#1 Family Tree Narrative - Derek

Various members of our GUINNESS family have asked me if they can have some details of both my family & Joan’s. To those who aren't interested, I say you dont know what you're missing, as this is a family that has gone from the poverty & ignorance of the Shtetl to wealth & knowledge, in one & at the most two generations. Most of the facts for all family members are stored on a Family Tree Program for Apple called Reunion, but my feelings are that what most, if not all of you want, is more a narrative rather than just the cold hard facts. So, with this in mind I’ve made a start on my side of the family, as obviously I know this side better than Joan’s. All statements are mine & if anyone knows different they should let me know.

However, before I start, I intend to intersperse various videos from You Tube with music I like, so here's the first;

I thought I’d ask the question: who’s the Third Jew?

Watch the following amazing dance between Fred Astaire (real name Frederick AUSTERLITZ) who by descent is an Austrian Jew & Rita HAYWORTH (real name Margarita Carmen CANSINO) whose Father was an Argentinian Jew.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8AXkfhqvO44

The Third Jew was Jackie WILSON (real name Jack Leroy WILSON Jr) who as an adult converted to Judaism & sings the song that Fred & Rita are dancing to. Fred was, in my opinion the best & most inventive male dancer, whilst Joan always wanted to be like Rita when she was a young girl.

Now back to Family History; I have a total of 7,295 people connected to my Family, this includes distant relatives, plus a further 1,694 people who might be connected mostly GINSBERG’S. I hasten to add that I’ve only including the main ones in this narrative

Though I’ve only 2,198 people in Joan’s Family, I’m confident that there are many more if one did further research.

Before we start, I’d also like to clear up a common mis-understanding about where many members of my family came from. They, being Ashkenazi Jews they came from Eastern Europe in an area which today is mainly in POLAND & LITHUANIA, but at the time they lived there, neither existed as a country & it was all RUSSIA.

There were three partitions of the POLISH-LITHUANIAN COMMONWEALTH that took place toward the end of the 18th century and ended the existence of the state, resulting in the elimination of sovereign POLAND & LITHUANIA for 123 years.

The First Partition took place 5/AUG/1772 (AUSTRIA took territory from POLAND which became GALICIA), the Second Partition on 23/JAN/1793 (PRUSSIA took territory mainly from LITHUANIA), & the Third, & Final Partition took place on 24//OCT/1795 (RUSSIA took everything else) & thereafter POLAND ceased to exist until after the RUSSIAN Revolution & POLAND became a sovereign state again on 3/NOV/1918

Therefore, any of my Family who lived in the area of POLAND & LITHUANIA between 5/AUG/1772 & 3/NOV/1918 were living in RUSSIA.

Partitions of Poland & Lithuania

DEREK 1938/05 STOOD ON CHAIR

Fortunately, I am an only child (I think my mother realised that the world wasn’t ready for two like me!) I was Born 12/OCT/1937 in Derwin Nursing Home, Easterly Road, LEEDS, (by coincidence Joan was living just off Easterly Road when we met), though I was brought up at 1 Falkland Mount, Moortown, LEEDS, which then was a very upmarket mixed neighbourhood of Gentiles & Jews.

My Mother named me Derek after Derek FARR an English Film Star. Whether or not she knew what the name meant or its derivation is a moot point; I somehow think it unlikely as it means “people-ruler” & is derived from Low Franconian, & is the short form of the name Theodoric, which is an old Germanic name. I don’t think anyone in the family knew of my connection to Theo & in particular his name!

My second given name is Mervyn, which I’ve never liked, & only now at Joan’s suggestion have I looked up the meaning. Well Andy, Dani’s husband will be pleased to know that he is no longer the only Welsh connection to our family, as my name Mervyn is from Old Welsh meaning Great Lord. If you think that is the end of it, think again, because Mervin is also a boy’s name in the Hindu Religion.

So, for the sake of clarity, I wish in future to be addressed as;

Great Lord Theodoric

Photo DERWIN MATERNITY HOME

Our house was a very modern flat roofed detached house with an address on two streets because it was on a corner, with the pedestrian entrance on Falkland Mount & the garage entrance on 29 Broomhill Drive. The house was purchased from the builder, Clifford Lax (a relative of Mandy Lax) by my mother.

