Aaron Wolfe Pollock (1890-1917)
Sunderland man remembered on plaque at Moor Street Synagogue
Aaron Wolfe Pollock’s birth was registered in the first few months of 1890 in Sunderland. His parents were Hyman and Rachael Pollock who were both originally from Poland. Hyman worked as a glazier. Census records show the family, having moved from Russia, lived in several places before moving to County Durham. Aaron had seven brothers and two sisters.
At the time of the 1891 census the family were living at 7 Tees Street, Bishopwearmouth. By 1901 the family had moved to South Shields and were living at 16 Albermark Street. By 1911 the family had moved again to 26 Wear Street, Sunderland. Aaron was working as a hawker in fish at this time.
Aaron originally attested on 10 December 1915, at which time he was working as a clothier’s shop assistant. His attestation papers show he had previously been in the 3rd Battalion DLI with the service number 31943. He was posted to the 4th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (DLI) on 26 April 1916 and was based at Seaham until 14 October 1916. Aaron was then transferred to the Machine Gun Corps. Service records show he was at Belton Park in Lincolnshire on 16 January 1917 when he received punishment for being improperly dressed for a parade. Belton Park was used from 1915 as a training base for the Machine Gun Corps.
Aaron joined the British Expeditionary Force in France on 16 February 1917. He served as a private with the service number 64658 in the 216th Company. Aaron was killed in action on 18 November 1917. He is buried at Buff’s Road Cemetery in Belgium.
Aaron is remembered locally on several memorials in his home town of Sunderland. One of these memorials is a brass plaque now housed at the Jewish Military Museum in London. This plaque was originally unveiled by the Mayor of Sunderland at Moor Street Synagogue, Sunderland in 1922. It was moved to Ryhope Road Synagogue, upon the closure of which it was transferred to London. The inscription on the plaque reads: “In honoured memory of the undermentioned members of the Sunderland Jewish Community who made the Supreme Sacrifice in the Great War 1914-1918.”
Sometime between the time when Aaron enlisted and the time of his death he married Ivy May Pollock. His Victory Medal and British War Medal were sent to Ivy and she received a pension of 13 shillings, nine pence from June 1918. There are no children recorded on this pension record.
Civil Parish: Sunderland
Birth date: 1890
Death date: 18-Nov-1917
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: 7 Tees Street, Bishopwearmouth (1891 census)
16 Albermark Street, South Shields (1901 census)
26 Wear Street, Sunderland (1911 census)
1 D’arcy Terrace, Sunderland (Enlistment papers)
39 Lee Street, Fulwell, Sunderland (Address of wife at time of death)
Religion: Jewish
Employment: Hawker – fish (1911 census)
Family: Parents: Hyman Pollock, Rachael Pollock
Siblings: Solomon Pollock, Israel Pollock, Harris Pollock, Moses Pollock, Joseph Pollock, Jacob Pollock, Samuel Pollock, Betsy Pollock, Bashey Pollock
Wife: Ivy May Pollock
Military service:
3rd Battalion DLI
Service number 31943
4th Battalion DLI
Transferred to MGC 14 October 1916
Private
216th Company
Service number 64658
Medal(s): Victory Medal
British War Medal
Memorial(s): Buff’s Road Cemetery, Belgium
Book of Remembrance, Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland
Plaque 1914-18 Synagogue, originally Moor Street, Sunderland
Gender: Male
Contributed by Fiona Johnson - Durham
