>Jonathansammy at 17:27, 28 June 2021

2021-06-28T17:27:45Z

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{{Distinguish|David of Sasun}}
{{About||the bibliophile|David Solomon Sassoon}}
:''For the David Sassoon's son see [[Sassoon David Sassoon]].''
:''For the British fashion designer see [[David Sassoon (designer)]].''

{{Infobox person
| name = David Sassoon
| image = David Sassoon.jpg
| alt = 
| caption = David Sassoon
| birth_name =
| birth_date = October 1792
| birth_place = [[Baghdad]], [[Baghdad Eyalet]], [[Ottoman Empire]]
| death_date = November 7, 1864 (aged 72)
| death_place = [[Pune]], [[India]]
| resting_place = [[Ohel David Synagogue]] Complex, [[Pune]]
| resting_place_coordinates =
| residence =
| nationality = Indian
| other_names =
| known_for =
| education =
| employer =
| occupation = Businessman
| title =
| salary =
| networth =
| term =
| predecessor =
| successor =
| party =
| boards =
| spouse = {{marriage|Hannah Joseph|1818|1826|end=her death}} {{marriage|Farha Hyeem|1828|1864|end=his death}}
| children = From '''Hannah Joseph''': [[Albert Sassoon]] [[Elias David Sassoon]] + 2 daughters From '''Farha Hyeem''': [[Sassoon David Sassoon]] [[Arthur Sassoon]] [[Reuben David Sassoon]] Aaron Sassoon [[Solomon David Sassoon (1841–1894)|Solomon David Sassoon]] [[Frederick David Sassoon]] + 3 Daughters
| parents = Saleh Sassoon (1750-1830) Amam Gabbai
| relatives =
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}}
'''David Sassoon''' (October 1792 – November 7, 1864)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jacobs |first1=Joseph |title=SASSOON |url=http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/13218-sassoon |website=Jewish Enccyclopedia |access-date=20 May 2020}}</ref> was the treasurer of [[Baghdad]] between 1817 and 1829. He became the leader of the [[History of the Jews in India|Jewish community in Mumbai]] after [[Baghdadi Jews]] emigrated there.

==Life and career==
Sassoon was born in [[Baghdad]], where his father, Sassoon (1750-1830),<ref>The ''[[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography|DNB]]'' gives "Sason ben Saleh".</ref> was a wealthy businessman, chief treasurer to the [[pasha]]s (the governors of Baghdad) from 1781 to 1817, and president (''Nasi'') of the city's [[Jewish]] community.

The family were [[Iraqi Jews]]. His mother was Amam Gabbai. After a traditional education in the [[Hebrew language]], Sassoon married Hannah Joseph in 1818. They had two sons and two daughters before she died in 1826. Two years later he married Farha Hyeem (who was born in 1812 and died in 1886). The pair had six sons and three daughters.

[[File:David Sassoon and sons.jpg|thumb|left|David Sassoon (seated) and his sons [[Elias David Sassoon|Elias David]], [[Albert Abdallah David Sassoon|Albert (Abdallah)]] & [[Sassoon David Sassoon|Sassoon David]].]]

Following increasing persecution of Baghdad's Jews by [[Dawud Pasha]],{{citation needed|date=April 2016}} the family moved to [[Bombay]] via [[Iran|Persia]]. Sassoon was in business in Bombay no later than [[1832]], originally acting as a middleman between British textile firms and Persian Gulf commodity merchants, subsequently investing in valuable harbour properties. His major competitors were [[Parsi people|Parsis]], whose profits were built on their domination of the [[History of opium in China|Sino-Indian opium trade]] since the 1820s.<ref name="Palsetia2001">{{cite book | author=Jesse S. Palsetia | title=The Parsis of India: Preservation of Identity in Bombay City | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R6oNt3M_yLgC&pg=PA55 | access-date=6 March 2013 | year=2001 | publisher=BRILL | isbn=978-90-04-12114-0 | pages=55–}}</ref>

When the [[Treaty of Nanking]] opened up China to British traders, Sassoon developed his textile operations into a profitable triangular trade: Indian [[yarn]] and opium were carried to China, where he bought goods which were sold in Britain, from where he obtained [[Lancashire]] [[Textile manufacture during the Industrial Revolution|cotton products]]. He sent his son [[Elias David Sassoon]] to [[Guangzhou|Canton]], where he was the first Jewish trader (with 24 Parsi rivals). In 1845, [[David Sassoon & Co.]] opened an office in what would soon become Shanghai's [[Shanghai International Settlement|British concession]], and it became the firm's second hub of operations.

