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When referring to this work, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given e.g. AUTHOR (year of submission) "Full thesis title", University of Southampton, name of the University School or Department, PhD Thesis, pagination http://eprints.soton.ac.uk UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON FACULTY OF LAW, ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES School of Humanities A biographical study of the early beneficiaries: The Jewish Education Aid Society. by Micheline Ann Stevens Thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy June 2016 Abstract In Britain, during the latter years of the nineteenth and into the twentieth century, there was a plethora of philanthropic organisations introduced and managed by members of the established Anglo-Jewish community. The purpose of these organisations was, in part, to demonstrate that the influx of Eastern European Jewish immigrants was not a burden on Britain as a whole. In other words the aim was to show that Jews were prepared to care for their own people, financially and morally. Much has been written about the larger organisations but little, if anything, is recorded about some of the smaller societies which usually pursued a narrow and defined purpose. One such was the Jewish Education Aid Society. This thesis charts the affairs of this particular organisation beginning with its inception in 1896 as the Jewish Education Aid Committee and its re-structuring, in 1907, as the Jewish Education Aid Society. The thrust of the work is addressed in a general chapter covering the organisation and work of both the Committee and the Society, and touching on the lives of some of the early recipients. This is followed by three detailed case studies the purpose of which is to explore in depth the lives of these particular individuals and their immediate family members. These beneficiaries fulfilled the requirement for assistance, namely that each was a member of an impecunious Jewish family and was extremely talented, either academically or artistically. Support, financial and social, was given in order to develop their talents and future careers. The three recipients selected were all members of larger family units, thus the impact of such assistance within this structure has also been considered. It is this aspect of the Jewish immigrant’s experience, as the recipient of philanthropy, that is seldom addressed. This work aims to address the balance and is the first to explore the impact of British Jewish philanthropy from the ‘bottom up’. List of Contents List of Illustrations i Author’s declaration iv Acknowledgements v List of Abbreviations vi Introduction The development and progression of Jewish Philanthropy in 19th Century England 1 Increasing immigration 1 Anglo-Jewish philanthropy 2 Efforts to deter immigration 6 The problem of the ‘Other’ 11 Health, work and housing 12 Social control and self determination 21 People’s history 24 A particular organisation with a specific purpose 27 Chapter 1 From the Jewish education Aid Committee to the Jewish Education Aid Society: 1896-1907 33 Introduction 33 Herbert Bentwich 37 Class discrimination and pupil teachers 39 Gender issues 45 Selecting applicants 47 Fund raising 52 The wind of change 55 The Union of Jewish Women 58 Reconstruction 59 The Jewish Education Aid Society 62 Chapter 2 Philip Blackman 1881-1963. A Journey: From Immigrant to Englishman 70 Introduction 70 The early years 72 Education 77 Social mobility 81 Marriage and family life 86 The Research Chemist 92 Pioneer 179359 – Special Brigade Royal Engineers 95 The return to teaching 100 The Mishna and other publications 101 The Synagogue 105 The welfare of children 107 Conclusion 109 Chapter 3 The Care and Control of Poor Maude Gold 111 Introduction 111 The early years 113 The ‘Child Prodigy’ 117 Maude’s early life in London 118 Musical training 121 Behavioural problems 123 Osias Gold and the JEAS 129 Training and employment in Brussels 136 Return to the UK 138 Maude’s relationship with her family 151 Conclusion 157 Chapter 4 Amy Rolda: A question of identity 161 Introduction 161 A singer’s problems 167 Rolda or Robinson? The search for identity 169 Eskell Robinson 173 Eskell’s business mistakes or mis-deeds? 