This e mail is going to be lengthily giving all this stuff a great deal of thought I have been at this Genealogy research for many years. Recently I have tried to connect to the London Archives of the Jewish Chronical which I have a regular subscription to, alas as of now nothing to report.

I HAVE CONCLUDED the following. Let’s start with your mentioning Alan Fersht

Alan Fersht.

Judy. ” I am sure you are the aware that Andy Fershts parent married, 1896-7, were first cousins “ BOTH WITH THE SAME SURNAME.  When Allen mentioned in his e mail to me that he was a first cousin of Andy Firth (Fersht} the connection being Andy’s dad side of the family.  I too was a first cousin of Andy, his mother Shanna was my dad’s sister, that was my connection.     

 MEMORIES

Andy I well remember as a family minded, outgoing person, who in his earlier years kept in touch with both side of his parent’s family. As a child he told me his parent took him my the hand to visit both his dads and his mothers siblings, his aunts and uncles.  As he got older becoming the link between the two Fersht families     

Myself being of the same generation as Andy, my father likewise as a small child took me by the hand on Shabbot  and would walk me to visit with a few of his siblings.  My parents being extremely Orthodox Jews would never ride the Trolley-car on the Sabbath, the Sabbath being the only day of the week my father wasn’t working, other than oft course the High Holidays etc.   Our regular walk would follow the same route across Commercial Rd to Parfett Street to visit his bachelor brother uncle Voeb- Lieb, also his sister Aunt Chunna Shulman, and sometimes Aunt Shanna.  That was the extent I knew of my dads siblings, and a few first cousins, as a child growing up.  The Tower of London was later big time when I was about six years old.

We occasionally would visit Durward Street off Whitchapel Rd across from the London Hospital, where my Mothers youngest brother and his family lived.       NOT FORGETTING AS REGARDS TO MY GREAT UNCLES MY GRADFATHERS GENERATION, AS I WAS THE YOUNGEST OF NINE CHILDREN THEY WERE LONG GONE. 

Outlining a little of my memories in the East End of London?

As a first generation British subject fortunate to still to be around I  remember how it was for my generation influenced surrounded as a child by shall we say a foreign element, I feel I have certainly lives in two far different worlds than my children’s generation.  

 Dealing with what appears to be frustrating by all those of us interested concerned how in fact we are related, as someone mentioned in a recent e main is a jig saw puzzle, full of spaces how we are related.

  In a letter from Andy Firth (Fersht) dated6/6/1996

Andy mentions the only Fersht I he knew in Hackney was as nephew of his dad, and that he was close to his cousin Sam, he also  worked for him at the beginning of the war.  In his letter Andy mentions Sam’s first wife, Rose, and their four children, Phillip the eldest, Nathan, Saddie, Gertie.   He continues with Sam had a brother ­­­­­(Shmya wife RIfca) remembered her as a lovely intelligent woman, something about she was mentioned in the press for her counseling.  They it appears had Nathan the violist, Sam, Kitty, and another daughter Andy forgot her name.    

Shmya wife Rifca, those names I remember reading about in recent E mails from the Fershts.  The Sam he talks about was of my generation too.   Which isn’t surprising? For it all I feel sure is part of those earlier Fershts their generation new arrival to the U/K living on Batty Street.

 I feel confident the only way to unravel how in fact we are related, to reconnect our FAMILY TREE we need to concentrate our efforts starting with our ancestors that generation of new arrivals to the shores of Briton.  In fact my Grandfathers generation Abraham Fersht 1839 -1906, I know for a fact he lived on Batty Street London E.1 as did other Fershts during that very same time period.  

SO IN ORDER TO RESOLVE THIS SEEMINGLY CONPLEX PROBLEM EVERY EFFORT IS REQUIRED TO RESEARCH, THE CENCUS, THE MARRIAGE FILES, THE BIRTHS, DEATHS, Of  ALL THE FERSHTS THAT LIVED ON  BATTY ST  LODON E.1   (LATE 19TH  FROM SAY 1870s TO EARLY 20TH CENTURY )

I have no doubt the answers to all our concerns would then start to take root .

                  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------        

GEN (1)            From my perspective starting with my grandparents

                                Abraham & Caroline Fershts  ( Generation.) 

                    Abraham Fersht his Siblings, his brothers, sisters, cousins

         AT THE TIME THEY ARRIVED AND LIVED ON BRADY STREET London E.1      

                                                  FERSHT FAMILY TREE

                                                          1839-1906

Fill in the gaps -------------  ------------   Abraham ----------------   -------------  ------------

                                                                    l                                                           

                                                                    l

                                                                                      l

                                                                                Raphael

                                                                                Volub-Lie

                                                                                 Phillip

                                                                                 Cunna

                                                                                 Shanna

                                                                                 Morris

                                                              1878-1934  Davis Herschel (MY DAD)

A FACT

 My Father Davis Herschel Fersht (FASHT) born in Poland, arrived in London a teenager, he had no schooling in England.