| Name | Emanuel Meyer Kalker, OBE, JP | |
| Year of Birth | 1859 | |
| Year of Death | 1940 (aged 80) | |
| Contributions in Coventry | He was born in London, the son of a Dutch Diamond cutter, and was initially a goldsmith. A member of the Jewish faith, who served as both President (1899-1912) and Treasurer (1896-1906) of the Coventry Hebrew Congregation, otherwise know as the Coventry Synagogue on Barras Lane, supported by his wife of over 50 years. In 1901 Emanuel established Kalker & Co as a motorcar manufacturers. In 1913 the Coventry Electric Cable Company was founded by him, specialising in the manufacture of Electrical Cables supplying the rapidly emerging motorcar industry and for aircraft engines. Emanuel ran this very successful business from Much Park Street for the rest of his life. | |
| A Member of | A Founder Member of St John’s Lodge in 1900, – one of twenty Trinity Lodge no 254 brethren who were founders along with Col WF Wyley and four other members of St Michael’s Lodge no 1630, plus 3 others. A long time Almoner of St John’s Lodge, he was awarded Grand Rank (Past Grand Standard Bearer ) by the United Grand Lodge of England in 1936. | |
| Charitable Works | During World War I, Emanuel was the chair of the Belgian Refugees Committee which played host to a significant population of Belgian refugees. He was made on Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his “services in respect of war refugees at Coventry” in 1920 Emanuel was a member of the Coventry Board of Guardians and served as chairman during the years 1921-22. He was also a member of the Coventry Rural District Council from 1915 to 1927. Following that he was appointed as a Justice of the Peace (JP) for Warwickshire. He was a prominent member of the Council of Coventry Chamber of Commerce, serving at one time as vice-president, and on several of the committees. His daughter Mis Dorothy Kalker was heavily involved in the St John’s Ambulance Brigade, being the County Officer, and was made an Officer of St John of Jerusalem in 1939. She was very active in encouraging more girls to become volunteers and recruits to assist the civilian efforts during the war. | |
| Random Facts | He lived at “Dudley Lodge” on the Warwick Road – from around 1920 until his death in 1940 i.e. 5 houses down the road from Dalecote House |