, Governor, Februar;r, 1846, till his (leath, Feb ruary, 1847. 15. Jlemoires Ristoriques sur L'.:1.ustralie, by ll-fgr. Rudesinclo Salva do, Bishop of Port Victoria, p. 132 (Paris, 1854). This work is a translation of the original Italian memoirs. The passage in the text is a free translation from the French edition. 16. Sou.th Australian Register, Adelaide, _July 18, 1849; quoteil Munz, op. cit., p. 23. 17. From the recollections of Councillor Samson. 18. Captain Charles Fitzgerald, R.N., Governor 1848-55; Arthur Edward Kennedy, Esq., Governor 1855-62; John Stephen IIn.rr~pton, Esq., Governor 1862-68. 19. Western A.1Istralian .Almanack, 1857, p. 20. 20. The Inquirer anil Commercial Neu:s, Perth, March 20, 1878; quoted Silbert, lac. cit. 21. The Statutes of Western Australia, 12 Viet., No. 10 (May 9, 1849). 22. The Statutes of Western .d.ustraUa, 23 Viet., No. 6 (No\'ember 18, 1859). 23. The Ing,uirer, Perth, NoYember 9, 1859. 266 Austmlian Jewish Historical Society. 24. Salvado, op. cit., p. 66. 25. Statistical Returns of Western Australia, 1848-54, p. 3. This compilation contains the information given at the Census of September 30, 1854. 26. Munz, op. cit., p. 82. 27. Not consul, as Silbert states, but consular agent, according to the recollections of his son, Mr. \V. E. B. Solomon, of Perth. 28. "Elias Solon:on, A Fremantle Pioneer," by Olisch Silbert, in the Westraliari, J11daean, September, 1933. All biographical details and the tribute quoted in the text are taken from this article. 29. Certificate of Title, Vol. 81, Folio 43, in Land Titles Office, Perth. 30. Daily News, Perth, March 5 and 6, 1900. 31. From the recollections of Mrs. Gustus Luber (formerly Miss Rosetta Shrimski). See also "Comments in Passing," Wes tralian Judaean, October, 1930, and a lettel· fron:. l\Irs. Dora Cohen ( daughter of Victor Mandelstam) to the editor of that paper, November, 1930. 32. From the recollections of 1frs. Bertha Lenny, daughter of Solomon Miller 33. Western .Ausfra.lian Almanaclc, 1872. 34. ·western Australian Historical Society's Journal, Vol. I,, Part II., pp. 52 and 54. 35. Herald Western ..d1lstralian .Almanack, 1868. 36. Western .Australian A.lmanack, 1873. A number of these almanacks were published by various houses and newspaper owners between 1853 and 1880. There are many of them in the Public Library at Perth. 37. From a tribute in the Annual Report of the Perth Hebrew Congregation, 1906, on his death. 38. Battye : Cyclopaedia of Western .A11st-ra1ia, Vol. II., p. 10:1. 39. From his obituary notice in The WcstraUan Judac.an, February, 1932. 40. It will have been noted that I haxe not previously used the prefix "Mr." when referring to the \"arious persons nameU. Constant repetition of "Mr." is, I think, undesirable, so I have retained it only in writing of men still living or where the plural is required. 41. Year Book of Western Australia foi· 188fl (Sands & l\IcDougalI, Perth). 42. Western .Australian Year Book, 18.91 (Government Printerr Perth, 1892). 43. Fron: a book containing minutes of many meetings in Frenumtlet mostly of the Fremantle Hebrew congregation, which ,vas fouuU, with other records, in the vault of the present Perth Synagogue. In future I have cited it as FMB. 44. Perth Hebrew Congregation Letter Book, p. 89. This book,. which was also found in the S:rnagogue vaults, contains pressed copies of some 300 letters written by the Secretaries and Presidents of the Pe1·th Hebrew congregation during the years 1895-1901. In :future I have cited it as PLB. 11'estern A.ustralian Jewry. 267 45. Battye: History of Western Australia, pp. 355 and :rno (London, 1924). There is an admirable biography of Sir Julius Vogel, which does not touch on his Western Australian schemes, by Mr. Eric Ramsden, in the Australian Jewish Historical Society's Journal, Vol. I., p. 125. 46. Fi\IB., p. 8. 47. F1IB., p. 7. 48. F1ffi., p. 8, and the recollections of 1Irs. Luber. 49. Year Book of Western Australia for 1889. 50. Fl.IB., p. 11. 51. FMB., p. 21. 52. Daily News, Perth, July 17, 1891. 53. Sir \Villiam Robinson, G.C.l\I.G., Governor 1875·77, 1880·83 and 1890-95. 54. Daily News, Perth, July 21, 1891. 55. Daffy N ncs, Perth, August 10, 1891. 56. FMB., p. 107. 57. FMB., p. 128. 58. F1IB., p. 17. 59. FMB., p. 18. 60. F.?.IB., p. 96. 61. From the recollections Of :Mrs. Bertha Lenny. 62. The Westralian Judaean, November, 1930 . 63. Annual Report of the Perth Hebrew Congregation, Septen:lwr, 1906. 64. FMB., p. 29. ti5. F1IB., p. 31. 66. FMB., p. 35. 67. FMB., pp. 53·4. 68. Battye: Cyclopaedia of Western. Lf.1lstralia, Vol. I., p. 331. 69. Fi\IB., p. 99. 70. The Westralian J1ldaean, February, 1931. 71. The Westralian Judaean, .July, 1934. 72. From the recollections of Mrs. Gustus Luber. For an article on :Mrs. Luber's mvn work for ·western Australian .Jewry, see The Westralian Judaean, .June, 1931. 73. File No. 2246/88 in the Lands Department, Perth, upon which the whole storv of the Freman.tie land grant is based, unlC>ss otherwise indie3.ted. - 74. See Note 43. FMB., p. 3. 75 . .Jacob Saphir : Eben Saphir. A translation of this Hebrew travel book by Rabbi L. A. Falk is in the Australian .Je\vish Historical Society's Jou,rnal, Vol. I. See especially p. 86 et seq. It is a pity Saphir did not call at Western Australia. 76. Jewi.sh Encyclopaedia (1902 edition). The article entitled "Australia" was written by Rabbi D. I. Freedman, of Perth. 