Looking for Jessie Taylor/Medvidoff
In 1923, my great aunt Mannia Zam married David Medvidoff in Gorbals, Glasgow.
The family's name was originally Medvedev, and they'd come from Cherkasy in the Kiev province of Russia. Later on, David and Mannia changed their name to the westernised 'Taylor.' David had a number of sisters, the youngest being Jessie. Little is known of Jessie as there is no date on exactly when and where she was born, or what happened to her. The only thing that is recalled is, she immigrated to New Zealand, and nobody seems to have heard from her again. Of course, again there is no evidence of this, so technically hearsay, but it's specific so no reason to discount it. However, it's a real family mystery.
Jessie Medvidoff was definitely not married in Scotland. If she left it was 1912 or later as she was still present living at home for the 1911 Scottish census. There are no Australasian records for Medvidoff, or variations that were used such as Medvedev, or Medvedov. So I assume that she adopted the surname 'Taylor' and was using it by the time she left Scotland.
According to a cousin this family photo which I will try to attach (this has not been successful for many FTC members lately, a frustrating exercise), shows David Medvidoff-Taylor's family in Glasgow. David is at the back, and Jessie who looks about 8 years old at the time, is at the right end of the picture, seated. From the ages of everyone, it seems to have been taken about 1903, which means Jessie would have been born around 1895.
I checked NZ BMD records for a 'Jessie Taylor' after 1915 and using some obvious clues like, circa when she was born (c 1895), and the supposition she would have married a Hebrew man, as anything else would have absolutely been a rare exception.
I got 30 marriage results from 1915-1936 for 'Jessie Taylor' (a lot less than I imagined). Out of that, the only Jewish sounding names were Goldfinch, Robson, Inkster and Scarf. Out of those four, Jessie Robson's death record shows she was born around 1894-1895. I wonder if this is the same person? It's the only realistic possibility out of the lot, at this point. I wish there was more information to work with but there are no documented details of her life at all, with which to narrow things down.
It makes me wonder why Jessie may have gone to New Zealand, so far away, and the only sibling to do so. However my great aunt Liza went to New Zealand from Glasgow to see through a marriage arranged with a Jewish man from Kiev who went straight from Russia to NZ, that the family had known there. She went to marry him But she was at least escorted by my grandpa as most women did not travel alone in those times. So one logical theory is that Jessie came to New Zealand to see through an arranged marriage also.
The Jewish community in NZ was not large, and it was tight-knit and reasonably insular, so if Jessie did indeed go to New Zealand then someone knew someone who knew something.
on 2017-04-08 10:46:54
Social historian, writer, artist.
Comments
Hi Darian, Searchin For Above Found Some Info You May Already Have But Will Give It You Anyway.
David Medvidoff
In the UK, Naturalisation Certificates and Declarations, 1870-1912.
Name: David Medvidoff
Age: 26
Birth Date: 10 Dec 1885
Birth Place: Cherkass, Kiev
Record Type: Certificate of Naturalisation
Relationship: Self
Event Date: 25 Apr 1912
Event Country Region: United Kindom
Residence Year: 1912
Residence Place: Glasgow
Father: Isaac Medvidoff
Mother: Esther Feiga Medvidoff
David Medvidoff
In the UK, WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920.
Name: David Medvidoff
Military Year: 1914-1920
Rank: Private
Medal Awarded: British War Medal and Victory Medal
Regiment or Corps: Royal Tank Corps
Regimental Number: 304986
Previous Units: 18 Highd. L.I. 28727 Pte, 14th Tank Corps 304986
Other Records: Search for 'David Medvidoff' in other WWI collections
War Diaries (France, Belgium, Germany): Search for 'Royal Tank Corps' in the WWI War Diaries (France, Belgium, Germany) collection
War Diaries (Gallipoli): Search for 'Royal Tank Corps' in the WWI War Diaries (Gallipoli) collection.
Received The Victory Medal & The British War Medals.
David Medvidoff
In the British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920.
Name: David Medvidoff
Gender: Male
Birth Date: abt 1886
Enlistment Age: 30
Document Year: 1916
Residence Place: 608 Gallowgate, Glasgow
Regimental Number: 304986
Regiment Name: Royal Tank Corps
Number of Images: 33
Form Title: Short Service Attestation
Other Records: Search for 'David Medvidoff' in other WWI collections
Family Members:
Name Relation to Soldier
David Medvidoff Self (Head)
Isaac Medvidoff Father.
Documents are There, But Unable To Send Them On Here.
I hope some of this helps you, tho' not on Jessie but info at least on the Family.
Harry.
Yes, I have these, but thanks.