In Memoriam John M. Shaftesley (1901-1981)

<plain_text><page sequence="1">In Memoriam John M. Shaftesley (1901-1981) John Shaftesley was the fourth-generation scion of a Jewish family who, in the early Victorian period, migrated and settled in the North of England. Born and reared in Lancashire, he was a typical product of that moulding and ambience - bluntly out? spoken, practical, down-to-earth and hard-work? ing, warm-hearted and loyal, tenacious of his ideals and principles, modest and never self-seeking - but above all, a devout and traditional Anglo-Jew. He may be said to have spent his working life in print, not to publicize himself, but to assist others - first as a reporter and journalist and as a typographic expert lecturing on printing at the Manchester College of Technology. Then, shortly before the Second World War, he joined the staff of the Jewish Chronicle, rising through Assistant Editorship over the war years, to become its Editor and one of its Directors from 1946 until 1958, a distinction which with his other merits earned him an obe. Not the least of his remarkable contributions was to compile a masterly cumulative index to the Jewish Chronicle from 1841 to 1890 and to its younger, but shorter-lived brother-publication, the Voice of Jacob, 1841 to 1846. Since John was not merely a professional editor of great experience, but also a man with a highly competent and able historical bent, we were indeed lucky to recruit him as the Editor of our publications in 1965, during the whole of which period we worked together most closely and harmoniously. The result of his expert management was the Transactions that we have seen and of which we and he could feel justly proud. As Editor of Transactions and our other publications, he raised our standards to a level not previously reached and unlikely to be surpassed; as a scholar of distinction, he contri? buted to it several papers of historical importance. He was elected a Vice-President of the Society in 1973. In honour of reaching his 80th year we offered him, on 1 July in hospital, our most cordial congratulations and good wishes coupled with our thanks, and dedicated this volume to him. Alas, it was with the greatest sadness that we learned of his death there on 11 August. Our deepest sympathies go to his widow and his family. R.D.B. ix</page><page sequence="2">John M. Shaftesley</page></plain_text>