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The archive is composed of material relating to Nathan and Sarah Laski and their sons Neville and Harold, papers relating to Jewish defence and other papers collected by Neville Laski. Nathan Laski (1863-1941) worked as an Indian merchant for over fifty years. He retired in 1930 and devoted himself to social work. Laski was chairman of the Manchester Jewish Hospital and Manchester and Salford Jewish Council and chairman of the Manchester Jewish Board of Guardians. In 1889 Nathan Laski married Sarah Frankenstein. They had two sons and a daughter. Neville Jonas Laski (1890-1968), QC, was the elder son of Nathan and Sarah Laski. He was Chairman of the Manchester Victoria Memorial Jewish Hospital; President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, 1933-9; Judge of Appeal of the Isle of Man, 1953-6; Recorder of Burnley, 1935-56; member of the General Council of the Bar, 1950-6; Chairman of the Professional Conduct Committee, 1952-6; honorary treasurer, 1955-6; Judge of the Crown Court and Recorder of Liverpool, 1956-63; and President of the Elders of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews Congregation, 1961-7. Harold J.Laski (1893-1950) was the younger son of Nathan and Sarah Laski. He was Professor of Political Science at the University of London, 1926-50; a member of the Fabian Society executive, 1922, 1936; a member of the executive committee of the Labour party, 1936-49; chairman, 1945-6; a member of the industrial court, 1926-50; a member of the Lord Chancellor's committee on delegated legislation, 1929; a member of the departmental committee on local government, 1931; a member of the departmental committee on local education, 1932; and a member of the council of the Institute of Public Administration.
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University of Southampton Libraries Special Collections
Papers of Nathan Laski (1863-1941): certificate of Grand Lodge of England, 1889; naturalisation certificate, 1901, letters, press cuttings and photographs, sermons and memorial services, a menu and the citation for his honorary degree at Manchester University, 1933; papers, 1887- 1950. Papers of Sarah Laski: letters, invitations, press cuttings, memorial orders of service and a funeral address, election manifestos and a biographical note, 1889-1963 Papers of Neville Laski, 1942-63, relating to his career: letters, speeches and telegrams; papers relating to the 750th anniversary of the charter for Liverpool in 1957; papers relating to Jewish defence: memoranda, notes on fascism, Mosley, and Germany, reports, minutes, correspondence and other papers, 1936-41. Correspondence, 1939-64, press cuttings and miscellaneous papers. Papers of Harold Laski: including newspaper articles by and about Laski; a script of a radio broadcast about Laski, 1962; a translation about Laski's philosophy; two letters from Winston Churchill, 1941; and a reference from the High Master of Manchester Grammar School.
Laski family papers