MORDY COLLECTION

Isobel Mordy of Ruislip, Middlesex compiled records concerning British Jews on slips of papers. These slips contained birth, marriage, death, and biographical information on Jews in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The slips, arranged in four sections, were filmed in 1984 (contains some data from the 1970's). See the list of abbreviations in the appendix for some of the sources used. In 2003, the British Reference Staff of the Family History Library input the information from the Mordy collection into a computer database. The entire database is available at the B2 reference counter (just ask to use the Legacy database from Mordy) and in print in modified register format for each of the pedigrees in the pedigree collection. The staff has added other data from outside the Mordy collection (including the 1901 census, for example) to the electronic database.

In general, the normal approach to using this collection would be to search the index to pedigree slips, then the pedigree slips themselves. Having done this, the miscellaneous data section could be searched for additional information. The locality Index would be consulted only if the situation called for its use.

The name "pedigree slips" is a bit misleading because there are no pedigree charts or family group records. In order to effectively use this collection, one needs a general understanding of her system of keeping track of families. All of the information is on slips similar to a 3x5 card, with one slip for each person. The slips are numbered and the patron must "figure out" how the people are related to each other. This is accomplished by understanding the numbering system (see "Pedigree Slips" below). With patience and close attention to detail, considerable information for a family tree can be gleaned from this collection.

The four sections (in the order filmed as well as the order normally consulted) are as follows.

Name Index to Pedigree Slips. This section is arranged in surname order (alphabetically). It gives the name and the pedigree code number. The first letter of the code is the first letter of the surname. When you find the code number, turn to the next section to find the referenced slip. The film numbers for the index are 1279240 (A-P) and 1279241 (R-Z).

Pedigree Slips. These are arranged by code number given in the index. Following the two letter code are 2 or 3 sets of numbers. If there are only two sets of numbers, the person is an "end of line" individual (there is no number for the father). The three numbers that make up the code number are first, the personal reference number of the parent in the previous generation; second, the generation number (1 higher than the previous generation); and third, the personal reference number for the person on the slip.

For example, the number 11.10.14 means that the person is number 14 in the current generation, which is generation number 10, and the father was personal reference number 11 in the previous generation. In this case, the individual's father would have a code number ending with 9.11 (because the father would be one generation earlier than 10 and we know he was personal reference number 11). The code number for the father could start with any number, depending on what his father's personal reference number was. If the father in this example was "end of line," then his code number would simply be 9.11. If, however, his father was personal reference number 34, then his code number would be 34.9.11.

Siblings are assigned personal reference numbers in sequence, with a separate series of numbers for males and for females. In each family in one generation, 10 numbers are reserved for sisters and 10 for brothers. Thus, 1-20 are one family, with 1-10 being sisters and 11-20 being brothers. 21-40 are a different family in the same generation (cousins to 1-20), as are 41-60, 61-80, etc. The generation numbers and personal reference numbers for each generation are unique within each pedigree (one two letter code). Thus generation 10 in pedigree AE will only have one personal reference number 11. If there are five families in the same generation (all first or second cousins) that have an eldest son, those sons would be personal references 11, 31, 51, 71, and 91.

Each "pedigree" starts out with a guide card. This gives other pedigree codes which are referenced (intermarriages) in that pedigree. There is a numbered card before each group of siblings (you may not realize what they are unless you pay close attention).

A pedigree slip may have another code number to the right of the individual's code number. This means that the person's spouse or parent appears in another pedigree. The code number is the spouse's or parent's code number in that other pedigree. You should turn to that pedigree for more information on that line.

An exception is when the father is unknown or does not have a pedigree slip. In this case, the mother's code number is kept for the children and a "/F" is added. If that child has a child listed, then an (a), (b), or (1), (2)... is added to the code. For example, 11.1/F(b) is the second child of 11.1/F, who is the child of 11.11.1. Only in the case of the "/F," does the generation number not apply to the individual on the slip.

Another complication with generation numbers is the first person (top of the pedigree or end-of-line individual) is assigned a generation number based on the period of time in which he lived. That individual's children will all have a number one larger than his regardless of when they were born.

If you aren't thoroughly confused by now, you're doing better than I did. Let me explain that the end result of this system is that when you find an individual, you must use the numbering system to figure out who his parents were. If the individual has three two digit numbers, his father should also have a slip in the same pedigree. Thus, if you found an code number 12.11.13, you would turn to the slips for generation 10 (one less that 11) in the same pedigree 12 (same first two letter code), and find the individual with personal reference number 13 (the third number). There will only be one individual that has the last two numbers as 10.11 in that pedigree even if there are many males in that generation. Then you know who the father was (his wife may be shown on the slip).

For a detailed example of the numbering system, see the sample pedigree at the end of this article.

The film numbers for this sections are as follows:

A-SI 1279242 SI-Z 1279243

Miscellaneous Data/Index. This is a series of slips containing abstracts from birth, marriage, death, naturalization, wills, censuses, notes, oral interviews and other data. The slips are arranged by the name of the principal person on the slip. In the case of a birth, the principal person is the child, while the principal person for marriages is the bride (how true). Often, a pedigree code number is given on the slip. It is the code number of the principal person on the miscellaneous slip. A pedigree slip can then be found in the previous section using that code number.

Other (secondary) persons mentioned on the slip are sometimes included in the index under their own name (particularly if the principal person has a different surname), with a reference back to the principal person. For example, a slip usually appears under the name of the groom which refers you to the bride's name.

This section often contains miscellaneous information that compliments, corrects, or supplements the information given on the pedigree slips. It also refers to sources. The film numbers for this section are:

A-D 1279244 Ly-Q 1279247

E-I 1279245 R-Z 1279248

J-Lu 1279246

Locality Index. This is an index to localities (towns, villages, farms, and cities as well as streets within cities) mentioned in the pedigree slips and the miscellaneous data slips. It is divided into three sections, namely, London (by street regardless of section of London), United Kingdom and Ireland (includes some streets in cities), and foreign countries. The film numbers are:

London 1279249, and the other two 1279250.

The Mordy collection is a potentially valuable source for British jews. It does not seem to be geared toward the upper classes (in fact the two wealthiest 18th-19th century jewish families do not even appear in the collection!). It should probably be consulted whenever searching for someone who lived after 1600 and was known to be or suspected to be Jewish.