Mocatta
Encyclopedia
Mocatta is the name of a prominent Anglo-Jewish family originally from Spain
known for philanthropy
, leadership and sponsorship of arts and letters, particularly in the United Kingdom
. Long involved in finance, commerce, and the law, they are considered to be one of the principal families in the "cousinhood" of senior Anglo-Jewish families, the de facto Anglo-Jewish aristocracy
. As such, the Mocatta family has been related over the past two centuries to many of the prominent Jewish families of Europe
and to a lesser extent Asia
, including the d'Avigdor family, Sassoon family
, Goldsmid family, Henriques family
, Kadoorie family, Lousada family
, Maaz family
, Montefiore, Rothschild family
and Samuel family
.
for champion, or (ii) a river called Wadi Mokatta, or (iii) mukata, Arabic for fortress.
The family left Spain in 1492 and settled in France
, the Netherlands
and Italy
after the Alhambra Decree
of King Ferdinand
and Queen Isabella
expelled the Jews from Spain and began the Spanish Inquisition
. Some moved to England
following Oliver Cromwell
's readmission of Jews to England
.
In the mid 17th century, Antonio de Marchena, a Marrano
from a branch of the Mocatta family that had stayed in Spain, left for the Netherlands
, and was welcomed back into the Amsterdam Spanish & Portuguese community
, adopting the name Moses Mocatta. By 1670 he had taken his family to London
.
In 1671 Moses Mocatta founded a bullion brokerage firm in Camomile Street
in the City of London
, known as Mocatta & Goldsmid after Asher Goldsmid joined in 1783. The world's oldest bullion house, it exists today largely as ScotiaMocatta. In 1790, one branch of the family obtained a royal licence from King George III
to cease the use of "Lumbrozo de Mattos". During the 19th century members of the Mocatta family were amongst the founders of British Reform Judaism
.
, a prominent philanthropist, bibliophile, patron of the arts, and bullion broker. Also among them are David Mocatta
, a well-known architect, as well as more recently Sir Alan Abraham Mocatta
, a famous British Judge. The brother-in-law of F.D. Mocatta, Sir Julian Goldsmid
, was a distinguished Member of the British Parliament, but the family has tended to be involved in finance, commerce, and the law rather than politics.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
known for philanthropy
Philanthropy
Philanthropy etymologically means "the love of humanity"—love in the sense of caring for, nourishing, developing, or enhancing; humanity in the sense of "what it is to be human," or "human potential." In modern practical terms, it is "private initiatives for public good, focusing on quality of...
, leadership and sponsorship of arts and letters, particularly in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Long involved in finance, commerce, and the law, they are considered to be one of the principal families in the "cousinhood" of senior Anglo-Jewish families, the de facto Anglo-Jewish aristocracy
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
. As such, the Mocatta family has been related over the past two centuries to many of the prominent Jewish families of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and to a lesser extent Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, including the d'Avigdor family, Sassoon family
Sassoon family
The Sassoon family was an Indian family of Iraqi Jewish descent and international renown, based in Bombay, India. It was descended from the famous Ibn Shoshans, one of the richest families of medieval Spain...
, Goldsmid family, Henriques family
Henriques family
The Henriques family included several prominent Sephardic Jewish benefactors of Portuguese descent during the 19th century in Great Britain. Henriques itself is a Portuguese surname meaning Son of Henrique . A West-Indian merchant firm called Henriques Brothers existed in the 19th century...
, Kadoorie family, Lousada family
Lousada
-Parishes:The 25 parishes of Lousada are:* Alvarenga* Aveleda* Boim* Caíde de Rei* Casais* Cernadelo* Covas* Cristelos * Figueiras* Lodares* Lustosa* Macieira* Meinedo* Nespereira* Nevogilde* Nogueira* Ordem* Pias...
, Maaz family
Mazza
Mazza may refer to:* Paolo Mazza, an Italian football manager* Valeria Mazza, an Argentine fashion model* Salvador Mazza, an Argentine doctor* Giuseppe Mazza , Bolognese Baroque sculptor...
, Montefiore, Rothschild family
Rothschild family
The Rothschild family , known as The House of Rothschild, or more simply as the Rothschilds, is a Jewish-German family that established European banking and finance houses starting in the late 18th century...
and Samuel family
Viscount Bearsted
Viscount Bearsted, of Maidstone in the County of Kent, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1925 for the businessman Marcus Samuel, 1st Baron Bearsted, the joint-founder of the Shell Transport and Trading Company...
