Wikipedia

Bethel Jacobs

Bethel Jacobs (1812–1869) was born in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, England, becoming a prominent member of Hull's Jewish community, and highly regarded in the Town's civic circles.[1][2][3][4] A successful silversmith and polymath who lived in a large house on George Street,[5] he was son of jeweller and synagogue president Israel Jacobs,[4] and son-in-law to Joseph Lyon,[6] president of the rival synagogue.[2] He married Esther Lyon in 1836, by whom he had 14 children.[1][6] He died of liver disease in 1869 age 57,[7][8] and was given a major public funeral.[1][9] Amongst many talented descendents,[1][2][6][10] his son Charles M. Jacobs constructed under-river tunnels in New York and Paris.[1][11][12]

Bethel Jacobs
Born1812
Kingston upon Hull
Died1869

Activities

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After studying in Leipzig,[2] he returned to his father's town centre business, overseeing the silversmith and clockmaking workshop.[2] A capable inventor, musician, dramatist and speaker,[2][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] he was soon well-known for his silverware and shop in Whitefriargate,[1][21][22][23][24] for taking on public roles such as Governor of the Poor,[25][26][27][28][29] and for giving wide-ranging lectures.[15][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41] Jacobs became Master of the Humber masonic Lodge and a Town Councillor,[42][43] as well an influential synagogue president.[1][2][44][45][46][47][48]

President of Hull Literary & Philosophical Society,[49][2] and the Mechanics' Institute,[50][51] Jacobs led Hull's contribution to the 1851 Great Exhibition.[52][53] Drawing the 1853 Association for the Advancement of Science to Hull,[54][55][56] and after Victoria and Albert stayed at the (later Royal) Station Hotel in 1854,[57] he was made Jeweller and Silversmith to Her Majesty that year.[1][58][13][59]

A founder of the Hull Archers and later Lieutenant and Paymaster of Hull Volunteer Rifle Corps,[60][61][62] and president of Hull's Royal Institution, Jacobs established Hull of School Art in 1861.[63][1][64][65] In 1863 he erected in front of his shop the first of Hull's electric time balls; it was connected to Greenwich, and fell at noon, visible to shipping.[1][66]

