Lewis Wolfe Levy

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http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/levy-lewis-wolfe-4017

Levy, Lewis Wolfe (1815–1885)

by C. N. Connolly

This article was published in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 5, (MUP), 1974

Lewis Wolfe Levy (1815-1885), businessman and politician, was born on 13 June 1815 in London, son of Benjamin Wolfe Levy, merchant, and his wife Martha, née Levy. In 1840 he migrated to Sydney and soon went into business at Maitland. In 1846 he moved to Tamworth where he bought land and established a flourishing general store. About this time he became a partner with his cousins, Samuel and David Cohen, in the Maitland mercantile firm, David Cohen & Co., and was the driving force behind the firm's expansion after he returned to Maitland in 1854. He moved to Sydney in 1862 but remained active in the firm's affairs. His business reputation grew steadily and from the mid-1870s he occupied an increasing number of commercial posts, becoming chairman of the Hunter River New Steam Navigation Co. and a director of the Newcastle Wallsend Coal Co., the Australian Gaslight Co., the United Insurance Co., the Commercial Banking Co. of Sydney and the Australasian Steam Navigation Co. He also acquired pastoral interests and by 1871 held Yarraman on the Liverpool Plains and was a partner in seven other runs.

In 1871 Levy was elected to the Legislative Assembly for Liverpool Plains. His disapproval of the Martin-Robertson coalition led him into opposition until he retired early in 1872. In August 1874 he was returned for West Maitland, and with some reservations supported the government of Henry Parkes who had backed his candidacy and promised flood mitigation works in the district. However, Levy retired only three months later to devote more time to business matters. In parliament his chief concern had been to hold Parkes to his promise of flood works and, although he was a free trader with vague commitments to land and electoral reform, he displayed scant interest in matters of general policy. He had also advocated an elective Legislative Council but accepted appointment to it in 1880 as a representative of the Jewish community. He defended the council's rights and privileges and remained a member until 1885.

Levy's inability to give much time to politics stemmed partly from his active involvement with charitable, educational and religious institutions. He was a director of Prince Alfred Hospital and the Industrial Blind Institution, served on the board of the Sydney Hebrew School and was president of the Macquarie Street Synagogue in 1862-74 and from 1876 to 1877 when it closed. He then travelled overseas with his wife Julia, daughter of Samuel Solomon, whom he had married in 1845. He died on 25 January 1885, survived by his wife, eight sons and five of their seven daughters. He was buried in the Hebrew section of Rookwood cemetery. Although self-made, plain spoken and occasionally short tempered, he was widely respected and sincerely mourned. His estate, sworn for probate at over £245,000, was left mostly to his relations and friends and charitable institutions received £3875.

Select Bibliography M. Macphail, The Australian Squatting Directory (Melb, 1871) D. J. Benjamin, ‘The Macquarie Street Synagogue, 1859-1877’, Australian Jewish Historical Society, Journal, 3 (1953) ‘Lewis Wolfe Levy’, Australian Jewish Historical Society, Journal, 6 (1970) Maitland Mercury, 1, 4 Aug, 5 Dec 1874 CO 201/592/313. Related Entries in NCB Sitesview family tree Levy, Lewis Wolfe go to Obituaries Australia entry Levy, Julia (wife)go to Obituaries Australia entry Cohen, Rebecca (daughter)go to Obituaries Australia entry Cohen, George Judah (son-in-law)go to ADB entrygo to Obituaries Australia entry Cohen, Samuel (cousin)go to Obituaries Australia entry Cohen, David (cousin)go to Obituaries Australia entry Citation details C. N. Connolly, 'Levy, Lewis Wolfe (1815–1885)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/levy-lewis-wolfe-4017/text6371, accessed 12 December 2013.

