General   (General discussion, talk about anything.)

I worked for a Jewish owned company for 15 years and saw very little antisemitism. Most Jews belonging to the Reform branch of Jewry, almost all in England with a few in Wales, live a normal life amongst the general population. The Orthodox Jews do still have problems with some of the idiots in society.
There’s no doubt in years gone by it was a problem in parts of the UK going to the very top of society.
A highly regarded Jewish surgeon I know told me of his father’s experience in the 1930’s. He was practicing as a consultant surgeon in Manchester and had gained a reputation of excellence. Chatting to a fellow consultant one day he was told his career advancement chances were very slim in Manchester due to his religion and he would be better off in London. Down in London he made rapid advances and became the foremost surgeon in his specialty. Some time later the surgeon to the Royal household said to him that he had to go to the Palace and would like him to go on standby because he knew more about the problem than himself. His parting remark was ‘ make sure you go in via the tradesman’s entrance.’

A typical situation in the 1930’s.

On 21 June 1930 an advertisement appeared in the BMJ in the following terms:

‘Wanted, Midlands, Assistant [doctor] … male. Panel 1,950. Receipts £2,700. Good House and garden available. No Jews or men of colour’ 2

Similar advertisements appeared in 1937 and 1938. To circumvent these difficulties, Jewish doctors purchased their practices, usually beginning their career in working-class neighbourhoods. In London, at this time, there were agencies that for a commission found practices for doctors to purchase; and one was run by a Jew, Dr Eustace Chesser, later famous as a therapist dealing with sexual problems (p70).2

Similarly, South Asian doctors from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka encountered so many negative answers when they applied to join a general practice that they opened new practices in inner cities and industrial areas, where no other doctors would venture.