77. Lands Department File No. 2246/88. The following extracts are also taken from letters on this file. 78. Certificate of Title, Vol. 81, Folio 43, in Land Titles Office, Perth. 79. FMB., pp. 37-8. 80. FMB., p. 26. 268 Australian Jcwi.sh lli.slnrical Society. 81. FMB., p. 40. 82. FMB., p. 26. 83. F.MB., pp. 41-2. 84. FMB., pp. 43·5. 85. Western Australian Statistical Registecr, 1897 (Government Printer, Perth, 1899). 86. The trowel is in the possession of Mr. \V. E. B. Solomon of Perth. The inscription reads : "Presented to Elias Solomon, Esq., J.P. M.P. on the occasion of his laying the n:em.orial tablet of the Fremantie Synagogue, 8 Jan., 1902." 87. Certificate of Title, Vol. 8, Folio 43. 88. Annual Report of Perth Hebrew Congregation, 1908. 89. Certificate of Title, Vol. 212, Folio 18. Later dealings with this land, until it was acquired in 1917 by the Commonwealth Government, are recorded on C.T., Vol. 419, Folio 95. The Commonwealth later sold the land. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. This paper owes its existence to the suggestion of the late Gustus Luber, the help of Mrs. Luber and the other la.dies and gentlemen whose names are mentioned in the notes, and the ready eo·operation of the Secretary of the Perth Hebrew Congregation, Mr. Harry Casper. I extend my thanks to all who have assisted, whether their names appear or not. Particular mention must be made of the help accorded by the Minister for Lands in Western Australia ( the Hon. F. J. S. Wise, now Premier of the State) and the officers of his Department; the staffs of the Public Libraries of Perth, Sydney and Melbourne; and the librarian of the West Australian. The encouragement offered by the Rev. L. Rubin·Zaeks, Colonel A. W. Hyman and Mr. S. B. Glass is gladly acknowledged. For any comment which has been n:ade in the course of tlle paper I am myself wholly responsible, and no blame for any which may be considered unjustified should be attributed to those who have assisted me. D. J. B. A History of Dunedin (N.Z.) Conyreyalion. 269 A History of the Dunedin (N.Z.) Jewish Congregation. By the Rev. A. ASTOR, B.A., Chief Minister of the .Auckland Congregation. (Continued from. page 21:3 of tlli.s Volume.) In 1885 the congregation received an invitation from the officers of the Auckland community to attend the Consecration on November 8th, 1885, of the new Auckland Synagogue. In September, 1885, the congregation sent a message to Lord Rothschild congratulating him on his elevation to the Peerage. The Synagogue service was re\·iscd during this year. l\lr. Saul Solomon was elected to the Committee. On i\larch 7th, 1886, due large!,· to the efforts of i\lr. Sam Jacobs, a meeting of the ladies of the congregation was held, and led to the formation of the Ladies' Hand.in, Hand Society "for the relief and assistance of distressed women who may be either in the province or strangers.'' On May 23rd of the same year, a special Confirmation Service for girls was held in the Synagogue. The 'service, which was fully choral, struck a very high level. In 1887, with a view to reducing the heavy mortgage on the Synagogue, the congregation organised an Oriental Bazaar under the management of i\lr. Julius Hyman, President, and Mr. D. E. Theomin, Treasurer, while :i\Ir. Bendix Hallenstein acted as special Bazaar Treasurer. The success of the enterprise was phenomenal, and a net sum of £1,650 was raised. To Messrs. J. Hyman and D. E. Theomin the congregation presented special addresses of thanks. In the same year Dunedin Jewry joined with their co-religionists in New Zealand in tendering to Her llfost Gracious 1\fajesty Queen Victoria an address of congratu lation on the occasion of her Jubilee. The event was marked by the holding of a special service. In the year 1888, the Rev. B. Lichtenstein travelled to Queenstown for the purpose of consecrating the Jewish Burial Ground of that town. At the annual elections, Mr. D. E. Theomin was unanimously elected President of the congregation. 270 Aitstralicm Je,wish Historical Society. In ]\fay, 1889, at the instigation of the new President, a special effort was made for the better observance of the Sabbath and for obtaining larger attendances at the ser vices. The Rev. l\fr. Lichtenstein was requested to do all in his power to induce the members of the community to close their places of business on the Sabbath. In June of this year the congregation was in communication with the London Emigration Society with regard to the snita bility of Dunedin as a field for Jewish immigration. In August, a special sub~committee was set up, consisting of Benjamin L. Farjeon. Messrs. J. Hyman, M. Joel, J. Isaacs and S. Jacobs, for the purpose of instituting a Social Union among the younger members of the community. In 1890 the congregation, together with the rest of British Jewry, mourned the death of their venerable and esteemed Chief Rabbi, Dr. Nathan Marcus Adler. The Synagogue was this year re-decorated, the cost being borne by the members as a result of a special collection. In April, 1891, the President, Mr. D. E. Theomin; being about to leave for England, was granted leave of il History of Dunedin (N.Z.) Congregation. 