#19 Great Grandfather Levi ZAGOFSKY
- derek4440
- Oct 28, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Dec 21, 2024
Great Grandfather Levi ZAGOFSKY
Djelem Djelem - Barcelona Gipsy Klezmer Orchestra Singing Gypsy Anthem, shame group broke up. All artists were non-Jewish & really there wasn't any Klezmer, however the music was very good.
Levi ZAGOFSKY was Born about 1825 in RUSSIA & Married his Wife Etty (Ethel) about 1848 in SEJNY. There are many stories about Levi, & no doubt many of them are based on fact, though I think some may have been exaggerated with the number of times they’ve been told. There’s no doubt in his very long life he played an important part in helping develop the tailoring trade in LEEDS, & with Herman FRIEND was responsible for devising “Divisional Labour”, which was the forerunner of mass production, well before Henry Ford opened his factory in DEARBORN, USA!
Map showing NOWOGROD-LOMZA & SUWALKI-SEJNY
Top Left PRUSSIA, Top Right LITHUANIA, To Right is BELARUS/RUSSIA & To Left is POLAND
Let’s start with what is known about Levi & Etty. Levi was probably Born abt 1825 in NOWOGROD a small shtetl near LOMZA in todays POLAND, but then was part of RUSSIA. It's likely that Etty was Born in SEJNY about 1823 also in POLAND & that is where they were Married in abt 1848. After they had all their five Children in SEJNY & neighbouring SUWALKI, they made their way to ENGLAND, settling first in MANCHESTER in 1867. They were there only a few months before coming to LEEDS & living at 47 Bridge Street. They had moved to Templar Street, which is only a moment’s walk away by 1877 & lived there for at least 20 years. During this time Levi & Etty acquired the next-door property & Levi is listed in the LEEDS Directory as a Lodging Housekeeper & Tailor. By 1892 he is listed as a Grocer in Slaters Directory. In 1897 they moved a short distance to 55 Hope Street & lived there until 1911 when they moved to 2 Ruby Street when Levi now aged 77 years old was listed as of “Private Means” in that years Census. Sometime after Etty Died on 12/JAN/1917 Levi went to live with his younger son Barnet at 18 Carr Road. Levi Died after a fall on 25/APR/1927 at 7 Samuel Street.
Map of Leylands, LEEDS about 1905
Ettie ZAGOFSKY Death Notice
Levi’s Hebrew Name was Reb Ariyah Ben Z’av & his nickname was "Old Cokasha", means "Little One". Depending on which document you read, greatly depends on how Levi’s Surname is spelt, altogether I’ve recorded 16 different spelling but used ZAGOFSKY to keep it simple.
ZAGOFSKY LEEDS Oldest Jewish Man
Levi Zagofsky 100 years old YEP Annoncement
Early Days in the Leeds Jewish Community
There is a mistake in the above, where it is stated that "John BARRAN brought this machinery from LONDON to LEEDS" as the only piece of machinery, after the Sewing Machine, which was already used in LEEDS, was the Band Saw, which could cut through several levels of cloth at the same time. This was first used by GREENWOOD & BATLEY a LEEDS company. It was this invention that helped lower the price of Ready to Wear suits.
Great Grandad
The beginning of this article is unreadable but continues
Last week set a LEEDS family buzzing.
Mr Levi ZAGGOFSKY a Russian Pole who spends much of his time in the North Street recreation ground, Leeds, who still walks three miles a day at a good pace, claims to be 100 years old, it said.
When Mr Cecil DAVIES of King Lane, Alwoodley, read it he said to his wife Eve. “Your great-grand-father’s in the paper.”
“It gave us a great kick to see him mentioned”. Said Mr DAVIES, a physiotherapist. “It led to a lot of phone calls between the family.”
Levi ZAGGOFSKY arrived in LEEDS aged about 30, a hand-tailor who claimed to have clad Russian Royalty. He is thought to have joined Baron’s a tailoring firm employing many like him.
He managed to acquire a few properties in New Town which brought him an income of £3 a week”, said Mr DAVIES. This helped him bring up four children. His rents were 3s 6d a week for one-bedroomed houses, and 4s 6d for two.
