Augusta SAMSONAge: 88 years1901–1989
- Name
- Augusta SAMSON
- Given names
- Augusta
- Surname
- SAMSON
- Hebrew
- אוגוסטה סמסון
- Married name
- Augusta WEBB
| Birth | May 15, 1901 (Iyar 26, 5661) 31 23 Sunderland, England - סנדרלנד, אנגליה |
| Birth of a brother | Solomon “Simpsie” SAMSON July 14, 1903 (Tamuz 19, 5663) (Age 2 years) Sunderland, England - סנדרלנד, אנגליה |
| Birth of a brother | Abraham SAMSON August 7, 1904 (Av 26, 5664) (Age 3 years) Sunderland, England - סנדרלנד, אנגליה |
| Birth of a brother | Charles Nathan SAMSON April 1, 1906 (Nissan 6, 5666) (Age 4 years) Sunderland, England - סנדרלנד, אנגליה |
| Birth of a brother | Joel Arya SAMSON May 31, 1907 (Sivan 18, 5667) (Age 6 years) Glasgow, Scotland - גלסגו, סקוטלנד |
| Death of a paternal grandfather | Rudom Shimshon SAMSON February 6, 1908 (Adar I 4, 5668) (Age 6 years) Sunderland, England - סנדרלנד, אנגליה |
| Birth of a brother | Rudom “Simpsie, Ronnie” SAMSON February 11, 1911 (Shevat 13, 5671) (Age 9 years) Glasgow, Scotland - גלסגו, סקוטלנד |
| Birth of a sister | Hannah SAMSON 1913 (5673) (Age 11 years) Glasgow, Scotland - גלסגו |
| Birth of a sister | Hilda SAMSON 1918 (5678) (Age 16 years) Glasgow, Scotland - גלסגו, סקוטלנד |
| Death of a mother | Leah Lena GILLIS February 26, 1922 (Shevat 28, 5682) (Age 20 years) Glasgow, Scotland - גלסגו, סקוטלנד Address: 3 Apsley Placeת
Glasgow Cause: Tuberculosis Publication: http://glasgowhebrewburialsociety.org/Sandymount/Index.htm Citation details: http://glasgowhebrewburialsociety.org/Sandymount/burial_sand_a_423.HTM Text: Samson, Lena
Date of Death: 26/02/1922
Hebrew Name: Leah Bas Reb Shlomo Yaakov
Hebrew Date: 28-Shevat-5682
Address: 3 Apsley Place Glasgow
Burial Date: 27/02/1922
Section: A, Row: 16, Plot: 423
New Ref: R16-A018 Source: Scottish Jewish Cemeteries Publication: http://www.scottishjewishcemeteries.org/ Citation details: http://scottishjewishcemeteries.org/sandymount/b_sand_a_r_16_018.html Text: Sandymount Cemetery - Burial Record
Surname :-
Samson Nee Gillis Given Name :-
Leah
Hebrew Name - ( לאה בת ר´ שלמה יעקב )
Leah Bas Reb Shlomo Yaakov Age :-
44
Date of Photo 15-Mar-2017
Date Of Death :-
26-Feb-1922 Time :-
n/a Sunset :-
Before Burial Date :-
27-Feb-1922
Address :-
3 Apsley Place G5 Hospital :-
n/a
Hebrew Date :-
28-Shevat-5682 Gender :-
gen-f SPOUSE MEMORIAL BOARD
Date Of Birth :-
??-???-1878 Latitude :-
55.855894 Longitude :-
-4.146872 GPS LOCATE
Section :-
A Row :-
16 Plot :-
423 New Reference :-
A-R16-18
Notes :-
DC Type :-
sand-occupied |
| Death of a father | Elias SAMSON July 21, 1930 (Tamuz 25, 5690) (Age 29 years) Glasgow, Scotland - גלסגו, סקוטלנד Publication: http://glasgowhebrewburialsociety.org/ Citation details: http://glasgowhebrewburialsociety.org/Riddrie/burial_ridd_3_297.HTM Text: Samson, Elias
Date of Death: 21/07/1930
Hebrew Name: Eli Ben Shimon
Age: 60
Hebrew Date: 25-Tammuz-5690
Burial Date: 22/07/1930
Section: 3, Row: 3, Plot: 297
New Ref: R03-016 Source: Scottish Jewish Cemeteries Publication: http://www.scottishjewishcemeteries.org/ Citation details: http://scottishjewishcemeteries.org/riddrie/b_ridd_03_0297.html Text: Riddrie Cemetery - Burial Record
Surname :-
Samson Given Name :-
