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Foreign Jews Protection Committee

The London branch of the ‘Foreign Jews Protection Committee’ (FJPC) was established in the East End in June 1916. Its primary aim was to resist, at the time, veiled government threats to deport ‘friendly aliens’ who did not volunteer to join the British Army back to Tsarist Russia. Many of these men were Russian Jews, who had come to Britain to escape anti-Jewish violence across Eastern Europe.

The Government’s Aliens Enlistment Committee, set up in June 1916, published a report the following month on the numbers of male Russians over the age of 18 in Britain. The total estimate was over 31,000. In the North West alone, there was thought to be 3,212 in Manchester, and 3,050 in Liverpool.

The FJPC organised several large demonstrations in the East End, the best publicised being the Camperdown Hall meeting of 25th March 1917. Handbills were published in both English and Yiddish, and adverts were published in the local press.

Spurred on by the Military Service Act of July 1917, which meant Russian males were to register at a police station within 21 days or risk deportation, a Manchester branch of the FJPC was formed in August 1917. The minute book of all meetings of this committee is currently in the Manchester Central Archives, and digitised for our website to be viewed here.

Manchester Guardian 4th June 1917 (courtesy of Manchester Central Archives)
Invitation to a meeting of the FJPC in Manchester

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An initial conference was called by the Garment Maker’s Union on 5th August 1917, and a resolution “to establish a Foreign Jews Protection Committee in Manchester” was passed. Elections took place, and roles were assigned to several prominent members of the Manchester Jewish Community, including Mr H. Gogol as Chairman, Mr J Pogarelsky as Vice Chairman and Mr Leon Locker as Secretary. An Enquiry Office was established at 59 New Bridge Street, Cheetham, for members of the community to seek help and advice from the committee.

Initially the FJPC had several aims, setting up a meeting with the local Board of Deputies to discuss “possible extension of date for registration to return to Russia” being one, and protesting against a Jewish regiment in the British Army being another. However, the issue of wives and children being left behind by returning Russians needing support became the main focus for the Committee very quickly, with 100 men leaving dependants having registered by the 3rd September.

The first departure of men from Manchester saw 3 delegates from the committee being selected to be at Exchange Station to distribute 200 boxes of 25 cigarettes each amongst those departing Russians on the platform. Some luggage was left at the train station, and Mr Hyman from the FJPC made sure it was sent on to Liverpool, and then personally made his way there to make sure it made its way onto the ship departing for Russia, before making his way back to Manchester.

The service was this personal for most cases presented to the FJPC. For example, the minute’s book documents Mrs Wakeman’s case, which saw Mr Hyman and Mr Locker interviewing her landlord and succeeding to have the Ejectment Order she had been served cancelled on promising to pay him £1 on account of arrears, which was paid by Mr Locker and confirmation of the arrangement was received in writing.

It was decided that dependants were to be paid at a rate of 12/6 for a wife and 2/6 for each child under the age of 16. The first round of payments was made on Friday 14th September 1917, with postcards being sent to recipients advising them to collect their allowances from the New Bridge Street offices between 9am and 12pm that day.

Extract from the FJPC Manchester minute book, detailing the dependants of returning Russians
Postcard inviting a dependant to collect her allowances from the FJPC offices

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The FJPC worked closely with the local ‘Board of Guardians’ as well as the newly established ‘Polish and Palestinian Jews Relief Fund’ both to distribute and to raise funds. This was particularly important during Pesach (Passover) 1918 when it was decided allowances would increase due to the increased cost of living during this time of year.

It wasn’t just Russian Jews going into the army or being deported whose families were being helped by the FJPC. One woman, Mrs Kalushner, wrote to the Committee “pleading complete destitution in consequence of her husband’s imprisonment as a Conscientious Objector”. It was decided to grant Mrs Kalushner 10 shillings extra due to her situation. To find out more about her husband Israel, you can visit his Personal Record.

Due to disputes with the Board of Guardians over collection and distribution of funds, in November 1918 it was decided to reform the FJPC into the ‘Manchester Jewish Comfort’s Advisory Committee’, with the object “to give comforts and boots to all needy Jewish families whose distress is arising out of the war.” In February 1919, the Committee changed its name again to the ‘Manchester and Salford Jewish Boots Fund’.

Extract from the FJPC Manchester minute book, discussion of increased costs at Passover
Extract from the FJPC Manchester minute book, discussing appeal from Mrs Kalushner