Miriam Pearl Helfet (1915 - 1923)

Miriam Pearl Helfet is my 1st cousin 2x removed. Known as Pearl or Pearlie. Helfet family HERE

Parents: Leon Helfet (1877 - 1945) and Sarah Ann Levin (1880 - 1953)

Tombstones for her parents Leon Helfet and Sarah Ann Levin. They are both buried in the Pinelands no 1 Jewish Cemetery in Cape Town, South Africa

Born: November 1915 in Calvinia, South Africa

Cape Town, about 1921. Sarah Helfet with her 3 youngest children. At left is Girlie Helfet, at the back is Miriam Pearl Helfet and on the right is Theodore Herzl Helfet

Death

6 August 1923 (24 Av 5683) in Calvinia, South Africa at age 7 years and 9 months, from diptheria. Some documents give her date as death as 5th August but I have gone with the date given on her tombstone. She is buried in the Jewish section of the Calvinia cemetery

Death notices

Death notices for Miriam. Her date of death is given as both 5th and 6th of August and her name is given as Miriam Pearl Helfet and also Pearl Miriam Helfet

Tombstone

Miriam's tombstone in the Calvinia cemetery.

Inscription: In loving memory of Miriam Pearl Helfet, departed this life 6th August 1923, age 7 years and 9 months. M.H.D.S.R.I.P.

Hebrew translation: To the memory of / the [young] girl Miriam Perl Helfet / died 24 Av 5683 / (abbr) May her soul be bound in the bond of life. The word צִיּוּן "Tziyun" at top inside the Star of David means "grave mark"

Newspaper death notice

HELFET-At Calvinia, Sunday, 5th inst., Pearl Miriam, dearly-beloved daughter of Leon and Mrs. Helfet, aged 7¾  years.

Residence

In Calvinia Miriam lived with her family at Carmel Villa in 19 Pastorie Street, which her father Leon had built. It is now a bed and breakfast establishment

Nathalie Freeman (1915 - 1992)

Nathalie Freeman is the wife of Arthur Jacob Helfet, my 1st cousin 2x removed. Helfet family HERE. Born Freedman, at some stage the family changed it to Freeman; her father on his marriage certificate was named Freedman, but Nathalie was listed on her travel documents and her marriage certificate as Freeman

Parents: Barnett Freedman (1880 -  ?) and Sonia Pinn (originally Pincewski) (1881 - 1962). According to my mother Sonia, before coming to South Africa, resided in the Belgian Congo. Barnett later became Bernard

Marriage certificate for Nathalie's parents who were married in Cape Town on 7 December 1909

For some reason they were married twice! The second time was in Cape Town on 10 August 1911. The surname is spelt as Freedman

Sonia is buried in Pinelands 1 Jewish Cemetery, Cape Town, South Africa. Her surname was spelt Freeman

Born: 14 May 1915 in Potchefstroom, Transvaal, South Africa

Married: Arthur Helfet on 30 March 1939 in London, England. Arthur was age 32 and Nathalie age 23

Children

Their first child was born in 1941 when Arthur was 34 and Nathalie 26. Their last child was born in 1952 when Arthur was 45 and Nathalie 37 

• Marilyn Thelma Helfet 1941 - 2018
• Anthony Bernard Helfet 1943 -
• David Leonard Helfet 1947 - 
• Timothy Mark 1949 -
• Tessa Nan Helfet 1952 - 

Census

1939 Register

In the 1939 register Nathalie is newly-married and living at 82 Portmore park Road, Weybridge, Surrey, England with Dr Harold Lucas, a medical practitioner, his wife Dorothy and a domestic servant, Margaret Cowen. By this time her husband Arthur was already attached to the Royal Army Medical Corps

Photos

Arthur with their sons Anthony and David in Cape Town in late 1947

Nathalie and Arthur with his siblings and their spouses in Cape Town on 23 January 1960

Back row: Cyril Helfet, Edna Helfet (Nee Landsman), Arnold Helfet, Theo Helfet, Celia Helfet (Nee Polen), Arthur Helfet

Front row Girlie Meyers (Nee Helfet), Cynthia Helfet (Nee Bernstein), Nathalie Helfet (Nee Freedman) 

Travel and Migration

Natalie grew up in South Africa, was married in London and spent the war in Glasgow before returning to South Africa, where they lived from 1948 to 1960. In 1961 they settled in New York when Arthur was appointed a professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine there. They returned to South Africa in 1971 to live and at some stage went back to New York where both Arthur and Nathalie are now buried

Nathalie departing Durban, South Africa for Southampton, England aboard the Stirling Castle arriving on 9 October 1936. Her occupation is listed as secretary and her surname is spelt Freeman

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Nathalie departing Durban, South Africa for Southampton, England aboard the Athlone Castle arriving on 9 December 1938. Her occupation is listed as secretary and her surname is spelt Freeman

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Nathalie and her son Anthony departing Liverpool, England for Cape Town, South Africa aboard the Nestor on 14 July 1945. Their address is given as 1a Westbourne Gardens, Kelvinside, Glasgow, W2, which is confirmed by the accompanying electoral register

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Arthur and Nathalie departing London, England for Cape Town, South Africa aboard the City of Port Elizabeth on 16 November 1954

