Parents: Mark Baum
Born: 1855 in Vorne, Russia (now Varniai in the Telz district of Lithuania). However his age, as stated on his tombstone, suggests he may have been born as late as 1857
Hebrew name: Asher Zelig, son of Mordechai Gershon. Asher in Hebrew and Zelig in Yiddish both mean “happy”
Migration: Asher came to England as a young man sometime before 1877 (before the age of 22). It appears that he came without his family, and probably left Russia to evade military service
Married: Minnie Rosenberg on 3 January 1877 in Prestwich, Manchester, England. Asher was 21 and Minnie was 20
Asher Baum and Minnie Rosenberg marriage certificate on 3 January 1877 at the great synagogue in the district of Prestwich, Manchester, England. Both Asher and Minnie are listed as residing in 4 Faulk Street, Cheetham, presumably with with her parents. His occupation is listed as a macintosh maker and hers as a cap maker. He is 21 and she is 20
Occupation: Mackintosh maker, grocer, butcher, provision dealer, shopkeeper. His grocery shop was a business partnership with his father-in-law, Harris Rosenberg until Harris's death in 1897. In a letter in 1971, my grandfather wrote in connection with Lord Siev's autobiography that "Asher Baum (the Baker) being a partner in building schools with Mr Marks - the uncle who lent Lord Marks £2000 to pay out the trustee"
1901
The family is still at 46 Lord Street, Cheetham Hill, Prestwich, Manchester. Asher is still a grocer / baker / shop keeper. He is listed as born around 1856. Both he and Minnie are now naturalised British subjects. Living with them is Jane age 20, Fanny age 15, Abraham, age 11, Rachel age 11 and Harold age 1
1911
The family is still at 46 Lord Street, Cheetham Hill, Prestwich, Manchester and Asher is still a grocer, age 56. Minnie is age 54, Fanny age 25, Rachael age 21 and Abraham age 21 (who has signed the document)
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Asher Baum naturalization certificate 22 December 1886 p. 1
Asher Baum naturalization certificate 22 December 1886 p. 2
Asher Baum naturalization notice 22 December 1886. The London Gazette, 1 February 1887, p. 535
Death certificate for Asher Baum. Cause of death is given as diabetes chronic Brights disease and cardiac failure. Present at the death was his daughter Rachel Baum
Tombstone for Asher Baum. Erected in loving memory of Asher Baum who died Kislev 26th 5678 DEC 10th 1917 aged 64 years. Deeply mourned by his wife and children. M.H.D.S.R.I.P.
"Here [lies] buried / our dear and reputable father, he was Asher Zelig (אשר זעליג) son of Mordechai Gershon / a man esteemed, princely and noble / his name praised at the gates / his advice guided by righteousness and straight paths / his good memory will be [recalled] for generations to come / he lives on in the revered heavens / he feared no man, save God alone / days and nights early unto the synagogue [abbreviation for name thereof?] / the Garden of Eden shall be your residence for, aagh, / suddenly death plucked him at age 64 of his life / 26th Kislev 5678, the living God collected his spirit / may his soul be bound in the bond of [eternal] life."
Asher Baum Probate 18 January 1918. He died Intestate and his beneficiary was his wife, Minnie Baum. The value of his estate was £845-6-11 gross and £305-11-6 net
Asher and Minnie Baum (Nee Rosenberg) in Manchester around 1893 with their children. Left to Right, Rachel Baum, Asher Baum (seated), Hannah Baum (standing), Fanny Baum, Minnie Baum (seated), Jeanne Baum (standing), Abraham Baum
Asher Baum rates assessment 1885. Note he is not the owner of the property
Asher Baum becomes the sole partner in the Cheetham Rubber Company. The London Gazette, 24 June 1890, p. 3539
In 1894 Asher Baum was listed as a Baker, grocer and provision dealer in Harfield's Commercial Directory of the Jews of the United Kingdom
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Asher Baum bankruptcy is annulled. The Edinburgh Gazette, 20 March 1917, p. 613
Asher Baum was born in Varniai in the Telz district of Lithuania
It was established in the 14th century, on the bank of the Varnelė River, near an important Samogitian castle. It was the center of Samogitian Catholic church: after the baptism of Samogitia, the Samogitian Bishop resided in the town. Around 1414–1416 the first church was built, and c. 1464 the first cathedral. Varniai was the center of Samogitian episcopate until the middle of the 19th century, when authorities of the Russian Empire moved it to Kaunas.
