Some old references American Jewish historical quarterly , Volume 37 hazzan at the Synagogue at Port Royal, (*Jacob Basan) and later was appointed one of the readers at the Sephardic place of worship in Kingston. The Bassans were active in communal affairs in the early part of the 19th century. Several branches of the family emigrated to England. Judith, the wife of Jacob Bassan, died in Portsmouth, England, and was buried there in the old Fawcett Road Cemetery, in 1834. (*February) On March 15, 1938, a large number of persons of every denomination gathered at Hunt's Bay for a special Reconsecration Service, conducted by the writer of this paper. More of the article below. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Portsmouth Community and its Historical Background the first "lady magnus" memorial lecture. By Cecil Roth. Paper read before the Jewish Historical Society of England.March 11, 1935. Perhaps this is copied from an earlier account, as there is no independent record of the existence of two places of worship at so late a date. It would appear that, on the assumption that two synagogues existed, the editor took it for granted, without any real authority, that the one was Sephardi and the other Ashkenazi.On the other hand, E. Leib records in 1800 the circumcision of Jacob, son of Simha Levi, called Dr. Lara, as having taken place in the “Hebra.” Conceivably, this may refer to a Sephardic conventicle. A few individuate of this element were indeed to be found in Portsmouth, but they were members of the existing congregation. Thus, for example, the Navy List of 1816 contains the name of Daniel da Souza, of Portsea, licensed Naval Agent. His wife, Sarah, mother of six sons, died on Tammuz, 1819, aged 36, according to her tombstone in the old Cemetery. Here, too, is the monument to Judith, wife of the late Jacob Bassan, of Jamaica, aged 51 (1834): Grace Rachel, daughter of Moses Henriques (?), 1864: and Charles Solal, of Algiers (1867). Readers will probably wish to know something concerning the later vicissi-tudes of Rabbi Leib Aleph, one of the principal characters in the foregoing story.He continued active for a further twenty years after the Great Secession wasconcluded. After 1804, there is a break: but in the autumn of 1808, he resumed activity for the benefit of his newly- born grandson, Naphtali Hirtz, son of Michael b. Solomon History - Portsmouth Old Jews Burial Ground Marcus Roberts www.jtrails.org.ukThe cemetery - Fawcett RoadThe cemetery was established in 1749. The original was a part of a field adjacent to Lazy Lane, belonging to Wish Farm but was only 25 feet square. The land was granted on a thousand years lease to the community. The four leaseholders named on the document were Benjamin Levy (of Wiesenbaden), an engraver, Mordecai Samuel (of Rodelheim), a Jeweller, Lazarus Moses of Furth, a chapman and Mordecai Moses of Konigsberg, another chapman. Interestingly the path that ran near Lazy Lane and which is now Fawcett Street, was long called "Jew's Lane" before it took its modern name.The cemetery was extended in 1800, 1844 and 1882. The extension of the cemetery westwards in rectangular strips can be readily traced by the tombstones, breaks in slope and pathways. There is also evidence of a variety of different entries used for the cemetery at different times in its history. The original ohel was rebuilt in brick in 1888. Some of the rebuilding of the boundary walls seem contemporary with this. The caretaker's lodge was demolished in 1961 to create a little more space for interments.The oldest tombstone - if not the earliest interment in the cemetery - is probably that of "The child Alexander, son of Isaac" dated 1763. Other tombstones include that of Sephardim, one to Grace Rachel (d. 1864), daughter of Moses Henriques, no doubt of member of the famous Henriques family, - as well as to a Jamaican Jew, Jacob Bassan (d. 1834). (*Incorrectly transcribed - should be ‘wife of’) A number of tombstones belonging to the merchants and Navy Agents can be identified. For example close to the path near the entrance is the tombstone to David Barnard. The records show he lived at 67 Hanover Street, Portsea, married to Rebecca and that he was a licensed Navy Agent (1809-32) as well as trading as a pawnbroker and silversmith. He also served as an elder of the congregation and was therefore a leading figure in his community. There is close by another tombstone for Joseph Levy, a Navy Agent in 1814-19.