271 absence. Prior to his departure, the committee tendered him a reception, at ·which he was presented with an en grossed Jetter of appreciation for his services. The congregation, through the formation of various societies for communal, educational and philanthropic work, was now well in line with the most progressive communities in England. It was left to the Dunedin congregation, however, to show the way in a new avenue of benevolence. This was the formation of the Chevra Kadisha, or Holy Brotherhood, the duties of which are connected with the care of the sick and dying, the neces sary attendance on the dead, and the care of the Cemetery. The Dunedin congregation was the first, under the juris diction of the Chief Rabbi of the British Empire, to form such a society, an example which has since been widely followed. The inaugural meeting was held at the home of Mr. Godfrey Jacobs on November 21st, 1891. To de fray the expenses of the society, a small sum was charged annually to every member of the congregation. On ,Tune 19th, 1892, the Rev. B. Lichtenstein passed away after a short illness. His death came as a severe blow to the congregation, which he had served faithfully for seventeen years. The Rev. A. T. Chodowski, of Christchurch, officiated at the funeral. and delivered an impressive address at a special memorial service. Following the death of its Minister, the committee wrote to the Chief Rabbi, Dr. Herman Adler, and to 11Iessrs. H. Hayman, L. Hayman and Henry Hart asking them to act as an advisol'J'"' committee for the selection of a. suitable successor. The Synagogue serdt'es in the meantime were conducted by the President, i\Ir. L. :i\Iendel sohn, assisted by i\Ir. S. Goldston. In February, 1893, i\fessrs. Ha>·man and Hart wrote from London that they were recommending the ReY. J. L. Harrison of Norwich 1 England. for the post. The nev,r minister arrived in April to take up his duties, and he was tendered a recep tion br the committee. In April, 1894, the ne\\· ground of the Jewish Ceme tery was consecrated, and on this occasion i\fr. Wolf Harris presented a handsome set of gates for the entrance. Arbo1· Day (15th SheYat) occurring in the following month, 272 Austmlfrin Jewish Historical Society. twenty-four children of the Hebrew School planted trees at the Cemetery. In July, the Minister and Executive, with the co operation of the Mayor of Dunedin, telegraphed M:r. D. Pinkerton to insert a clause in his Bill on Slaughtering of Cattle that the Jewish community be allowed to carry out their rites as hitherto. This representation proved suc eessful. In 1895, Dr. Wolf Heinemann, a profound scholar and pedagogue, arrived with his family in Dunedin. He became associated for many years with the University of New Zealand, acting as examiner in German and Hebrew, and did much for the cause of education in Otago. He founded Selwyn College School. On many occasions he delivered lectures in the Synagogue, and his valuable work as Superintendent of the Dunedin Hebrew School helped eonsiderably to raise the standard of Hebrew and religious knowledge in the community. His son, ilir. J\L J\I. Heine mann, a Past President of the \Yellington congregation, also served the Dunedin community in the capacity of Hon. Secretary for some time. In 1896, with the Synagogue Choir as a nucleus, the Dunedin Jewish Choral Society was formed. A special Chanukah Service was held, the success of which was largely due to the excellent services rendered by the newly formed society under the direction of llfr. S. Jacobs. In 1897, Dunedin Jewry joined their co-religionists throughout New Zealand and Australia in sending expres sions of loyalty and congratulations to Her Majesty, Queen Victoria, on her Diamond Jubilee. In commemoration of this great event, a special thanksgiving service was held in the Synagogue on June 20th. The Choral Society again assisted, and the service was of a high standard. In July, 1897, the Rev. J. L. Harrison was granted leave of absence to visit the home country. Dr. Heine mann and l\1r. L. l\!Iendelsohn took charge of the services, and llfr. Saxton was engaged to perform Schechitah during his absence. In September of the same year, the Rev. llfr. Harrison cabled from England tendering his resigna tion as minister, etc., to the congregation. In Jannary, 1898, the congregation advertised in the Sydney and Melbourne Jewish press inviting applications A History of Dunedin (N.Z.) Congregation. 273 for the post of Minister at a salary of £350 per annum. The presidents of the three i\ielbourne congregations, together with Rabbi Dr. Abrahams and the Rev. Blaubaum, were asked to act as an advisory board to choose a suitable gentleman for the position. In the meantime :i\Ir. L. :i\Iendelsohn and Dr. Heine mann continued to act as lay-readers, and Mr. D. Lichten stein, a son of the late Rev. B. Lichtenstein, acted as Schoch et. In April, 1898, the Rev. A. T. Chodowski, who had been acting as minister to the Brisbane congregation, Queensland, was appointed, and arrived in Dunedin in June of the same year to take up his duties. :i\Ir. Chodowski was a native of Russia, and had received his ministerial training in Germany, and at the Jews' College, London. He had been minister in Christchurch, New Zealand, for six years before going to Brisbane. Dr. Heinemann, after nearly three years of outstanding and ereditable service as Headmaster of the Hebrew School, resigned, and the congregation showed their appreciation of his services by presenting him with a letter of thanks and a purse of sovereigns. His services, together with those of :i\Ir. L. i\Iendelsohn, during