Leah Epstein (1913 - 1985)

Leah Epstein is the daughter of Tilly Morris, born Tilly Dik, the sister-in-law of Rachel Levin, my 2x great aunt. Morris family HERE

Parents: Isaac Epstein (1884 - 1941) and Tilly Morris (1886 - 1981)

Tombstones for Leah's parents. Isaac is buried in the Rice Lane Cemetery in Liverpool, England and Tilly (Tova) in Westpark Cemetery, Johannesburg, South Africa

Born: 25 August 1913  in Liverpool, England. Her husband Oscar stated in his Shoah interview that Leah was born in 1922/3 but this does not accord with the 1921 census record or the 1939 register

Siblings

• Baruch Epstein (1911 - 1982) married Sarah Ritov (1911 - 2003) in 1950
• Naftali Epstein (1914 - 2000)
• Esther Epstein (1915 - 2013) married Marcel Aron Kindler (1908 - 1972) on 4 July 1943 in London, England
• Sarah Epstein (1920 - 2003) married Michael Avni (Marcus) (1920 - 1991) in Liverpool, England on (Apr - Jul) 1941
• Zahava Epstein (1927 - 2024) married Martin Dover (1925 - 1995) in Liverpool, England in (July - September ) 1950

Hebrew name: Chaya Leah daughter of Yitzhak

Occupation: Rabbi's wife

Leah Epstein age around 16 years circa 1929

Married: Oscar Marcus Werner on 10 June 1945 in Liverpool. England

Oscar and Leah and her mother Tilly on their wedding day, 10 June 1945

Children

Their first child was born in 1947 when Oscar was 25 and Leah 33. Their final child was born in 1953 when Oscar was 31 and Leah 40

• Sara Sharon Werner 1947 - 1997
• Bernard Isaac Werner 1949 -
• Maxine Werner 1953 - 

Census

1921

In the 1921 census taken on 19 June 1921, Leah's parents Tilly and Isaac are living in a 6 room dwelling at 48 Erskine Street, Liverpool, England. Isaac is age 37 years and four months and a travelling draper and clothier working from home. His place of birth is given as Wloclawek, Poland.Tilly is a housewife age 35 years and six months and born in Poneviezys, Lithuania. Their children are Boruch age 10 years and four months, Leah age 8 years and 10 months, Naphtali age 7 years and one month, Esther age 6 years and one month, Sarah age 1 year and one month

1939 Register

In 1939 the family are living at 99 Granby Street, Liverpool, England. Isaac is now a master butcher with his own business. Living with Isaac and Tilly are their children Leah and Esther who both work in the family butchery, and Sara. The family had moved to Palestine in the mid-1920s but had returned to Liverpool in the early to mid 1930s due to their poor financial situation. However Naftali remained in Palestine

Migration to South Africa

After going through the rigors of war, they looked at emigrating to greener pastures. Leah already had an uncle (Ely Morris) living in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Ely came to England in 1951 and offered to sponsor the family to come to South Africa. Oscar came to Bloemfontein, South Africa in August 1951 to have a look, and the family followed, with Oscar accepting a position as second cantor and shochet in Bloemfontein. In 1953 they moved to Bethlehem where he was the rabbi and from 1957 - 1970 lived in Kimberley where he was again the rabbi. In 1970 Oscar became rabbi of the Parkview / Greenside synagogue in Johannesburg and Leah and Oscar remained there until her death in 1985

SOCIAL AND PERSONAL, Welcome: O. M. Werner of Wallasey. Cheshire. England, has arrived to take up his duties as second Cantor and Shochet. (Hashomer October 1951, p. 10)

Kimberley, 1961/2. Rabbi Oscar Werner is 3rd row from the back 1st left and Leah is in the same row on the extreme right

Death

7 August 1985 (20 Av 5745) in Johannesburg, South Africa age 71. Leah was buried in the Westpark Cemetery there on 8 August 1985, grave block H 129. In 1995 her remains were transferred to Nahan Cemetery, Jerusalem, Israel

JewishGen burial record for Leah

Westpark Cemetery burial record for Leah

On 25 June (27 Sivan) 1995 Leah's remains were transferred from Johannesburg and interred in the Eretz HaChaim Cemetery, Mate Yehuda Regional Council, Jerusalem District, Israel, grave no 38

Residences

In the 1921 census the family are living at 48 Erskine Street, Liverpool, England. The building no longer exists

In around 1936 until her marriage in 1945 Leah lived with her the family lived at 99 Granby Street, Liverpool, England

After her marriage in June 1945 until the family migrated to South Africa in 1951 the family lived at 160 Chatham Street, Liverpool, England

Bertha Morris (1913 - 2011)

Bertha Morris, known as Bee, is the niece of Rachel Levin, my 2x great aunt. Morris family tree HERE

Parents: Ely Morris (1880 - 1973) and Annie Katz (1888 - 1967)

Tombstones for Bee's parents, who are buried in the Bloemfontein Memorial Cemetery, Bloemfontein., South Africa

