Early arrivals to UK - why?

[Spangle]

My paternal ancestors were the Oppenheim and the Hendricks families, both Jewish. My goodness knows how many times G Grandad married in London in 1797 and his mother, Rosie/Rosy Hendricks, I've learned from a book on the family, was of Dutch origin. Her brother, just a couple of years older (and the main subject of the book) was born in Holland and spent a short few years in England before moving to the USA and establishing the Hendricks copper industry there. So, it's possible that Rosie was born in Holland too and like her brother moved to England later on.

What I'm having difficulty with is getting information on these earlier Ashkenazi Jews and their reasons for coming to England. There is plenty on Ashkenazim coming here in the mid to late 1800s but little else. Our family, now the Oppenheims through marriage, lived in the East End of London (Commercial Road area) where the Jews, especially the later arrivals, are described as poor, itinerate and uneducated. However, this seems not to be the case with my lot. My direct ancestors were successful merchants, relatives were secretary to the Great Synagogue, one a barrister.

A distant relative who lives in the US and found whilst I was researching the family states that one of my Oppenheim ancestors was educated in Paris (don't know where he got that from though). I have a vague recollection that there was unrest in the Mainz/Oppenheim/Worms area from whence they came which might explain why they moved out and travelled to France and then to England but I can only guess at this.

Can any history buff tell me why the Jewish Hendricks might have come to England in (at the latest) late 1700s and why the Jewish Oppenheims might have done the same around the same time?

And what was life like for a Jew in London at that time?

Oh where's Finbar when I need him!

[Waitabit]

Spangle, I just 'Googled' (as you do) Jewish Hendricks names London. Some quite interesting items came up. May relate to your lot.

A Google a day keeps headbanging at bay.

[Spangle]

It does indeed Waitabit, which is where I discovered that there's a book on the Hendricks family (and from that learned a little more on Rosie). It also tells me that the Oppenheims in London traded with the USA Hendricks business but still I'm none the wiser as to what the heck the Oppenheims (or Hendricks) were doing in England in the first place.

(My copy of the book is signed by the author though, a limited edition of 250 signed books, intended for the Hendricks family. It was written decades ago... little did the author know that such a copy would get into the hands of an English descendant in 2009 as it was then, courtesy of a big internet bookseller!).

[DBCoup]

One branch of my Jewish ancestry were in England (London) throughout the 18th century and the other branch was in London from the middle of the 18th century. They were Ashkenazi and far from poor. I believe they came to London encouraged perhaps by (extended) family members already there. The family who arrived mid-18th century had married into a London family so that is probably what drove that move.

Roth's "the Great Synagogue" may help with some hint of the conditions of the time, it is available on-line.
daryl

[Mona]

There is a book "The Jews of Georgian England, 1714-1830", which may be an interesting read for you. The Jews were allowed back in England in the 1650s.

[Sandyhall]

A lot of history we are not told about, we only get told what they want us to know LOL

But the Jewish People have been persecuted though out Europe for Century's not just by Hitler.

If this offends anyone I am sorry, mods may take it off.

Sandy

[Spangle]

Thank you all - and Mona, that book will be on my shopping list when I go into town next week, that's for sure.