NON-CHRISTIAN RELIGIOUS BODIES
In 1763 Hyman Waag, a Jewish
lapidary, was living in Colchester, and Levi
Alexander traded in the town as a silversmith
and watchmaker in 1775. (fn. 90) In 1791 a Jewish
marriage took place in Synagogue Yard which
adjoined Quakers Alley in West Stockwell
Street, (fn. 91) but there is no record of a synagogue
there after 1794. (fn. 92) In 1796, when two Colchester men were among the trustees for a Jewish
graveyard in Ipswich, Colchester Jews seem to
have been worshipping there. (fn. 93) Tradesmen with
Jewish names lived in Colchester in the 19th
century, notably in 1848 when Michael Samuel,
pawnbroker and silversmith, and Moses and
Simon Hyam, tailors, were recorded, (fn. 94) but there
is no evidence for a synagogue or any worshipping Jewish community in the town. (fn. 95) At least
one member of the Hyam family became a
Christian. (fn. 96)
The Colchester and District Jewish Association was formed in 1952. Between 1961 and
1969 the Jewish community met in a hall in
Northgate House. In 1969 a new synagogue
was built in Fennings Close to serve north
Essex. (fn. 97)
BAHA'I.
Members of the Baha'i faith first met
in Colchester c. 1970; a Spiritual Assembly was
formed in 1976 and members met regularly in
private houses in 1988. (fn. 98)
Footnotes
| 89 |
This section was written in 1988. For Jews in medieval
Colchester, above, pp. 27-8. |
| 90 |
Trans. Jewish Hist. Soc. xxv. 155; B. Mason, Clock and
Watchmaking in Colch. 390. |
| 91 |
Anglo-Jewish Assoc. Quarterly, iii (2), 22. |
| 92 |
E.R.O., D/P 325/11. |
| 93 |
Trans. Jewish Hist. Soc. ii. 134. |
| 94 |
White's Dir. Essex, (1848), 109, 111. |
| 95 |
Trans. Jewish Hist. Soc. xvii. 182. |
| 96 |
E.R.O., Stockwell St. Cong. Ch. Bk. 1816-64. |
| 97 |
E.C.S., 24 Jan. 1969; G.R.O. Worship Reg. no. 68180;
Colch. Expr. 23 Oct. 1969. |
| 98 |
Inf. from Mrs. B. Begent. |