Barbados Jewish Records

Barbados   Jewish Records

The late Eustace M. Shilstone was a recognized scholar of Jews in Barbados. His manuscript research notes "Records of Jews in Barbados and Other Family Records," is held at the Library of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society. Pages 200 to 204, for example, identify early Jewish wills proved on the island. The collection was recently digitized through a U.S. Embassy grant. His superb work in transcribing, translating, and abstracting Jewish Synagogue monumental inscriptions is discussed in Barbados Cemeteries.

Arbell prepared a history of early Jewish refugees in Barbados and other Caribbean islands:


 * Arbell, Mordechai. The Jewish Nation of the Caribbean: The Spanish-Portuguese Jewish Settlements in the Caribbean and the Guianas. Jerusalem, Israel: Gefen Publishing House, 2002/5762. 972.9 F2a

The HaChayim HaYehudim Jewish Photo Library website maintains online images of:


 * BARBADOS, Bridgetown. Nidhe Israel Museum (Barbados Jewish Museum -- former Jewish School building), opened August 2007. (2007)
 * BARBADOS, Bridgetown. Nidhe Israel Synagogue. (2007)
 * BARBADOS, Christchurch. Shaare Tzedek Synagogue, Rockley New Road. (2007)

Collections
As with many other countries the records of birth, marriage and death of the Jews may be found in the records of other religions. The Barbados Church Records collection available in the FamilySearch Historical Records contains some births and deaths of the Jews. Birth records from 1830-1884 and death records from 1685-1886 are included.

Many of the available records of the Jews of Barbados have been added to the Knowles Collection: Jews of South America and the Caribbean database. More information on the Knowles Collection can be found at knowlescollection.blogspot.com,