The Wodak Family

Rudolf Charap

 

Rudolf Charap, a nephew of Irma Wodak, emigrated to England in 1939 and lived in Sidney Square, east London, just a few hundred yards from where his cousins Friedrich Aufrichtig, Martha Aufrichtig and Robert Aufrichtig had settled. There is a record of  entry into the country for Rudolf and his wife Marta Charap [née Loffler] at www.movinghere.org.uk. 

Following his statutory period of residence, Rudolf set up a business at 6 Hessel Street , London E1, only one block away from the Aufrichtig-owned Robert's Restaurant in Umberston Street .  

The local area street directory first credited 6 Hessel Street to the Charaps in its 1943 edition, describing owner R Charap, as a Job Buyer. The business, however, had been set up in 1941, the year of birth of his only child, Freda Charap. To earn a living Rudolf would buy damaged cloth from bombed factories, etc, cut out the burnt parts and sell the remants. Prior to his occupation, there had been no entry in either 1941 or '42 for No.6 in this road, consisting primarily of Jewish meat fish and grocery retailers, .

Copies of the Street Directory entries for years between 1943 and 1951 that have been reproduced on this page, indicate that in 1947 the business at 6 Hessel Street was registered to Mrs Martha Charap, a draper. This is indicative both of the time delay between collation of details and publication as well as the passing of the business from Rudolf to his widow Marta following his untimely death in 1943. The final Hessel Street listing for Charap was in 1949, the 1951 edition advising that No. 6 had been taken over by silk mechants, Edrenal Fabrics Ltd. 

Marta and Freda left England for Australia in 1949, staying in Sydney for 18 months. They returned in 1950, remaining a few months before going to Argentina for what was intended to be a three-month visit. Their stay became permanent, Marta remaining there until her death in August 1993. Daughter Freda still lives in Buenos Aires and is the mother of three daughters and grandmother of five children.  

1942 Street Directory showing no business

 registered at 6 Hessel Street

1943 Street Directory crediting 

6 Hessel Street to R Charap, job buyer

1944 Street Directory crediting 

6 Hessel Street to R Charap, job buyer

1945 Street Directory crediting 

6 Hessel Street to R Charap, job buyer

1947 Street Directory crediting 6 Hessel

Street to Mrs Martha Charap, draper

1949 Street Directory crediting 6 Hessel

Street to Mrs Martha Charap, draper

Hessel Street

1951 Street Directory crediting 6 Hessel

Street to Edrenal Fabrics Ltd

 

Wodak Alphabetical Names Index

Wodak Gallery

Brumovice Census Records

Deported Wodaks

Eduard Charap

Rudolf Charap in England

Charaps from Jezierne