Booklet for the official opening of the new wing extension of Penylan House, Cardiff, 9 May 1965

Disgrifiad

A booklet detailing the opening of the new wing of Penylan House, a Jewish Home for the Aged, which took place on 9 May 1965.

The cover features the full address of the home, an image of the Star of David, the years the home had been open (1944-1965) and a photograph of the exterior of Penylan House. The official opening was to be on 9 May 1965 at 3:00pm. Subsequently, a dinner at The City Hall was held on the same day at 8.00pm.

Inside the booklet is the 'Order of Proceedings'. The Master of Ceremonies is detailed as Harry Poloway, an ex-Warrant Officer in the Second World War. Harry Poloway became well known in the Newport and South Wales area as a toast master, attending many events locally, especially those involving the Royal Family. At 3.00pm, Major Louis C. Cohen was to declare the new extension open, and at 3.10pm, Mr Jack Silver was to unveil a plaque and declare the Betty Silver Wing open. Then, at 3.20pm, Rabbi Rogosnitzky and Reverend Gray (both of whom had also been present at the Home's official opening in 1946 when it was based in Canton) were to bless the new wing and extension then lead guests on a tour of the building with the Executive. Sherry was to be served.

The stewards are listed as Joseph Berg, Victor Lush, F. P. Pereths, Moss Simon, Eric Walters and Joseph Woolf. At the bottom of this page is the line "You've opened the door for thirty more".

On the back of the booklet, details of the chartered architects and surveyors (Osborne V. Webb and Partners from 15, Working St. Cardiff) and builders (Marston Builders Ltd., from 52, Church Street, Leigh, Lancashire) are listed. Also listed is Honorary Life President, Henry Silver, the Executive, the House Committee, the Welfare Committee, the Building Committee and the Trustees. The Trustees were M. J. Cohen, A. Hauser, Henry Silver and Jack Silver.

An article written shortly after the official opening stated that the new wing had cost £30,000 to build and was named the 'Betty Silver Wing', in memory of the wife of Mr Jack Silver, who was a governor of the home. The dinner at the City Hall which the booklet details is described in the article as "the highlight of the day" and was attended by over 300 guests. Sir Barnett Janner had attended and, in his speech, said that the day had "proved beyond all doubt the generosity of the Cardiff, South Wales and West of England Jewish communities".

Pencare (formerly known as 'The Trustees of Penylan House') is a charity, which offers care for elderly people of the Jewish faith and is currently based in Cardiff, although the catchment area for the home covers South Wales and the West of England. Pencare has been working with Linc Cymru to redevelop their care home, Penylan House, to ensure high quality care to Cardiff's elderly Jewish community and extending the care to elderly people not of the Jewish faith.

Mr Henry Silver and other members of the Cardiff Jewish community had originally founded a Home for the Aged in 1946 in Canton. In December 1948, the Home moved to Holme Towers in Penarth to provide more space for its large number of applications. Despite the beautiful surroundings, the Home in Penarth was quite isolated, so the difficult decision was later taken to move the Home to Penylan Road in Cardiff, meaning many residents were now closer to their friends and relatives. Residents moved to Penylan House in February 1959.

Sources:
https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/14154389.Salute_to_Harry_Poloway__Newport___s_red_coated_ambassador/;
Cajex, Magazine of the Association of Jewish Ex-service Men and Women (Cardiff), Vol. XV, No. 2, Fifteenth Year - June 1965, pp. 18-22;
http://opencharities.org/charities/243968;
http://www.housingcare.org/downloads/facilities/generated-brochures/134508-penylan-house-nursing-home-cardiff-wales.pdf;
Cajex, Magazine of the Association of Jewish Ex-service Men and Women (Cardiff), Vol. IX, No. 1, Ninth Year - March 1959, pp. 60- 65.

Depository: Glamorgan Archives.