the twelve months that the community was without a minister, were gratefully acknowledged by the com munity. In l\farch, 1900, the Rev. Elias Blaubaum, a minister of the St. Kilda congregation, Victoria, visited Dunedin, and under authority of the Chief Rabbi formed a special Beth Din in Dunedin. The question of proselylization was thoroughly discussed, and the future policy of the congregation in the matter was defined. On Sunday, April 29th, 1900, a service unique in the history of the Synagogue took place in Dunedin, the occasion being the golden wedding of i\Ir. and i\Irs. Julius Hyman, the first in the annals of the community. The Synagogue was transformed by decorations, and the build ing was crowded. The choral part of the service was under the direction of :Mr. A. Robertshaw. The i\Iinister, the Rev. A. T. Chodowski, gave an appropriate address and prayer of thanksgiving. The occasion evoked a wonderful amount of feeling, and the functions connected with it 274 Australian Jewish Historical Society. were attended by all classes and creeds, showing at once the respect in which l\Ir. and l\!Irs. Hayman were held, and the pleasure of the congregation in honouring them~ Amongst those who attended the ''Conversazione'' held in the Choral Hall on April 30th were his Worship the lVIayor of Dunedin, l\Ir. R. Chisholm, who presided; repre sentatives of the l\Iasonie fratemity, and of the various bodies connected with the Sy.nagogue. l\Iost gratifying letters and telegrams of congratulation were received from Sir Robert Stout, Chief Justice; the Hon. (afterwards Sir) Joseph Ward, on behalf of the Government; the Chief Rabbi, Dr. Adler; the Rev. Van Staveren, and many others. The Hon. S. E. Shrimski, 1\1.L.C. 'l'he success of the proceedings was due to the energy of ]ir. D. E. Theomin, then treasurer of the congregation, assisted by the members of the committee. On the passing of Queen Victoria in 1901, the congre gation expressed its sympathy in a message to his Excel~ leney the Govemor of New Zealand. The memorial service in the Synagogue was rendered more impressive by the attendance of officers and members of the North D1medin Rifles, headed by l\Ir. S. S. l\Iyers. An address of welcome on behalf of Dunedin Jewry was presented to T.R.H. the Duke and Duchess of Com- A History of Dunedin (N.Z.) Congregation. 275 wall and York (King George V. and Queen :Mary) during their visit to New Zealand. In June, 1903, at a special meeting convened for the purpose, the congregation passed a resolution declaring its abhorrence at the outrages perpetrated on 1nen 1 women and children of the Jewish Faith at Kishineff, and calling upon the Russian Government to prevent their repetitl years, and, when occasion arose, had ably assisted in con ducting the Divine Service as a lay-reader. In 1909, after eleven years' service as l\!Iinister of the congregation,, the Rev, Chodowski's engagement with the congregation terminated. For a period of three years the congregation was without a minister, and during this time l\!Ir, J. Rittenberg acted as lay-reader. In September, 1909, ]\fr, A. Spiro was elected as Schochet and assistant teacher, in which capacity he served the congregation for many years. In 1911, at the instigation of the Rev. A, T. Boas, of Adelaide, South Australia, the Triennial Reading of the Law was introduced into the service. It was then in vogue in Brisbane and Adelaide, and was current in man~· Synagogues in the U.S.A. Maurice Joel. In June, 1912, the Rev. iliorris Diamond was appointed to the position of Minister of the congregation. Mr. Diamond had been for some time Choirmaster of the Grea1 Synagogue, Sydney, and prior to his appointment to Dunedin had acted as Minister in Newcastle, New South Wales, In 1913, Mr. Woolf Harris was appointed to represent the congregation as delegate in connection with the election of the Chief Rabbi. A History of Dunedin (N.Z.) Congregation. 277 1914 was the first year passed under the shadow of the Great War, aud was characterised by devoted activity in vd1ich leaders and members of the congregation took their parts in the national efforts. This spirit was con tinued throughout the period of the war. Apart from contributing to local patriotic efforts, sums of money were eolleeted on behalf of the Jewish war victims in Poland,. and of Jewish refugees who had fled from Belgium. In 1917, l\Jr. Woolf Harris was appointed as the congregation's rcpresentatiYe on the Board of Deputies, London. Further sums were sent to London on behalf of distressed co-religionists. In 1917, on the oeeasion of the 70th birthday of i\lr. S. J aeobs,, who for many years had been President of the Chevra Kadisha, Overseer of the Burial Ground, and Treasurer of the Philanthropic Society, an engrossed letter of enogratulation, suitably bound, was presented to him. In 1918, lllr. A. Spiro resigned his position as Sehochet to the community. 