By the 1891 census there were 8,000 Jews in Leeds. The community had grown, not only by immigration, but by a very high birth rate. Of their listed occupations in that census as many as 72% were involved in tailoring, usually working in the so called 'sweat shops' under conditions that were often very poor. By 1901 the community size was 14,000 and was still growing when immigration to this country was severely curtailed by the Aliens' Act of 1905 - probably the first legislation restricting immigration passed by a British Parliament.
Most of the immigrants were penniless when they arrived here and were unable to speak English. They settled in or near to the Leylands, adjoining the city centre, a very badly run down area comprising hardly more than 50 acres, but where property was cheap to rent. There they established their synagogues, often named after the town or region in Eastern Europe from which the founders hailed. They also set up a network of self-help organisations, such as the Leeds Jewish Board of Guardians. Surprisingly, in spite of the general poverty of the immigrants and the extremely poor quality of the housing, overcrowding and unhygienic conditions, the health of the Jewish children was found to be better than non-Jewish children of the same class. Maybe it was the chicken soup - often called the Jewish penicillin - that promoted this!
Next
