From the age of 12 in 1977, Barry started researching his family history focusing on his mother’s family from Amsterdam. Starting by corresponding with his great Aunt Milly, born in 1909, he learned some basic family history before spending school summer holidays in St Catherine’s House and then aged just 17 trawling through old records on microfiche in Amsterdam.
This talk follows the journey from Barry’s childhood studies into adulthood and how thousands of relatives and ancestors from across the world came alive through extensive volumes of documents.
Brexit, followed by multiple lockdowns, provided Barry with the time and motivation to take a deep dive into the extensive Amsterdam archives which became available online. His desire to explore whether there could be any way to get a European passport led him to discover Portugal’s offer to those of Sephardi descent. But how could this supposedly 100% Ashkenazi man have any hope of this? With a window of opportunity closing, Barry searched and searched…but was he successful? All will be revealed in this journey through a life of Jewish genealogy.
About Barry Laden MBE
After studying accountancy Barry chose to go into business and for over 35 years worked in a range of industries including fashion wholesale and retail; manufacturing; commercial and residential property, licensed premises and fintech.
For many years he was at the forefront of supporting young independent fashion designers at his London store. He provided them with significant wholesale opportunities and manufacturing facilities and was interviewed by press and television across the world. In recent years he has enjoyed creating and selling his own artworks on Saatchi online.
Now retired, his focus is on charitable and City social activities.
He is a Freeman of the City of London, a Liveryman of the Drapers’ Company, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Fellow of the British Institute of Innkeeping.
He was made MBE in 2011 by King Charles III (then Prince Charles) at Buckingham Palace and was awarded Honorary Doctor of Design by Southampton Solent University in 2014.
His fascination with Jewish genealogy started when he was just 12 years old with a focus on his family from Amsterdam, Poland and Ukraine.
After the talk, there will be an opportunity for Q&A on the talk. We will then take a 15 minute tea break, followed by a Dutch & Sephardic workshop where you may share your successes and brick walls and ask any questions you might have.
If you have problems joining, please email chair@jgsgb.org.uk, preferably in the 15 minutes before the meeting proper starts.