Simeon Levi West: An Anglican Jew
First published on internet in 2008
Croxteth Hall: Home of the Earl of Sefton and one of the estates where the West family lived and workedSimeon Levi West (1847-1930) of 19th century New South Wales is most famous for his race horse Tradition who came second in the 1888 Melbourne Cup. In the newspaper articles of the time Mr West is described as a distinguished English gentleman. The outside world perceived him as a well-to-do Anglican but in the privacy of his home family members remember him donning his kippa and praying from a Jewish prayer book. His sister Mrs Matilda Lewis was also remembered by her descendants as a devout Jewess. Simeon Levi West belonged to a Jewish family who outwardly belonged to the Church of England. These Anglican Jewish families are part of the forgotten branch of Anglo-Jewry. There was a network of such families who intermarried among themselves in the British Isles. They donned the outward appearance of the majority culture for mainly social reasons. Members of these families were involved as supporters of the Hebrew Christian and British Israelite movements without revealing outwardly their own Jewish origins.
Mrs Fitzherbert(aka Ann Jane Payne)Simeon Levi West's father also called Simeon Levi West (1802-1881) died as an Australian grazier. The older Simeon Levi's religion was recorded on his death certificate as 'none'. Yet he has Anglican baptism and marriage records in Great Houghton Northamptonshire England. His descendants have passed down the story of this older Simeon Levi West as a Jewish gamekeeper or the son of a Jewish gamekeeper. The 1841 and 1851 censuses indeed mention that Simeon Levi West was a gamekeeper. At this time most of the English-born Jews who lived in rural areas were registered with the Anglican Church and they hid their Jewish identity from their neighbours. The older Simeon was the son of Reuben West who was the gamekeeper for the Payne family of Sulby Hall in Welford Leicestershire as had his father-in-law Joseph West before him. It was at Sulby Hall that Simeon Levi West the elder fell in love with a young lady of the Payne family called Mary Ann. She was 16 and he was 23 when she was found pregnant and they eloped and were disinherited by their families. Their eldest daughter Emma [named after their relative Lady Hamilton (nee Emma Hart Lyon)] was reared by Mrs Fitzherbert and she later became a singer. Emma had a daughter Lucy Jewson West by her cousin Robert Simpson Jewson a chemist. Robert and Lucy later went with the West family to Australia while Emma remained in England and married Thomas Smallwood.
Sulby HallThe older Simeon at one stage was also the gamekeeper for Lord Sefton of Croxteth Hall in Lancashire after his marriage. He may have also been the gamekeeper for Mickley Hall (near Nantwich and Acton in Cheshire) from about 1834-1844. He also worked as a gamekeeper at Ruloe House in Crowton for the Wilbraham family after 1844. In the late 1850's he moved to Norley Hall in Cheshire and worked for the Lewis family who family traditions say were the Squires of Norley. The London Gazette of August 7 1860 mentions that Simeon Levi West of Norley Frodsham is in the Chester Gaol for some reason. The Sefton, Wilbraham and Lewis families were all crypto Jewish families. Mary Ann Payne was said to be a granddaughter through her father of George IV and Maria Fitzherbert. Mrs Fitzherbert's grandmother Maria Levery (Levy) was of a crypto Jewish family. Mary Ann was registered as the daughter of a Payne relative William Paine of Great Houghton Northhamptonshire a crypto-Jewish shoemaker and she spent time between her adopted Paine family, Sulby Hall and Mrs Fitzherbert's other residences. Mary Ann's mother was believed by some to have been a sister of Mrs Paine; others believe she was a Miss Clarke. It is interesting that some American descendants had a traditional family belief that Mary Ann lived in a castle and was married to a Jew.
Simeon and Mary's daughter Matilda West [b.1839 d.1919] married James Lewis [b.1833 d.1880] of Norley. They ran the Tiger Head Inn in Norley. Family traditions state that James as a young man was thrown in the pond at the Inn by his friends as a lark which led to him developing consumption (TB). Matilda West was a very talented seamstress and worked for one of the Royal Princesses [ possibly Princess Mary Duchess of Gloucester] before her marriage. Matilda was named after her Royal godmother Princess Sophia Matilda of Gloucester. Anne Matilda Height (nee Lewis) (1905-2003) was proud of a beautifully embroided material purse (which she still had in 2003) which she had been given by her Jewish grandmother Matilda West as were her two older sisters Marguerite and Linda in 1908 before they left New South Wales for Western Australia.