The first Jews probably settled in Vorne in the second half of the seventeenth century. The bishop granted rights to a few Jews to run taverns, sell liquor and collect taxes during the fairs. Later, peddlers, merchants and artisans arrived in town. Jews, provided the majority of tradesmen, including tailors. Their workshops were small and run by families. The tradesmen of the time numbered twenty-two tailors, ten carters, sixteen shoemakers, six blacksmiths, three carpenters, three hatters, two builders, one book binder, one painter and one mould-maker. There were also well known timber tradesmen: one of these, Aharon Raskin, was a very prominent member of the community. The timber was loaded onto rafts and sent to Memel (Klaipeda) en route to Germany. The local flour mill was owned by Rafael Zax. Liquor distillation plants were also run by Jews. Several families kept stores, and they would travel to the large regional town of Shavl (Šiauliai) to stock up on goods.
As the population grew, a cemetery and prayer houses were built – the Kloiz and the Shtiblekh on two of the sides of the Shul, a building with a high dome for prayers in the summer. Later, welfare associations were established. Linath HaTsedek, Bikur Holim, Gemiluth Hesed, Hakhnasath Kalah and Hakhnasath Orkhim were among these. Social assistance was mostly provided by generous women with initiative. One such was Ida-Pesia, the wife of Aharon Raskin the timber merchant. He was also the Gabai of the local Yeshivah with its 60 students. This Yeshivah was established and directed by Nahum-Lipa Hananyah, and it existed for 35 years until his death in 1910. Many of the young people in the town studied in the Telz Yeshivah and in other Yeshivoth in the area. Quite a few acquired a general education as well.
In 1874, a blood libel was initiated by a local priest who gave money to a Christian boy to disappear from the town. Then he announced that the Jews had murdered the boy for his blood. The priest, together with a group of peasants armed with knives and sticks, went out in the streets and attacked every Jew they met. A few were injured and taken to hospital. The uproar stopped when the boy returned home. In 1847, 1,084 Jews lived in the town. Half a century later, according to the government census of 1897, there were 3,121 residents in Varniai, including 1,226 (39%) Jews.
The building Asher and his family occupied at 46 Lord Street, Cheetham, Manchester no longer appears to exist. The structure at 5 Fernie Street is also no longer in existence
Married: Minnie Rosenberg on 3 January 1877 in Prestwich, Manchester, England. Asher was 21 and Minnie was 20
Children
Their first child was born in 1878 when Asher was 23 and Minnie 21. Their last child was born in 1899 when Asher was 44 and Minnie 42
- Hannah Baum 1878 - 1938
- Jeanne (Jane) Baum 1879 - 1964
- Samuel Baum 1881 - 1884
- Leah Baum 1884 - 1884
- Rebecca Baum 1887 - 1887
- Fanny Baum 1885 - 1950
- Abraham (Abe) Baum 1889 - 1944
- Rachel (Raie) Baum 1889 - 1973
- Harris Marcus (Harold) 1899 - 1904
Abraham and Rachel were twins. In the 1911 census it is recorded that Asher and Minnie had a total of 9 children born alive and that five were still living
Occupation: Mackintosh maker, grocer, butcher, provision dealer, shopkeeper. His grocery shop was a business partnership with his father-in-law, Harris Rosenberg until Harris's death in 1897. In a letter in 1971, my grandfather wrote in connection with Lord Siev's autobiography that "Asher Baum (the Baker) being a partner in building schools with Mr Marks - the uncle who lent Lord Marks £2000 to pay out the trustee"
Census details
1881
The family is at 5 Fernie St., Manchester, England. He is a grocer, age 28 and Minnie is 23. The children, all born in England, are given as Annie age 3 and Jane age 1. The family shared the house with Minnie's father, Harris Rosenberg, age 51, from Poland, also a grocer, his wife Toby, age 50, born in Poland and their 2 younger Polish born children, Rose, age 15 and Rachael, age 9
1881
The family is at 5 Fernie St., Manchester, England. He is a grocer, age 28 and Minnie is 23. The children, all born in England, are given as Annie age 3 and Jane age 1. The family shared the house with Minnie's father, Harris Rosenberg, age 51, from Poland, also a grocer, his wife Toby, age 50, born in Poland and their 2 younger Polish born children, Rose, age 15 and Rachael, age 9
1891
The family is at 46 Lord Street, Cheetham Hill, Prestwich, Manchester and Asher is a provision dealer age 36. Minnie is 32, Annie is 13, Jane is 10, Fanny is 5 and both Abraham and Rachel are 1. They have two servants, Sarah Markus age 19 from Russia and Ellen Brown age 21 from Ireland