In 1844, he set up a branch in [[Hong Kong]], and a year later, he set up his Shanghai branch on [[The Bund]] to cash in on the opium trade.

It was not until the 1860s that the Sassoons were able to lead the Baghdadi Jewish community in overtaking Parsi dominance.{{Citation needed|date=February 2011}} A particular opportunity was given by the [[American Civil War]], during which turmoil American cotton exports from the South declined. Lancashire factories [[Lancashire Cotton Famine|replaced American cotton imports]] with Sassoon's Indian cotton.

Along with Parsi businessmen such as [[Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy|Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy]], David Sassoon continued the trade with China and from the wealth earned there he started his own business of oil. His first mill was named E.D. Sassoon Mills and he became exceedingly prosperous. Later the Sassoons were the largest mill owners and were known as Badshah of the business community of Bombay. Overall there were 17 mills, employing in total some 15,000 to 20,000 slaves and workers.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021|reason=Slaves under British rule in India ?}} Later, David Sassoon also entered the cotton, fabrics and various other industries on a large scale.

David Sassoon, as an [[Orthodox Judaism|Orthodox Jew]], continued his Jewish religious observances, observing the [[Sabbath|Jewish Sabbath]] throughout his busy life. He was also a member of the Legislative Assembly of the time. He built one of the largest and most beautiful synagogues of India, the [[Magen David Synagogue (Byculla)|Magen David synagogue]] at [[Byculla]], Bombay. He also built the [[Ohel David Synagogue]] of [[Pune]]. Today these are well known tourist attractions and form an important part of the cultural heritage of India. Various charity trusts, which continue in existence today, were funded from his private income and named after him and other members of his family. David Sassoon funded monuments and educational institutions in Mumbai. By his enterprise [[Sassoon Docks]] at [[Colaba]] in the city were built.

He soon came to live with his family at a palatial home he reconfigured and named ''Byculla's Bungalow'' or ''Sans Souci'',<ref name="PMG 1875">{{cite news |title=The Prince of Wales in India |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/66482079/ |access-date=31 December 2020 |publisher=The Pall Mall Gazette |date=19 November 1875 |page=5 |quote=The Prince of Wales, accompanied by the Duke of Sutherland, Sir Bartle Frere, Lord Suffield, Major-General Probyn, and Messrs. Henderson, FitzGeorge, and Knollys, landed from the Serapis at three o'clock this afternoon, and was met by Mr. Sourer and an escort of the 3rd Hussars. The Royal party drove to ... He paid a visit to Lady Sassoon, at Sans Souci, and remained a quarter of an hour. The Prince then lunched' and returned to the ''[[HMS Serapis (1866)|Serapis]]''|via= NewspaperArchive.com}}</ref> the former palace of Shin Sangoo. This was later donated to the Parsi Trust and is today's [[Masina Hospital]]. Nearby [[Jijamata Udyaan|Rani Bagh (Jijamata Udyann)]] was also his property and was donated to the [[Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation|Mumbai Municipal Corporation]] for the construction of the [[Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum|Albert Museum]], designed by the most prominent architect of the time. The interior is exactly like the [[Magen David Synagogue (Byculla)|Magen David synagogue]] and the [[Ohel David Synagogue]] of [[Pune]]. It has a tall [[clock tower]], the Victoria clock tower.

== Legacy ==
[[Image:David Sassoon tomb.jpg|right|210px|thumb|Tomb of David Sassoon, Lal Deval, Moledina Rd, [[Pune]], India]]
[[File:Sassoon Hospital Pune 1855.jpg|thumb|Sassoon Hospital, Pune in 1860s]]
Although David Sassoon did not speak [[English language|English]], he became a naturalised [[United Kingdom|British]] citizen in 1853. He kept the dress and manners of the [[Baghdadi Jews]], but allowed his sons to adopt English manners. His son, [[Albert Abdullah David Sassoon|Abdullah]] changed his name to Albert, moved to [[England]], became a [[Baronet]] and married into the [[Rothschild family]]. All the Sassoons of Europe are said to be{{by whom|date=April 2016}} descendants of David Sassoon. He built a [[synagogue]] in the [[Fort (area)]] and another in [[Byculla]], as well as a school, a Mechanics' Institute, a library and a convalescent home in [[Pune]]. David Sassoon was conscious of his role as a leader of the Jewish community in Mumbai. He helped to arouse a sense of Jewish identity among the [[Bene Israel]]i and [[Cochin Jew]]ish communities. The [[Sassoon Docks]] (built by his son) and the [[David Sassoon Library]] are named after him.<ref>[http://asianjewishlife.org/images/issues/Issue14-April2014/PDFs/AJL-Issue14-Allinone.pdf Shalva Weil, “The Legacy of David Sassoon: Building a Community Bridge”, Asian Jewish Life, 14:4-6 (April 2014).]</ref>

