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Toledano History
"TOLEDANO , (Me Toleda, Me Toletola, De Toleda) This name means "from Toledo", the ancient capital of the Kingdom of Castille, Spain, where Jews had an established community in the 16thC. Spanish family names beautifully illustrate the history of the Jews in the Iberian Peninsula. The first Jews, arriving in Spain during the Roman Empire, bore Greek, Latin and Hebrew names. In the early 8thC, when Spain was conquered by the Arabs and came under Islamic rule she became the shelter for many more Jews where they enjoyed religious freedom and were greatly involved in the goverment and administration, during this period many Jews adopted Arabic names as well as maintaining their Hebrew ones, leaving a legacy of fascinating combinations of Arabic and Hebrew. Even after the 10thC when Spain was conquered by the Christians these same Arabic & Hebrew names were still being used by the Spanish Jews. It was not until the 16thC Inquisition that Jews changed their names when many were forcibly converted and baptised taking Spanish-Christian names, becoming the "New Christians" or "Marranos" of Spain. Yet the same conservatism and love of tradition can be seen amongst the Marranos who retained their Spanish-Christian names when much later they were able to "Reconvert" to Judaism, just as those who fled the country tended to keep their Spanish names where ever they moved to. This trend amongst Sephardi Jews, to retain their family names intact has enabled us today to trace closely their histories, especially interesting is the fact that a large proportion of Spanish names are derived from place names, many of them in their original forms from ancient times and no longer existing today. ( ref: Beit Hatfutzot )
TOLEDANO, family of Rabbis and Hakhamim which originated in Toledo, Spain. After the expulsion from Spain in 1492, the Toledanos were to be found in Safad, Salonika and Morocco. According to a family tradition they arrived in Fez during the 16thC from Salonika, and from there went to Morocco and became leaders of the community from the 16thC until the present day. They were prominent in the community in religious affairs, producing renowned Rabbis and Poets who enriched the literature of Moroccan Jewery with their works and greatly influenced the western communities, particularly those of Meknes, Sale, Tangier, and Gibraltar; in political affairs, producing men who served as ministers and counsellors to Kings, and were entrusted with diplomatic missions; and in economic affairs, produced outstanding merchants who developed and maintained varied commercial relations with European countries which contributed to the economic progress of Morocco.
My Toledano Ancestors
7th Generation
Abraham TOLEDANO was born c.1710 and died in Gibraltar before 1777. The determination that his name was indeed Abraham comes from the information in the marriage contracts of two of his children, Moshe and Hannah who married the siblings Abigail and Abraham NUNES MARTINES. He is not listed in the 1777 census for Gibraltar. His wife's name was Esther who was born in Gibraltar in 1719. She is listed in the census' for 1777, 1784 & 1791. In 1784, she is recorded as a widow and her family in Gibraltar numbered two people. She died in Gibraltar after 1791. The children of Abraham and Esther TOLEDANO were Jacob 1757, Moses 1759, Mimon and Hannah.
6th Generation
Moses b' Abraham TOLEDANO was born in Gibraltar in 1759 and appears on the census of 1777, however he is no longer in Gibraltar for the 1791 census. Moses son of Abraham TOLEDANO married Abigail the daughter of Joseph NUNES MARTINES and Hagar MENDOZA. His marriage ceremony was conducted in the Bevis Marks Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, London on Thursday 6th June 1783. Moses TOLEDANO aged 80 and his wife Abigail nee NUNES MARTINES aged 70 were found on the 1841 census at the Spanish & Portuguese Jews Hospital, Mile End, Old Town, Stepney, as inmates, Moses of foreign birth and Abigail born in UK. Moses died in 1846 and Abigail 1847 both in Stepney. The children of Moses TOLEDANO and Abigail nee NUNES MARTINES were Abraham, Moses, Joseph, Rachel, Daniel, Sarah, Jacob /John, Emmanuel /Joshua, Israel, Welcome /William and Daniel.
5th Generation
Joshua b' MosesTOLEDANO was born in Chatham, Kent in 1798. He married Sarah 'EGERTON', ( see The Egerton Mystery below) a Christian who had been converted in Holland prior to their marriage which was held at the Bevis Marks Synagogue in London on 13th November 1836. Sarah EGERTON was born c.1804 in Whitchurch, Shropshire and died at the London Hospital, Whitechapel on 4th October 1859 aged 55 yrs. Joshua DANIELS* died at The Middleton Alms, Aldgate, London on 13th May 1874 aged 76 years, a Confectioner. The children of Joshua TOLEDANO and Sarah nee EGERTON were Moses, Abraham, Abigail, Sarah, Emanuel, Joseph and Rachael.
nb. From pre 1841 census this TOLEDANO family Anglicanised their surname and began to use the name DANIELS.