In 1856 Simeon Levi West while in Cuddington was attacked by three men and seriously injured. The men were given six months hard labour. In 1860 Simeon was bankrupt and charged with hiding some of his property but the case was discharged. The 18 August 1860 "Cheshire Observer" gives details of a case involving Simeon and his son-in-law James Lewis in trying to save Simeon's property from creditors.
The Tiger's Head Inn of Norley Cheshire owned by the Lewis family in the 19th century
Around 1865 the West family moved to Liverpool where Simeon Levi and his wife Mary Ann openly with some of their children including Simeon Levi West the younger practiced orthodox Judaism and attended the Synagogue. In 1869 they left Liverpool for Australia and in Australia reverted to crypto-Judaism. He and his family sailed for Melbourne from Plymouth in 1869 on the "Charlotte Gladstone".
The younger Simeon Levi West married in 1868 to Sarah Anne Jones (her Hebrew name was Chana Sarah). Records state that Simeon Levi West married Hannah Sarah Jones in 1868 at Mansell Gamage in Herefordshire. The Jones family were most likely employed at this time by Sir Henry Cotterell at the Garnons Estate. Her parents William Jones (Jonas) and Mary Davies (sister of Levi Davies/David) are believed to have come from the Liverpool Jewish community. Mary Davies was the daughter of Thomas (Tuvia) David son of Levi David of Grenzhausen Germany. The members of the extended Jones family were also employed by the Woodhouse family in Herefordshire and Norley Hall Cheshire.
The West family took up land in Corrowa and Parkes in New South Wales. It is from Parkes that Simeon Levi West brought his horse 'Tradition' for the 1888 Melbourne Cup. The West family while still in England were mad about racing and horses- one of the boys Vincent Payne West lost his job because he went to the Newmarket races for the day. Vincent later was the first of the family to go to Australia in search of his grandfather William Payne who was believed to be living in New South Wales at this time. Unfortunately it is believed he was already dead at this stage. Jim and Phillipa Foord-Kelcey in their book "Mrs Fitzherbert and Sons" state that William went as a soldier to the Napoleonic wars and when he returned became a Highwayman. One relative stated that William after being convicted as a Highwayman in England was sent as a convict to Australia and died in a chain gang in New South Wales; Mrs Foord-Kelsey in private correspondence stated that William may have been sent to Australia by George IV as a remittance man. Others that he was sent to Tasmania where he married a second time to a Catholic called Mary Muldoon and then the family moved to New South Wales in 1831 where William died in Goulbourn NSW in 1840. William in the Goulbourn records is listed as having been a soldier and innkeeper. He had three sons Patrick (b.1822), William (b.1827) who married Mary Jane Brogan and John (b.1833)who married Joanna Crowley and a daughter Mary (b.1830)who married Charles Henry Thomas. By marrying a Catholic and rearing his children of this second marriage as Catholics meant they were no longer any threat to the Royal Family.
'The Sydney Morning Herald' of June 19 1930 states: "LATE MR. SIMEON L. WEST. Mr. Simeon Levi West, who died at his home at Weston-street, Granville, on Tuesday, was formerly a well-known western grazier. Mr. West was 83 years of age, and was born at Manchester. He came to this State over 60 years ago, and interested himself in the timber industry in the Riverina and the Forbes district, later taking up grazing. He was the owner of Botfield station, near Trundle, and of another substantial holding nearby, called Bogan Gate. For many years Mr. West was interested in breeding racehorses, and some of his horses were excellent performers. One of them, Tradition, ran second in the Melbourne Cup and the caulfield Cup in 1888. He is survived by one son and 10 daughters. The funeral took place at the Northern Suburbs Cemetery yesterday, the Rev. F. W. Reeves officiating at the graveside."'The Sydney Morning Herald' of October 6 1930 states: "LATE S. L. WEST. Probate has been granted of the will of Simeon Levi West, of Balfour-street, Greenwich, who died on June 17, aged 83 years. He left an estate of £68,663 for the benefit of his relatives, and he appointed his son, E. P. West, and the Permanent Trustee Co., Ltd., his trustees."Lindsay John Payne West (1895-1994) remembers staying with Uncle Levi West when he was a boy and that Uncle Levi would sit in the corner of the room wearing a skullcap and praying from a book of Hebrew Prayers.