'fhe year of Armistice and the Declaration of Peace saw most impressive services held in the Synagogue. In 1919, a communal reception was given in hononl" of l\Jr. and lllrs. R. l\L lllarks (both workers of long stand ing in the community) on the occasion of their golclcn wedding, when a suitable presentation was made to them. A Roll of Honour to members and sons of members who had served in the Great War was erected. :Mr. I-I. Isaacs, a Past President of the congregation, being about to leave the Province, left the sum of £50 for investment, the interest on which was to provide a Hebrew School Prize Fund. l\Ir. L. Phillips, of Auckland, champion and zealous worker in the cause of Zionism in New Zealand, addressed the members of the congregation on November 13th, 1919, on the Zionist position and prospects. A resolution was mrnnimously passed by the congregation pledging its sup port, and promising to raise a :fund for the purpose among the members. ln 1920, on the occasion of the visit of I-I.R.H. Prince of Wales, a loyal address on behalf of the Jews of New Zealand was presented to him in "\Vellington. 278 A1 The Hon. i\Iark Cohen, i\I.L.C., who for many years had been editor of the Evening Star, was called to the Upper House. On September 2nd, i\lr. Israel Cohen visited Dunedin Dr. Wolf Heinemann. (Photo. by courtesy of his grandson, Mr. J. W. Heinemann.) as an emissary of the Zionist Organisation in London, and was given wholehearted support by the local community. He was given a communal reception, and addressed a large A. History of Dunedin (.V.Z.) Congregation. 279· meeting of representative Dunedin citizens at the Burns Hall. As a result of his visit, the Dunedin congregation transmitted the sum of £4,000 to headquarters in London for the Palestine Restoration Fund (now known as Keren Hayesod). The year 1921 was marked by the arrival on a pastoral visit of the Chief Rabbi, Dr. J. H. Hertz, accompanied by the late l\Ir. Albert l\I. Woolf, Vice-President of the United Synagogue. The distinguished visitors were the guests of our President, l\Ir. D. E. Theomin, at whose house a communal reception was held. His .very forceful address to the large assembly of Dunedin citizens in the Burns Hall created a stir in the city. During his visit, the Chief Rabbi was instrumental in obtaining considerable support in the congregation on behalf of the Jewish \Var i\Iemorial In November, 1923, after eleven years' service as l\Iinister of the congregation, the Rev. i\Ir. Diamond re linquished his position owing to ill-health. In apprecia tion of his past services, the congregation assisted him to travel with his family to South Africa. ]\fr. J. Rittenberg acted as Honorary Reader for a period of two years. In 1924, the Dunedin Jewish Social Club came into existence, and has proved a great influence i 01· gooJ in the community ever since. Following upon the departure of the Rev. Diamond, the Executive communicated with the Chief Rabbi asking him to co-operate with i\Ir. E. I. Halsted, then in London, in the selection of a suitable successor. The service, in the meantime, was conducted by Mr. Rittenberg until his death, after which l\Ir. E. Frienlander was appointed lay reader at a salary of £150 per annum. In 1925, i\Ir. Halsted, after making careful search in the United Kingdom, ultimately decided to recommend for the vacant place the Rev. A. Astor, a student of Jews' College, London, wbo was then 24 years old. After the approval of the Chief Rabbi had been obtained and the recommendation of i\Ir. Halsted confirmed bv the Board of i\Ianagement, the Rev. Alexander Astor w,;s unanimously elected i\Iinister of the Dunedin Jewish congregation at a general meeting held on September 16th, 1925. The new minister and his wife set sail from Englru.1Cl 280 A11stralian Jewish Historical Society. on January 29th, 1926, a few days after thir marriage, and arrived in Dunedin on March 29th of that year. The communal reception which was tendered to them by the Social Club was attended by the largest gathering seen for many years. One of the first acts of the new minister was the re organisation of the Hebrew School. Modern text-books were introduced, and an up-to-date system of instruction inaugurated. The number of children grew much larger, so that voluntary assistance had to be obtained, and for some years Miss E. Jacobs and j\fr. D. Langley gave their services. The Friday evening services, which for many years had lapsed, were resumed. In 1927, at the request of the Minister, a special Education Committee consisting of Messrs. E. I. Halsted, G. Benson, L. Cohen and E. Friedlander was appointed to assist the work of the Hebrew and Sabbath Schools, and conduct examinations from time to time. During this year Dr. Alexander Goldstein, an emis sary from the Zionist Organisation in Palestine, visited Dunedin, and created a great deal of enthusiasm on behalf of the movement by his brilliant oratory. He was given a civic reception by the Mayor (Hon. \V. B. Tavemer, 1\11.P.) in the Town Hall, and gave an address at Burns Hall to a crowded meeting of D1medin citizens. His visit is still remembered with a great deal of pleasure by Jews and non-Jews alike. As the result neaT1y £1,000 was collected in Dunedin, and in a very short space of time the sum was cabled to Palestine. (Rev. Adolf Treitcl Chadowski, who died in 1926, aged 63 years, was mmmcr of Hebrew. congregations at Leicester, England; Christchurch, N.Z.; Brisbane, Q"[d.; Dunedin, N.Z.; Carlton, Vic; Newto·wn, N.S.\V.; and founded the .. Austra!i:m Jewish Chronicle" in 1922.-Editor.) Seventh Annual Report and Financial Statement. To be presented at the Annual General Meeting of Members. to be held on 4th July, 1946. Since our last Annual Report, hostilities in the eampaign iu the Pacific haYe ended. ·.May this be the beginning of Jong years of peace and progress for all mankind. Seventh A.n11ual Report. 