Jewish Historical Society of England
JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND
JEWISH HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND , English learned society. First projected in 1859, a serious attempt at its foundation was made in 1885–86 by Lucien Wolf and Alfred Newman. After the Anglo-Jewish Historical Exhibition of 1887, the plan was again brought forward, but the scheme became an actuality only in 1893, Lucien Wolf serving as first president. In recent times the Society held about ten meetings a year, at which a paper was presented by an expert speaker, and established branches in Birmingham, Manchester, Essex, and other places which also held periodic meetings. Through 2004, it published 39 volumes of its Transactions (renamed Jewish Historical Studies in 2000) and other miscellaneous material, especially on medieval Anglo-Jewry. It is probably the oldest existing Jewish historical society in the world and in the early years of the 21st century had about 800 members. Among its many distinguished presidents were Cecil *Roth, Albert M. *Hyamson, and Sir Isaiah *Berlin.
[Cecil Roth /
William D. Rubinstein (2nd ed.)]