Sassoon David Sassoon
| Sassoon David Sassoon | |
|---|---|
| Born |
1832 Mumbai, India |
| Died |
1867 Langham Hotel, London, England |
Cause of death | Heart defect/disease |
Resting place | Jewish Cemetery, Mile End |
| Nationality | Indian-English |
| Occupation |
Businessman Banker Philanthropist |
| Parent(s) |
David Sassoon Farha Hayim or Hyeem |
Sassoon David Sassoon (1832–1867) was an Indian-born English businessman, banker and philanthropist.
Biography
Early life
Sassoon David Sassoon was born in August 1832 in Mumbai, India.[1][2] He was a member of the Sassoon family. His father was David Sassoon (1792–1864), a leading trader of cotton and opium who served as the treasurer of Baghdad between 1817 and 1829, and his mother, Farha Hayim of Baghdad.[1] He suffered from poor health from infancy but travelled widely.[3]
He was educated in Biblical and Talmudic lore in Baghdad.[2] He also spoke several Oriental languages with great fluency.[2]
Business career
He proceeded to Shanghai, where he conducted the mercantile operations of the Chinese branch of the firm of David Sassoon, Sons & Co.[2] He went to London in 1858, where he opened a bank on Leadenhall Street.[1][2] The business grew exponentially during the American Civil War, as they suddenly became the main suppliers of cotton to British spinning mills and the British market.[1]
Philanthropy
He served as President of a committee which had for its object the organization of an expedition to the Jews in China, Abyssinia, and the East. He was also a member of the council of Jews' College and of the committee of the Jews' Free School, which two institutions he munificently endowed.[1] He was also a warden of the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue.[1] For several years, he acted as examiner in Hebrew to the Jews' Free School.
Personal life
At the age of 18, he married Fahra Reuben (1838-1919) of Mumbai, daughter of Solomon Reuben Sassoon of Baghdad.[1] She later changed her name to Flora in England. They had four children:
- Joseph Sassoon Sassoon. (1856-1918; married Louise de Gunzburg and had 7 children).
- Rachel Sassoon Beer (1858–1927; married Frederick Arthur Beer, son of Julius Beer).[1]
- Alfred Ezra Sassoon (1861–1895; married Theresa Thornycroft and had three sons).
- Frederick Meyer Sassoon (1862-1889); married unknown and had two daughters.
They resided at Ashley Park in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey and equally at 17 Cumberland Terrace next to Regent's Park in St Pancras, London.[1] He died in 1867 in London, leaving an estate of £120,000 (equivalent to £9,270,000 in 2015).[1] Later, Flora moved to 37 Adelaide Crescent in Hove, East Sussex.[4]
References
See also
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.