Black Lion Street Brighton in the 19th centurySimeon Levi West's sister Matilda and her husband James Lewis (b.1833) and their children arrived to Sydney in 1875 on the Surrey. Simeon Levi West handed over his property in Corrowa for them to run. After a couple of years they then moved to New Zealand for a year but because of James Lewis's consumption they moved back to Corrowa in 1880. James Lewis was the son of Samuel Lewis who was said to be a son of George IV and his mistress Mrs Mary Lewis [1779-1842]. Mary Lewis (a crypto Jewess) is said to have had at least five children with the Prince: Samuel, Joseph, James, George and Mary Anne Lewis. Joseph Lewis (1805-1890) was the ancestor of C.S. Lewis through his son Richard Lewis (1832-1908). Joseph's other son Samuel Lewis (1837-1901)was a wealthy Jewish moneylender. Mrs Lewis was believed to have married William Lewis after the birth of a number of children with the Prince in about 1810. They lived in Brighton and were connected with the Black Lion Brewery there. Mrs Lewis had been in the service of George IV's daughter Princess Charlotte until her death in 1817. Mrs Lewis is believed to be Mary Goldsmith (aka Maria Goldsmid) of London. William Lewis' older sister Mary Lewis married Samuel Woodhouse of Herefordshire and Norley Hall in 1795. She had two daughters by Mr Woodhouse who after her death remarried to Martha Frances Gordon and had more children who lived at Norley Hall.
Norley HallFamily tradition speaks of the James Lewis family living at Norley Hall at some stage but in the late 1860's they seem to have left Norley. James much to the surprise of his descendants is mentioned as a gamekeeper in Culcheth Leigh (at Holcroft Hall) near Manchester in the 1871 Census. Records demonstrate that Samuel Lewis and James Lewis did own significant property in Norley and surrounding areas. However it would seem they had financial difficulties in the 1860's and Samuel Lewis is registered in the 1861 Census as a retired farmer living near his youngest son also called Samuel Lewis who is listed as a farmer and brickmaker in Crowton Cheshire. At this time (1861) his son James Lewis is listed as a Beerhouse Keeper in Norley and the Simeon Levi West family lived near them in Norley. In the 1841 and 1851 censuses Samuel Lewis is listed as a maltster. Among the crypto-Jews the Chazzans (or crypto -Rabbis) were the leaders of a group who were able to use their Inn for their secret Jewish ceremonies and meetings and they usually worked farm land as well to supply kosher food to their flock in secret.
Samuel's wife Catherine Lewis (nee Thompson) is living back in Norley in 1871 on the income she receives from landed property. In the 1881 Census Catherine is living or visiting (listed as an annuitant) in Oakmere with her granddaughter Annie Porter (nee Lewis). In would seem Catherine was assisting her granddaughter whose young son died that year and Annie herself died a year later. With the news from Australia that her son James had died would have made this a very sad time for Catherine. She died herself in 1886. Catherine was a granddaughter of one of Moses Vita Montefiore's daughters Simcha Chana who was known as Susannah. Her mother-in-law Mrs Mary Lewis (nee Goldsmith/Goldsmid)was related to the Montefiore family as well. Mrs Mary Lewis' neices (daughters of her sister Mrs Ann Mocatta) Sarah and Rebecca Mocatta married Horatio Joseph Montefiore and Joseph Barrow Montefiore who were nephews of Simcha Chana Montefiore. Mary's nephew Abraham Mocatta married Evelina Montefiore a sister of Joseph Barrow Montefiore. Catherine's grandson Leonard Horatio Lewis was named in honour of her relatives Horatio and Leonard Montefiore. Leonard Horatio Lewis' older brother James Lewis (1864-1944) was trained as a chazzan (worship leader) and crypto-rabbi by his uncle Simeon Levi West and acted as one among crypto-Jews in Queensland according to his nephew Billy Lewis and son Ray Lewis.
Sulby HallFor information about the Payne family and Mrs Fitzherbert see Jim and Phillipa Foord Kelsey's book "Mrs Fitzherbert and Sons".
Thanks: For some of the information in this blog I am indebted to Mrs Foord-Kelcey, Wesley West (his contribution to West research was incredible) and his father Lindsay John Payne West, Faye Dury-Palmer, Anne Height, Charles Lewis, Billy Lewis, John Lewis and Lorraine Bloomer.
Note: Mrs Mary Lewis the Jewish mistress of George IV when Prince of Wales was appointed by the Prince as a dresser for his daughter Princess Charlotte- who she served until her death in 1817 when the Princess died in her arms. The Princess mentions her in her will. Mrs Lewis was also the mother of Isaac Nathan who was employed by George IV and Princess Charlotte. In the 1841 census Mrs Lewis is listed as living at the Black Lion Brewery with her husband and daughter. [No - In the 1841 census she is listed as living in Black Lion Street]