How big was the community?
During the 18th century Jewish merchants in London began to take advantage of easier travel to settle in provincial towns including Lynn. The Jewish community has the only surviving set of articles of foundation (1747) in England. At this time the services were held in the house of Joseph Levi. One of the founders of the new Jewish community was Abraham Jones (1729 – 1811), who was a native of Holland and prior to that Germany.
Several Lynn Jews were gold and silver smiths, they probably came to Britain from Amsterdam.
In 1814 Daniel de Pass married Rachel Davis at the Sun Inn in Norfolk Street. A Dutch Sephardic Rabbi conducted the ceremony “at which not less than 50 people attended”. The synagogue in Tower Street was sold in 1811 to Methodists who demolished it for their new chapel but by 1826 another Synagogue was acquired behind No 10 High Street, Armes Yard. Described in 1842 as “a pretty though small building”.
The congregation continued to flourish and the minutes book and charity register was kept until 1845. It is preserved London Metropolitan Archives The community then faded away.
The Burial ground was on the outskirts of an industrial part of town. Mills , warehouses.
Part of the brick compound is 16C. Further research is required to find its previous use. The cement pointing and bricks are in a poor state of repair having been patched with modern cement in the 1970’s and this has not helped the ancient bricks.
In the right hand rear corner are the headstones of the Groomsflet/Jones family. Almost legible , they read: In Hebrew Abraham Moses Son of Isaiah. Died Iyyar 5571 (1811) and his wife Hannnah daughter of Aaron, wife of Abraham Moses son of Isaiah Died Adar 5578 (1818).
Abraham Moses 1729-1811. has been identified with Abraham Jones, son of Isaiah Groomsfelt of Holland.
Rachel Miriam daughter of Abraham, wife of Levi son of Moses. Levi Son of Moses has tentatively been identified with Hart Jones, high street watchmaker and silversmith.
His brother Levi was dentist at 86 High street (formerly of Norwich)
