Studying Jewish history, 17th century to present
Following the tradition set by Mertonians Bodley and Savile in the 16th and 17th centuries, the study of Jewish history has continued at Merton, with the college playing host to two important Jewish historians in more recent times - D'Blossiers Tovey (17th century) and Cecil Roth (20th century)
Merton's Jewish Historians
Dr Evie Kemp talks about two Merton historians: D' Blossiers Tovey (17th century) and Cecil Roth (early 20th century). Both Jewish, they were particularly interested in the history of the Jewish communities in England.
![_Hebraica_D'BloissierTovey_03_ec_01.jpg _Hebraica_D'BloissierTovey_03_ec_01.jpg](../../../files/square_thumbnails/4db26cf628558ea2993b03356fdf2158.jpg)
D'Blossiers Tovey Anglia Judaica, or, The history and antiquities of the Jews in England…, 1738
D’Blossiers Tovey (1692-1745) was elected Fellow of Merton in 1712. His best known book is Anglia Judaica, or, The history and antiquities of the Jews in England… published in Oxford in 1738.
![_Hebraica_D'BloissierTovey_07_ec_01.jpg _Hebraica_D'BloissierTovey_07_ec_01.jpg](../../../files/square_thumbnails/98a97799fa74968491fcb8d37861a1c2.jpg)
D'Blossiers Tovey Anglia Judaica (cont.)
In it Tovey draws on many records relating to the Jewish communities in England in the Middle Ages, including the archives of Merton College. An engraving of the seal of Jacob son of Master Moses of London from the Merton document MCR 188 (also in this exhibition) appears on p. 183. The Merton copy of Anglia Judaica was presented to the college by the author.