I have been researching my Marks and Jacobs (possible Schubert) family via the internet for past 15 years and in all this time I have never come across another descendent. I am hoping that by putting all my information into this journal a reader will recognise one of my ancestors and help answer some long over due questions about both the ancestors and descendents of ABRAHAM MARKS and JESSIE JACOBS.

I know from my great grandfather’s birth certificate that his parents were Abraham Marks and Jessie Jacobs.

My great grandfather was:
Myer Marks b.31st January 1887 Whitechapel, Spitalfields, County of Middlesex. Address 3 Diamond Court.

Myer had two sisters
Rose b. c. 1883
Civia b. 1889

I have traced the family through the 1891 census to:
33 Casson St Stepney Whitechapel Mile End Town.
Hannah Jacobs (head) Widow Age 60 Russian Poland
Joseph Jacobs (son) Boot Finisher 20 Russian Poland
Jessie Marks (Daughter) (possibly a widow) Tayloress 32 Russian Poland
Rosa Marks scholar 8 Whitechapel.
Meyer Marks (gson) scholar 5 Spitalfields.
Susie Marks 1 Spitalfields
Sarah Marks Boarder Widow 66.

Due to the many errors contained with regards to names it has actually took me 5 years to find my family in 1891 census. Up until this time I had been relying on the 1901 census which gives the following details:
30 Yalford St Stepney Mile End Old Town.
Jessica Marks (Head) Married 38 Tailoress Russian Subject
Rose Marks (Daughter) single 17 Dressmaker London Whitechapel
Myer Marks (son) 13 Carrier Apprentice London Whitechapel
Cevia Marks (daughter) London Whitechapel.
Joseph Marks (brother) Married 26 Boat Maker (I am sure this is bootmaker) Russian Subject.

From both these census I have been unable to clarify if Abraham is in fact deceased? Or if the Joseph in the same Joseph and if he is a Marks or Jacobs? Remember these people would have had extremely limited English.

And just to throw a spanner into the works I have learn in recent days that neither the surnames Marks or Jacobs were used in Poland. So without some oral history I do not know if it is possible to trace the family further back.

I also have a marriage certificate between an Abraham Marks and a Jessie that I have for a long time, believed I had ordered in error. But if I can not trust any of the names now I am not so sure. My Jessie Marks seems to have been the only one in London at this time, of this age and married to an Abraham

1882 the Princes St Synagogue
26th July Abraham Marks 24 Bachelor Bootmaker 2 Regal Place, son of Myer Marks Chairmaker
to
Jessie Schubert 22 spinster 2 Regal Place, daughter of Moses Schubert Bootmaker.

If any of these details match yours, please do not hesitate to contact me and fill in some missing pieces.

Sam