The Senk Family History
By Ivor Finlay December 2001
Samuel & Ada lived in Plock, Poland – a very large town along the River Vistula – about 30
miles from Warsaw
I was told a it was “Love Match” - usually couples got
married by arrangement of poverty. Ada’s family was quite
well off and they disapproved of Samuel’s family who were
much poorer. Anyway they set-up home and had seven
children. Jenny, Alec, Dora, Jack, Tilly, Milly & Bertha.
They set-up a milk delivery service-going round the streets
serving small quantities of milk – the older children doing
this early in the morning before school. They must have prospered as they had enough
money to pay for passage to England for all the family.
Jenny came first to an Aunt and earned a living serving in a shop. Then Alec – he learnt a
trade as a Tailor, which served him well – he married Becky and had a family – Gertie,
Sidney, Leslie, & Henry.
Then Milly came to two spinster Aunts. I remember vaguely meeting them – they were
Theatre enthusiasts and would queue up for the gallery for 1st nights.
I think it must have been 1906 – 8 when the rest of the family came over to London.
It was decide by cousins and family that they should open a drapery shop. They bought a
shop with a room and a kitchen at the back and two bedrooms upstairs – in Charles Street –
near the junction with Jubilee Street and Commercial Street. Ada and Samuel had one
bedroom and the five girls slept in one bed in the other room. Jack slept downstairs on the
sofa. The draper business never functioned. Samuel was no businessman – he had not
knowledge of the trade. Ada was not in good health. I don’t think she ever went out except for
simchas – she never visited her children. They always went there and very frequently. Samuel
was a very silent man – he never learnt to speak English and went to
synagogue often opening up every morning early. Their relatives lived
opposite – the Jacobs family also had three girls – all whom married very
well and believe became very wealthy, but whilst they all lived in Charles
Street the girls all mixed socially. Samuel never earned a penny in England.
All the children contributed to the household. Alec, Jenny & Milly all lived
away and worked keeping themselves. Jack learnt the trade of a barber and
got himself a very good job.
Tilly learnt the trade of a dressmaker and worked from home (in the empty shop) – so they
managed. Bertha was the only one young enough to go to school for a few years.
In Plock lived a family Finkelstein. There had been thirteen children but ten of them had died
as also had the father leaving the mother crippled with arthritis with three children. Mark,
Morris & Sonia. Mark went to London and prospered, Sonia was befriended by a rich family
and Moshua (Morrie) struggled to look after his ill mother. The Senk family who
provided meals looked them after. Moshua earnt some money mending iron
fireplaces, which helped, feed himself and his mother. When she died and the
Senk family emigrated to London there was nothing to keep him so he saved
enough money to travel to London where his brother Mark lived with a wife
(Carrie) and family and where he had built a good business as a manufacturing
furrier. Morrie learnt the trade and went to work for his brother and also to live
with his family. He kept in touch with the Senk family and in particular Tilly
with whom he became engaged and got married in September 1917 *
Paul Walman family website
email: paul@walman.ndo.co.uk
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See inset A
All the children got married to partners who had a similar background to themselves i.e.
children who parents had emigrated from Poland. Jenny to Harry Kosky who had a
barbershop in Jubilee Street just round the corner from Charles Street. Alec to Becky, Tilly to
Morrie, Jack to Phyllis Markovitch Dora to Philip Peper who opened a sweet tobacco shop in
Mile End are remembered for the exceptional ice-cream they made on the premises. Bertha to
Solly Petrook (whose family was related to the Finkelstein family). All had families. On seder
night we gathered in Charles Street. The sisters brought all the food - there were about
thirty-five in all with grownups and all the children. The younger grandchildren would play in
the empty shop. Samuel (or Zedda as we called him) read the Haggada and everyone followed
him.
The family was growing – more children were being born – Becky had two children – Gertie &
Sidney, Jenny had two girls – Dolly and Ette and Tilly & Morrie had a son named Isaac Jacob
which he later changed by deed pole to Ivor Jack and the family name was changed to Finlay
– that’s me!
In the 30’s the family moved out of the East End (together with many Jews). Jack & Phyllis
bought a house in Golders Green followed by the Finlay family (three more boys were born –
Cyril, Leonard & Harold). A house right next door was purchased by Milly who married Ben
Mitchell.
