Sylvia Young

Birth Name: Sylvia Bakal

Place of Birth: Stepney, London, England, U.K.

Date of Birth: 18 September, 1939

Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish

Sylvia Young is the founder and principal of Sylvia Young Theatre School in London, England.

Sylvia is the daughter of Sophie and Abraham Bakal. She is said to be related to Soviet revolutionary Leon Trotsky. With her husband, phone company engineer and manager Norman Albert Ruffell, she has two children, including musical theatre actress and singer Frances Ruffelle. She is the maternal grandmother of singer and songwriter Eliza Doolittle (born Eliza Sophie Caird).

Sylvia’s paternal grandfather was Gamnis/George/Gamniel Bakal (the son of Yiddel Bakal and Rachael). Gamnis was born in Romania.

Sylvia’s paternal grandmother was named Fanny Laufer. Fanny was born in Zurich, Switzerland or Antwerp, Belgium.

Sylvia’s maternal grandfather was Saloman/Solomon Schloma Wechsler (the son of Joshua Wechsler and Chippa Hachen). Saloman was born in Brzezany, Galicia, Ukraine. Cippa was the daughter of Reisia.

Sylvia’s maternal grandmother was named Annie/Haika/Chaika Yetta Aaronson/Ehrenson (the daughter of Morris Ehrenson/Aaronson and Rebecca/Jennie). Annie was born in London, England, to parents from Russia.

Sources: Birth record of Sylvia Young – https://familysearch.org

News article about Sylvia’s ancestry – http://www.standard.co.uk

Marriage record of Sylvia’s parents – https://familysearch.org