.
History
The origin of the name Mocatta is unknown. Potential origins include: (i) Mukattil, ArabicArabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
for champion, or (ii) a river called Wadi Mokatta, or (iii) mukata, Arabic for fortress.
The family left Spain in 1492 and settled in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
after the Alhambra Decree
Alhambra decree
The Alhambra Decree was an edict issued on 31 March 1492 by the joint Catholic Monarchs of Spain ordering the expulsion of Jews from the Kingdom of Spain and its territories and possessions by 31 July of that year.The edict was formally revoked on 16 December 1968, following the Second...
of King Ferdinand
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand the Catholic was King of Aragon , Sicily , Naples , Valencia, Sardinia, and Navarre, Count of Barcelona, jure uxoris King of Castile and then regent of that country also from 1508 to his death, in the name of...
and Queen Isabella
Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I was Queen of Castile and León. She and her husband Ferdinand II of Aragon brought stability to both kingdoms that became the basis for the unification of Spain. Later the two laid the foundations for the political unification of Spain under their grandson, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor...
expelled the Jews from Spain and began the Spanish Inquisition
Spanish Inquisition
The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition , commonly known as the Spanish Inquisition , was a tribunal established in 1480 by Catholic Monarchs Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile. It was intended to maintain Catholic orthodoxy in their kingdoms, and to replace the Medieval...
. Some moved to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
following Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
's readmission of Jews to England
Resettlement of the Jews in England
The resettlement of the Jews in England was a historic commercial policy dealing with Jews in England in the 17th century, and forms a prominent part of the history of the Jews in England.-Background:...
.
In the mid 17th century, Antonio de Marchena, a Marrano
Marrano
Marranos were Jews living in the Iberian peninsula who converted to Christianity rather than be expelled but continued to observe rabbinic Judaism in secret...
from a branch of the Mocatta family that had stayed in Spain, left for the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, and was welcomed back into the Amsterdam Spanish & Portuguese community
Spanish and Portuguese Jews
Spanish and Portuguese Jews are a distinctive sub-group of Sephardim who have their main ethnic origins within the Jewish communities of the Iberian peninsula and who shaped communities mainly in Western Europe and the Americas from the late 16th century on...
, adopting the name Moses Mocatta. By 1670 he had taken his family to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
In 1671 Moses Mocatta founded a bullion brokerage firm in Camomile Street
Camomile Street
Camomile Street is a short street in the City of London. It is a westward continuation of Bevis Marks, linking that street to Houndsditch and Bishopsgate....
in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, known as Mocatta & Goldsmid after Asher Goldsmid joined in 1783. The world's oldest bullion house, it exists today largely as ScotiaMocatta. In 1790, one branch of the family obtained a royal licence from King George III
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
to cease the use of "Lumbrozo de Mattos". During the 19th century members of the Mocatta family were amongst the founders of British Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism (United Kingdom)
Reform Judaism in the United Kingdom in one of the two forms of Progressive Judaism found in the United Kingdom, the other being Liberal Judaism. Reform Judaism is both historically earlier and more traditionalist than Liberal Judaism....
.
Prominent members
Prominent members of the Mocatta family have included Frederick David MocattaFrederick David Mocatta
Frederic David Mocatta , tycoon and philanthropist of a noble Anglo-Jewish family, was a member of the London financial firm, Mocatta & Goldsmid, but retired from business in 1874 and devoted himself to works of public and private benevolence, especially in the deprived East End of London...
, a prominent philanthropist, bibliophile, patron of the arts, and bullion broker. Also among them are David Mocatta
David Mocatta
David Mocatta was a British architect and a member of the Anglo-Jewish Mocatta family.-Biography:Mocatta studied in London from 1821 to 1827 under Sir John Soane and travelled in Italy...
, a well-known architect, as well as more recently Sir Alan Abraham Mocatta
Alan Mocatta
Sir Alan Abraham Mocatta was an English judge, an expert on restrictive practices and a leader of the Spanish and Portuguese Jews of Britain.-Legal and military career:...
, a famous British Judge. The brother-in-law of F.D. Mocatta, Sir Julian Goldsmid
Sir Julian Goldsmid, 3rd Baronet
Sir Julian Goldsmid, 3rd Baronet was a British lawyer, businessman and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1866 and 1896....
, was a distinguished Member of the British Parliament, but the family has tended to be involved in finance, commerce, and the law rather than politics.