DEREK 1938/03 PRAM WITH CAMEL

DEREK 1939/08 HELD BY MY DAD FALKLAND MOUNT

DEREK 1939/08 FALKLAND MOUNT

DEREK 1941/08 MUM FALKLAND MOUNT

After attending kindergarten off Gledhow Valley Road, I was a pupil at a very nice primary school called Talbot Road, until I was 11 years old, when because I was always top of the class, I was selected to take the Leeds Grammar School Free Scholarship, where a maximum of 5 students were accepted annually. My mother booked for me to have lunch at Adelman’s Jewish Hotel, but because of nerves I brought it all back, & needless to say didn’t win the scholarship.

I did fortunately pass my 11 plus & went to Roundhay Secondary Grammar School, which was second only to Leeds Grammar School. Though it was a very good school, it was very different from Talbot Road, the pupils came from very different backgrounds, which was a shock to me, & needless to say I went from near the top to very close to the bottom in 5 years.

DEREK & FRIENDS 1950/06 GARDEN

Front Row, Howard FEDDIE, Dennis FISHER, "Nockie" SACKS

To give but one example; when the music teacher suggested we bring records of our music, this was the first time I heard “Trad Jazz”, which I liked & I went with a couple of classmates to a Jazz Club held in the Peel Hotel. Unbeknown to me, prostitutes frequented this club, & the police raided it, & I & my friends were detained by the police. I made the “headlines” in the Yorkshire Post when I stated “I didn’t know Cider was alcoholic”. When the headmaster, Ernest HOWARTH, learned of what had happened, he called me in to his study to inform me that I was going to be expelled, for bringing the school into disrepute. I went with my father to Chapel Allerton Police Station & told the CID officer what had happened at school, & he told us to leave it with him. A couple of days later I was called back to the head masters office, where I was informed that I wasn’t being expelled, but the head master was going to keep his eye on me, & as soon as possible he would expel me. This started a regular attendance on Monday mornings after assembly, where I was first in line for “six of the best’, administered with a cane across my bottom.

REPORT IN YORKSHIRE POST RE UNDER AGE DRINKING

To finish off with school, which I left when I was 16 years old with only 3 or 4 GSE’S to my name. In our assembly hall there was a large plaque for each year, headed with students’ names who had gone to Oxbridge, & during the war with any top medals. We had one Victoria Cross, won by Arthur Louis AARON, who was Jewish, & over half of the Oxbridge students were also Jewish, yet Ernest HOWARTH was such an anti-Semite that he called all the Jewish boys into the assembly hall & berated us for not pulling our weight in the school. Needless to say, within a week he had to call us all back & try to wriggle out of it.

Photo ROUNDHAY SECONDARY GRAMMAR SCHOOL 2023

A Dashing 17 year old

I started going out with Joan when I was 17 years old just before Xmas. It was quite a pragmatic arrangement as we had both finished with our boyfriend/girlfriend & needed to have a partner to go to the Xmas/New Year parties with. Well, that’s how it started & we’re still together after 69 years.

JOAN 1956/02 MODELLING

DEREK & JOAN ENGAGEMENT 1959

I was involved as a passenger in an RTA the Xmas before we were Married. This caused me a lot of problems 6 weeks after we were Married. My Parents covered all the mirrors & laid all photos facedown, which is what you do when someone has died. Joan had no help from her Parents & mine were in such a state of shock, that she had to do everything herself. I was Born as David Moishe ben Zussel, on 7 HESHVAN 5698, which was changed by Joan, unbeknown to me, in a Service in Shul, to Dovid Moishe ben Zussel. Changing a name effects the numerical value according to the GAMATRIA which is part of the KABBALISTIC belief, & from then I stated to recover

David, from the HEBREW, meaning “beloved”. In the Bible (I Samuel 17:12), the Son of Jesse and the second King of Israel; successor to King Saul and Father of King Solomon. Moishe, from the HEBREW, meaning “drawn out (of the water)”

I had my Bar Mitzva 1950 at the Chassidishe Synagogue, 46 Spencer Place, Chapeltown, LEEDS which was closed about 1983, moved to Donisthorpe Hall (Home for the Aged) Previously at Hope Street until late 1930’s. Donisthorpe Hall has now been sold.

CHASSIDICHE SYNAGOGUE SPENCER PLACE

Religious Marriage on 15/MAY/1960, which was Lag B’omar at Sinai Synagogue, 21 Leopold Street, Chapeltown, LEEDS

SINAI SYNAGOGUE LEOPOLD STREET

Blue Plaque on Synagogue

Rabbi Eric BEINHIEM

We first went to the Sinai for a Friday Night Service, after which we all went upstairs for an Oneg Shabbat & said Kiddush. We eventually approached the Rabbi; Rabbi BEINHEIM & explained who we were & said that Joan wanted to take lessons in Judaism. Now you have to remember after our interview with Louis SAIPE we were both quite nervous & it's possible we didn't say things as clearly as we should have.