281 Jewry throughout the world has been saddened by the rcc·L·nt passing of the Very Reverend the Chief Rabbi, Dr. Joseph Herman Hertz, C.H. Among his man,· ('nltural activities in Anglo-Jewry, Dr. Hertz was a Past President and "\'ice-President of the Jewish Historical Soeiet,- of England. Of Jewry in the Empire, the late Chief Rabbi has left a noteworthy chronicle in the record of his First Pastoral 'Ponr of the Jezcish Cmnmunilics of the. British Ot·crscas Dominions. Some few months ago, }lr.. Abram Lan RECEIPTS. PAYMENTS. T- , ,. d. By-- , ,. d. Balances as at 31/12/45 ... . 76 18 1 Printing and Stationery .... 68 2 5 SubSCl'iptions ,...... 83 11 0 Subscriptions to other Jour· Life Membership .... ,.,. .. .. 10 10 0 nals ...... 2 14 0 Intettst •..•...... •...... 1 19 6 Advertising ...... 5 6 6 E.xchange ...•...... •.,. 5 6 5 4 Proce«ls from Sale of Pam- ¥~~~i~·~· :::: :::: :::: :::: :::: 1 9 6 phlets ...... 3 0 0 Postagts ...... 7 0 3 Hire of Hall for Meetings 4 1 6 Insurances •...... 14 6 General Expenses ...• ...... 1 1 7 Cash: Petty Cash ...... 11 14 3 At Commonwealth Savings Bank of Australia at 31/12/45 ...... 73 14 3 £176 4 1 £176 4 1 A. D. ROBB, F.C.A. (Aust.), Hon. Trcasuui:-. I ha\'e examintd the books and vohchers of the Australian Jewish Historical Society for the year ended December 31st, 1945, and heuby certify that the above Statement of Receipts and Paytn(,Dts is in accordance therewith. DAVID BOLOT, A.F.C.A., A.F.I.A., Hon. AuditOL". 39·49 Martin Place, Sydney. May 6th, 1946, 284 A11stralian Jewish Historical Society. LIST OF FINANCIAL MEMBERS And Donors of Amounts Equivalent to Membership Subscription for the Year 1945. BENEFACTOR: Green, Simon. LIFE ]}1El\IBERS : t Ahronson, M. §Booth, Mrs. F. Holroyd. Cohen, 1\fiss :i\farise Lawrence, B.A. tCohen, Sir Samuel, Kt. flDixson 1 Sir \Villiam, F.R.G.S. Marks, 1'.fiss Hilda V. Robb, Arthur D., F.C.A. (Aust.). Robb, Mrs. Arthur D. Symonds, Ralph. ORDINARY ME~IBERS : Adelaide, South Australia : Capetown, South Africa : Adelson, 1\Iyer. §Alexa:xnder, l\forris, K.C., 1\1.P. Fabian, Rabbi Dr. A. Jackson, A. ::M. Hains, Mark. South African J e\vish Board of Opit, Leon, l\LB., Ch.M. Deputies (Cape Committee). Auckland, New Zealand : Christchurch, New Zealand : Astor, Rev. A. 1 B.A. Ballin, H. J. Faigan, Dm·i t Member of the Royal Australian Historical Society. UFellow· of the Royal Australian Historical Society. * Patron-Member of the An::.eric.an Jewish Historical Society. !I President of the Ballarat Historical Society. § Since deceased. Life ]!embers and. New ]!embers. 285 Melbourne, Victoria : Bolot, Daxid, .A.F.C.A., .A.F.I.A. Brand, ,T. Benjamin, Alan L., LL.B. Brando, 1fax. Brt>nclon, Eric L. Browne, L. i\I. Boas, I. H. Cohen, Brigadier H., C.1I.G .. Bureau of Jewish Affairs. Castle, H. P. C.B.E .• D.S.0., V.D. Cohen, Licut.-Col. .Alroy 1\I., B.A., Daug1ow, Rabbi J., V.D., 1I.A. LL.B. Feiglin, David. Freedn:an, Rabbi H., Ph.D., B..A.. Cohen, David L. Ilallenstein, Reuben.· Cohen, Lewis G. Glass, Phillip. Cohen, L. \V. Groenewoud, :Mrs. A. Cohen, l\L H. Jewish Council to Combat Fas· Cohen, Stuart. C'opplt'son, A. A. cism :md Anti-Semitism. Jona, .i. Leon, D.Sc., :\!.D .. Cornfield, Yictor, C.E. Cohen, '\\~. R. F'.R.A.C.S. Michaelis, Archie, 1I.L.A. Cohen, :Mrs. A. l\I. Cohen, Mrs. B. Burnett. Plotte1, J., F.R.A.I.A. Rubinstein, Ch. ,J. Cohen, ?.Irs. L. G. §('ohcn, Ladv. Solomon, Isitlor. tCohcn, l\Irs: William L. Stanley, Eugene. Da.Yis, L. Super, A. :'.\cwton! :'.\LA., LL.B. R. Davis, ·Maurice. Wynn, S. ;J:Esserman, :N. A., B.Sc., F.Inst.D., Newca£tle, Nen· South \Vales·: A.1I.I.E. (Aust.). Esserman, Mrs. :K. A. Newcastle Hebrew Congregation. Falk, ..A. l:,arramatta, New South \Va!-es: Falk, Rabbi L. A., C.F. Freen.an, Felix. Barg, P. Freilirh, Max. Perth, \Vestern Australia : Freilich, :Mrs. Max. Freeman, 1\Irs. F(•lix. Luber, :Mrs. R. Glass. Davirl. Smith, Phillip S. Glass, Harold H., B.A., LL.B. Zeffert, 11!. E. Glass, Kenneth ?.I., B.A. ·;·Glass, Sydney B. Sydney, New South \Vales : Goldberg, Frank. Abrahams, Louis F. Goldberg, Norman, B.A., LL.B. Alexander, 1Irs. Amelia. Goulston, ,John. Alexander, Gordon hl. Goulston, ?.Irs. John . .Alexander, N., hl.D., M.B. Green, Israel. Balkind, Z. Green, i\Irs. Israel. Barnett, i\Iiss Catherin<'. Green, :Mrs. Simon. Baruch, Mrs. E. R. Guss, S. J. Benjamin, Lieut.-Col. David ,J., Guss, Mrs. S . •T. LL.B. Haneman, N. Blashki, Erie P., M.B., Ch.M. Harris, Lewis A., B.A., LL.B. Bloom, H. hl. Harris, Miss Emelia. Bloom_, i\Irs. H. i\I. Israel, K. B. t Member of the Royal Australian Historical Society. :I: Member of the .Jewish Historical Society of England. § Since deceased. '286 ilustralian ,Jewish Historical Society. Kaiser, Mrs. R. B. 1.Ieinrath, Clive D. Kessler, Mrs. •r. Meinrath1 Sydney E. Levi, Miss Louisa. l\foses, Braham, B.Ee. Lesnie, Mrs. Harry. N ewn:an, H. J3. Levy, Miss Helena. Owen, A. B. S., M.B. Loewenthal, Mrs. A. 1\1. Owen, Lieut.-Col. Hyam, M.B., Luber, Mrs. Cecil. Ch.l\f. §Packer, 1\Irs. Lewis, Packer, Lewis. Phillips, l\Irs. .A. E. tPhillips, Qnyell. Phillips, :l\Irs. Orwell. :!:tPorush, Rabbi Dr. I. Reading, Fanny, i\I.B., B.S. Reading, A. Stanley, M.B., B.Sc. Rothbury, Mrs. B. D. Roden, ,T oshua. Symonds, i\Irs. Celia. Rcithfield, A., i.'