• Introduction
• History
• Key Dates

• Touring the area
• Places of interest
• Post a comment

Nestor Ivan Schnurmann was one of the last Jews of Cheltenham. He was born in 1854 and arrived in Cheltenham in 1892 having previously been a teacher at St Paul's Prep School (1884-91). Originally he had come to England as a Russian exile coming via Siberia. He was an assistant Master at the Cheltenham College as well as being the head of the Jewish House at the college, Corinth House. He was also an examiner in various Slavonic languages for the Civil Services and the University of Cambridge.
Schnurmann was elected Secretary, Treasurer and Registrar in 1893, though by this stage virtually all the congregants were absentees or living elsewhere.

The Chief Rabbi still visited in 1894 and Schnurmann presided along with the Revd. Joseph, though there seemed to be no other Jews present than the boys at the college. Schnurmann became "President" of the congregation in 1894 when the President of eight years, Samuel Goldberg, left Cheltenham. However it is evident that Schnuurman was largely the "captain" on the bridge of a near deserted and fast sinking ship! This impression was reinforced when the Revd. Joseph resigned since the congregation could no longer afford to pay him adequately.

In 1894 Halpern listed four Jewish businesses in Cheltenham. These included, two pawn brokers and jewellers, an optician, an hotelier (Hart at the Fleece Hotel). He also listed Nestor's presence at Cheltenham College and Schnurman as the rabbi.

In this twilight period the remains of the congregation still fulfilled their duties and managed to carry out charitable works. Eventually, however by 1895, an Ezra Feldman was left as President, Treasurer and Secretary as well as Schochet and Reader - the rest had resigned their posts though they still remained in town.