WOLF AND JUDAH LEE SIMMONDS PRAYER BOOK

[phillip]

This thread is for my Simmonds/Jacobs distant cousins particularly those in the UK,USA and South America. The thread should be read in conjunction with earlier threads on Wolf Simmonds-Eve Jacobs and Judah Lee Simmonds-Maria Solomon.
I have posted widely on the Simmonds and Jacobs lines including those that settled in the West Indies and UK.
However, I am aware that I have yet to complete wider data on Wolf Simmonds who settled in the UK from Germany.

Last week I noted on Synagogue Scribes Blog the heading ( posted 25 January 2018) Simmonds Family Prayer Book. Synagogue Scribes ( co owners Angela Shires and Gaby Laws) posted photographs of a Simmmonds Hebrew Prayer Book dated 1837 which had the inscription W Simmonds to J L Simmonds. This prayer book was among several offered for sale on e bay and the owner had contacted Synagogue Scribes regarding the inscription.
Synagogue Scribes had suggested that based on the inscription it was highly likely that the two names referred to Wolf Simmonds and his son Judah Lee Simmonds.
See Cemetery Scribes and Synagogue Scribes for records on the Simmonds family. See also Jacobstree website which has more detailed records on the Simmonds/Jacobs relationship.

As a very brief summary,Wolf Simmonds c1776-1844 =Eve Jacobs c 1781-1869 (Nb This Eve Jacobs is not the same Jacobs family name as per the Jacobs aka Letson aka Litzen who married into the UK Simmonds)

Two children of Wolf/Eve were Dinah Rawner Simmonds c 1801-1867 who married Lewis Henry(Judah) Jacobs c 1798-1847 and Judah Lee Simmonds c 1816-1899 who married 2 sisters Isabella and Maria Solomon.

Lewis Henry Jacobs was the son of Henry Jacobs 1768-1865 and Kitty Moses b? d ? daughter of Moshe Cohen my 4x great grandparents.

Synagogue Scribes in their blog expressed the hope that the Simmonds Family Prayer Book would find its 'home'.

Due to the kindness of my younger brother Steve, the Prayer book is now on its way 'home' to me so it will be in the Simmonds/Jacobs family where it belongs some 180 years later.

My grateful thanks to Synagogue Scribes for their Blog. I do not look at e bay so would never have discovered the prayer book.

I will post on the Wolf Simmonds- Eve Jacobs line in more detail.

Phillip

[phillip]

The Simmonds Family Prayer book has resulted in my identifying further information on the relationship that Wolf Simmonds and his son Judah Lee Simmonds had with the Borough Synagogue Southwark. In addition, entries for members of the congregation and contributors to the Borough New Synagogue 1867 show the names:
Mrs Simmonds ( In Memory of her late husband, Wolf Simmonds Esq); J L Simmonds; Coleman Simmonds Esq Hamburg; M B Simmonds Esq W.I;C.H Simmonds W.S. C.
Plus Benjamin Jacobs; D L Jacobs among others

There is an online book Laws for the Management of the Borough New Synagogue 5627-1867 which records the above names. A past honorary Warden had been Wolf Simmonds and his son Judah Lee Simmonds had been an officer 1868-1869 see also Synagogue Scribes Borough Synagogue which lists numbers of names in The History of the Borough Synagogue -The Rev M Rosenbaum 1917 - this book online.

The early involvement of Wolf Simmonds in the 1826 Borough Synagogue can be identified when he was made President with Mr Levy. "The congregation came into possession of the building, which, it seems, was originally intended for use as stables, towards the end of 1823, and services were held almost immediately... A lease of the buildings was taken in 1826.. the Presidents were then Mr W Simmonds and Mr Levy".

See earlier threads posted on Coleman Simmonds-Esther Jesurun plus a range of threads on the Wolf Simmonds family.

Phillip

[lPeinado]

I am so surprised by this news!!!! I contacted the seller on eBay and found out it was already sold!!!! So good to hear it was acquired by you Phillip

[phillip]

I received the Prayer Book from my brother Steve this morning. The book is dual English and Hebrew and reads right to left. The frontess piece reads.."The Form of Prayers for the Feast of Tabernacles According to the Custom of the German and Polish Jews as read in their Synagogues and used in their families. Translated and printed into English from the Hebrew by David LEVI. Now carefully revised, corrected, and illustrated by ISAAC LEVI Teacher of the Hebrew Language,& Vol 1V second edition with amendments. London:Printed and Sold by E Justins,34 Brick Lane Spitalfields
Sold by Hyam BARNET, Hebrew Bookseller, Adam's Court, New Court, Duke's Place; and I JOSEPH,Sam's Coffee House, Duke's Place
A.M. 5567

I have sent to Paul photos of some of the book pages including the signature of W Simmonds to J L Simmonds P 100 of the book. This page is part of The Reader's Repetition which contain a series of Blessings and thanks to "O Lord, our God"

Let me know if you would like the photos.

