Print - The Canadian Jewish Heritage Network - Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives

Physical Description: 0.3 metres of textual records. - 6 other fixed images.

Scope and Content: The fonds consists of: 6 daguerrotypes of Abraham and Mrs. Esther (Joseph) de Sola and Meldola, Clarence as children; diaries of Clarence de Sola 1873-1875, 1879, 1880, 1904, 1919 (microfilmed at NAC in the 1970s); a scrapbook with photos, clippings, hair of Mrs. de Sola; original birth and marriag…

Physical Description: 0.3 metres of textual records. - 6 other fixed images.

Scope and Content: The fonds consists of: 6 daguerrotypes of Abraham and Mrs. Esther (Joseph) de Sola and Meldola, Clarence as children; diaries of Clarence de Sola 1873-1875, 1879, 1880, 1904, 1919 (microfilmed at NAC in the 1970s); a scrapbook with photos, clippings, hair of Mrs. de Sola; original birth and marriage documents, memorabilia including war medals of Mrs. Maude de Sola; file of correspondence 1870-1920, including 3 envelopes addressed to Rev. A. de Sola (1870-1873), a letter from "Mummy" in Cleveland (1901), a letter from Clarence to his aunts (1901), 3 letters from Clarence to his wife, (1914 and 1920, with envelopes), and one letter to son Rafael, 1914. The three letters dated August 1914 are written from Montreal and make reference to the outbreak of WWI.

History / Biographical: Born in Montreal on August 15, 1858, Clarence de Sola was the third son of the renowned Victorian rabbi Rev. Alexander Abraham de Sola of the Shearith Israel synagogue of Montreal. He married Belle Maud Goldsmith of Cleveland in 1901. He was a contractor and served in the consular service as well as a leader of the social and communal life of Canadian Jewry, a founder and long-time president of the Federation Societies of Canada; and the author of numerous articles on Jewish history. He died in May 1920. His father Abraham de Sola was the first Jewish professor to teach Hebrew at McGill University, was rabbi of the Shearith Israel, Montreal's oldest congregation from 1848 until his death. Meldola gained widespread recognition as the cantor at the Shearith Israel.

Custodial History: The documents are on permanent loan from Ms. Gillian Mosely, in May 1998 (The documents were placed on permanent loan in May, 1998). These items belonged to Lady Jessica Mellor, who had the diaries microfilmed for the National Archives of Canada. Gillian Mosely, her niece, took care of her and received these items upon her death.

P0164ClarencedeSolaletterOutbreakWWI-Aug1914