darianzam on Family Tree Circles
Journals and Posts
Looking for information on Zams from England
My family came from Feodosiya (now the Ukraine) to Glasgow. In the western world everything was just "Russian" back then. From there they spread out around the world (Brighton, Hove, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Wellington). However recently I ran across some Zams in a British phone book, risiding in London, who appear to be Jewish, so I would say they are likely relatives. It must be as far back as "the old country" in the generation of my great-grandparents because I am not aware of them. They seem to be present in the UK from the 1930s to at least the 1960s.
Nahum J. Zam
Eugenie Zam
Martin J. Zam
Rene Zam
Anna Zam
Zam Family, Hendon Electoral Roll
It's possible Nahum was a cousin of my grandfather's. The only additional information I have is that Nahum, Eugenie and Anna were living together at 42 Sevington Rd, Hendon, in 1949. It's possible one of them may still be alive.
Looking for Jessie Taylor/Medvidoff
In 1923, my great aunt Mannia Zam married David Medvidoff in Gorbals, Glasgow.
The family's name was originally Medvedev, and they'd come from Cherkasy in the Kiev province of Russia. Later on, David and Mannia changed their name to the westernised 'Taylor.' David had a number of sisters, the youngest being Jessie. Little is known of Jessie as there is no date on exactly when and where she was born, or what happened to her. The only thing that is recalled is, she immigrated to New Zealand, and nobody seems to have heard from her again. Of course, again there is no evidence of this, so technically hearsay, but it's specific so no reason to discount it. However, it's a real family mystery.
Jessie Medvidoff was definitely not married in Scotland. If she left it was 1912 or later as she was still present living at home for the 1911 Scottish census. There are no Australasian records for Medvidoff, or variations that were used such as Medvedev, or Medvedov. So I assume that she adopted the surname 'Taylor' and was using it by the time she left Scotland.
According to a cousin this family photo which I will try to attach (this has not been successful for many FTC members lately, a frustrating exercise), shows David Medvidoff-Taylor's family in Glasgow. David is at the back, and Jessie who looks about 8 years old at the time, is at the right end of the picture, seated. From the ages of everyone, it seems to have been taken about 1903, which means Jessie would have been born around 1895.
I checked NZ BMD records for a 'Jessie Taylor' after 1915 and using some obvious clues like, circa when she was born (c 1895), and the supposition she would have married a Hebrew man, as anything else would have absolutely been a rare exception.
I got 30 marriage results from 1915-1936 for 'Jessie Taylor' (a lot less than I imagined). Out of that, the only Jewish sounding names were Goldfinch, Robson, Inkster and Scarf. Out of those four, Jessie Robson's death record shows she was born around 1894-1895. I wonder if this is the same person? It's the only realistic possibility out of the lot, at this point. I wish there was more information to work with but there are no documented details of her life at all, with which to narrow things down.
It makes me wonder why Jessie may have gone to New Zealand, so far away, and the only sibling to do so. However my great aunt Liza went to New Zealand from Glasgow to see through a marriage arranged with a Jewish man from Kiev who went straight from Russia to NZ, that the family had known there. She went to marry him But she was at least escorted by my grandpa as most women did not travel alone in those times. So one logical theory is that Jessie came to New Zealand to see through an arranged marriage also.
The Jewish community in NZ was not large, and it was tight-knit and reasonably insular, so if Jessie did indeed go to New Zealand then someone knew someone who knew something.
Looking for L. Reilly of Erskine (Sacred Heart / Sacr? Coeur) College, Island Bay, Wellington
Were you at Erskine College in Island Bay, aka the Convent of Sacr? Coeur Catholic boarding school for women, aka Sacred Heart?
Do you remember someone named L. Reilly who boarded there in the 1960s?
Recently a cache of items was found under a loose floorboard in one of the old dormitories - including a name tag, garment labels etc, thought to date between 1961-1972. Most of the items were discarded by her around the mid 1960s when she was perhaps 13 or 14 years old. More information here:
The Shelf Life of Reilly
L. Reilly is presumed to have been born in the early 1950s. Electoral roll records only show around 10 L. Reillys in the 1970s when she would have been old enough to register for voting. In fact this is the total between 1963-1978, so one of these must be the right person. Here's the full list:
Leah Agnes Reilly, Ashburton, Canterbury
Lilian Reilly, Palmerston North, Manawatu-Wanganui
Lillian Anthea Reilly, Waitomo, Waikato
Lorna Louise May Reilly, Buller, West Coast
Lucie Louise Reilly, St Kilda, Otago
Lilian Reilly, Avon, Canterbury
Lillian A Reilly, King Country, Taranaki
Lee Reilly, Pakuranga, Auckland
Lorraine Maureen Reilly, Waikato, Waikato
Lynda Ruth Reilly, Rangitikei, Manawatu-Wanganui
Lynn M Reilly, Remuera, Auckland
Lynn Walles Reilly, Heretaunga, Wellington
Lila Patricia Reilly, Birkenhead, Auckland
Lilian Reilly, Rangiora, Canterbury
Lorraine Jenifer Reilly, Helensville, Auckland
Lynette Ann Reilly, Selwyn, Canterbury
Lynn Mabel Reilly, Napier, Hawke's Bay
Lynn Walter Reilly, Heretaunga, Wellington
L. Reilly could be one of the people in these archived class photos (the original site is now defunct)
Erskine/Sacr? Coeur Class Photos
If you know anything, or know someone who may remember, please contact me.