Several of Jacobs' clocks are housed in museums.[1][67][68][69][70]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Pringle, Ruth (2010). "The Jacobs family of Hull". East Yorkshire Historian. 11: 49–63.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Finestein, Israel (1996). "The Jews in Hull, between 1766 and 1880". Jewish Historical Studies. 35: 33–91. ISSN 0962-9696. JSTOR 29779979.
  3. ^ Hull History Centre: Records of the Hull Jewish Community 1767–2012 http://catalogue.hullhistorycentre.org.uk/files/c-djc.pdf
  4. ^ a b Lang, Colin (2017). Divided we stand: a journey with Judge Israel Finestein QC (English ed.). London: Vallentine Mitchell. pp. 206–7. ISBN 978-1-910383-50-6. OCLC 995382563.
  5. ^ Stubley, Peter (1991). SERIOUS RELIGION AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF PUBLIC MANNERS: THE SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF EVANGELICALISM IN HULL. 1770–1914. PhD Thesis (PDF). Durham University. p. 161.
  6. ^ a b c "Bethel Jacobs". geni_family_tree. 12 August 1812. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  7. ^ "DEATH OF MR. BETHEL JACOBS. The death of this esteemed townsman, which occurred on Sunday morning last, at his residence in George-street, has elicited throughout the town the most general and profound feelings of sorrow .". Hull Packet. 31 December 1869.
  8. ^ "HULL LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY .. And they lost, at a time when not expecting it, the genial manliness, good sense, and general attainments of the late Mr Bethel Jacobs, An admirable bust of this gentleman had been executed by our young townsman, Mr W. D. Kleyworth, jun., and had been presented .". Hull Packet. 11 November 1870.
  9. ^ "Funeral of B. Jacobs.—Yesterday the remains of Mr Bethel Jacobs, silversmith, who died on Sunday last, were interred in the Jewish Cemetery, Hedon Road. The funeral was very large one .". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 30 December 1869.
  10. ^ Jacobs, Michael (2007). Ghost train through the Andes : on my grandfather's trail in Chile and Bolivia. London: John Murray. ISBN 978-0-7195-6181-8. OCLC 225481729.
  11. ^ "Charles Mattathias Jacobs - Graces Guide". www.gracesguide.co.uk. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  12. ^ American Photograph Co (1908). Postcard: William G. McAdoo. President and Charles M. Jacobs, Engineer in Chief of the Hudson & Manhattan Railroad Co. Hoboken Historical Museum https://hoboken.pastperfectonline.com/webobject/ECBFC12D-503E-4EA4-8301-751850845790
  13. ^ a b Sheahan, James Joseph (1864). General and concise history and description of the town and port of Kingston-upon-Hull. University of California Libraries. London : Simpkin, Marshall & co. p. 218.
  14. ^ "DINNER IN THE GUILDHALL .. Bethel Jacobs, Esq., of Hull, was then loudly called upon, and sang the following verses, written by himself, and set to music .". Yorkshire Gazette. 1 August 1846.
  15. ^ a b "THE HULL NEWS .. a lecture in connection with the above society, was delivered in the St. James's schoolroom, Porter-street, by Mr. Bethel Jacobs, on the laws governing sound. The lecturer explained the manner in which sound is propagated, its velocity and intensity .". Hull Daily News. 31 January 1852.
  16. ^ "THURSDAY EVENING .. the PRESIDENT. Mr. BETHEL JACOBS, the GENIUS and MUSIC HAYDN, with Vocal and Instrumental Illustration". Hull Advertiser and Exchange Gazette. 10 November 1855.
  17. ^ "LOCAL INTELLIGENCE .. while the broad telling style of Mr Bethel Jacobs was exceedingly effective in the part of Crepin the Cobbler. He kept the whole room in a roar of laughter while he was ...". Hull Packet. 5 December 1862.
  18. ^ "MASONIC AMATEUR THEATRICALS .. Mr Bethel Jacobs made a first-rate Jasper Plum, the cotton lord .. His acting was free and natural, it always is, there being nothing stagey .". Hull and Eastern Counties Herald. 3 November 1864.
  19. ^ "BETHEL JACOBS, Stage Manager. J. F. HOLDEN, Acting Manager. THEATRE ROYAL, HULL. Proprietors-The Hull Theatre and Concert Company, Limited .". Hull Packet. 19 October 1866.
  20. ^ "The following was the song Fathers Home (Gambert), by Mr. Bethel Jacobs, with violin accompaniment by Mr, B. L. Jacobs. The song lost none of its beauty by the rendering of Mr. Jacobs, and the .". Hull Advertiser and Exchange Gazette. 19 January 1867.
  21. ^ "THE HULL TESTIMONIAL OF ESTEEM AND GRATITUDE .. to a merchant of this town. About nine o'clock, large concourse of persons assembled In Whitefriargate, opposite the shop of Bethel Jacobs, where the splendid silver tureen has been view". Hull Advertiser and Exchange Gazette. 3 January 1845.
  22. ^ "The Hunters of Munich .. the superb service of plate, valued more than one hundred guineas, manufactured by Mr. Bethel Jacobs Hull, was presented .. to .. honorary secretary of the Beverley and East Riding Floral and Horticultural .". Yorkshire Gazette. 9 June 1838.
  23. ^ "SCARBOROUGH .. The committee have also received a handsome donation, in the shape of elegant cup, given by Bethel Jacobs, Esq,, Hull .". Hull Advertiser and Exchange Gazette. 2 August 1850.