.f.C., B.A. Symonds, Mrs. Saul. §Samuel, A. C. ,volfensolm, Mrs. H. Samuel, A. R. 11I-Ia:vard, \V. L. Sampson, I. K. tHyman, Col. A. \Y., O.B.E., Y.D. Schalit, M. A., M.D. Horwitz, Israel, B.Sc., F.S.S. tSchenk, Rabbi Ma.x, B.A., M.I-I.L. ;r oseph, Louis. Schureck, Norman, §Joseph, N. P. Sofer-Schreiber, L. Joseph, L. Sperling, Sidney. Kaiser, R. B. Steigrad, S. Kellerman, M. H., B.Ee. Stephen, Alfred E. §Keesing, T. R. Sugerman, 1'.fr. Justice B., K.C., Keysor, A. A. LL,R King, G. A. Symonds, B., M.B., B.S. Landa, Abram, LL.B., M.L.A. Symonds, Saul, B . ..\.., LL.H. Lee, Morris L. \Vhitmont, E. §Loewenthal, A. 1L \Volff, Herbert I. Lesnie, E._ H. tWolinski, Joseph. Lcsnie, Harry. W olfensolm, H. Lippman, Dr. A. M. D. Lipson, Samuel, A.R.I.B.A. Trunworth, New South \Vales! Luber, Cecil. tCohen, Mrs. Victor I. Luber, Myer. \Vellington, New Zealand : Matsdorf, \V. S. tl\farks, Alderman E. S.1 C.B.E. Heinemann, J. \V. :Marks, Jonah, B.A., Dip.Ed. Myers, Phillip. 1fandelson, M. Roy. \Volman, Rev. J·. NEW MEMBERS FOR 1946. Melbourne, Victoria : Sydney, New South Wales : Theoir.in, Miss .J. \Vars, John. Perth, Western Australia : \Vellington, New Zealand: Zeffert, H . .J. Myers, Frank. NOTE.-The Hon. Secretary will be obliged if members will notify him of any omissions or necessary corrections. TI' Fellow of the Royal Australian Hi:;itorical Society. t Member of the Royal Australian Historical Society. :t Men:.ber of the Jewish Historical Society of England. § Since deceased. Obituaries. 287 Obituaries. The Society records with deep regret the recent passing of three of its members . . Lady Cohen. Elma, wife of Sir Samuel Cohen, Knight, was born on Jnly 1st, 1883. She was 63 at the time of her death in Sydney on January 11th, 1946. She was the daughter of the late Alfred D. Hart and his wife, Elizabeth. He was the son of Samuel Hart, an English merchant, who arriwd here on a British passport dated December 29th, 1857. He settled in Adelaide as a wholesale merchant, and married a sister of the late Sir Benjamin Benjamin. Her father married Elizabeth, daughter of the late Hon. l~d\\·ard Cohen, l\Iinistcr for Customs for Victoria, and a former l\layor of l\Ielbourne. She was educated, firstly at a Convent, and afterwards at a Presbyterian Ladies' College, at which she was a prize winner. She married at the age of eighteen in 1901 Samuel Sydney Cohen, son of the late :0Ir. and l\lrs. neorgP Judah Cohen, and her three children survh-ed her-i\Ia,jor Ucorgc Jocelyn Cullen, i\I.B.E.; Helen Elizabeth, wife of' Captain Keith i\Ioss; and Lieut.-Colonel Paul Alfred Cullen, D.S.O. During the war she ,vas associated with Comforts Funds, and was a member of the Committee of the Lady Oowrie Child Centre, and was also on the \V omen ;s Auxiliary of the Great Synagogue. Lady Cohen was a foundation member of this Society. Mr. Morris Alexander, K.C., M.P. The death of i\Ir. Alexander occurred at his home at St. James, Capetown, South Africa, on Januar~- 23rd, 1946, in his seYcnticth year. Born at Znin, Poland, in 1877, he went to South Africa with his parents when four years old. His primary education finished at the age of thirteen, when he became a clerk in a bank and later in the Cape Go\'ernment service. At fifteen he renewed his studies at the South African College, and on attaining his B.A. degree in 1897 he re~ eeiYed also the 1JniYersity Prize. 288 Australian Jewish IILstorical Society. In thci same yeai: he went to Cambridge, where he joined St. John's College, being awarded a foundation scholarship tenable there for two :vears. At Cambridge, he took the B.A. and LL.B. degrees. Becoming a member of the Inner Temple, he was called to the English Bar in Morris Alexander. (Photo. hy coum:.sy of Mrs. S. H. S1rnbhst.) 1900, and to the Cape Bar in the same year. His rise vms rapid, and he became one of the leading barristers in South Africa. He ,yas appointed a King's Counsel in 1919. . He was a member of the Capetown City Council, and for many years represented -in the 1Tllion Parliament an Obituarfrs.. ; . 289 electorate within the city houndal'i.es. For fort.r years he was President of the New Hebrew Congregation of Capc town, and later its Honorary Life President. lTntil the amalgamation in 1912 of the Provincial Boards of Deputies to form the South African Board of Deputies, he was President of the Board in the Cape Province. Si1iee 1912, in his capacity as Vice-President both of the South African Board and the Board of the Cape Province, his services were available at all times to all who had difficulties with immigration and naturalization matters. It was as a Zionist, however, that lw was best known throughout South African Jewr~·. H_is inspiring addresses were a great factor in the progress· of the cause which he furthered by all the means in his power. He attended the Zionist Congress at The Hague. Says the Cape Times :- 1\Ir. Alexander throughout his life displa;•;ed a spirit of public service and a desire to further the interests of his adopted country,· which gained for him the esteem and respect of all sections of the community. His love of freedom and justice, his desire to see fair play n:eted, out to the coloured population, and his determined agitation in the interests of that section of the community who are often referred to as the "under-dog," earned for him the grateful thanks and appreciation of all sections of the working class. In the Union House of Assembly after the announce ment of his death, the Prime I\Iinister, General -Smuts; the Leader of the