When Rabbi BEINHIEM replied he had a very strong "mittle-european" accent, which we found difficult to understand, so we stood nodding our head at everything he said, until he asked me if I was circumcised. Though puzzled I naturally said yes I was circumcised, to which he said "of course you don't have to convert as your fiancé is Jewish & it is the female that carries the religion".That's when the penny dropped; he thought Joan was Jewish, & me being blond & blue eyed was the Gentile! Once we got this cleared up he arranged for us to go & meet him at his house in BRADFORD & then to meet Rabbi Henry BRANDT who was taking over in LEEDS.

We'll continue this when we get to Joan later on

Something I want to mention, which might give you shivers down your spine, or if you prefer confirm Joan’s view that my Father, Cecil GINSBERG has always been looking after me & also my son Sean.

Sean was taken ill & was soon diagnosed with terminal cancer, which came as an unbelievable shock to all who loved him. None of the family could believe what was happening to Sean, it was without doubt the darkest moment in our lives, we just couldn’t comprehend what was happening. The first moment of hope came with the new treatment Sean was given in the BEXLEY Wing, which was immunotherapy. From that moment the tide started to change, & though there were a number of setbacks on the way, the mood changed & after about 3 years he was given the news shortly before his 60th Birthday that he was clear of cancer, which was the best news anyone in his position, & ours could receive.

Unfortunately, around the same time I was diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer called MCC, & whilst tests were being made, they found what they suspected was a tumour on my Adrenal Gland, which has nothing to do with the MCC. Hopefully they think the Adrenal Gland is only fatty tissue, & I’m having treatment with radiation for the MCC. Again, the treatment is being undertaken in the BEXLEY Wing.

According to what I’ve read & what Sean has learnt over his nearly 3 years of treatment, the BEXLEY Wing is one of the most advanced cancer care hospitals, not only in the UK, or EUROPE, but the WORLD. The care there is unbelievable, you can forget every criticism you’ve heard of the NHS when you are a patient in the BEXLEY Wing. The kindness, understanding & professionalism of the staff at all levels, is astounding, & this is whilst we are still under the cloud of COVID & now even strikes.

Now this all sounds very heartening, but what has this to do with my Dad?

My father was born & lived much of his life in a terrace house right next door to where St James Hospital is. In fact, half way up the street, is a little-known entrance direct into the Hospital Campus-The house is still there & its address is 47 BEXLEY Grove!!!!!

47 BEXLEY GROVE, LEEDS

PHOTO ENTRANCE TO ST JAMES from BEXLEY GROVE

BEXLEY GROVE, STREET SIGN

Finally, my life has been divided into Four Unequal Quarters, as follows;

GUTINKE-from Birth to leaving Primary School; I was generally a good child, rarely got into trouble at home or school.

REBEL from starting Secondary School to shortly after car accident. Normal teenager plus discovery of a much wider world. Though never bad, I got into plenty of scrapes. Threw away my education in the process

DRIVEN from within a few months of accident until retirement at 50 years of age. Because of illness, I was convinced I wouldn’t live long, so I set about trying to provide for Joan & my Children without the benefit of any skills.

RELAXED after company flotation I was able to provide for my family & start to enjoy life with Joan

OUR KETUBAH MARRIAGE CONTRACT

Bridge Court 1908

Bridge Court 2022

I will set out further details once Joan enters this Narrative, however I think that’s more than enough about me, so let’s move onto my parents.

My Parents were Cecil GINSBERG Born 6/MAY/1904 47 Bexley Grove, Harehills, LEEDS, Married 30/JUN/1936 Belgrave Street Synagogue, LEEDS, Rose GARBER Born 25/DEC/1898 LAGOW, OPATOW, KIELCE, RUSSIA, Died 22/SEP/1989, St James Hospital, LEEDS. UK

Cecil Died 1/JUN/1964 St John Of God, Scorton Nr. DARLINGTON. One Child

Before we go; who were the duo of an immensely talented gay Jew & a very lucky guy of Egyptian extraction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIgZ7gMze7A

The immensely talented gay Jew was George MICHAEL (real name Georgios Kyriacos PANAYIOTOU) who’s Maternal Grandmother was Jewish, & the lucky guy is Andrew RIDGELEY whose Father (Born Alberto Mario ZACHARIA) was of Italian/Egyptian descent. It was a tragedy that George had such a short life, though he gave a lot of pleasure to his many fans.