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This is in itself seemed fascinating to me as it seemed to be an opportunity to learn something of the social history of our English ancestors. Indeed a history that was one including immigration, struggle, prejudice and triumph over adversity. Initially, I had only the names of Grandmother Eileen’s parents, Eugen (pronounced Oy-Genn) and Winifred Oppenheim, and when searching for their marriage discovered the names of Eugen’s parents, Siegmund and Adele Oppenheim. I believe Siegmund arrived in Manchester some time around 1860. Naturalisation Papers for Oppenheim, Siegmund, from Hamburg were issued on 17 June 1869. Here we get our first indications that he was involved in the textile trade (possibly cotton) as he first appears as a boarder on the census for Cheshire in 1861 and ten years later in Lancashire:
This is truly where one of the mysteries in this tale begins as we see he is unmarried. Eugen only appears on the 1901 census (after he is married) and his birth date is given at approximately 1872 in Germany. This suggests that Siegmund at some stage in the two or three years after this census, married and had a son in Germany as there are no listings for the marriage or the subsequent birth in England. This seems perfectly reasonable in light of the following listings in the Slater’s directories indicating that he was a merchant and probably travelled as part of his trade:
Slater's Directory of
Manchester & Salford, 1876. [Part 1: Alphabetical Directory] Here is Siegmund ten years later on the census for 1881 showing details of his wife and children:
497 Oxford Street
Chorlton On Medlock Lancashire From the Slater’s Directories for that decade we have:
Slater's Directory of
Manchester & Salford, 1886. [Part 1: Alphabetical Directory] Research into Sigismund Cohen established that he was the Vice Consul before Siegmund, was a Cotton Merchant also from Hamburg who died in Chapel Le Frith in Derbyshire in 1892. His family were also very successful and his son Julius Barend Cohen (b:06/05/1859 d: 1935) was a Professor at Leeds University and published many books including "Theoretical Organic Chemistry" (MacMillan and Co. Limited c1912). Prior to Cohen, three generations of the Sichel family from Frankfurt-am Main, were Vice Consul in Manchester, all in the textile manufacturing industry in Manchester and Bradford.
Slater's Manchester & Salford
Directory, 1895. [Part 1: Alphabetical Directory] So now I began to get an even more detailed indication that Siegmund was gaining some social status in the wider community as he was holding the position of Vice Consul to Austria-Hungary. The archives on the Consulate (in Bonn, Germany) state that he was appointed Honorary Vice Consul on 27 August 1892. However, a search of the London Gazettes online revealed an official notice of this appointment did not come until 1906:
Finally, now the latest available census information in 1901:
There is no sign on the 1901 census of Siegmund, Adele, Matildaor Ernest Ferdinand. Ernest does appear however, in the London Gazette in 1931 as follows:
This is where the search for the children of Siegmund and Adele became a warmer and more 3 dimensional experience as I googled the internet for some trace of Frederic. I came across the most interesting study of the economic and social mobility of the Jewish communities in Manchester www.jmaine.com/jewishresearch.htm. Now I was captivated and learnt for the first time about the Ashkenazi and Sephardi communities and also found a listing for Frederic which led me to contact the author, Julia Maine, who has been invaluable in finding links and information. This is what I found for Frederic on the 1901 census:
Marriages Jun 1902 In the Slater’s Directories we have the following for the period up to 1915:
Slater's Manchester, Salford
& Suburban Directory, 1903. [Part 1: Topography & Street Directory]
Marriages Jun 1911
I also
found recently while googling a reference to a George E Oppenheim who was
a Master Mason at a lodge in Cheshire. When contacting the author of the
information he told me that his records indicate this was George Emil
Oppenheim and that he was a Buyer. he listed his address as 'Parkfield'
Didsbury Lane (the address of Siegmund) and that he joined on May 13 1903 and
was promoted to Master Mason in September the same year. He also noted
that George changed his name by deed poll in 1914 to George Osborne as it would
seem the name Oppenheim may have caused him serious problems at the
outbreak of World War 1. The records also indicate that he resigned from the
lodge in October 1911 and that is the last they saw of him.
I have tried in vain to find some information regarding the lists of immigrants
from Hamburg to Manchester and I believe that the LDS Church have a microfiche
of the passenger lists from the period in question, which I may one day have a
chance to look at. Searches in German sources have so far proved insubstantial
and a check with the Rothschild Bank seems to rule out a possible link with the
Oppenheim family associated with their organisation.
Slater's Manchester, Salford
& Suburban Directory, 1903. [Part 1: Topography & Street Directory]
Slater's Manchester, Salford
& Suburban Directory, 1909. [Part 4: Suburban Directory]
Slater's Manchester, Salford
& Suburban Directory, 1911. [Part 1: Street Directory]
Slater's Manchester, Salford
& Suburban Directory, 1911. [Part 2: Alphabetical Directory] So, it appears as if Siegmund was still conducting business and participating on quite a high level in the local community as a Vice-Consul, Justice of the Peace, Magistrate and Director for a company of textile merchants (Robert Sorensen & Co) right up to the period preceding the First World War. I have been unable to find any further information at this stage about Siegmund and his wife. There appear to be no record of their deaths in England or how their son Eugen arrived in England and when he died. These details will surely follow. If anyone reading this is aware of these people, their families and descendants I would love to hear from you. Corrections, deletions and additions are gratefully appreciated. Any information relating to the Manchester Unionist Club, Manchester Geographical Society, S Oppenheim & Co, Robert Sorensen & Co, Sigismund Cohen, Vaudrey, Oppenheim and Mellor, Cassell & Co of Poplar and Millwall and any details relating to the social and cultural history of the Ashkenazi Jewish communities of Manchester would also be gratefully appreciated. The law firm Vaudrey, Oppenheim and Mellor later became Vaudrey, Osborne and Mellor and in the late 1990’s changed its name completely and is still in operation in Manchester. It strikes me that the missing details of this story when found, will give a greater depth to what appears from the surface as an interesting and uniquely personal journey through an important stage not only in the Industrial history of Manchester but also the political and religious lives of the immigrants to Manchester from the continent. Interesting footnotes to this story include the change in religious practise of Eugen as he was married in a Christian church and to his son Neville Eugen Oppenheim (born: 1904) who changed his name to Neville Grant Martin and played with the Ambrose Orchestra in London before being tragically killed at home on Camden Road (by a german bomb) in 1940. Eugen’s first two children Violet Bertha born in 1901 and Cyril born in 1902 both died in the first couple of years of life. Indeed it was Eugen’s daughter Eileen Winifred Maude Oppenheim who was to become the only surviving child and my personal link to this fascinating family.
Kirsten Beach (for the Oppenheim/Cassell/Thompson family) Heemskerk Netherlands
Without prejudice
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Last updated 08 February 2021 |
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