Percy Joseph Marks | |
|---|---|
 Percy J Marks, solicitor and historian | |
| Born | Percy Joseph Marks 11 December 1867 |
| Died | 22 June 1941 (aged 73) |
| Education | Royston College, Darlinghurst; University of Sydney |
| Occupation | solicitor |
| Known for | historian; prominent member of Australian Jewish community |
Percy Joseph Marks (11 December 1867 – 22 June 1941) was an Australian Jewish solicitor and historian.
Marks was born at West Maitland, New South Wales, the eldest son of Joseph Marks, a storekeeper and later woolbuyer born in London, and Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel Benjamin.[1] His mother died in 1875[2] or 1879[3] and the family moved to Sydney in 1882 where Marks attended Royston College, Darlinghurst, and later, the University of Sydney. His younger brother was Ernest Samuel Marks, Lord Mayor of Sydney.
Marks was active within the Jewish community and worshipped at the Great Synagogue in Sydney.[1] In his lifetime he was usually referred to as Percy J. Marks to avoid confusion with the Sydney jeweller Percy Marks.[3]
He held positions in a number of Jewish organisations, including the New South Wales Board of Jewish Education,[4] the Sydney Zionist Society,[1] Friends of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem,[1] the Australian Jewish Historical Society,[3] and the Union of Junior Zionists.[4]
He was sometime joint editor, with Sir Daniel Levy, of the New South Wales Hebrew Standard.[4]
Percy J. Marks established a reputation for Jewish scholarship.[2] A significant collection of Judaica gathered by him was left to the State Library of New South Wales by his brother Ernest.[3]
Marks died at his house in Kirribilli, New South Wales.[4] He never married.
