1. Isaac Rosenberg bust

JEECS now has sufficient money to commission the above bust as a memorial to the great East End war poet and artist, but finding a site has been surprisingly difficult.

We want to ensure it is situated in a fairly public place so that he is properly honoured and remembered in the years to come. If anyone has any ideas please contact Clive Bettington (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) asap. Our aim is to ensure it is unveiled by the latest on November 24 this year, the 130th anniversary of Rosenberg’s birth.

Rosenberg guided walk.

On Wednesday April 1, at 11am Clive Bettington will lead a guided walk on the theme The Whitechapel of Isaac Rosenberg, commemorating the anniversary of Rosenberg’s death on the Western Front. We shall leave from Aldgate tube at 11.00 am. The cost is £12 (£10 for JEECS members). Please come along, and tell your friends about it. Tickets in advance from Clive. Email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

2. The Battle of Cable Street

The Jewish cultural centre JW3 have asked our help in creating an exhibition on the Battle of Cable Street. The exhibition is to be held in October, with the author, author and playwright Steven Berkoff giving a presentation at JW3 on the evening of October 21. We shall be checking what items we have in our collection but we would appreciate all thoughts on relevant films, articles and details of people we can interview etc. Again please email Clive at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

3. B&H Wilson

A member has asked if anyone has details of the above firm. It was a fine art publisher, stationer and tobacconist based in Commercial Road and later Great Eastern Street in the pre-war years. It was run by Aaron Wolfson and his uncles Ebron and Barnet Wolfson. A member is anxious to track down family descendants. Again if you have any information please contact Clive.

4. Drinking fountain in honour of Sir Francis Goldsmid Bt MP

We’ve been asked if any member knows of a drinking fountain that stood at the bottom of Leman Street, Whitechapel, erected by Emma Montefiore in memory of her brother Sir Francis Goldsmid in 1878. Again please contact Clive.

5. Drinking Fountain commemorating Leonard Montefiore, Stepney Green

We have mentioned this fountain on several occasions, including the fact that we have been offered £6,000 towards its restoration but need a further £8,000 to complete the project. The fountain is in a derelict state and risks being removed shortly as it is a complete eyesore. We have approached several members of the Montefiore and Sebag-Montefiore families, who have declined to assist as they were impecunious! If anyone has any constructive suggestions please contact Clive. It would be tragic if this drinking fountain were to be removed.

If you would rather not receive JEECS news by email please reply asking to be removed from the emailing list.