My Grandfather Stuart Alexander Williamson (Grandpa Stuart) was born on June 12, 1947, at 1 King Lane, Leeds, England.
His parents are David Williamson (z"l) and Phyllis Williamson (שתזכה לחיים טובים). He has one sister, Janet, who now lives in Wales.
Grandpa Stuart went to Moortown County Primary School, and Leeds Grammar secondry school. Apart from bieng the naughtiest missbehaved student at school he was mostly involved in sports,such as running, rugby, and cricket. My Grandpa was incredibly smart but also an incredibly lazy student so he just barely passed his exams.As well as bieng poorly behaved at school he was also badly behaved at home. My Grandpa told me he even cut of his sister Janet's plait off.
When My Grandpa Graduated high school he went to accountancy college for short courses before exams.He them became and accountent and is still working today.
He now live in London, England. He has 5 Grandchildren; Me, Yoav (my brother), Millie (my Sister), Eva (my cousine), and Benjamin(my cousine).
My Great Grandmother Phyllis (Grandma Phyllis) was born on June 23rd, 1921 in Leeds, England.
Grandma Phyllis’ father Benyamin ben
Dov was born in Sheffield England, lived in Gateshead then came to
Leeds and married my Grandma Phyllis' mother Sarah Leah bat Yona (hacohen). Sarah Leah
was born in St Petersburg, Russia in 1900 and came to England when she
was two.
Benyamin was a
very important person in the Leeds community and was a Baal Tzedakah
and his shul made him a Chaver so his name became Hachover Benyanim- my grandfather (Stuart) loved him very much but he died just before his Barmitzvah. Benyamin's family
name was Frazer and Sarah’s was Cohen.
Grandma Phyllis was (and is) very clever at school, and went to Leeds University, to study social sciences. This was very rare for a woman in those times. She then went on to work at her family's factory (B Frazer and Co) she worked in the office as a bookkeeper and wages clerk.
She has two Grandchildren James (my Father), Hannah (my Aunt) and five Great Grandchildren; Me,Yoav(my brother), Millie(my sister) and
my cousines Eva and Benjamin Rothscild. We love her very much and she is
one of the most impotant role models in my life שתזכה לחיים ארוכים .
My Great Grandfather David (Grandpa David) was born on 1915. Grandpa David grew up in Leeds, England. He went to Lovell Road School (in Leeds).
His father Alexander ben Yisrael lived in Kiev in the
Ukraine and came to England (as Williamson) in 1902 (we think the
original family name was Klitsner). He died before my Grandpa (Grandpa Stuart) was born. His mother
Hannah bat Mordechai (her family name was Fritz/Freeman) was
born in Poland. They already had 2 girls when they came to England and then had 3 more girls and my Great Grandpa David.
Grandpa David was a seargent in the British Army during World War II from 1939-1945. His regiment was the royal corps of signals,he drove a tank ,was at the famous battle of El Alamien in North Africa and was in the Italian Campaign.
Grandpa David owned and ran a factory for the manufacture of women clothing called "B Frazer and Co. The company was started by Grandma Phyllis's Father. My Grandma's Father eventually passed on the company to my Grandpa David.
Grandpa David met my Grandma Phyllis in 1945, got married on April 3rd 1946 and were married for 61 years. They had two children, Stuart (my Grandfather) and Janet (my Great Aunt).
According to my Father (James Raanan) Grandpa David was an amazing man and Grandfather, and from what i remember i would have to agree. When my Father was a little boy he used to take him and his sister to feed the ducks. He would cut סכך for them every succot, and he would take my dad to work on his painting jobs (something he did after he had retired).
My Great Grandmother Joyce Gould (ז"ל) was born on November 14th 1927
in Brooklyn , NY. She moved around alot beacause of her father's job. My Great Grandmother
and her parents Joseph and Rebecca Cross lived in many places such as Birmingham, Manchester,
Blackpool, and Leeds. Her Uncle who was an opticiant that lived in Leeds so they moved in with him.
My Great Grandmother worked as a secretary and personal assistant in J's Furniture Store and
Worked as a personal assitant for a university professor. During the Second World War she was a young girl, and since she lived in a city, she was evacuated to live with a family in the countryside.
My Great Grandfather Julian Gould (Grandpa Julian) was born on October 6th 1924, in
Leeds (Ethel Terris), England. He grew up in goverment housing in the Seacroft district of Leeds.
He was an only child to his parents Maurice Gould and Amelia (Millie) Tailor.
