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Coming to England
Oliver Cromwell’s decision to allow Jews to return to England after 1656 was partially motivated by his aim to re-establish London as a major trading centre after the Civil War. The first Jewish immigrants to arrive settled in London, included prosperous Sephardi merchants who came via Holland and Portugal. They were soon joined by Ashkenazim also from Holland and eastern Europe. Compared to the rest of Europe, Cromwell's country was a model of religious acceptance. Jews were safe from pogroms (violent attacks) and persecution and able to conduct business.
By 1700 the small London community had grown to approximately 600 people, mainly merchants, but also dealers in bullion and diamonds, skilled craftsmen, shopkeepers and a few physicians.
During the 18th century the Jewish community continued to grow. Those arriving were poor Ashkenazi migrants from the German states, Poland and to a lesser extent Dutch Jews of German origin. Renewed activity by the Inquisition in Spain and Portugal in 1720 and 1735 provoked a new arrival of around 3,000 Conversos. Others came from the Italian states, North Africa, Gibraltar and the Ottoman Empire.
During the second half of the century, Jewish refugees – Sephardi or Ashkenazi – were therefore increasingly unskilled with few material resources. They were often pedlars and hawkers, itinerant traders selling goods frequently of poor quality or dubious provenance. They worked as street traders selling oranges, lemons, spectacles, costume jewellery, sponges, lead pencils and inexpensive framed pictures.
Settling In Kings Lynn
In 1745 or earlier several Jewish families chose to settle in King's Lynn. Who were they, why did they come to Kings Lynn and where did they live before?
During the 18th century Jewish merchants in London began to take advantage of easier travel to settle in provincial towns including Lynn. The Lynn Jewish community wrote up a foundation document. It has become the earliest surviving set of articles of Foundation (1747) in England. This document tells us that 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.​
The Foundation Article is written in legislative terms, in Yiddish and hebrew , in a stylised Hebrew script. We can assume that the founder members were educated and literate people. For these reasons this document is difficult to read. It is preserved because nearly 100 years later in 1829 when the community treasurer started to keep the yearly records in a new accounts book a decision was made to preserve this important foundation document by pasting it in the inside cover of the double entry accounts register.
Historian Cecil Roth considers the date to be "Thirty-Third Day of the Omer, 1747 - the Scholars' festival." This is a very small group of men. One member of the little group, Jacob Segal or Levi, referred to as being Haber (scholar), owned a Sefer Torah, which had been used previously in Divine worship. He now disposes of it to the community (Hebruta) consisting of himself, Selig or Solomon (ben Isaac) Segal, or Levi, and Abraham ben Isaiah: another signatory, not mentioned in the text, is Joseph ben Isaac Segal (Levi).
The conditions of purchase are carefully laid down. The scroll cost £5 10s.: but, as Jacob Levi subscribed only £1 10s. to the purchase fund, as against £2 paid by each of the others, they were to have the right to 10/- each from the congregational fund when it was available. It was laid down that no stranger might act as Segan to distribute congregational honours (section ii): that Jacob Levi was to be called up each New Year and Day of Atonement (section iii): and that everything that had been purchased for the Scroll should go with it (section iv). There were regulations for the congregational fund, or Charity Box: one person was to have it in his custody, another to look after the accounts, a third to possess the key: thus there could be no possibility of malversation. The Presiding Treasurer (Gabbay) was to be elected each year on Hosanna Rabba. No member owing the congregation any debt for the past half year should have any mitzvah (section v). Jacob Levi agreed that services should be held in his house, as hitherto so long as he had a suitable room available. Levi Hirsch Segal - presumably his son - was to continue to act as Hazan and would read the services on the Holy Days as previously (section vi).
These were to be the fundamental regulations of the congregation as it was now formed; any person who infringed them would have to pay a fine of three guineas. On the other hand, those who left the town would lose all their rights. The later meeting minutes books from 1829 reiterate the rules.
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It is preserved London Metropolitan Archives