  24. ^ "York Rifles, the whole being placed on a very elegant plateau of solid silver. The plate is from the establishment of Mr Bethel Jacobs, and the value, we believe, is upwards of one hundred and fifty guineas". Hull Packet. 23 January 1863.
  25. ^ "[article] .. workhouse all that could fairly required. Mr. Bethel Jacobs, governor of the workhouse in the years 1839, 40, and 41, and guardian for the three subsequent years, said It always had .". Hull Packet. 3 March 1848.
  26. ^ "Hull Board of Guardians. —On Monday, at a numerous meeting of the inhabitants of Whitefriargate, held at the White Hart, Silver street, Mr. Bethel Jacobs, of Whitefriargate, silversmith, was proposed by Mr. John Lovitt as a fit and proper person fill the role of Guardian of the Poor .". Hull Advertiser and Exchange Gazette. 14 April 1837.
  27. ^ "FIRST ANNUAL MEETING OF THE HULL RAGGED AND INDUSTRIAL SCHOOLS .. the platform by the Revs. Messrs. King, Scott, .. and Bethel Jacobs, Esq.". Hull Packet. 1 March 1850.
  28. ^ "LOCAL BOARD OF HEALTH .. Alderman Thompson, James Young, .. Thomas Jarratt, John S. Thompson, Bethel Jacobs, .". Hull Packet. 29 August 1851.
  29. ^ "BOARD OF HEALTH MEETING YESTERDAY .. DISPENSARY.-The annudl meeting of the subscribers to the above institution was held .. at the Dispensary. Mr Bethel Jacobs was elected to take the chair .". Hull Packet. 1 July 1864.
  30. ^ "The Music of the Hebrews —Mr. Bethel Jacobs, on Tuesday evening last, read learned – and to the musician – a most interesting paper on the music the Hebrews .". Hull Advertiser and Exchange Gazette. 24 March 1843.
  31. ^ Margoliouth, Moses (1851). The History of the Jews in Great Britain. R. Bentley. p. 135.
  32. ^ "WAKEFIELD .. Bethel Jacobs, Esq., of Hull, delivered a lecture in the above Institution, on the probable forms of the musical named in Scripture, .". Halifax Guardian. 9 November 1844.
  33. ^ "HULL LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY .. was crowded from the platform to the ceiling, by a most respectable audience, assembled to hear a lecture by Mr. BETHEL JACOBS, of this town, on the Customs and Ceremonies of the Hebrews, hlstorically considered .". Hull Packet. 18 April 1845.
  34. ^ "Advertisements & Notices .. Mr. BETHEL JACOBS, April 24th-On Hebrew Literature.". Hull Packet. 17 November 1848.
  35. ^ "HULL MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.-The usual winter course of lectures was opened last evening, when Mr. Bethel Jacobs, the president, read before a crowded audience his paper on The Life, Music, and Genius of Haydn .". Hull Packet. 16 November 1855.
  36. ^ "LITERARY AND PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. -On Tuesday evening Mr. Bethel Jacobs delivered a lecture On the Characteristics of Animals named in the Hebrew Scriptures. Mr. Jacobs had some time ago given .". Hull Packet. 4 April 1856.
  37. ^ "DISTRICT INTELLIGENCE .. Mr. Bethel Jacobs of Hull gave a very interesting and instructive lecture on the Life and writings of Hugh Miller.". Hull Packet. 1 April 1859.
  38. ^ "HULL MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.-Last evening Bethel Jacobs, Esq, delivered his lecture on Schools of Design, their progress and influence .". Hull Packet. 10 January 1862.
  39. ^ "Hull Literary and Philosophical Society .. the usual lecture of this society was delivered by Mr Bethel Jacobs, in the theatre of the institute, the subject being " Heraldry."". Hull and Eastern Counties Herald. 31 March 1864.
  40. ^ "Lecture "Epigrams.' —On Tuesday evening Mr. Bethel Jacobs lectured on the subject of Epigrams, before the members of the Hull Literary and Philosophical Society, in the theatre .". Hull and Eastern Counties Herald. 14 March 1867.
  41. ^ "The Paris Exhibition 1867. On Tuesday evening Bethel Jacobs, Esq., lectured before the members of the Literary and Philosophical Society on Paris in 1867. There was a large audience .". Hull Daily News. 18 January 1868.
  42. ^ "HULL MUNICIPAL ELECTION .. Bethel Jacobs WEST SCULCOATES". Hull Packet. 3 November 1848.
  43. ^ "Humber Lodge No. 57 – Past Masters". humber57.org.uk. Archived from the original on 29 June 2017.
  44. ^ Lang, Colin (2017). Divided we stand: a journey with Judge Israel Finestein QC (English ed.). London: Vallentine Mitchell. pp. 203–212. ISBN 978-1-910383-50-6. OCLC 995382563.
  45. ^ Loewe, Raphael (1968). "Solomon Marcus Schiller-Szinessy, 1820-1890: First Reader in Talmudic and Rabbinic Literature at Cambridge". Transactions of the Jewish Historical Society of England. 21: 105.
  46. ^ "[article on new synagogue] reverend readers in the English language. The proceedings were terminated by a feeling and impressive exhortation by Mr. Bethel Jacobs, the president. We have, on previous occasions, noticed the progress of the building, and the style of its architecture .". Hull Daily News. 2 October 1852.
  47. ^ "THE EVENING SERVICE .. Shakespeare Hotel, Humber-street, to present an elegant silver salver, as token of respect their late warden, Harris Apple, Esq. Bethel Jacobs, Esq., president of the Hull Hebrew congregation, presented the testimonial, and feeling address spoke of the veritable .". Hull Advertiser and Exchange Gazette. 26 May 1855.