4th Generation
Sarah b'Joshua TOLEDANO was born c.1839 in Kingston-upon-Hull, Yorkshire. She married Aaron b' Abraham ALVAREZ at 15, White's Street, Aldgate, London on 28th April 1861. The children of that marriage were Abraham 1864, Clara 1866 and Abigail 1867. Aaron ALVAREZ died on 22nd April 1869 in London. Sarah ALVAREZ a widow aged 29, daughter of Joshua DANIELS (aka Toledano), a Confectioner, married Frank CLIFTON, a bachelor and an Acrobat at the Register Office, Whitechapel, London on 29th August 1869. Frank CLIFTON was born in Ireland c.1842 and died in Solihull on 21st March 1904 aged 61 a retired Gymnast. Sarah LAZARUS* (see RASLUS) wife of Frank LAZARUS, late a Gymnast died at 27, Vaughton Street, Birmingham on 4th October 1902 aged 63, her son Joshua LAZARUS of 143, Spring Hill, Birmingham was the informant in attendance. Sarah was buried at Witton Jewish Cemetery, Birmingham on 6th October 1902. The children of Sarah nee TOLEDANO and Frank CLIFTON aka RASLUS & LAZARUS were Joshua Toledano 1870, Mary Clifton 1872 & Joseph Toledano 1874 ( thereby keeping up the TOLEDANO nameing traditon)
3rd Generation
See Frank RASLUS & JOE BOGANNY, Josh Clifton & Mary Clifton.
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The Egerton Mystery
I have in my possession a hand written family tree penned in 1975 by a descendant of Joshua Toledano and Sarah 'Egerton', along with a letter. The tree of which there are several copies now dotted all over the world gives no dates, just names, places, notes and captions. Having researched this branch of the Toledano family now for well over a decade I found the author had been quite accurate throughout. The tree begins with 'History and Notes of Family Tree', starting with Israel Toledano = Miss Egerton (Sarah ?), 'I say "Israel" as eldest grandson named for maleside G.Parent. Egerton, supposed to be Kinswomen of Earl of Ellesmere. Took Jewish faith. Abe & Moe. Famous on Continent as Musical Clowns. Given courtesy titles of Counts. Had sons on stage. Joe Boganny & Josh Clifton. Clifton had 2 daughters stage names Dolly Clifton & Sonya Seal ( she was image of Sadie). One of the daughters married a Scottish Baronet.
On the marriage contract of Joshua Toledano and 'Sarah' a Proselyt on 13th November 1836 at Bevis Marks Synagogue, London he gave his mark 'O', she did not sign. Sarah's name appears in Hebrew as Sarah daughter of Abraham our Father, in abbreviated form. This is the form of contracts with no mention of their original given names or surnames. However a note mentions she was converted to the Jewish faith in Holland, "where and by whom and when, presumably some months before to confirm no pregnancy, is not known", writes the Honorary Archivist Miriam Rodrigues-Pereira of the Spanish & Portuguese Jews' Congregation at Ashworth Road, London. nb. The couple by then already had two children, Moses & Abraham.
The only other evidence to support an aristocratic connection is from conversations I have had with Ricky Kinane a grandson of Joe Boganny, who insists that there had even been a scandle and a Royal connection. My endeavours to find out who she really was continue, without any help from any other interested parties I have to point out. My next avenue of exploration being tracing Convertion records in Holland. Watch this space.
Continuing with the tree, It gives a total of eight children for 'Israel' Toledano & Miss Egerton, 'Abe, Moe, five daughters, and Joe'. This, proves inaccurate todate, only six children have been identified, Moses Toledano b.abt.1831 East London, Abraham Toledano b.abt 1834 Bury St. Edmunds,( from possible first marriages), Abigail Toledano b.abt 1837 London, Sarah Toledano b.abt 1839 Kingston-upon-Hull, Emanuel Toledano b.abt 1841 ( he died on 14th May 1848 aged 7yrs son of Joshua Daniels, Confectioner of 52, Mill Street, Myton, Hull, and Joseph Toledano b.abt 1843 in Hull.The tree continues on into the next generation dealing with the aforesaid Joseph Toledano, aka Joe Daniels, Professor of Music and the famous Banjo player born 1843 Hull, his wife Elizabeth Martin ( Martines) and their 15 children.
No birth records or synagogue and burial records have been located for any of the above children.
Sarah Daniels appears on the 1851 census, Ref: HO 107/2176/2/427: aged 47 wife of Joshua Daniels a Confectioner, at 8, Reco Street, Liverpool, she was born in Whitchurch, Shropshire., died on 4th October 1859 aged 55 years at the London Hospital, Whitechapel and was buried at the Novo Cemetery, Mile End Road belonging to the Sephardic Jews of London on 6th October 1859.
Last update 4/9/2009
Contact me if you can help with this research jrb@raslus.co.uk
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