Born: 8 September 1913 in Johannesburg, South Africa

Hebrew name: Batya daughter of Eliyahu

Occupation: Before her marriage Bee was a secretary

Siblings

• Nathan (Sonny) Morris (1915 - 1991) married Cecilia (Cissie) Michael (1920 - 1992) in Bloemfontein, South Africa on 13 January 1943
• Leah Morris (1921 - 2011) married Sidney William Loewenson (1915 - 1984) in Johannesburg, South Africa on 5 December 1954

Marriage: Henry Sailing Salkinder on 6 September 1942 in Bloemfontein, South Africa. Bee was 2 days short of her 29th birthday (although it says she was 27 on her marriage certificate) and Henry was 31

Marriage certificate for Bee and Henry who were married in Bloemfontein on 6 September 1942

Children

Their first child was born in 1944 when Henry was 33 and Bee 30 years old. Their last child was born in 1952 when Henry was 41 and Bee 39 years old 

• Rodney Salkinder 1944 - 2023
• Gail Salkinder 1947 -
• Estelle Salkinder 1952 - 

Death

7 July 2011 (5 Tamuz 5771) in Johannesburg, South Africa age 97 from a pulmonary embolism. She was buried in the Westpark Cemetery in Johannesburg, South Africa on 8 July 2011, grave no v2174

Tombstone for Bee. "Bertha Salkinder passed away 7th JUly 2011. In loving memory and deeply mourned by her adoring children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, relatives and friend. To live in the hearts of those who loved you is never to die"

Hebrew translation: "Batya daughter of Eliahu. Died the 5th of Tamuz 5771
[Abbreviation] May her soul be bound in eternal life."

Notice of Westpark cemetery internment for Bee

Westpark cemetery record for Bee

Jewishgen Cemetery record for Bee

Residence

In 1967 Henry and Bee were living at 53 Gleneagles Rd. Greenside, Johannesburg, South Africa

Abraham Eric Norman (1913 - 2006)

Abraham Eric Norman, later known as Eric, born Nachmanovitz and known by that surname till at least 1939, is the husband of Sylvia Haddasah Endbinder, the daughter of Harris Endbinder and Rachel Levinson, who is the sister-in-law of Minnie Glynn, my 1st cousin 2x removed. Endbinder family HERE. Levinson family HERE

Parents: Hyman Norman (1880 - 1940) and Sarah Rebecca Hyman (1886 - 1979). The surname was originally Nachmanovitz, then Nowitz in late 1939 and Norman by October 1940

Tombstones for Hyman and Sarah Norman. Hyman is buried in the Rice Lane Jewish Cemetery and Sarah in the Springwood Jewish Cemetery, both in Liverpool, England

Born: 6 November 1913 in Liverpool, England

Hebrew name: Avraham Eliezer son of Chaim

Siblings

• Lena Nachmanowitz (1915 - 1998) married Eli Vinestein (1909 - 1975) in Liverpool, England in (July - September) 1946
• Philip Norman (1917 - 1981) married Joyce Magee (1925 - ?) in Liverpool, England in (April - June) 1948

Occupation: Medical practitioner

Married: Sylvia Haddasah Endbinder in (January to March) 1947 in Liverpool, England. Sylvia was 26 and Abraham was 33

Children

Their first child was born in 1948 when Eric was 35 and Sylvia 28. Their last child was born in 1950 when Eric was 37 and Sylvia 30

• Vivian B Norman 1948 -
• Janice A Norman 1950 -

World War 2

Eric appointed to the Royal Army Medical Corps as a Lieutenant on 20 May 1940. His army no was 135459

Census

1921

The 1921 census sees the family living in a 7 rom house at 59 Chatham Street, Liverpool, England. The father is Hyman Nachamowitz, age 40 and a tailor working for Barnet Simon. His wife Sarah is age 35 and the children are Abram (Eric) age 7, Lena ange 5 and Philip age 3

Death

2 nov 2006 (11th Marcheshvan, 5767) in Liverpool, England at age 92. He is buried in the Springwood (Allerton) Cemetery in Liverpool, England, plot J-1813

Burial record for Eric Norman

Tombstone for Eric Norman. "In loving memory of Abraham Eric Norman passed away 2nd November 2006. Sadly missed by his daughters Vivian and Janice, sons-in-law, grandchildren, relatives and friends"

Hebrew translation: "Here lies Avraham Eliezer, son of Chaim. Died on the 11th Marcheshvan, 5767. May his soul be bound in the bond of eternal life”

Residences

In the 1921 census Eric and his family are living at 59 Chatham Street, Liverpool, England. The property no longer exists

In 1946 Sylvia and her family were living at 54 Dudlow Lane Mossley Hill Liverpool, England

After their marriage Eric and Sylvia and their family were living at 113 Ullet Rd Liverpool, England

In the 1950s onwards Eric, Sylvia and their family were living at 41 Ballantrae Rd Liverpool, England

In the 2003 electoral register Sylvia and Eric are listed as living at 2 Rockbourne Avenue, Liverpool, England