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Surely over 300 years of Roman occupation, some Jews must have reached Britain. There are, however, no written records. The Jews would have been largely urban. The Anglo-Saxon invaders destoyed the urban culture of Roman Britain and this probably included the Jews in those towns. We know there were Jews in Anglo-Saxon Britain, in part because there were laws concerning Jews. We do not, however, have details on Jewish communities are know where these Jews came from. There are written records of Jewish during the Norman era. Some Jews arrived with William the Conqueror (1066). Anti-semitism developed in England as in the rest of Western Europe. The accusation of the Blood libel appears to have originated in England (12th century). Edward I expelled England's Jews (1290). Thus for nearly four centuries there were no Jews permitted in England, although a small number apparently practiced their religion in secret. A small group of Sephardic Jews were uncovered in Londpn during the Civil war era (1656). Lord Proctor Oliver Cromwell decided not to expell them, in part because of his financial situation. Even so, the prohibition on Jews was not rescinded. The Jewish population continued to be very small. The concern over emancipation was shown with the Jew Bill (1753). The process of emancipation was gradual, but the kep step was probably allowing Jews to become members of Parliament (1858). One of England's greatest priminister was Benjamin Disreali. Full emancipation was not achieved until later (1890s). These steps and the absence of violence aimed at Jews gradually resulted in England acquiring a reputation for tolerance. Englad's Jewish population remained relatively small. With the rise of the NAZIs in Germany, Jews began fleeing Germany and areas seized by the Germans (Austria and Czechoslovakia, England allowed only small numbers of Jews to enter (1930s). An exception was the Kindertransport children. Britain's Jews were spared the Holocaust, because the Germans were unable to invade. The Germans did arrest and deport Jews from the Channel Islabds. Britain's small Jewish community is today vibrant even with rising abti-semitism.
Surely over 300 years of Roman occupation, some Jews must habe reached Britain. There are, however, no written records. The Jews would have been largely urban. The Anglo-Saxon invaders destoyed the urban culture of Roman Britain and this probably included the Jews in those towns. Anglo-Saxon sources report Jewish slave traders that who bought slaves for the Roman market. Given the source, we are not entirely sure of the accuracy.
As far as we know, there were no Jews accompanying the Anglo-Saxon tribes invading Roman Britain. Thus Jews in Anglo=Saxon Britain would have had to have Jews already there or who reached Britain fter the conquest. We know there were Jews in Anglo-Saxon Britain, but very little is known about them or the numbers involved. There are almost no references to the Jews in surviving Anglo-Saxon records. But a few brief references provide some clues. Some sources think that the Jews in Anglo-Saxon England were mostly mostly continental visitors. There were laws concerning Jews. We also note religious references envolving Easter. There are, however, no details on Jewish communities are know where these Jews came from.
viking invaders conquered much of Britain (9th century). I do not think there were Jewish communities in Scandanavia at the time. Nor do I have any information at this time on Jews in the areas of Britain controlled by the Vikings--the Dane Law.
There are written records of Jewish during the Norman era. William the Conqueror defeated King Harald at Hasings, ending the Anglo-Saxon era (1066). Some Jews arrived in England soon after the Norman conquest (1066). These Jews were from William's possessions in Normandy. Jew there and other Christian principalities lived very constrained lives. One of the few occupations allowed was money lending. Jews were prohibited from owning land and engaging in the trades. Finance was an area open to them because the Church ruled that charging interest on loans was usury and sinful. Thus lending money was a rare area open to Jews. William of Malmesbury reported that William I invited a group of Jews from Rouen (1070). He reportedly thought that their commercial skills would help make his new possessions more profitable. Not a great deal is known about the Jews in Norman England. While we know some Jews accompanied William, it is not known just what their status was. It is believed that some were involved with William's finances. At first they were needed and received protection from William. There is no actual documentatiin such as a charter issued by William to confirm their actual status. After William their status appears to have been essential alienes in a Christian realm. This was initially something as an advantage in Feudal Europe in that their lives were not hemmed in by the Feudal system. They could inherit property and actually had more rights than peasants tied to the manor. Norman sources show that Jews wre working as doctors. [Jacobs, p. 269.] Norman documents also confirm that considerable superstion was associated with Christian attitudes toward Jews. [Jacobs, p. 153.] Anti-semitism developed in England as in the rest of Western Europe. The accusation of the Blood libel appears to have originated in England (12th century). We are not entirely sure as to the origins of the anti-semitism. It is likely that the Church paid a major role. Merchants who competed with the Jews may have also been involved.
The fortune of the Jews of England deteriorated very rapidly. The monarchy which had borrowed from the Jews began to tax them. Henry II (1154-89) instituted a tillage of one quarter of their possessions was on London Jews. As hostility developed against the Jews, their situation deteriorated. Finally their assets were expropriated and they were expelled after only two centuries.