  48. ^ "Hebrew School.— On Sunday, June 16, an examination of the boys of the above school took place under the presidency of Bethel Jacobs .". Hull Advertiser and Exchange Gazette. 18 June 1867.
  49. ^ "Our History". www.hull-litandphil.org.uk. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  50. ^ "[re BAAS meeting ].. The secretaries for the meeting are Mr. Henry Cooper, of the Hull Literary and Philosophical Society, and Mr. Bethel Jacobs, President of the Hull Mechanics' Institute". Press (London). 30 July 1853.
  51. ^ "HULL MECHANICS' INSTITUTE .. He was followed by Mr. Bethel Jacobs in an able address. With respect to the modes which had been mentioned of increasing the number of books in the library .". Hull Daily News. 24 December 1853.
  52. ^ "DR. COOPER'S OPENING LECTURE .. a memento the Great Exhibition. The President passed high encomium on Mr. Bethel Jacobs, to whose untiring exertions they were mainly indebted for the carrying out of this local work". Hull Advertiser and Exchange Gazette. 21 November 1851.
  53. ^ "DISTRIBUTION OF EXHIBITION MEDALS .. eulogised the productions which the Hull exhibitor had sent up to the Crystal Palace in 1851. Bethel Jacobs. Esq, the secretary to the local commissioners, detailed the progress of the movement in Hull, from its commencement to .". Hull Advertiser and Exchange Gazette. 1 October 1852.
  54. ^ "ACCEPTANCE OF THE INVITATION TO VISIT HULL IN 1853 .. We cordially congratulate Mr. Charles Frost and Mr. Bethel Jacobs on the satisfactory result of their mission to Belfast to invite the British Association for the Advancement of Science .". Hull Advertiser and Exchange Gazette. 10 September 1852.
  55. ^ "BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE. MEETING AT HULL. .. will be entered upon Register for the use of Visitors. (Signed) HENRY COOPER, BETHEL JACOBS, .". Hull Advertiser and Exchange Gazette. 22 July 1853.
  56. ^ Cantor, Geoffrey (2005). Quakers, Jews, and Science : Religious Responses to Modernity and the Sciences in Britain, 1650–1900. Oxford University Press. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 132. ISBN 978-0-19-153489-8. OCLC 223184824.
  57. ^ Sheahan, James Joseph (1864). General and concise history and description of the town and port of Kingston-upon-Hull. University of California Libraries. London : Simpkin, Marshall & co. pp. 180–191.
  58. ^ "Hull Museums Collections. Bethel Jacobs". museumcollections.hullcc.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 26 May 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  59. ^ "LOCAL INTELLIGENCE .. this admirable piece of work, which has been designed by and executed under the inspection of our townsman, Mr Bethel Jacobs, jeweller to the Queen, Whitafriargate, on whose taste it reflects the highest credit .". Hull and Eastern Counties Herald. 5 October 1865.
  60. ^ Sheahan, James Joseph (1864). General and concise history and description of the town and port of Kingston-upon-Hull. University of California Libraries. London : Simpkin, Marshall & co. p. 577.
  61. ^ "LOCAL INTELLIGENCE [Hull Archers / Hull Rifle Corps ].. Mr Bethel Jacobs, having the next best score, gained the lieutenancy for the year. The silver spoon, which is prize for the last arrow lodged .". Hull Packet. 21 October 1859.
  62. ^ "East York Rifle Volunteers—Hull Battalion: Bethel Jacobs .. to be Supernumerary Lieutenant .". Saint James's Chronicle. 12 April 1860.
  63. ^ Sheahan, James Joseph (1864). General and concise history and description of the town and port of Kingston-upon-Hull. University of California Libraries. London : Simpkin, Marshall & co. p. 507.
  64. ^ "HULL SCHOOL OF ART EXHIBITION .. of the Mayor, Mr Alderman Samuelson, Councillor Dibb, and Mr Bethel Jacobs, was the awarding, at the last examination, six medals, twelve senior grade prizes, and ten honourable mentions to the .". Hull Packet. 12 February 1864.
  65. ^ "PRESENTATION OF PRIZES AT THE HULL SCHOOL OF ART .. have to congratulate the Hull School of Art that in the national competition it had added fresh laurels to the town. Mr Bethel Jacobs then made a statement as to the position of the school. He said that those who had attended the school would know that .". Hull and Eastern Counties Herald. 7 September 1865.
  66. ^ Jessop, Lucy (2017). The Time Ball, Guildhall, Kingston upon Hull: History, context and significance. Historic England. Portsmouth.https://maritimehull.co.uk/uploads/files/APPENDIX-The-Time-Ball-Guildhall_History-context-and-significance-_-report-Lucy-Jessop-HE.pdf
  67. ^ "THE NEW TOWNHALL AT HULL". Illustrated Times. 3 February 1866. Above the cornice in the centre, and in full view from the entrance, is clock, the gift Mr. Bethel Jacobs.
  68. ^ "Search Results – Hull Museums Collections". museumcollections.hullcc.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  69. ^ "Search Results – Hull Museums Collections". museumcollections.hullcc.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  70. ^ "Bonhams : A good mid 19th century rosewood library clock Bethel Jacobs, Whitefriargate, Hull". www.bonhams.com. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
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