Reference
CRT170/9/24
Title
Bedford Jewish Youth Centre and Tomaschoff family
Date free text
1939 - 1945
Production date
From: 1939 To: 1945
Admin/biog history
Original information in possession of son of William (Willie) Tomaschoff (1930 - 2018), a Jewish refugee from the then Czechoslovakia who travelled to the UK on the Kindertransport with his two brothers in August 1939. The brothers were housed in Bedford for the duration of the war. Willie won a scholarship to Dame Owen School, which itself had relocated from Islington to share buildings with Bedford Modern School. His brother Erwin (1931 - 1985) also attended the same school, with elder brother Felix (1927 - 1948) working for the builder Horace F Gale during his time in Bedford.
Information provided by G Tomaschoff, May 2026
Scope and Content
Bedford Jewish Youth Centre was originally based at 2 Sydney Road, Bedford, before relocating to 18 Woburn Road, Bedford.
Folder contains:
Typed details regarding the Jewish Youth Centre, its founders Mr & Mrs Arnold Harris, and creation.
Scan of article reproduced from the Bedford Record September 1941 on the official opening of the Centre [see BTNeg1157/1-2 for images]
Scan of July - August 1941 edition of 'The Torch' . Bedford Jewish Centre newsletter. First page and cover missing.
Brief biography of Tomaschoff brothers and their time in Bedford.
Scan of a letter to Mr O Tomaschoff regarding his son Felix, from Mr Horace F Gale, dated 15 Dec 1944
Image of the Tomaschoff brothers outside 2 Sidney Road, Felix (b. 1927) in the centre. William (b. 1930) on the right. Erwin, (born 1931) on the left.
Scan of article regarding the formation of the Bedford Jewish Congregation from the Jewish Chronicle. Dated 22 Dec 1939
Scan of article from the Bedford Record regarding the table tennis team of the Jewish Youth Centre and a match report. Dated 1940
Format
PDF
Level of description
item