“He lived another two years after his century,” said Mr DAVIES. “He was in the LEEDS home for aged Jews when he slipped on a banana skin, broke his leg, and died from the after-effects.
A family joke says that it had not been for that banana he’d be alive today. His was a family of ?????????
ZAGOFSKY 101st Birthday Notice
Levi ZAGOFSKY Death Notice
Levi ZAGOFSKY Death Notice
Levi & Ethel ZAGOFSKY Headstones Damaged
Levi & Ethel ZAGOFSKY Headstones Repaired
********************************************************************************************
Levi & Ettie had 5 Children, the eldest Sora Rywka Died at 14 years old in 1866 in SEJNY, RUSSIA. The next Fanny was Born abt 1853 in SEJNY, & Died 9/SEP/1937 in LEEDS, having never Married
If we go back & look at Levi’s eldest Son Hyman who was Born abt 1857 in SEJNY & Married Anne BENNETT 26/DEC/1877 Belgrave Street Synagogue, LEEDS. She was Born in RUSSIA in abt 1855 & Died 1/FEB/1926 & Hyman pre-deceased her having Died 29/FEB/1924 both in LEEDS. They had 9 Children as follows.
David Woolf LEVI Born 8/Apr/1879 Married Rebecca SUNDLE 31/MAY/1908 & had 1 Child Bernard, David Died 1947 & Rebecca 1954 all events in LEEDS. Their Grandaughter Judith Maxine LEVER Married Gustave E L DIESTEL who was Born in HONG, KONG, CHINA which is where they lived & Gustave practiced as a Dentist.
Barnet LEVI Born 14/JUL/1881 Married Hetty MYERSON 5/AUG/1907 in LEEDS & had 3 Children Barnet Died 1951 & Hetty 1977 both events in LONDON
Isaac LEVI Born 17/MAY/1885 Married Goldie MACOFSKY 1913 & had a Son who became known as Harold LEVEY. Isaac Died 1952 & Goldie 1948, all events LEEDS
Celia LEVI Born 28/JUL/1887 Married Joseph Harry BLASHKEY 5/NOV/1913, they had 2 Daughters. All events LEEDS
Harry LEVI Born 6/DEC/1889 LEEDS Married Janey DEMBOVSKI 1915 MANCHESTER & had 1 Child. Harry Died 1960 & Janey 1970 both in LEEDS*****
Florence LEVI Born 27/AUG/1891 Married Louis YANSBERG 1/JUL/1914 & had a Son Lionel who became known as Lionel LEWIS, & a Daughter called Ethel LEWIS. Louis Died 1956 & Florence 1986 All events in LEEDS.
Tina LEVI Born 20/FEB/1893 & Died 1971 Single both events in LEEDS
Louis LEVI Born 28/OCT/1895 LEEDS & Died 5/JUL/1916 Corbie, Near ALBERT, FRANCE
Abe LEVI Born 21/JAN/1898 LEEDS & Died 2/OCT/1917 LANGEMARK, BELGIAN
La Neuville British Cemetery, CORBIE, FRANCE
Cement House Cemetery, LANGEMARK-POELKAPELLE, BELGIUM
*****
Early in 2024 I received an Email from Gary MAHER, who in turn had received an enquiry thru Ancestry from Steve LEVY, who believed he was related to our LEVI/LEVY Family; this is what I found out.
Harry & Janie had a son called Albert Born 12/JAN/1918 who Married Elizabeth McCULLOCH who already had a Son from a previous relationship called Colin.
Albert & Elizabeth were Married 22/AUG/1944 in SALTCOATES, SCOTLAND, UK.
Colin was Adopted by Albert & he in turn Married Ann Dodds HINDSHAW, & you can see the relationships in the Family Tree below.
In addition Albert & Elizabeth had 2 (Two) children between them called Harvey Born 3/OCT/1945 & Lilian Born 18/MAR/1957 both Born in SCOTLAND.