He attended Lovell Road School, where he was a well renowned cricketer (a little less well renowned in his academic pursuits). When he graduated high school, at the age of 14, and started working in the garment industry, as an apprentice tailor. Over the years he climbed higher and higher and became the Production Manager of a highly reputable clothing factory, Ben Simons. He was well known (in Leeds) for his magnificent suits. He also qualified as a Chiropodist (foot doctor) but didn't care for it
and went back to being a tailor.
During World War II Grandpa Julian was conscripted to serve in the British Army. He was an infantryman, and was deployed to fight against the Nazis in Europe. During the war years, Grandpa Julian fought in Holland, France, Germany, and Poland, and was part of the force that liberated the Dutch capital, the Hague. While serving in the army, he was shot in his left leg. One of the chilling memories he recalls from these times, was visiting the concentration camp Bergen Belsen, shortly after that camp was liberated. This was an unusual experience for anybody, especially a Jewish soldier. When I asked him about serving in the British army, he told me that that he felt an obligation and an obvious responsibilty to fight for the Jews.
While on leave from the army, he met his sweetheart, and wife (of 62 years), (Rose) Joyce Gould (ז"ל) (Grandma Joyce), at a dance in the Mecca Ballroom in Leeds. Grandpa Julian was immediately struck by this beautiful girl, and approached her -- at which point Grandma Joyce remarked "there are a lot of drips in here tonight aren't there"--(I'm told that Grandpa looked pretty scruffy that night, in his dirty uniform, and missing a front tooth). Anyway--despite being brushed off the first time--Grandpa Julian did not give in easily--and they began dating (or courting as he would say), and eventually married in 1947 just after the war. They had 2 children, Dianne (my father's mother) and Lawrence (Larry). Grandpa Julian and Grandma Joyce were known as a very handsome couple, and in pictures from those times, people say they looked like film stars.
Apart from his family, Grandpa Julian's first love, was and is, Leeds Rugby League Football Club. Until fairly recently Grandpa Julian never missed a home game, and would take my father and his cousin Josh, to a match every Sunday. My father says that this is why I was called "Eli"noa afer the Leeds Rugby player "El"lery Hanley (my mother does not agree). On their way to matches, Grandpa Julian would always play tracks from the 50's and 60's singer Dean Martin--these were the bed time lullabies for me and my siblings--I think we are the only Israeli kids that know these songs.
Today Grandpa Julian, still lives in his beloved Leeds. He is extremly active and fit for a man of his age--playing bridge, swimming, and participating in a weekly debating society. He has 5 grandchildren, and, so far, 5 great-grandchildren. שיזכה לחיים ארוכים
Grandpa Julian
Grandpa Julian and I
Grandpa Julian and Grandma Joyce with Grandpa Julian's parents
My Grandmother Dianne (Grandma Dianne) was born on the 3rd of October 1949 (which was Yom Kippur) and raised in Leeds, England. Until the age of 11 she attended Harehills Primary School. From the age 11-15 she attended a secondary school that was demolished in 2008.
My Grandma had a younger brother Larry (Uncle Larry). Because her mother was unwell, Grandma Dianne used to look after Uncle Larry a lot. She would walk him to school, and then to cheder every day after school [ask grandma how far this journey was]. Uncle Larry used to get picked on at school, and Grandma used to fight his battles for him (this continued in later life when they would work together).
While at school she became very involved in Bnai Brith wich was very strong in the Provinces. She was also the president of the Bnai Brith girls. Most people involved in Bnai Brith went on to be lawyers and doctors.
After my Grandmother got her GCE (General Certificate), she decided not to go to
college baecause her family needed her to start work as soon as she could. She was able to get a job with the goverment (civil service). She hated her job at the goverment though. Since jobs were easy to come by, she was able to get office jobs .
When my Grandmother took time off to have my father, she started working part time
for an estate agency until her second child (my aunt, Hannah Rothschild[Williamson])
went to nursery school. In 1980 she she joined her brother (my great uncle--Uncle Larry) in his upcoming recruitment agency and translation company, and retired in 2007 at the age of 58. My Grandma was a senior manager in this company, and was known for her bluntness and no nonsense attitude--all delivered in a polite unflustered way.
My Granmother now lives Raanana with her second husband Stuart Miller. They made aliya in 2011. She has five grandchildren; Me,Yoav(my brother), Millie(my sister) and my cousines Eva and Benjamin Rothscild. We love her very much and she is one of the most impotant role models in my life שתזכה לחיים ארוכים
