Mocatta

Mocatta (also de Mattos Mocatta, Lumbroso de Mattos Mocatta and Lumbrozo de Mattos Mocatta) is the name of a prominent Anglo-Jewish family (originally from Portugal) 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 Sephardic Anglo-Jewish families, the de facto Anglo-Jewish aristocracy. These influential families of the "cousinhood" include the d'Avigdor family, Sassoon family, Goldsmid family, Henriques family, Kadoorie family, Lousada family, Mazza family, Montefiore family, Spielmann family, Samuel family and De Leon family.[1]

History

The origin of the name Mocatta is unknown. Potential origins include: (i) Mukattil, Arabic for champion, or (ii) a river called Wadi Mokatta, or (iii) Mukataa, Arabic for fortress. The family left Spain in 1492, settling in France, the Netherlands and Italy, after the Alhambra Decree expelled Jews and Muslims from Spain, not long after the beginning of the Spanish Inquisition. Some moved to England following Oliver Cromwell's readmission of Jews to England.

In the mid 17th century, Antonio de Marchena, from a branch of the Mocatta family that had stayed in Spain and ostensibly become Catholic, left for the Netherlands, and was welcomed back into the Amsterdam Spanish & Portuguese community, adopting the name Moses Mocatta.

By 1670, Moses Mocatta had taken his family to London, and in 1671, he founded a bullion brokerage firm in Camomile Street in the City of London; renamed Mocatta & Goldsmid in 1799, after Asher Goldsmid was admitted as partner in 1787.[2] 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 helped found British Reform Judaism.

Notable members

Prominent people with the surname Mocatta include:

  • David Mocatta (1806–1882), a British architect
  • Frederick David Mocatta (1828–1905), a prominent philanthropist, bibliophile, patron of the arts, and bullion broker
  • Dr. (Annie) Mildred Mocatta (1887–1984), a medical doctor, art collector and feminist in South Australia, and companion of Patricia Hackett
  • Sir Alan Abraham Mocatta (1907–1990), an English judge
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See also

References
  1. Jewish Currents: "Descendants of Jacob Lumbrozzo de Mattos" by Tony Harding Spring 2010
  2. Paul H. Emden: „Jews of Britain. A Series of Biographies“, Sampson, Low, Marston & Co., London 1944, DNB 1004941854, p.88
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