Edward I was one of England's great warrior kings. As a prince he helped win the Barons War (1263-67) for his father. As king he sought to britain all of Britain under English control. He conquered Wales, but a quick victory in Scotand was stopped by William Wallace. The result was a long, costly war. The need for money appears yo have been a major factor in Edward's decesion to confiscate the property and expel England's Jews (1290). Many Jews were robbed and even killed during the expulsion process. Thus for nearly four centuries there were no Jews permitted in England, although a small number apparently practiced their religion in secret. Irinically, Edward also played a major role in the development of English law and is also known as Edward the Lawgiver. England became an example of anti-semitism, despite the virtual absence of Jews in the country to revile.
Anti-Semtism continued in England, despite the absence of any sizeable number of Jews. The famous Dr. Lopez, a Portuguese Jew (but, nominally at least, a convert to Christianity) was Queen Elizabeth's
personal physician. He was falsely accused of trying to poison the Queen, and Essex, Elizabeth's favorite, managed to get him condemned for treason. In consequence, he was barbarically executed (hanged, eviscerated, and quartered). A tragic miscarriage of justice. Of course there were no public synagogues in England, but certainly there were people of Jewish blood (nominally Christian, in most of the cases we know about). Another indication of Jews in England is their appearance in plays, albeit set outside England, an indicator that there were very few Jews in England itself. The most famous Jewish character is Shakespeare's Shylock in "The Merchant of Venice". An analysis of "The Merchant of Venice" tells us a great deal about English attitudes toward Jews, although very little about England's small Jewish community at the time.
A small group of Sephardic Jews were uncovered in Londpn during the Civil war era (1656). Lord Proctor Oliver Cromwell decided not to expell them, in part because of his financial situation. Even so, the prohibition on Jews was not rescinded. The Jewish population continued to be very small.
Europe began addressing the issues of Jewish emancipation in the 18th century. The concern over emancipation in Britain was shown with the Jew Bill (1753), although this was a short-lived measure dealing with wealthy people. It was a t least a beginning. The process of emancipation was gradual, but the key step was probably allowing Jews to become members of Parliament (1858). One of England's greatest priminister was Benjamin Disreali. Even so, there was a kind of wide-spread genteal anti-semitism in Britain. This meant people who would not think of physically attacking Jews, but would avoid any social conract with them. Despite the small number of Jews in Britain, it is notable that that Dicken's best known villan is Fagan in Oliver Twist. And it is notable that he was drawn as a villan preying upon children. Full emancipation was not achieved until later (1890s).
These steps and the absence of violence aimed at Jews gradually resulted in England acquiring a reputation for tolerance. Englad's Jewish population remained relatively small.
With the rise of the NAZIs in Germany, Jews began fleeing Germany and areas seized by the Germans (Austria and Czechoslovakia, England allowed only small numbers of Jews to enter (1930s). An exception was the Kindertransport children. Britain's Jews were spared the Holocaust, because the Germans were unable to invade. The Germans did arrest and deport Jews from the Channel Islands. And of course Bfritain played an important in the Allied victory over NAZI Germany, a victory which saved the 6 million European Jews that managed to survive the Holocaust.
Britain's small Jewish community is today vibrant even with rising abti-semitism. An English reader writes, "Anti semitism is growing in Britain according to a Television documentary which is to be shown on TV on Monday night (July 9, 2007). The argument is that antisemitism has moved away from the far right and become the preserve of the left and Islamonizis." Another reader notes an article about left-wing London Mayor Ken Livingstone and his anti-semitic comments. This surprised me because Livingstone constantly appeals for racial and relgious tolerance in Britain and often is critical of the way blacks and Muslims are treated. Apparently a reporter, Oliver Finegold, irritated him outside County Hall. He shot back, "What did you do before? Were you a German war criminal?" At that time Finegold explained to Livingstone that he was Jewish and was deeply offended by the remark. Livingstone then compared him to a 'concentration camp guard'. Livingstone subsequently claimed that he was not being anti-Jewish because he was rude to everyone. Modern Britain has become very sensative about race. The new primeme minister does not even want Muslim terrorists referred to as Muslims. A British journalist reporting on the incident notes that "Livingstone would never have dreamed of being that offensive to a Muslim, or Jamaican, journalist." [Littlejohn] It is a good example that despite all the political correctness in Britain that anti-semitism has become fashionable with the left.
A Parliamentary inquiry team looked into the issue. John Mann, a member of the committe, was shocked at what was found, both the the scale and nature of anti-semitism in Britain. He stated, "Every single member of our committee was stunned at some of the things they found out. It wasn't a Britain that they recognised. It's almost as if it's a throwback. We thought these were things we'd seen in the past, and we hoped had gone." [Littlejohn]
England having expelled the Jews (13th century) has a rather small Jewish population. We do not have a major list at this time, but a few individuals come to mind. Probably the most significant surely is Benjamin Disreali, the famed primeminister. Another notable Jew was Baron Rothchild. HBC is particularly impressed with two modern British hisotorians, Sir Martin Gilbert and Simon Schama. We also note an English-born Jew who immigrated to America, Harry Bernstein.
Jacobs, Joseph. The Jews of Angevin England: Documents and Records (London, 1893).
Littlejohn, Richard. "The New Anti-Semitism," The Daily News (July 7, 2007), pp. 14-15.
"War on British Jews," Channel 4 (July 9, 2007).
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