The Rachel Donofsky Mystery
A Tale of Scandal, Resilience & Lost Brothers
The story of Rachel Donofsky (née Zietman or Cohen?) reads like a novel—a fierce woman defying expectations, a vanished husband, and a family fractured by secrets. Here’s what we’ve pieced together about her journey from Poland to London, and the lingering questions that haunt her legacy.
From Warsaw to London: Rachel’s Journey
- Roots in Poland: Rachel likely hailed from Warsaw, where her father owned a tannery.
- Family lore claims she was forced to marry Joseph Donofsky, a much older man, to free her father to remarry.
- Escape to London: Around 1908, Rachel arrived in London with her infant daughter Faygul (Fay), aged just six weeks. She’d come to join Joseph only to find him living with another woman. Legend says she “kicked him out on the spot.” or so we believed in 2002
The Warsaw Tannery & Lost Brothers
- The Tannery Clue: The Warsaw address tied to Rachel’s father could unlock business records, but the building does not exist anymore and my polish isn’t so good but one day we will get to the archives at warsaw.
- Brothers: Pinchas & David: Conflicting stories suggest Rachel had:
- A brother Pinchas who fled to America, never to be heard from again.
- A younger brother David—or are Pinchas and David the same person?
Rachel in the Rag Trade
I heard this delightful tale from both my Aunt Leigh and my Mum. They spun a story about their grandmother, affectionately known as “Booba,” who was in the rag trade with her mischievous brother. Picture this: back in the early 1900s, small factories squeezed into every nook and cranny, basements, behind shop fronts, on one floor of a half-empty warehouse, or even someone’s back room. These places were bustling with the clatter of sewing machines and the chatter of tailors, all busy with fashion magic.
In those days, offcuts of cloth, overstocked items, or pieces that didn’t quite make the cut were dubbed “cabbage.” Industrious resellers would collect these materials, specializing in recycling and wholesaling old (sometimes a bit yucky) cloth. They also sold second-hand clothing that once graced the wardrobes of the wealthy, now destined for Victorian London’s working-class, providing them with affordable fashion treasures.
But here’s the twist in the tale: One day, Booba discovered that her brother had pulled the ultimate disappearing act! He sold all the stock, emptied the bank account, and vanished—rumour has it, to the USA. My mum always said Booba claimed to have family in Pennsylvania. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll solve this mystery with a bit of DNA magic. Until then, it remains one of our family’s most intriguing tales!
The Enigma of Joseph Donofsky
- Disappearing Act: Back in 2003 I was told that after the split, Joseph reportedly changed his surname to Green and vanished.
I spoke to my mum and my Aunty Leila every few years I would ask them the story their grandmother told them and each time more was added to the story at the time No records of his birth, death, or aliases have surfaced then in 2019 we Joseph Donofsky a simple spelling error he was recorded as Domofsky in the federation online dearth register. When I finally found time to visit the cemetery I checked the entry the grounds register (a huge book with an entry for each burial) and the name was spelled Donofsky in the book and Donafsky after ordering the death certificate I discovered he died in September 1911 and probably didn’t become Green. The witness was his son in law and with his name I was able to grow his family tree and discovered that Joseph Donofsky was a married man living in Gravel lane close by Rachels home
Unanswered Questions
- Maiden Name Mystery: Was Rachel Zietman or Cohen? DNA matches or Polish records could solve this.
- Joseph Donofsky: Was Joseph really her husband? or just stringing her along?
- The Tannery Trail: I sent a friend to take a photo of the address in warsaw “82 Grzybowska, Warsaw” the building no longer exists.
- Pinchas/David in America: Check Ellis Island manifests for brothers arriving as yet nothing found.
DNA Matches
I hit the genetic jackpot and discovered a DNA match to one descendant of Joseph Donofsky! Time to channel my inner DNA-tive and see if we can unravel more details of Rachel’s family connections. Stay tuned for more genealogical adventures—it’s in my genes to keep digging!
Help Us Solve the Puzzle
Do you have:
- Photos or letters mentioning Rachel, Joseph, or the Warsaw tannery?
- Stories about the “older husband” scandal or Grandma Fay’s childhood?
- Clues about Pinchas/David in the U.S.?
Reach out. Let’s ensure Rachel’s defiance—and her father’s tannery—aren’t lost to time.
“Every family has its rebels and riddles. Rachel Donofsky is both.”
📩 P.S. To descendants of Fay or the elusive “Zietman” line: Your ancestor’s secrets await. Let’s uncover them together. 🕵️♀️