They soon produced three children Monte, Lillian & Adel. All
lived peacefully together for many years – knocking down a
portion of the fence so there was easy access between the
houses.
The 2nd World War bought changes. Ada was very ill before
the outbreak of war and Zedda could not cope and so it was
thought that it would be a good idea for Bertha and Solly to
buy a house in Golders Green and Samuel and Ada to move in with them. This was done but
Ada died soon afterwards. Zedda continued to live in the house. Soon after the outbreak of
war there was an instruction that everyone had to carry a gas mask. He did not know this
and walking about Golders Green he was spotted by a “keen” young policeman but as he
could not speak English very well he could not explain himself and the policeman arrested
him and took him to the Police Station. He was rescued later that day by Bertha but it did
give him a terrific shock.
However he still opened Golders Green synagogue every morning and took Gerald to school
every morning.
Several months later he suffered a shock and it became difficult for
him to walk and talk and for Bertha to look after him so he moved
into Milly’s house and Milly and Tilly looked after him until he
became worse and was moved to hospital where he died.
Ginny’s daughter Ette had married Michael and moved to
Nottingham. There was very heavy bombing of the East End and
Dora and Philip’s shop was bombed so they found a shop and
dwelling in Nottingham (with Ette’s help). Ben had bought a business in Nottingham so Milly
and the children also moved to Nottingham – Solly opened up a furriers business there and
the Mitchells and the Petrooks stayed in Nottingham for the duration of the War. So the
families were split between Nottingham and Golders Green during the war. Dora and Philip’s
son had married and he opened a barbers shop in Nottingham. Dora’s health deteriorated
and she moved to a Jewish convalescent home where she later died. Miki married happily in
the USA. We saw her briefly when she and her husband visited London with her little girl
Tracy who is now married with two young children.
See Inset B
Paul Walman family website
email: paul@walman.ndo.co.uk
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The war did not have disastrous effects in the Senk family here however Morrie's’ sister’s family in
Poland thing were very different. Sonia had remained in Plock and married Abraham Rawicki an
engineer. For Poland war broke out on September 1st 1939 and the Polish cavalry was not match for
the German tanks and bombers so Plock was overthrown in the first few days and occupied by
German troops. The immediately began persecuting the Jews moving into the ghettos. A little while
before the outbreak of war the Germans were evicting Polish nationals amongst them were Abraham
Rawicki’s elderly parents who were left stranded at the boarder. They were rescued by their son and
brought to live in their house.
In February 1941 on one day the Jews were brutally thrown out of Plock – only allowed a minimal
hand luggage to take with them. Abraham’s mother – ill in bed was just shot dead. They were moved to
a ghetto in a village called Bozentow. Abraham Rawicki – who was well know in Plock as a manager of
an engineering business had had to flee to Warsaw as soon as the German’s had arrived so Sonia and
the three children went to Bozentow and lived frugally – with a small ration with another family who
had a cloth business.
Some time later they heard a rumour that there was going to be a roundup in Bozentow so it was
decided that Felicia (Fela) and her young brother – Jurek should see what it like in the next village. At
night they started to walk though the forest and they heard screaming dogs barking and shooting from
where they had come from. The rumours were correct and Fela and Jurek never saw their mother and
sister again!!- And nothing was heard of the Jews of Plock and Bozentow.
Fela and Jurek were stranded and so they decided to join their father in the Warsaw ghetto. Fela
dressed up as an older woman with a hat & veil and taking her son (Jurek) on a train journey to
Warsaw. They arrived safely. Life in the ghetto was very hard. Jurek took risks by going on errands
outside the ghetto and being paid small amounts to augment the poor rations. There was a typhoid
epidemic and Fela acting as a nurse was lucky not to catch it. One day there was a roundup and
Jurek and his father were caught and put on a train to Trebinka. Jurek managed to squeeze through
slats of the train and jumped off. His father of course could not manage this and was destroyed at
Treblinka – nothing was ever heard of him again. Jurek managed to join a resistance movement to
fight the Germans. One night whilst he was in his tent he overheard a conversation with two of his
“mates” who were outside. – on guard duty. They were saying as soon as the Germans were defeated
they would finish off the Jews. Jurek realised he had joined the wrong group. He escaped and
managed to join the anti-fascist movement with whom he served till the end of the war
The “Sarna” family who had befriended Sonia had obtained gentile papers for themselves and were
living in Warsaw now managed to obtain an identity cards and suitable cards for Fela who escaped the
ghetto and worked in a café and lived on the premises for until the Warsaw uprising.