David Sassoon died in his country house in [[Pune]] in 1864. His business interests were inherited by his son [[Albert Abdullah David Sassoon|Sir Albert Sassoon]]; Elias David had established a rival firm. His grandson [[David Solomon Sassoon]] was a renowned [[bibliophile]].

Some of the prominent Buildings built by David Sasoon and his family are:
*[[David Sassoon Library]] & reading room, Fort Mumbai
*[[Magen David Synagogue (Byculla)|Magen David Synagogue]], Byculla, Mumbai
**Jacob Sasooon High School, Byculla, Mumbai
**[[E.E.E. Sassoon High School]], Byculla, Mumbai
*David Sassoon Hospital, [[JJ Hospital]] Premises, Byculla, Mumbai
* [[Masina Hospital]], Byculla, Mumbai
*[[Knesset Eliyahoo]] Synagogue, Colaba, Mumbai
*[[Sassoon Dock]], Colaba, Mumbai
*The [[Bank of India]], Fort (head office), Mumbai
*The David Sassoon Reformary and Deaf school, Matunga, Mumbai
*[[Ohel David Synagogue]], [[Pune]]
*[[Sassoon Hospital]], Pune
*Lady Rachel Sassoon Dispensary, Pune
*David Sassoon Elderly and Destitute Persons Home (1863), Pune (today's Nivara Old Age Home)
*[[Sassoon House]]

They have contributed to the construction of:

*[[Gateway of India]]<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=http://www.gatewayhouse.in/the-story-of-the-sassoons/|title=The story of the Sassoons|last=GatewayHouse|date=2014-02-07|work=Gateway House|access-date=2018-06-10|language=en-US}}</ref>
*Sassoon Building of Elphinstone Technical High School, Mumbai<ref name=":0" />
*[[The Institute of Science, Mumbai]]
*Clock Tower at The [[Jijamata Udyaan|Victoria Gardens]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/the-legacy-of-david-sassoon/|title=The Legacy of David Sassoon|website=ejewishphilanthropy.com|language=en-US|access-date=2018-06-10}}</ref>
*[[Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum|The Victoria and Albert Museum]]

<gallery widths="260px" heights="200px" perrow="3">

Image:Sassoon family tree.jpg|Family tree of the Sassoon family
Image:Sassoon Docks.jpg| [[Sassoon Docks]], in [[Mumbai]]
</gallery>

==See also==
* [[Sassoon family]]
* [[David Sassoon & Co.]]
* [[E.D. Sassoon & Co.]]
* [[History of opium in China]]

==References==

{{Reflist}}
*Chiara Betta 'Marginal Westerners in Shanghai: the Baghdadi Jewish community, 1845-1931' in [[Robert Bickers]] and Christian Henriot ''New Frontiers: imperialism's new communities in East Asia, 1842-1953'' (Manchester University Press 2000: pp. 38–54), [https://books.google.com/books?id=OmW7AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA39&lpg=PA39&dq=%22David+Sassoon%22+opium&source=bl&ots=ZipD-wWo0B&sig=v8ayAdcOKGuZ3_KyCIcbbp_CG7M#PPA39,M1 p.38ff.]
*[[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]], ''Sassoon family''
*[http://theory.tifr.res.in/bombay/persons/david-sassoon.html Biography from the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research]
*[http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=269&letter=S#899 Jewish Encyclopedia.com]

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline|David Sassoon}}
*[http://jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=269&letter=S David Sasoon in the Jewish Encyclopedia]

{{Foreign trade in Imperial China |state=collapsed}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sassoon, David}}
[[Category:1792 births]]
[[Category:1864 deaths]]
[[Category:Opium Wars]]
[[Category:Iraqi Jews]]
[[Category:People from Baghdad]]
[[Category:Bibliophiles]]
[[Category:Sassoon family|David]]
[[Category:Founders of Indian schools and colleges]]

David Sassoon - Revision history

>Jonathansammy at 17:27, 28 June 2021