Catalogue description PHOTOGRAPHS AND DOCUMENTS RELATED TO HANNAH PLAGERSON AND FAMILY

Plagerson, Hannah, b 1905, née Seaberg, of Prestwich, Manchester

• Hightown, Lancashire

The donor was born in Pembroke Dock in 1905. Her father, Nathan Seaberg was a Kurlander, born in the Riga area of Russia in 1877. The donor's mother Chaya Devorah (nee Kahn) was a Litvak, she was born c.1880. The donor's parents met in London being introduced by a mutual friend.

The donor's father worked as a pedlar travelling around the Welsh countryside selling drapery, also he made ornamental pictures on glass; he taught himself to read and write. The family moved from Pembroke Dock to Swansea when the donor was a very young girl. They had a grocery shop in Swansea which the donor's mother managed c.1910. Later the donor and her family moved to Manchester. Towards the end of World War I the donor's father became an agent for London shoe manufacturers Blooms; they were friend's of the donor's father. This firm made the high leather boots with eyelets which were in fashion at this time.

By 1932 the donor's parents and an unmarried sister were living in Vernon Street, Manchester. By the late 1930's they'd moved to King's Road, Prestwich taking a vacant shop. This shop was run as a milliner's shop by the donor's sister Rose, her father carried on a cobbler's business from a shed at the bottom of this shop's garden. The donor's mother died c.1942 from pneumonia and a stroke. The donor's father died in 1964.

The donor was one of 5 children. Rose, Miriam, Minnie and Sam were her brothers and sisters.

Sam was apprenticed to Serrotto's chemist shop on Waterloo Road. He got married in 1939 and went to live in Dublin. He died about 3 years ago aged 66.

Miriam is aged 71 today. She was apprenticed as a dressmaker at Dewsbury & Brown's.

Rose is aged 75 today. She was apprenticed to Coll's, court milliner's.

The donor married Reuben (known as Dick) Plagerson on June 1932 at the United Synagogue, Cheetham Hill Road. The Plagersons lived at 107 Bellott Street, Cheetham. The donor's husband had brothers and sisters - Sid, Cissie, Betty, Mark and Bernard and a half-brother Cyril, and a half-sister Elsie. The donor's father-in-law Abraham Plagerson, died c.20 years ago, he was in his 70s. Reuben Plagerson was a scientist and worked at a firm called Lewensteins. During World War II he was working on a project involving dyestuffs. The donor has 2 children - David and Dorothy. The donor's husnand was born in 1894, he died c.1945.

The donor went to Harpurhey High School and after leaving she spent a year at commercial college (Greg School in Piccadilly, Manchester), here they didn't teach the Pitman system but the Greg system. In c.1923 she was working as a secretary at Cohen & Wilks waterproofers of Derby Street, Cheetham. She did not work here long but chose to get a job with a smaller firm. She worked in the office of Pemberton's car auctions for a while and then (c.1925) got a job as a secretary at Robinson, Nelson & Co., a laboratory equipment business situated at 325 City Road, Manchester. She managed the office of this firm having to work till 8.00 or 8.30 pm. on occasion. The firm later amalgamated with W & J George. The donor left when she was married in 1932 but went back to work there for a short time the person who replaced her was ill so the donor was asked to come back.