Whilst she was still in the ghetto she was arrested by the Gestapo for being outside the ghetto. The
date was significant – it was June 21st 1941. This was the day Hitler started his offensive against
Russia. The German soldiers were so excited that they could not be bothered with a little Polish
Jewess and told her to scram – a very luck escape!
She had many narrow escapes in the shop – serving drinks and food to German Soldiers. She was
always afraid she might be recognised. After the failure of the Warsaw uprising she was arrested and
taken to work as a prisoner to a labour camp. At the end of the war she and seven other inmates
decided to walk several hundred miles back to Poland hoping to hear some news of their families – but
nothing. Fela and Jurek were re-united. Fela working and Jurek as a student. Sonia’s brother Morris
applied for her to come to England and Abraham’s sister applied for Jurek to come to New York and
that’s what happened.
Fela came to live in her uncle’s house. She went to classes to learn English and captured the hearts of
everyone living in 14 Highfield Road but especially the eldest son – Ivor who was away most of the time
in the army – they fell in love and were married on 10 April 1948 at Golders Green synagogue. Jurek
went to America and got qualified as an optician – got married to Helene and have two children and six
grandchildren.
Ivor & Fela celebrated their Golden Wedding anniversary this year and Alan & Susan making a lovely
party with cousins and friends and Jurek (now Jerry) and his wife Helene coming from Florida. Those
not present were Alec’s oldest son Sidney who now lives as a recluse, Jack’s children Earnest, Dorothy
whoa re not in touch with Dora’s daughter Miki in USA.
Paul Walman family website
email: paul@walman.ndo.co.uk
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All of the older generation have of course died, the last being Milly in her 90’s and her
husband Ben who was 95. The younger generation who have died are Alec, Ette and David &
Dolly, Tilly son Leonard died at the age of 59, and Dora’s son Jacky.
Particularly tragic was the death of Madeline, Harold’s wife who died at the age of 46 from
cancer. She was a lovely vivacious girl excellent in business who helped Harold make a
success of his men’s outfitting business with five shops in NW London suburbs. She left two
girls – Michelle and Danielle both who have families of their own.
Inset A
Morrie arrived in London in 1910. King Edward Vll had just died and Morrie stood and
watched the most fantastic procession, which has never been seen since. All Queen Victoria’s
children who had married into the Royal Families came to the funeral – the Czar of Russia,
Kaiser of Germany Prince and consorts. Morrie looked and marvelled and spoke about it
often. After some years he set-up a business of his own.
Inset B
Harry Kosky (Ginny’s husband) suffered from asthma and working in a barber shop made
him ill so they bought a shop and dwelling in the West End (Thager St) and started a dress
business run by Jenny (and Harry did not play much part in earning a living for the family)
The business prosper and the family moved to a family house in Cricklewood and she opened
a shop in Wigmore Street. Later she moved to Bond Street and then another shop in Bond
Street. Harry died, Dolly married a German refugee – Gerhart (later Gary) who is still alive
who joined the millinery business Dolly had started and it became a large thriving business.
Dolly’s son David was in the RAF and was sent to Canada for training where he remained for
the duration of the war. Whilst in Canada he had a motor accident, which damaged his
spine. Back in England he was persuaded to have an operation, which went disastrously
wrong, and he suffered much pain for the rest of his life. He became a film photographer and
joined a well-known director and made a film about Thomas a Becket using the bombed out
area round Swiss Cottage called ‘Murder at the Cathedral’ However he gave up his job to help
his mother run a property business. When she died she left a will of £2.25M. He married a
divorced woman Celia whose husband had had a thriving nightclub. They live in a flat in
Belfast. He died in the 80’s.
Paul Walman family website
email: paul@walman.ndo.co.uk
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