Elias
Hebrew Name - ( אלי ב´ר שמעון )
Eli Ben Shimon Age :-
60
Date of Photo 14-Apr-2017
Date Of Death :-
21-Jul-1930 Time :-
n/a Sunset :-
Before Burial Date :-
22-Jul-1930
Address :-
n/a Hospital :-
n/a
Hebrew Date :-
25-Tammuz-5690 Gender :-
gen-m SPOUSE MEMORIAL BOARD
Date Of Birth :-
??-???-1870 Latitude :-
55.875831 Longitude :-
-4.187010 GPS LOCATE
Section :-
Row_03 Row :-
3 Plot :-
297 New Reference :-
R-03-016
Notes :-
n/a Type :-
ridd-occupied |
| Death of a sister | Hannah SAMSON September 8, 1940 (Elul 5, 5700) (Age 39 years) Glasgow, Scotland - גלסגו, סקוטלנד Address: Riddrie Cemetery - Burial Source: Scottish Jewish Cemeteries Publication: http://www.scottishjewishcemeteries.org/ Citation details: http://scottishjewishcemeteries.org/riddrie/b_ridd_20_1030.html Text: Riddrie Cemetery - Burial Record
Surname :-
Samson Given Name :-
Hannah
Hebrew Name - ( חיה בת ר´ אלי )
Chaya Bas Reb Eli Age :-
25
Date of Photo 26-Apr-2017
Date Of Death :-
08-Sep-1940 Time :-
n/a Sunset :-
Before Burial Date :-
08-Sep-1940
Address :-
n/a Hospital :-
n/a
Hebrew Date :-
5-Ellul-5700 Gender :-
gen-f SPOUSE MEMORIAL BOARD
Date Of Birth :-
??-???-1915 Latitude :-
55.876019 Longitude :-
-4.187735 GPS LOCATE
Section :-
Row_20 Row :-
20 Plot :-
1030 New Reference :-
R-20-012
Notes :-
n/a Type :-
ridd-occupied |
| Occupation | Author, Broadcaster Hebrew: סופרת, שדרית Employer: BBC |
| Death | August 5, 1989 (Av 4, 5749) (Age 88 years) London, England - לונדון, אנגליה |
| Family with parents |
| father |
אליאס אליהו סמסון Birth: January 2, 1870 (Tevet 29, 5630) 36 33 — Sunderland, England Death: July 21, 1930 (Tamuz 25, 5690) — Glasgow, Scotland |
| mother |
לאה לינה גיליס Birth: 1878 (5638) — Kretinga, Russia (Lithuania) Death: February 26, 1922 (Shevat 28, 5682) — Glasgow, Scotland |
|
Marriage: 1900 (5660) — Sunderland, England |
|
|
16 months herself |
אוגוסטה סמסון Birth: May 15, 1901 (Iyar 26, 5661) 31 23 — Sunderland, England Death: August 5, 1989 (Av 4, 5749) — London, England |
|
2 years younger brother |
Solomon “Simpsie” SAMSON שלמה סמסון Birth: July 14, 1903 (Tamuz 19, 5663) 33 25 — Sunderland, England Death: |
|
13 months younger brother |
|
|
20 months younger brother |
Charles Nathan SAMSON צ'רלס נתן סמסון Birth: April 1, 1906 (Nissan 6, 5666) 36 28 — Sunderland, England Death: |
|
14 months younger brother |
Joel Arya SAMSON יואל אריה סמסון Birth: May 31, 1907 (Sivan 18, 5667) 37 29 — Glasgow, Scotland Death: New York, New York State, USA |
|
4 years younger brother |
שמעון רדום סמסון Birth: February 11, 1911 (Shevat 13, 5671) 41 33 — Glasgow, Scotland Death: August 1, 1993 (Av 14, 5753) — Harare, Zimbabwe |
|
3 years younger sister |
חנה סמסון Birth: 1913 (5673) 42 35 — Glasgow, Scotland Death: September 8, 1940 (Elul 5, 5700) — Glasgow, Scotland |
|
6 years younger sister |
הילדה סמסון Birth: 1918 (5678) 47 40 — Glasgow, Scotland Death: February 25, 2006 (Shevat 27, 5766) — Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| Occupation | She wrote several books under the pen name Janet Dunbar; and was one of the first writers for BBC Woman's Hour. She also kept up a fiction throughout her life to her husband and children, about her background.