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Arthur and Nathalie departing London, England for Cape Town, South Africa aboard the City of Hull on 8 June 1960

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The Helfet family departing Cherbourg, France for New York, USA aboard the Queen Mary arriving on 14 February 1962

Death

21 April 1992 age 76, in New York, USA

Other

A telegram from Nathalie and Arthur dated 9 April 1956 on the occasion of my parent's wedding

Residences

In the 1939 census Nathalie is listed as living at 82 Portmore park Road, Weybridge, Surrey, England

The family lived at Acorns, Fernwood Ave, Newlands, Cape Town, South Africa in the 1950s. I don't know the house number but here is the street

Solomon Klein (Clynes) (1915 - 2002)

Solomon Klein, known as Sol, is the husband of Eva Abrahamson, a sister of Dorothy Sophia Abrahamson, the 2nd wife of my maternal grandfather Marcus Levin. Abrahamson family HERE. Born Solomon Klein, he changed his name by deed poll in September 1943 to Solomon Clynes

Parents: Harry Klein (1891 - 1960) and Blema Hecht (1891 - 1980)

Tombstones for Solomon's parents, Harry and Blema. They are both buried in the Failsworth Jewish cemetery, Manchester, England

Born: 19 November 1915 in Manchester, England

Occupation: Chemistry and science teacher at Manchester Grammar School from 1938 to 1988, which was interrupted by his war service. He had a B.Sc. in Chemistry

Solomon authored a school chemistry textbook, "A New Chemistry", English Universities Press, 1971, 372 pages

Engagement

The Jewish Chronicle - Aug 16 1940

MR. S. KLEIN AND DR. EVA ABRAHAMSON

The engagement is announced of Sol Klein, B.Sc., elder son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Klein, of 117, Polefield Road, Prestwich, to Eva Abrahamson, MB.. Ch.B., daughter of the Rev. L. and Mrs. Abrahamson, of 238, Gt. Clowes Street, Salford, 7

Married: Eva Abrahamson on (April - June) 1941 in Manchester, England. Eva and Solomon were both 25 years old. Solomon changed his surname by deed poll to Clynes in September 1943

Solomon changing his name by deed poll from Klein to Clynes on 15 September 1943

Children:

Their only child was born when Solomon was 27 and Eva  was 26

• Rona Gillian Clynes 1943 - 1991

Census details

1939 Register

In the 1939 register Solomon was living at 32 Charnley Road, Blackpool, England and his occupation is a chemistry master

Military

Served abroad during World War 2. Was a major

Death
2 September 2002 at Maurice Fineberg House in Manchester, England, age 86

Obituary

Lancashire Telegraph

Former mayor dies aged 86

13th September 2002

A WELL-respected former Mayor of Prestwich has died at the age of 86.

Mr Solomon Clynes, known as Sol, died last week, less than 18 months after the sudden death of his beloved wife, Dr Eva Clynes.

The couple, of Danesway, Prestwich, were popular figures and in 1971 were Mayor and Mayoress, before local government re-organisation when Prestwich became part of Bury.

Mr Clynes also served on Bury Council from 1974 to 1976 as a Liberal and was a JP from 1969.

As a former head of science at Manchester Grammar School, Mr Clynes organised school summer camps. He retained strong links with the school after his retirement.

Residence

Solomon and his family lived at 10 Daneshill, Prestwich, Manchester, England

Rebecca Gladys Goorney (1915 - 1940)

Rebecca Gladys Goorney, known as Betty, is the step-daughter of Fanny Baum, my maternal great great aunt. Baum family tree Here. Rosenberg family Here

Parents: Abraham Goorney (1883 - 1966) and Ada Finestone (1888 - 1922)

Born: (April - June) 1915 in Manchester, England. Her age is given as 22 on her tombstone suggesting she was born in 1917, but her birth was registered in 1915 and her death register gives her age as 24, or born around 1915

Hebrew name: Rivkah daughter of Avraham Abba

Census details

1921

Rebecca's parents Abraham and Ada are married and living at 109 Halliwell Lane, Manchester, England. Abraham is 36 and a general draper, Ada is 33. Living with them are Rebecca Gladys Goorney age 6 years and 3 months and Howard Goorney age 5 weeks. Also living there is a servant, Olive May Stanfield, age 21

Death
21 January 1940 in Manchester, England at 22 (Incorrect should be 24) years of age. Buried in the Rainsough Jewish cemetery, Manchester, England

Rebecca's death registration showing her age as 24

Tombstone inscription: In loving memory of Rebecca (Betty). Beloved daughter of Abraham Goorney who departed her life on 21st January 1940 corresponding with 11 Shevat 5700 aged 22. Deeply mourned by her father, brother and relatives

Hebrew translation: Here is buried the dear maiden Rivka daughter of Avraham Abba who was plucked (like a flower, it is used when a person dies young) in the 22nd year of her life on the 11th of the month of Sh'vat 5700 to the great sorrow of her family. Mourned by her father, brother and all her family.

May her soul be bundled in the bundle of life

Residence

In the 1921 census Abraham and Ada and their children are living at 109 Halliwell Lane, Manchester, England. They were still living there at the time of her death. It no longer exists and in its place is now a mosque