Certificate issued to my grandfather Zalman Tseitlin

Certificate issued to my grandfather Zalman Tseitlin by Smolensk police department in 1904 regarding assignment of my uncle Haim Tseitlin in educational institution. It says:

CERTIFICATE #479
Issued by Smolensk Municipal Police department to Zalman Faibishev Tseitlin, born in Mstsislaw and currently residing in the 3rd block of Smolensk regarding assignment of the son Haim to educational institution. It is corroborated by the certificate that Tseitlin is entitled to reside in the town of Smolensk as certified by the Department on the 7th of August 1904.
Signatures: personal aide of chief of police
Secretary
Seal

My paternal grandfather Zalman Tseitlin and grandmother Sara-Kreina Tseitlin lived in an ancient Russian city Smolensk. Grandfather was from the Jewish town Mstsislaw where he was born in 1861. Mstsislaw is on the border of Belarus and Russia, not far from Smolensk. I do not know where grandmother Sara-Kreina was born. I think she is from Smolensk. Unfortunately, I do not know her maiden name. Grandfather moved to Smolensk, when he was a grown-up. I still keep certificate of master of bakery belonging to my grandfather. In accordance with that certificate Mstsislaw dweller Zalman Faibishev Tseitlin was given rights and royalties of a guild master as per order of the Emperor. Grandfather was permitted to live in Smolensk not within the Jewish Pale of Settlement. Grandmother was a housewife and raised children.

In 1890 my grandparents got married. Grandfather and his young wife left for England to seek fortune. They had lived in Manchester, England 4 years. Their first child, my father was born in Manchester in 1892. In accordance with the English law, the baby born in England acquires the citizenship of this country. So my father became British citizen. He was called English name Ellis.

In England grandfather was not a baker. He worked at the steam engine manufacturing plant as a mechanic. He liked the job very much as it gave him the opportunity to use his potential, but the climate was not OK with him. His health was poorer. The doctor said that he had some sort of lung disease and he was recommended to return to his motherland. Grandparents and their little son came back to Smolensk.

Grandfather bought a house in Smolensk and regained work. Grandparents had three more sons in Smolensk: Haim born in 1897, Aron, born in 1899 and the youngest Samuel in 1901. Children were raised as Jews. They went to cheder. They knew Ivrit and prayers. Jewish traditions were observed at home. Sabbath and Jewish holidays were marked at home. The family belonged to middle class. Grandfather wanted all children to get education, but he did not manage. In 1909 grandfather was stricken with pneumonia and died. He was buried on the Jewish cemetery in Smolensk.

None of father's brothers, but Haim got special education. He finished financial school and then had worked as a financier all his life. Haim was drafted in the tsarist army at the very end of the WW1, but he was not in action since the war was over. Haim was the head of the regional finance department of Russian NKVD from the pre-war period till the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War. He worked in Smolensk for a long time and then he was transferred to Crimea. He had worked in Vologda. When the war was over Haim retired and settled in Moscow. He was married. He had two children - son Jacob and daughter Sarah. Both of them were born in 1920s. During the war Jacob was drafted in the army. He died in the first year of the war. Sara lived in Moscow. She died in 1975, 4 years after their father who died in 1971.