There are no answers, just more questions
Mar. 9th, 2010 01:45 pmIt seemed simple enough: look at some old maps of Launceston to see if there was a lane way running down the back of the old synagogue to explain why it was built facing away from the road.
Nothing on the 1881 map. Nothing on the 1856 map, although that just showed land owners. Nothing on the 1835 map (10 years before the synagogue was built) but in the middle of that block there appears to have been a small park or garden. Was it built to face that? And WTF is *that* anyway.
Found a type-written note in the community history file that said a condition of the bequest that provided the original construction funds was that the building can not be sold as long as there is one Jew living in the city. Don't know if that's true, but it's interesting.
Nothing on the 1881 map. Nothing on the 1856 map, although that just showed land owners. Nothing on the 1835 map (10 years before the synagogue was built) but in the middle of that block there appears to have been a small park or garden. Was it built to face that? And WTF is *that* anyway.
Found a type-written note in the community history file that said a condition of the bequest that provided the original construction funds was that the building can not be sold as long as there is one Jew living in the city. Don't know if that's true, but it's interesting.