The family is at 46 Lord Street, Cheetham Hill, Prestwich, Manchester and Asher is a provision dealer age 36. Minnie is 32, Annie is 13, Jane is 10, Fanny is 5 and both Abraham and Rachel are 1. They have two servants, Sarah Markus age 19 from Russia and Ellen Brown age 21 from Ireland
1901
The family is still at 46 Lord Street, Cheetham Hill, Prestwich, Manchester. Asher is still a grocer / baker / shop keeper. He is listed as born around 1856. Both he and Minnie are now naturalised British subjects. Living with them is Jane age 20, Fanny age 15, Abraham, age 11, Rachel age 11 and Harold age 1
1911
The family is still at 46 Lord Street, Cheetham Hill, Prestwich, Manchester and Asher is still a grocer, age 56. Minnie is age 54, Fanny age 25, Rachael age 21 and Abraham age 21 (who has signed the document)
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Naturalization
Asher Baum became a naturalized British subject on 22 December 1886
Death
10 December 1917 in Prestwich, Manchester, England at 64 years of age. Buried in the Urmston Jewish Cemetery, Urmston, Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester, England
10 December 1917 in Prestwich, Manchester, England at 64 years of age. Buried in the Urmston Jewish Cemetery, Urmston, Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester, England
Hebrew translation: the laudatory text beneath the curved line that records his name is in the form of an acrostic אשר זעליג – each line begins with the next slightly-enlarged letter forming his name over 8 lines of text.
"Here [lies] buried / our dear and reputable father, he was Asher Zelig (אשר זעליג) son of Mordechai Gershon / a man esteemed, princely and noble / his name praised at the gates / his advice guided by righteousness and straight paths / his good memory will be [recalled] for generations to come / he lives on in the revered heavens / he feared no man, save God alone / days and nights early unto the synagogue [abbreviation for name thereof?] / the Garden of Eden shall be your residence for, aagh, / suddenly death plucked him at age 64 of his life / 26th Kislev 5678, the living God collected his spirit / may his soul be bound in the bond of [eternal] life."
The Hebrew date matches the civil date recorded as December 10th 1917, after sunset and before midnight.
Probate
Pictures
Asher Baum
Documents
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Asher Baum bankruptcy receiving order. The London Gazette, 26 September 1916, p. 9398
Place of Birth
The first Jews probably settled in Vorne in the second half of the seventeenth century. The bishop granted rights to a few Jews to run taverns, sell liquor and collect taxes during the fairs. Later, peddlers, merchants and artisans arrived in town. Jews, provided the majority of tradesmen, including tailors. Their workshops were small and run by families. The tradesmen of the time numbered twenty-two tailors, ten carters, sixteen shoemakers, six blacksmiths, three carpenters, three hatters, two builders, one book binder, one painter and one mould-maker. There were also well known timber tradesmen: one of these, Aharon Raskin, was a very prominent member of the community. The timber was loaded onto rafts and sent to Memel (Klaipeda) en route to Germany. The local flour mill was owned by Rafael Zax. Liquor distillation plants were also run by Jews. Several families kept stores, and they would travel to the large regional town of Shavl (Šiauliai) to stock up on goods.
As the population grew, a cemetery and prayer houses were built – the Kloiz and the Shtiblekh on two of the sides of the Shul, a building with a high dome for prayers in the summer. Later, welfare associations were established. Linath HaTsedek, Bikur Holim, Gemiluth Hesed, Hakhnasath Kalah and Hakhnasath Orkhim were among these. Social assistance was mostly provided by generous women with initiative. One such was Ida-Pesia, the wife of Aharon Raskin the timber merchant. He was also the Gabai of the local Yeshivah with its 60 students. This Yeshivah was established and directed by Nahum-Lipa Hananyah, and it existed for 35 years until his death in 1910. Many of the young people in the town studied in the Telz Yeshivah and in other Yeshivoth in the area. Quite a few acquired a general education as well.
In 1874, a blood libel was initiated by a local priest who gave money to a Christian boy to disappear from the town. Then he announced that the Jews had murdered the boy for his blood. The priest, together with a group of peasants armed with knives and sticks, went out in the streets and attacked every Jew they met. A few were injured and taken to hospital. The uproar stopped when the boy returned home. In 1847, 1,084 Jews lived in the town. Half a century later, according to the government census of 1897, there were 3,121 residents in Varniai, including 1,226 (39%) Jews.
Jewish homes in an alleyway
One of the prayer houses in Vorne
Residence