Barnet LEVI & Family
Turning now to Levi ZAGOFSKY youngest son Barnet LEVI, & his Children
Fanny LEVI Born 21/JUN/1881 LEEDS, went to America & nothing more is known
Sarah LEVI Born 3/DEC/1882 Married Morris TAYLOR 10/JUN/1924 & had a Daughter Mildred. Morris Died 24/APR/1933 & Sarah 28/MAR/1948, all events LEEDS
Kitty LEVI Born 2/SEP/1884 Married Alf GREEN no issue. Alf Died 1946 in GLASGOW & Kitty 1955 in LEEDS
Samuel LEVI Born 1886 Died 1892 LEEDS
Mark LEVY Born 14/MAR/1887 Married Ada SOLOMON 16/AUG/1927 they had 2 Daughters Mark Died 1953 & Ada 1968 all events LEEDS
Eva aka Eve LEVY Born 1928 Married Cecil DAVIES 30/NOV/1951 & had 2 Sons Michael & Bryan aka Peter
When we lived in Garth Walk, off King Lane, Moortown I did something to my neck where I couldn’t move my head either left or right. Someone, possibly our family doctor recommended I go & see Cecil DAVIES who was a Physiotherapist. Cecil took told of my head a give it a wrench, & everything was alright. When we started to talk, we realised that we were related through Eve.
Many years later when I had already started research into my family, I telephoned the DAVIES’S & Eve answered the phone. I told her what I was doing & she invited me to come round & meet her & Cecil.
From then on, we became very close to both Eve & Cecil & spent many happy Friday nights having dinner with them & Peter & his wife Carole.
Eve & Cecil came to stay with us when we lived in PALM BEACH
Cecil & Eve in PALM BEACH
Cecil was a big help in contacting distant relatives, he was invaluable as he knew
everyone. Sadly Eve Died in 2010 & Cecil Died in 2016, both sadly missed, lovely people.
Avril Marcia LEVY Born 9/SEP/1936 Married Jerome Israel MOSS 6/MAR/1960 & Divorced 27/MAY/1987. They had 3 Daughters, Maxine, Geraldine & Francine. Avril Died 18/JAN/2019 HEBDEN BRIDGE & Jerome 2011 in BRIGHTON
I remember Avril from being a young boy as she lived a few doors away from one of my close friends Eddie MACK. Though Avril was only a year older than me, she seemed much more grown up than I was, maybe that’s because girls grow up quicker than boys, plus a year difference when you are young seems quite a lot.
Eve & Avril
6 Leah LEVI Born 8/JUN/1888 Died 5/APR/1970 both LEEDS Single
7 Wolfe LEVI Born 7/FEB/1891 Married Leah FREEDMAN 3/FEB/1935 had 1 Son Malcolm. Wolfe Died 28/APR/1963 Leah Died 1947 All events LEEDS
8. Lizzie LEVI Born 3/AUG/1893 Died 4/JUL/1971 both LEEDS Single
9. Ada LEVI Born 2/MAY/1895 Died 2/JUL/1978 both LEEDS Single
10. Annie LEVI Born 2/AUG/1897 Married Thomas DOWNEY No Issue Annie Died 1978 Thomas Died 1977
The Three Sisters who never Married, Leah, Lizzie & Ada lived much of their lives together in 1911 they all lived at 19 Carr Road, in 1939 & 1955 they all lived at 7 Marlborough Gardens. Leah was still there when she Died in 1970, though Lizzie lived at 41 Queenshill Drive, on the Jewish Estate when she Died in 1971. Ada was a resident in Donisthorpe Hall, the Jewish Old Age Home when she Died in 1978. Though I never met these ladies, according to Cecil DAVIES they knew all about me.
Let me finish with these diagram & notes written by Barbara GOTTMAN (nee GRANT previously GINSBERG) & given to me by her, for which I'm very grateful, as it's from her, that I learned so much about my Family
On following, the left hand side details items from Sarah GINSBERG, Bernard's Widow, left to Barbara & her Family. The right hand side is a sketch of the family members & how they connected one to another.
And now for something entirely different, Chris Rea Auberge absolute classic from Chris. He has a unique style which must be something to do with the mixture of his Italian ethnicity & his Yorkshire heritage.
Comments