Reuben David Sassoon

Reuben David Sassoon, MVO (1835–1905) was an English businessman.

Biography

Early life

Reuben David Sassoon was born in 1835. His father was David Sassoon (1792–1864), a Jewish trader of opium and cotton in China who served as the Treasurer of Baghdad from 1817 to 1829. One of his brothers was Arthur Sassoon (1840–1912).

Career

He worked for his father's company, serving as director of David Sassoon & Co. for East India and China.

By 1865, he also served on the Board of Directors of the China Steamship and Labuan Coal Company alongside T.C. Bruce, Sir J.D. Elphinstone, Harry Borradaile, H.B. Loch, Henry Alers Hankey, William Miller, Edward Pereira, G. Lathom Brown, Alexander Sinclair, James N. Daniel and John Hickie.

He was awarded a Royal Victorian Order.

Judaism

Together with Abraham Jacob David and Marcus David Ezekiel, he was involved with the Ohel Leah Synagogue near Staunton Street in Hong Kong by 1898.

Personal life

He was married to Catherine Sassoon (1838–1906). They resided at 7 Queens Gardens (now demolished) in Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They had two daughters:

• Mozelle Sassoon.
• Judith Louise Sassoon (1874–1964). She married Charles Cavendish Boyle (1849–1916), and she became a member of the Order of the British Empire.

He died in 1905. His wife died a year later, in 1906, and she was buried in the Novo Beth Chaim Cemetery in Mile End, East London. His photogravure, done by Walker & Boutall in 1897, rests in the National Portrait Gallery in London.