177 Family life in Manchester 187 Sarah Robinson and Max Wolpé 195 Solomon Robinson and Ada/Ida Holroyd 199 Moses Albert/Albert Robinson and Elizabeth Ann/Lizzie Goddard 202 Violent and unnatural deaths 203 Charlotte Robinson 206 Raphael/Ralph Robinson 207 The fall and rise of the family’s fortunes 211 Amy Shône Dasha Robinson 214 Conclusion 222 Conclusion 225 Afterword 230 Appendices 232 Appendix 1: Resolution Passed at Sub-Committee Meeting of 28 May 1907 232 Appendix 2a: Nathan and Esther Blackman’s family 233 Appendix 3: Osias and Tony Gold’s family 235 Appendix 4: Eskell and Eliza Robinson’s family 236 Glossary 237 Bibliography 239 List of Illustrations Figure 1: Table XLVI: ‘Showing the Nationality of Landlords and of Tenants of a certain number of Houses in the Borough of Stepney, with the number of cases where the rents were raised by British and Alien Landlords respectively’ 20 Figure 2: Herbert Bentwich 37 Figure 3: Hertha Marks Ayrton 63 Figure 4: Brunswick Buildings 1891 73 Figure 5: Goulston Street circa1900 75 Figure 6: Deal Street School 2008 78 Figure 7: Board of Education Teacher’s Certificate Registered Number 02/901 81 Figure 8: Laleham House 2012 (previously Laleham Buildings) 82 Figure 9: A Street in The Nichol 1890 83 Figure 10: Boundary Street Estate and Central Garden circa 1896/97 84 Figure 11: Boundary Street Estate and Central Garden circa 1896/97 84 Figure 12: Boundary Estate Conservation Area 2013 85 Figure 13: Abingdon House 2012 (previously Abingdon Buildings) 86 Figure 14: Whitechapel high Street junction with Osborn Street circa 1890 87 Figure 15: Wargrave House 2012 (previously Wargrave Buildings) 88 Figure 16: 33 Princess May Road 2013 89 Figure 17: 10 Purley Avenue 2012 90 Figure 18: 20 Hortus Road 2011 91 i Figure 19: Pioneer 179359-Special Brigade Royal Engineers 96 Figure 20A: Text of postcard to Theresa 97 Figure 20B: Picture on postcard to Theresa 97 Figure 21: Cissy’s postcard 29 July 1918 98 Figure 22: Philip and his Special Brigade comrades 99 Figure 23: British War Medal and the Victory Medal 100 Figure 24: Advertisement of the Blackman Mishnah, 1965 104 Figure 25: London Bridge to Portsmouth ‘Kiddies’ Holiday Group 109 Figure 26: Miss Maude Gold 111 Figure 27: 29 Library Road 2012 113 Figure 28: Penygraig circa 1900 115 Figure 29: Soar Chapel 1910 115 Figure 30: 89 Tylacelyn Road 2011 116 Figure 31: 9 Aldridge Road, Bayswater 2014 128 Figure32: Brunswick Label Record circa September 1927 140 Figure 33: Miss Maude Gold 143 Figure 34: Miss Maude Gold 143 Figure 35: Elm House, 2 Carlton Road, Manchester 2014 149 Figure 36: Maude’s Grave, 21 January 2015 150 Figure 37: Maude’s Headstone, 21 January 2015 150 Figure 38: 34 Primrose Street, Tonypandy, 2014 151 Figure 39: 161 Newport Road, Cardiff 2014 153 Figure 40: Sophie and Edith’s Grave, 21 January 2015 156 Figure 41: Sophie and Edith’s Headstone, 21 January 2015 156 Figure 42: Amy Rolda 171 Figure 43: Proposed Grand Pavilion, Rhyl 178 ii Figure 44: The Grand Pavilion 178 Figure 45: The Grand Pavilion destroyed by fire 181 Figure 46: Victoria Park area, 2012 189 Figure 47: Plan of Victoria Park, 1837 190 Figure 48: A Victoria Park Toll Gate 191 Figure 49: Gaskell House, 84, Plymouth Grove 192 Figure 50: Upper Brook Street, 2012 198 Figure 51: Willesden Avenue, 2012 200 Figure 52: The Free Grammar School Market Bosworth circa 1828. 208 Figure 53: Raphael/Ralph Robinson at Ampleforth College 208 Figure 54: Ralph Robinson 209 iii Academic Thesis: Declaration Of Authorship I, Micheline Ann Stevens declare that this thesis and the work presented in it are my own and has been generated by me as the result of my own original research. The Jewish Education Aid Society: A biographical study of the early recipients. I confirm that: 1. This work was done wholly or mainly while in candidature for a research degree at this University; 2. Where any part of this thesis has previously been submitted for a degree or any other qualification at this University or any other institution, this has been clearly stated; 3. Where I have consulted the published work of others, this is always clearly attributed; 4. Where I have quoted from the work of others, the source is always given. With the exception of such quotations, this thesis is entirely my own work; 5. I have acknowledged all main sources of help; 6. Where the thesis is based on work done by myself jointly with others, I have made clear exactly what was done by others and what I have contributed myself; 7. None of this work has been published before submission. Signed: Date: iv Acknowledgements I greatly appreciate the guidance, expertise and patience exercised by my supervisor, Professor Tony Kushner, who encouraged me to conduct the research for this thesis. My thanks are extended to all those who responded to my enquiries, in particular the replies I received from numerous staff members of libraries, archives, museums, galleries, education establishments and local history groups.

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