"Bashert" by Conrad Singer            Chapter 15 On the Path to Riches

fifteen

ON THE PATH TO RICHES

“I am alert to coincidences and know they are messages from God,
I flow with the cosmic dance”.
                                          Deepak Chopra, Synchrodestiny, Harmony Books, London, 2003.

    By the end of the Nineteenth Century, thousands upon thousands of Jewish refugees were fleeing Russian and Polish pogroms (persecutions of Jews).  Most wanted to escape to the USA and hurriedly boarded ships without understanding these ships destinations.  Many escapees landed on the shores of Britain and on arrival at Hull most of them were under the impression that they had landed in the destination of their dreams. But, it was not America and they had been the victims of deceit.

    Among them were two families who had come from the same region in Poland. A son and a daughter from each family, Jonas and Miriam, had been betrothed. Jonas found a livelihood by selling old clothes. The couple moved into a shop property not far from the dock entrance. From then onwards, they began to prosper in business.

    However, there were increasing scandals and scuffles. After one particular quarrel, Miriam complained to the police that her husband had tried to kill her. The poor man bewildered and with a mind still scarred by the memories of the Tsarist Police, dared not face the British authorities and fled to Antwerp. There he obtained a Jewish divorce. By the strangest of coincidences, I was destined some fourteen years later, to marry the daughter of Jonas.

    Back in Hull, Miriam was left with five daughters and three sons. With great courage and determination, she desperately tried to tackle her sad situation. The daughter most hated by the other children, especially the brothers, was Lilly. She reported to her mother, on a regular basis, those responsible for the petty thefts. Destiny would make her my wife.

   After the marriage of two of her sisters, Lilly was growing impatient with the constant family arguments and wanted to get away. So when her younger brother came home on leave, they devised a plan to obtain money due to their mother by the Inland Revenue. With the booty, she left Hull and travelled to the home in Cumberland of her sister Edith.

    A little shop was taken in Lancaster and there she made good use of her modest capital. Lilly was also still able to carry out her wartime duties as a firewatcher, during the hours of darkness when air raids were threatening. She was a brave young woman.

    My romance was to begin in 1944 when I was stationed at Amuck in Newcastle-upon-Time. The festival of the Jewish New Year had arrived. I managed to obtain a weekend pass to stay with a Jewish family. I was warmly welcomed and thoroughly spoiled. After dinner, I was introduced to the male host’s brother.

    Searching for a job, with a very limited knowledge of English, was far from easy. A couple of month’s later, I took a trip to Manchester and found myself working in a restaurant. I was far from contented and felt that a dramatic change of scenery might be best for me. My friends in Newcastle suggested that I might like to go and see them. Perhaps I would be interested in an introduction to the girl from Lancaster that they had told me about.

    Miss Lilly Marks and I met in Penrith, at Edith’s shop, went out shopping together and were clearly suited to each other. I went to live in Lilly’s shop in Lancaster. I was happy, no longer alone and looking forward to the future with a new confidence.

    After a short honeymoon, in the Isle of Man, we returned to the little house in Lancaster. For a time we had to make do with Lilly’s single bed.

    I took to the business like a duck in water because of my gift for selling. Unfortunately, brother Louis resented an outsider enjoying a share in the management of the shop. Lilly suggested that I find other premises.

    For days on end I scoured Lancashire on the lookout for an empty and reasonably cheap shop. In Chorley, at one end of Market Street, I found exactly what I was looking for. With the keys of the new shop in our possession, we immediately set about contacting various firms, in search for suitable stock.

    I plunged enthusiastically in to my new venture, calling the shop “Singer’s Army Stores”. Lady Luck was soon on my side and I was able to buy a quality brand of overcoats very cheaply and sell them at four times cost!

    Another fortunate encounter was meeting up again with a real old character from Cheetham Hill called “Newman”. From my good friend came supplies of reconditioned army and fur-lined air force boots. The whole of the Chorley shop was soon full to the ceiling with stocks of all kinds. I was now ready to branch out and set up in another building. Working days were long but Lilly never grumbled. She was content in the knowledge that I had become self-supporting. We were no longer afraid of the future. Despite family traumas, we were enjoying continuing success. A chain of Singers Army Stores followed over the years, along with children and the fruits of our labours

   Now, as I reminisce about my life, I have come to believe that it was “Beshert” - the Yiddish word for “destined by God”.  

   I hope you have enjoyed reading about my life and my story has caused you to ponder lucky escapes and coincidences in your life. 

      1962 (left to right): Theodore (who now runs my old business),
               Lilly, Judith(back), Deborah, self, & Rachel

Shalom…Conrad Singer

Previous       Next