Looking For Leads on Carr, Artist/Designer, of Auckland, New Zealand
Update: This has now been solved. Thanks.
-----
I am researching a commercial artist named 'Carr' who founded a design studio in Auckland, New Zealand in the 1940s.
His earlier work includes covers for comic 'Laughs' magazine:
Laughs magazine covers by Carr
He specialised in glamour pin ups and cereal card albums. Clients for the studio included Mosgiel Woolens, Bell tea, and 'Peter the Pilot' for Timaru Milling, who seemed to be a mainstay client.
The earliest record I've found for his work, or the work of 'Carr Advertising Studios' is 1944 and the latest around 1955, after which time he seems to disappear. He signed all his work quite obviously with a distinctive signature (see image).
I have trawled through thousands of records from 1944-1958 and found little, which is odd. Although Carr was a common name with thousands of references - which isn't helpful - I've also explored the possibility that 'Carr' was shortened from a longer name like 'Carroll', 'Carruthers', etc. Still no luck.
The best possibility so far and a tentative one, is a certain Roy Carr who was ascribed profession draughtsman and resided at 340 Mt Eden Rd, in 1958. I'm hoping someone will run across this and know something.
Looking for MANN family of New Zealand/Australia - Lizbeth and Allec Zam
Update: This has now been solved. Thanks.
-----
I'm seeking any information on Lizbeth (sp) and Allec (sp) Zam. My grandfather Joseph Zam arrived to Wellington in 1916 with his sister Lizbeth - probably came via Scotland from Theodosia in Russia (now part of the Ukraine). They were both tailors and Joseph had a suit and uniform factory in central Auckland. He passed away in 1959. What I was told by my grandmother was that Joseph's sister married a Jack (Jacob?) Mann and they removed to Australia where they had two daughters, Nita and Freda. I have no information on Allec except he may also have lived in Australia for a time. And no leads on the Manns. Spelling of my great-aunt's name could be Lizbeth, Lizbet, Lispeth, Lizabet. Who knows - I've tried them all and turned up nothing!
Looking for McClymont family of Auckland
Seeking information for a further story on the McClymont family who owned McClymont Confectionery Ltd. One of their brands was "Tinkerbell", which was jelly crystals. However they were more famous for their self-named brand of toffees apparently - sold through grocery chains like Four Square and Self Help. They may have been in business from the 1930s - but they definitely built a factory around 1953 in Point Chevalier, Auckland. It seems by the early 1960s the business may have been sold to Tucker of the Sunshine brand and subsumed. The building was demolished some time in the 1990s to build a shopping complex. Potential fragments of information I have are that the company may have been owned by Thomas Allen "Scotty" McClymont, who was a noted Kiwi sportsman - a New Zealand rugby league player and coach who represented his country. The family were living in Mount Albert in the early 1960s. Descendants may be living in West Auckland - in the Te Atatu area. Possibly a daughter and son-in-law with surname Little or possibly Liddle were involved with a Christian newspaper The Challenge Weekly and may have done some missionary work. I also found reference to a Barry McClymmont having worked for them. That can't be a coincidence. I have contacted this newspaper which is still going today and they weren't able to help with any information. I'm interested in any information, even if it's just as insignificant as consuming a McClymont/Tinkerbell product - and when that was.
Looking for McConkey of Wellington and Auckland
I bought this stoneware hotel plate in a little junk shop in West Auckland a number of decades ago just because it amused me and it was only a couple of bucks. I am amazed I have owned it this long without actually breaking it yet it has survived over 25 years of use off and on.
I'm interested in finding out more about it, though. After some previous aborted attempts at finding out anything of its provenance, recently I think I had a breakthrough on some of the history.
There was a Joseph Sherlock/Shirlock McConkey who ran a tearooms in Palmerston North in the 1910s named the 'Kosy.' Seemingly he emigrated alone from Ireland in the mid 1890s and had some history in Wellington and also possibly Masterton in different professions before he relocated to the Manuatu-Wanganui area, by which time he was describing himself as a confectioner. In the late 1920s he appears to have moved to Auckland where he was in catering briefly before retiring. I think this plate comes from the Auckland period of his career, although I have no evidence he ever ran any kind of business during this time. Other than that, there's little explanation for how it ended up in Glen Eden, where I found it If you have anything to add, please leave a comment below.
