arthur and eugenie kahn with children - c. 1903
Born Artur Kahnn at Passage de l’entrepot des marais, Paris on the 2nd December 1855, Arthur was the first son of Victor Kahn (born Luxembourg 1827) and Mathilde Cahen (born 1833 Paris). In the following year, the family (including Artur’s sister Pauline) moved to Liverpool.
The 1861 census reports the family as living at 78, Elizabeth Street, Liverpool and the 1871 census quotes the surname as Cahn. They then live at 15 Crown Street, West Derby, Liverpool.
The next two censuses (1871 and 1881) describe Arthur Kahn as a clerk, still living in Crown Street.
In January 1888 Arthur moved to 40 Manchester Street, Liverpool, where he resided until 1891. He is now 33 years old and we know very little of his early life. On 26th April 1898, Arthur was granted citizenship and the naturalisation certificate was signed on 4th June 1898, by which time Arthur was living at 108, The Strand, London (probably with brother Charles).
On 7th June 1898, Arthur (using the name Kahnn) married Eugenie Anna Hannah Fallek (b.1875 Paris) in the 9th Arrondissement of Paris.
Arthur and Eugenie’s first child, Eric Salomon Kahn, was born 4Q 1899, Paddington, London.
In 1900 Germaine Mathilde was born, followed by Victor Leon (6th November 1901), Mathilde Pauline (30th March 1902) and Cyril Maurice (4Q 1906).
Arthur was an optician, proprietor of a shop at 19 Ludgate Hill in the City of London. In the 1901 census the family lived in Maida Vale and by 1911 were in Dewhurst Road, West Kensington, London.
He was also something of an actor/playwright. We believe he was a theatre manager for a period in New York and we know from reports of litigation for royalties that he wrote sketches for his nieces (Beatie & Babs).
By 1924, Arthur was a licentiate of the Chicago Opthalmic Hospital in the USA and was associated with the National Silex Optical Company.
From 1896 he (like his brothers and father) was a Freemason, being a member of several London lodges, including Joppa Chapter No. 188, until his death on 29 September 1925 at Dewhurst Road, London.
Arthur’s wife Eugenie died in 1948 at London.
Amazing to read this about my grandfather!!
Was your dad Eric, Victor or Cyril? The only Paula Kahn I can find (b. 1946)
has a father called Arnold.
My father was Cyril who had 2 children, me and my brother Brian
I think Brian once met my sister at Southampton Un in the 50′s. My sister was dubious at his claim to be related – until he produced a letter from our grandmother!