Sophia Levy Lewis

Awarded the compensation for 17 enslaved people in Kingston Jamaica.

1. Probably the same woman as the Sophia Levy Lewis late of 20 Woburn place Russell Square who died 17/06/1861 and whose will was proved 22/07/1861, effects under £1500. In 1851 Sophia L. Lewis aged 60 widow 'General Merchant' born Ramsgate is shown as head of the household at 20 Woburn Place, with her brother G.C.H. Lewis aged 45 solicitor born Portsmouth. In 1841 Sophia Lewis aged 50 Independent was living at Woburn Place with Lucy Lewis aged 70, Charles Lewis solicitor aged 25 and Isabella aged 10.

2. Partnership heretofore existing between Sophia Levy Lewis and Louis Lewis under the style of Lewis and Brother, in the city of Kingston, in the island of Jamaica, in the West Indies, as Merchants and Storekeepers, dissolved by mutual consent 14/04/1859, the business to be carried on by Louis Lewis all alone.

3. Apparently Jewish.

T71/862 Kingston no. 1821, which gives her as Sophia Levi Lewis and identifies her as 'Great Britain'.

1. National Probate Calendar 1861; the will has been transcribed at http://www.fivenine.co.uk/family_history_notebook/source_extracts/wills/sophia_levy_lewis_will_1861.html [accessed 17/04/2012] and refers to her brother Lewis Lewis of Jamaica, as well as her brother George Coleman Hamilton Lewis and son Charles Vallancey Lewis; 1851 census online [where she is mistranscribed as Sophia S. Lewis, but subsequently corrected]; 1841 census online.

2. London Gazette, Issue 22252, 19/04/1859, p. 1639.

3. Listed in Eli Faber, Jews, slaves and the slave trade (1998) p. 235 as Jewish but not otherwise identified.

We are grateful to Michael Turnbull for his assistance with compiling this entry.