Looking for Slater/Slatopolsky in Peterborough/Holbeach England areas
I'm trying to track Louis M. Slatopolsky, born 1932 Peterborough to Issie Louis (also known as Isaac or Izzy) Slatopolsky and Catherine Violet nee Woodhams.
Louis was the grandson of Maver (Max) Slatopolsky and Cecilia nee Katzman.
Max in turn was the brother of Abraham (Maurie) Slatopolsky, my great uncle.
Over several years I have had zero luck as a now quite experienced researcher finding out anything about Louis M. Slatopolsky. He effectively disappears in records after his birth. This usually means a small set of variable such as the person in question has completely changed their name rendering them almost untraceable.
I have already investigated whether he may have changed his name to Slater like many other family members.
This week my cousin has turned up a photo of her mother and uncle in Glasgow with Louis. It would have been taken in the late 1940s when he visited with his father. At least this proves he was still alive, I guess! On the back he is called 'Louis Slater' indeed indicating he likely changed his name to Slater. After researching over again, this has still been no help.
At some point before Mundia was acquired and shut down, someone had a private tree on there indicating that Louis married, had two children and at least 2 grandchildren from one of his offspring. The person who managed the tree never responded to me before the site was shuttered. However this means there IS someone out there that has information!
I have spoken to a member here who is a son of Louis's adopted brother (essentially, a cousin) from the Woodhams side.
The only light that was shed on this was that he recalls Izzy and Catherine no longer living in Peterborough Huntingdonshire after the 1930s, and were now Fleet, Holbeach, Lincolnshire when he was ‘growing up’, I assume this means the 1940s-1950s.
Izzy and Catherine Slatopolsky seem to have remained in that area until death and are both interred in St Lukes Churchyard, Holbeach Hum.
That’s all I know, trying again to see if I have any luck solving this family mystery!
Louis Slater (Louis M. Slatopolsky) is on R of the photo.
Looking for UDOVICH connection to SCHNEIDER HOLLINGER and PAUL families
Update: This has now been solved.
---
My great uncle was Jacob K. Udovich. He came to New Zealand in the early 1910s and adopted the gentile name 'Jack Mann', although he never made it official. He married my great aunt Liza Zam, who arrived to Wellington with my grandpa on the Rotorua in 1916. Jack and Liza married immediately; they were sweethearts in Crimea originally. They remained in Wellington for life where they had a series of grocery and garment manufacturing businesses. Jack is a bit of a man of mystery; although there's a picture of him in uniform there is no enlistment or service record. His immigration records cannot be found, and his death record cannot be located. All we know about him is that his father's name was Dov Ber Udovich and they were from Starodub, Russia where Jack was born in 1893. I notice in Ancestry.com the SCHNEIDER HOLLINGER and PAUL families have Jack in their online trees but we don't know what the connection is to these families. If anyone can make a connection, then great.
Looking for Woodham(s) family, England
I am trying to make a connection with a branch of the family that settled in England, which I don't seem to be able to find out anything much about, so I suspect they changed their name.
My great-uncle Myer's son Isaac Louis Slatopolsky (1904-1980), known as Issie, left Glasgow where my Ukrainian family were settled, and married Catherine Violet Woodhams at Paddington, London in 1929. Catherine's parents were Arthur John Woodham, and Mary Catherine nee Croot. The couple were living in Ely, Cambridgeshire at the end of the 1940s.
They had two sons that I know of; Frederick John, and Louis M., born 1932, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire.
Frederick adopted his mother's name and married Queenie Eileen Winfield (1928-1973) so the branch descended from him as Woodhams. I should point out the s is often left off the end in documentation meaning that the name Woodham is often used.
Something interesting I found whilst writing this is that Frederick John was born three years before Issie and Catherine married, and his birth was registered as Frederick J. Woodhams. This indicates he was born out of wedlock. I also noticed that Catherine's sister Kathleen Marjorie Woodhams had a child Frederic John born 1926 with an unknown partner. It's possible, especially as the mother's first name is not mentioned in the birth entry - that it was Kathleen's illegitimate child and that Issie and Catherine took him in and treated him as a son.
Whether Louis changed his name to Woodham - or something else perhaps - I don't know, but it's likely as almost all my family did so they sounded less Jewish. It was a common practice to have a gentile name or just outright change your name to something Western sounding.
Both (half?) brothers had a number of children as well as grandchildren. It's really Louis's side I am more interested in since I have no information at all, as well as he is the legitimate blood line.
There is a tree set up on Mundia for this branch, and most of it is private; contacting the owner has led to no response.
I've included all the surnames surrounding the Woodhams branch.