Book Titles:
The early Victorian woman : some aspects of her life, 1837-57 / by Janet Dunbar, 1953-1979.
J. M. Barrie : the man behind the image / Janet Dunbar, 1970
Laura Knight / Janet Dunbar, 1975
A prospect of Richmond, Dunbar, Janet, 1966-1979
Golden interlude : the Edens in India, 1836-1842 / Janet Dunbar, 1955
Mrs G.B.S.: a biographical portrait of Charlotte Shaw / Janet Dunbar, 1963
Flora Robson / Janet Dunbar, 1960
Peg Woffington and her world / Janet Dunbar, 1968
The radio talk : a practical study of the art and craft of talks broadcasting / by Janet Dunbar, 1954
Tigers, durbars and Kings : Fanny Eden's Indian journals, 1837-1838 / transcribed and edited by Janet Dunbar, 1988
Laughing matter / [compiled by] Janet Dunbar & Clifford Webb ; foreword by Richard Baker ; illustrated by John Minnion
Dunbar, Janet 1980
Travelling abroad / by Janet Dunbar, 1957
Writing for women's papers / by Janet Dunbar, 1954
A countess in the family : a comedy in one act / by Janet Dunbar
Dunbar, Janet, 1957
Script-writing for television, Dunbar, Janet, 1965
Five festival plays : mainly for women
Dunbar, Janet, 1956
Richmond upon Thames : a short guide / Janet Dunbar, 1978
Into retirement : the bonus years / Janet Dunbar, 1976 |
| Note | Augusta Samson (1901-1989) wrote several books under the pen name Janet Dunbar; and was one of the first writers for BBC Woman's Hour. She also kept up a fiction throughout her life to her husband and children, about her background.
Augusta was a forbidding character, so it was only after her death that my mother felt able to investigate. She found that Augusta was not in fact the only daughter of a Scottish gentleman farmer and a Spanish opera singer (!!). She was the eldest of the seven children of Elias and Lena Samson (nee Gillis). Elias had run a yeshiva in the Gorbals, Glasgow. Augusta ran away, aged 21 and enrolled at the University of London's Birkbeck College. She met my grandfather (West Country Methodist background) through a university amateur dramatics club and they married in 1923. She never told him or their three children anything of her childhood, beyond hints about unhappiness and the tale of a brother killed in WW1 (also untrue).
My mother traced her tribe painstakingly - I find it hard to remember how slow this was, now in the age of online trees and DNA tests. After about three years, her query on a footnote to a publisher led her to a distant relative who put her in touch with her aunt, the only remaining child of the seven. So Mum found the tribe, for herself and for us - we were Suddenly Jewish.
I am guessing that initially she feared discovery and being hauled back to look after her six young siblings (her mother died around the time that she ran away). When she first arrived in London, she was mentored by a doctor who may have advised her to keep schtum. Then, she met my grandfather (very liberal, later drawn to Communism, but maybe she feared his family's reaction), she started writing for magazines and had children. Then, as she approached 40, the War began. She hid her background because she could; because she had shucked off the old restrictive life for a new, exciting one; and because it was never the right time to tell. It would have been impossible for her to dismantle the tangle of lies which was the basis of her life and career.
Jennifer Peterson (Facebook, December 2017) |