Opposition, Dr. D. F. M:alan; Mr. W. B. i\'Iadeley, Leader of the Labour Party; Colonel Stallard, Dominion Party; l\Ir. D. B. l\folteno, on behalf of the Native Representatives; and i\'Ir. Kentridge, Union Party, all spoke in appreciation of the deaccsed member's parlia mentary services, and expressed their ·sympathy with his relatives. In the Supreme Court, l\Ir. Justice I-I. S. Yan Zyl, .Judge-Prcsident 1 and i\Ir. Douglas Buchanan, IC.C., of Capetown-both of them fellow-students with Mr. Alex ander at Cambridge-paid a special tribute to his memory. In 1907 Mr. .Ale.xander married l\Iiss Ruth H. Schechter, daughter of the late Professor Solomon Schechter, President of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. Of this marriage there were three ehildrcn :Miss Esther Alexander, now in London; .l\Iiss :Muriel Alexander, of Capetown; and Dr. S. S. Alexander, London. 290 A11stralian Jewish ,Historical Society. In 1935 he married Miss Enid A. Baumberg, of Sydney, who acted as his secretary when he attended the Melbourne Centenary celebration in 1935 as a representa ti\'e of the City of Capetown. From 1940 up to the time of his death the late Mr. Alexander was a member of this Society. Thomas Ralph Keesing. Thomas Ralph Keesing, who died on April 16th, 1946, at Bellevue Hill, Sydney, was born in 1874 at Auckland, New Zealand. His father was Ralph !Ceesing, a well known Auckland business man, who arrived with his family in New Zealand in 1842. His mother was Fann, lVIagnuson, who, before her marriage, lived at Eden, New South Wales. Deceased interested himself in Jewish communal affairs both in Auckland and in Sydney. In Auckland he was for many years Conductor of the Synagogue Choir, and in Sydney for some considerable time he was an active member, and on se\'eral occasions he acted as Deputy Conductor of the Choir of the Great Synagogue. For many years, both in New Zealand and in Sydney, he was keenly interested in bowling, and at times partici pated in the management of competitions. He leaves two sons, Arthur and Roy, and four grand daughters. The sympathy of the Society has been conveyed to the relatiYes of each of our deceased members. Co11frilnlfirms and PulJlications. CONTRIBUTIONS AND PUBLICATIONS. Australiana. -,, 1 ,_, Plcr ~·\.brrun Lan,la, LL.B., £ILL.A. : The Fi1·:,l Pastoral 1'our to the Jewish Communifi('S of the Jfritfsh Orasr:a.<; Dominions lJy The Chit/ Rabbi, Dr. J. ll. Hert:: (Oxford rnh-C'rsitv PrC'ss, 192•1), 72 pp. . 17;3. Ifovul .Austru1ian IIJstorical Ho('iC'tv's ,Journal mid Procruling,,;, voi. XXX. Sydm•y, HI..J:5. • li-L ThP Yictoriau Historical Hoch•ty's .lla{la::i1u, Yul. XXI., Xo. L )larch, 194,). Iii). The Australian .Jnci:,h Forum. Sp,c>ial .Jnnirtrsary .NumlH',·, 19JJ-104G. l 'i1i. The Sydney ,Jrwish .lid 8ol'il'tlf Fifti1 th R, z1oi'f. Hydney, 19-16. l'i'i. Warsaw Ghdto l'ah of ralour, i,y J-,\iu1011 llodilwrgt•r, }fol· bournC'. 30 pp. l'i~. TIU' Complcat .·lilti-Snnifr, hy B. BurgoynP Chnpir.an, )L\. (Sydn(':,·, Ca111hri(lge an,1 Columbia 1. Hydnp~·. 1945. l 'ifl. The lfordcr of a Prozilr, b)· Burgny11t~ Chapman, :\LA. SYdnt'\' 194-1. 1sn. 1~hr j;1cs and flu War-Jnrish Council to Combat Fascism and Anti-Semitism. 1IelbournC'. JXl. Rcrolt in the Glwt1o, liy Ikea HtmlC'. B.01·., L.IU·;~ (L<>etls). The t:uitc1l Emerg British, American, etc. .l';,J, Per Lee ll. Friec]man: Old 1'fme .Kor E11gla11d. The Bulletin of the Sueicty for the PrcserYation of X(•w Englancl Antiquities. \'"ol. XXX\"l.. No, :~. Boston, .fanu:ny, ]946. lSG. Per Norn.an L. :11.fandelsun : S011K .Jrn:ish Bo1cjaction,'> lo thl' Nation. London. 1S7. Per :Mrs. 1'.fonis .\lexandcr : Gruit Synago911r (Til.:rath risrod) Rcrir-w, Yol. II., Xo, :;, for i\far('h, 1!1-!li, Ilt•hrPw Congl'C'gation, Capetown. JS~ . Hulldin of the lllstitutt: of Historical Rcscard1, Yul. XX., Xo. •'5!1, for NoYember, 19·13. London. l '-!l. Jttligious Instruction in the Public School.<: oj Ontario, h~· Rabbi Abntham I. Feinberg. Toronto, 1946 . 1(10, • lnglo-.Tt u-islt .lssocicztion .l!c-moralldum on Palr0sfi1u. J,ondo!1, Hl.U. ~92 ,Australia11 Jrwish Jlistorical Society. Hll. .Memorandum of the Canadian Jewish Congres,'1 and the Zi-onist Organ{zlttions of Canada. Montreal, 1945. 192. Xazi, Massacre of the Je1cs and Others. Victor Gollanz Ltd., London. l 93. Let My People Go. Victor Gollanz Lttl., London. 194. Falsehoods and !!'acts A bout the Jews, by Eleanor F. Rathbonl', :M:.P., D.C.L., LL.D. London, 1945. 195. Polish Facts ancl Figures. Polish Go\'crnmeut Information Center, New York, 194-4. 196. Day of Reckoning, by Gerald Abrahmns. London, 1943. 197 . ..d Clutplain Speaks at Iwo Jima. Address by Chaplain Lieut. R. R. Gittlesohn reprinted from the Brooklyn Eagle. 1945. 198. JJulldin of ,John llyland','1 Library. :Manchestel', Fcbrmu-:,·, 1946. H>H. ~l Victory for Democracy : Re Drnmmond Wren. 'l'hl• Cana· 1lian J cwish Congress, Toronto, 1946. :WO. lfollctins of the Public Library, Boston. <8cwral. J PAPERS IN PROSPECT. ""E8'l'EHN AUSTIL\LIAN .JEWRY. 1829-1897. Part II.-Pcrth. By DaYiil ,J. Benjamin. ,1E\V8 01!' GEELONG. By Isidor Solomon. STORY O,' 1'1UJ SANDHURS1' (BENDIGO) COMMUNITY. By A. Newton Super. AN EXCERPT FRm! '!'HE HISTORY OF 1'IIE WESTERN SIJBURBS SYNAGOGUE. By Phillip Barg. A GOl'LBrm; ,JEWISH FAMILY GENEALOGY. By Re,·. }I. Roseahaum. 'rHE 1L\CQlL\RIE STREET SYXAGOGCE BUILDING:. By S;,:dney B. Gla:-._Q, D. S. Ford, Prmters, ,H,'iO Resen·oir St., Sydney.