Estrea Aelion: Copy jubilee album

This collection consists of a copy jubilee album (translation from French) relating to the life and times of Estrea Aelion for her seven great-grandchildren in celebration of her hundredth birthday in May 1984, compiled by Jacqueline Golden. Estrea Aelion, of Greek Jewish origin, came to England in 1934. Her brother's family remained in Greece during the German occupation. Several of family members perished in concentration camps but her sister-in-law and niece survived in hiding in Athens. The album contains photographs and details of Estrea Aelion's life and that of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren put into the political and social context of the times through contemporary press cuttings. Also includes a family tree, transcript of her life story, and copy of her niece Beatrice Barzilay's story submitted to Yad Vashem regarding her life in hiding during the German occupation in Athens.

Estrea Aelion was born in Salonica (Thessaloniki), Greece, in 1884. She was the daughter of a jeweller and pearl merchant Jacob Matalon (d 1931) and his wife Rachelle (née Errera, d 1943). She had two siblings: Gedalia (d 1927) and Isaac (d 1968). In 1905 Estrea got married to Saltiel Aelion (1879-1947) in Salonica. They had two children: Leon Luiz (b 1907) and Irma Clara (b 1910). In 1920 the family moved to Constantinople and in 1923 to Paris. In 1930 Irma married Maurice Elie Franses in Paris where they lived until they moved to London in 1934. Leon married Lillian Abrahamson in London in 1934 where he had been living since 1927. In 1936 Estrea and Hadji also moved to London to be with their children.

Estrea's brother Gedalia Matalon died in 1927 after illness. His extended family stayed in the large family home in Salonica until the outbreak of the Second World War. They remained in Salonica during the Italian occupation but went to Athens when the Germans started occupying Greece in 1943. Beatrice and her mother Caroline Matalon survived the war having been given refuge by two non Jewish (Greek Orthodox) families and escaping impending deportation to the concentration camps. Her grandfather found refuge at a clinic and also survived the war. Their house in Salonica was burned down. Beatrice and her mother Caroline moved to Paris in 1948. Beatrice got married to Richard Barzilay in 1956 who had also lost a large part of his family.

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Donated by Jonathan Golden

2008/27

This copy of the album was previously owned by Estrea Aelion's great-grandson Jonathan Golden.