Good to get the Prayer Book 'home'. I gather that the seller had the book as part of other items from Manchester. I will speak to him and see what else he might tell us.

Phillip

[lPeinado]

Yes yes I want the Photos!!!! please.... How exciting!!!! my mail [email protected]

[phillip]

Lucrecia
I will be sending the photographs of the Prayer Book this am.

In #2 of this thread there was reference to the contributors to the Borough New Synagogue. One of them was a C H SIMMONDS W.S.C. This is not Coleman Simmons as he was also referred to in the list.My question is who is C H Simmonds W.S.C. ? Have I missed this individual among the Simmonds names and what do the initials W.S.C stand for?

Just in case we missed this record:
See Synagogue Scribes The Great Synagogue Offertory Book- transcribed by Henry Roche. The 1824-25 -late 1830s records of worshippers' offerings -
GSOFa 055
WOLF SIMMONS Hebrew name BENJAMIN-Father MOSES SIMMANS

You will note the variations in spellings between the Simmons and Simmans.

See also my posts on Judah Lee Simmonds which identifies the relationship through marriages between the Simmonds/Isaacs/Solomon/Levy/Jacobs/Crawcour lines.

Phillip

[artsimmonds]

One possibility is Carl Hauer Simmonds, cousin to Coleman, brother to simon, and an avid contributor to the Edwards, Simmonds company that operated in Colombia and Haiti. Don't have any clues on the W.S.C. I have attached a picture

[lPeinado]

Could it be that W. S. C. relate to the roles that each persona had in the congregation and the type of seat they contributed for?

In the first case, each letter could be the first letter of one of the roles or positions they held i.e Wardens, Presiding Warden, Secretary, Treasurers, Auditors, Readers.

Some of these roles were Salaried Officials: Minister, Secretary, Assitant Reader and Collector, Reader of the Holly Law and Beadle

Regarding the Seats: the type of seat paid for was "clasified" or identifies with letters:
First Class "A"... x x amount
Second Class "B & D" .... all the way to letter "K" for men and from "A to D" for ladies.

As well the law indicates that a record had to be kept of all people making a contribution or bequest, as well as for the seat payment/contribution and we see this records at the end of the document. Here is were the name of the contributor is followed by the INTIALS (Roles? and Seat type???) and the amounts they gave to the congregation.

Could it be then that W. S. C. could stand for:
W = Warden S = Secretary and C for Class C Seats? for which and that C H Simmonds contributed 2 - 2- 0 ?

Does it make sense?

[phillip]

Many thanks Lucrecia for the download of the Borough New Synagogue Laws. My computer skills are limited which means that I can locate records but do not know how to share them. Thanks also to you Art for the link to Carl.
Am I right in thinking that you are going to Sweden and may stop over in London. If so, let me know and if possible perhaps we could meet.

If we look closely at the names of the contributors to the Borough New Synagogue you will note numbers of other relatives such as Henry Isaac Crawcour; A H Hart ( my 3x great grandfather) and other Hart plus the Jacobs et al.

The only ones who have initials by their names are our Simmonds. I take in the case of MB Simmonds that WI stands for West Indies and in the case of CH SImmonds WSC is the address something to do with Columbia or West Indies?

If you look at the Synagogue Scribes Blog which has data on the Borough Synagogue you will see the link to the history of the Synagogue with Simmonds names including Wolf.

Phillip

[artsimmonds]

Thanks Phillip for sharing this great find, it opens another chapter to our family history. Interesting to see the Isaacs name mentioned. Edwin Isaacs married a doughter of Wolf Hauer Simmonds (elder brother to Carl), and when widowed, married the other sister. I am curious if his family was apart of that English congregation. Another important person was Ephraim Edwards, partner in business to Coleman Simmonds and Simon Hauer Simmonds, in fact the company name in the W.I. and in South America was Edwards, Simmonds & Co. I am also curious to know if Ephraim was a part of that English community that migrated to the W.I.

An interesting document in the Hebrew Archives in Cininnatti is the Dairy Book of Simon Hauer Simmonds, in it is a references to the "uncle in England" (Wolf I suspect).

I am attending the Zadig Family Reunion in Sweden, May 12. Friederika Hauer (sister to Carl and Wolf and Simon Hauer) married Meyer Zadig in Altona, they then moved to Malmo, Sweden, the rest is history. Will make travel plans to include England.