Kehilat Middlesbrough Newsletter No 18 September 2003 page 4 (of 4)
Letters
The following information is about my grandmother's family and I would dearly like to find out more about them.
I desperately need to find out if my great grandparents are buried in Middlesbrough. Also if there any records that may help me to pinpoint where they originally came. from.
I may have the opportunity to visit my grandfather Morris's brothers, grandchildren, whom I managed to find early this year. If all goes well I hope to be in England from about the 7th of September, I am planning on going to Middlesbrough if time permits, as my trip is only 2 weeks, and I have much to do while there, so I need to plan for Middlesbrough, as it is quite a way north, and I have the Manchester area to go to, Nottingham and Leicester, Coventry, Wiltshire and London. My time will be tight as you can see, I am sure that I may only have a day or less than that to spare. Yet I hope that I will have good reason to make the trip.
If I could find out something concrete about my great grandparents, other than what I have below, I will definitely, make a point of coming to Middlesbrough. But I will not have time spare for digging, and therefore hope some kind soul will come to my assistance.
Is there any way that you or one of the current residents of Middlesbrough that could try to establish some help in regards to my family.
What I can tell you though is the following:
1. The family went to England prior to 1894 (I believe), when my grandmother Mary's sister, Janey (Levingstone), was married to a Louis Cohen (Son of Moses Cohen) at the New Synagogue and Beth Hamedrash in Prestwich, Lancashire. They lived at 93 Lord Street, Cheetham at the time, of their marriage. My great grandfather Jacob Levingstone's occupation then was a Draper. Witnesses were: John Levi and Neyman Finkelstone. And the Rabbi J Matz, Secretary J Jacobs.
2. Mary Livingstone (my grandmother), was married in Blackburn Synagogue in 1898, to my grandfather Morris Shapero. At which time Jacob Livingstone was a General Dealer. Witnesses were Aaron Pinkus and David Finburg. The Rabbi was A. Neumann. The couple lived at 17 Simmons St Blackburn. On 26th September 1903 their son Harry was born at 101 Great Moor Street, Bolton.
3. The names of Livingstone, Levingstone, Levinstein were used by the family at various times, which must have been anglicised from a Jewish name on entering England. So I am not sure what I am looking for, as far as the names are concerned, when looking in the Jewish Genealogy records. You will see that it becomes worse with the names of the towns given in the 1901 Census
4. My great grandparents Livingstone / Levin / etc, were, Jacob age 52 (Occupation: Picture Framer) and Sarah Livingstone age 50 (??) Taken from the 1901 England and Wales census. (This record is my family - the names of children and grandchildren are in keeping with my grandmother's siblings etc.
5. At the time of the 1901 Census they were living at, 10 Milton St, Middlesbrough, England.
6. Their children were: Janey, Mary, Lazarus, Lily and Percy.
7. Janey and Mary came to South Africa around 1904.
8. Lazarus HE and Percy J, went to the USA (I do not know when) They lived in Santa Fe or Albuquerque in the '40's.
9. Lazarus H. Born about 1880, and owned a Furniture Business, I think in Santa Fe, "Livingstone's Furniture Store (I think). His son in law Al Kaufman took it over when he retired to Palm Springs or CA somewhere, where he died. His wife I believe was Anne, and children Arthur and Sylvia. My cousin in Australia, managed to contact Sylvia, but she does not seem to be interested in helping as she has not replied to 2 letters, so I have to try by other means.
10. Lily married a Mr. Friedman who was living in America. (I therefore think that she may have met him in America).
11. Percy, born about 1884 (have nothing other than his wife was probably) Marion and son Johnny
The Census of England 1901, states that my great grandparents were born in a place called "Plag, Poland". And the children in "Snoalk, Poland".
Thus far I have not found anything, to help me get further. Both the surname used in England and the towns transcribed from the 1901 Census, are misleading. Yet my grandmother claimed to be Russian, and Lily's on her death certificate was Lithuanian.
12. Somewhere, there is a strong relationship I believe to a "Heyman Shaffer", perhaps my great grandmother's maiden name.
13. Perhaps also Levi.
I have no way of getting into the next England Census, to establish whether the family still lived in England up to 1910-1911. I am sure that they could still have been there and maybe still in Middlesbrough. The later Census may give me a clearer indication to the towns in Poland, which would be of great value. I would dearly like to know if my great grandparents died in England. And where they are buried etc.
Getting to the 1930 or 1940 or later census in the USA would be a great benefit, but I cannot get into either the USA or England Census from South Africa.
My father's father Morris Shapero (Schapira - Szapire) and his family have not been that difficult until about 1877. They were from Zbaraz, Galicia, and I was helped by my great-grandmother's name on my grandfather’s death certificate. But had to find his father's grave to establish his name. Morris's parents were Zalelle Schapira / Szapire etc. His wife Chane Lea Dank, here parents were Aron Dank and Caja Sary (I think her maiden name may have been "Laurie").
Zallel had 4 sons which survived to go to England. Mendel/ Marks, Morris (my gf), Chaskel / Charles / Ezekiel Charles and David. Morris and Mendel came to South Africa. Neither of our generations knew of the lost families until I started my research. I am now in contact with the grandchildren of Charles and David in the UK.
Marks / Mendel Shapeero, married Fanny Shaffer, daughter of Heyman Shaffer (a Collector), in the New Synagogue and Beth Hamedrash in Prestwich. They lived in 70 Stocks Street, Manchester. He lived in the Manchester, Blackburn and Bolton area at various point of his life and in 1908, before leaving for South Africa, he lived at 12 Derby Street, Lancashire.
In 1901 Fanny's father Heyman Shaffer and his family lived at 3 Boughton St, North Manchester His wife was Jane.
I need to know Jane Shaffer's maiden name, and also my great grandmother, Sara Livingstone's maiden name, as I have been told that Fanny and my grandmother Mary were cousins. This could have come from their father's sides or their mother's sides of the family. It is very important to me.