This article was first published in hardcopy in Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 5, (MUP), 1974

Birth 13 June 1815 London, England

Death 25 January 1885 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Cultural Heritage English

Religious Influence Jewish

Occupation

• company director
• free trade politician
• general merchant
• landowner
• Member of Lower House
• Member of Upper House
• shop/store owner

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http://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/levy-lewis-wolfe-4017

Levy, Lewis Wolfe (1815–1885)

We mentioned briefly in our last issue the fact that death had removed from the midst of men, an old and worthy member of the community, in the person of the Hon. Lewis Wolfe Levy. Like many men in all countries, who have gained wealth and position, Mr. Levy began life in Australia in a small way, and got on by dint of unceasing industry and perseverance. In conversation Mr. Levy delighted to refer to that period of his life. When this journal was started in 1843, Mr. Levy was a resident of West Maitland. Indeed he sought to influence to some extent—only by advice of course—the conduct of the paper. For he was among a number of gentlemen who thought that in comment on matters of local public interest, Mr. Richard Jones (the editor) was somewhat too free spoken. It is pleasant to say that Mr. Levy was converted by conversation with Mr. Jones to the latter's view, and he was all his life a friend and supporter of the Mercury.

If we can depend on our memory, Mr. Levy went about this time to Tamworth, where he established a large business and carried on a family hotel. He afterwards joined the great firm of David Cohen and Co in Maitland and contributed very much to its progress and stability. The firm has always indeed numbered among its members several very energetic business men, and Mr. Levy was one of the ablest and most vigorous of this order of commercial managers. His share in building up what is now one of the largest and soundest mercantile establishments in New South Wales was very conspicuous.

Mr. Levy did not take a prominent part in public life but no benevolent or charitable object ever lacked his help and countenance. When flood relief was a sad necessity in the district, Mr. Levy was one of its most active friends, and in many practical ways aided in lessening the distress resulting from repeated inundations. He was frequently besought by friends who appreciated his large views and solid good sense to enter Parliament, but he resisted all solicitations till in 1874 he was elected for West Maitland on the retirement of Mr. B. Lee. In the Assembly Mr. Levy was usually a silent voter, but in discussions on matters bearing on commerce his business knowledge was very signally manifested, and he exhibited an aptitude for dealing with commercial questions which would have made him a very useful legislator. But he was not enamoured of long sittings, or of wordy harangues in which speakers utter an infinite deal of nothing; and he was too thoroughly a domestic man to care for losing the pleasures of his home at the only time of the day when he could enjoy them. Therefore when a general election occurred, he refrained from seeking to re-enter Parliament, and remained in private seclusion till he was chosen, by a discrimination honoring to the Ministers who exercised it, a member of the Legislative Council, a position he still held at the time of his death.

In business, Mr. Levy displayed, as has been hinted, both shrewdness and energy. He was not a rash man but on the other hand he was not excessively timid in commercial matters. His natural intelligence was very great. As a husband and father, his character stood very high, and he was one of the warmest of friends. Many a man owes a position of competence and comfort to a start generously given him by Mr. Levy. And we rejoice to write—for we have had the assurance from Mr. Levy's own lips,—that one of the joys of his life was to contemplate the success of persons who had thus been helped by him in the battle of the world. Few will be disposed to begrudge him such a joy— the delight of meditating, in his hours of leisure, upon the good deeds he had done in the world upon the benefits he had conferred on the deserving. And those who enjoyed his intimate friendship could not fail to realise how sincerely religious a man Mr. Levy was. He was a zealous follower of the God of his fathers but he possessed broad sympathies, and made no distinction of creed in his charities or in his relations with his fellow townsmen. It was his pleasing task, not many years ago, to lay the foundation stone of the West Maitland Synagogue, and the noble words which he then took occasion to speak were characteristic alike of his devoutness and of his tolerant spirit.

As our telegraphic news mentions, Mr. Levy's funeral took place in Sydney, on Tuesday, and was largely attended. His age we believe was about seventy-one years.

Original publication Maitland Mercury, 29 January 1885, p 4 (view original)

Additional Resources

• Trove search
• 'Presentation of Address to L. W. Levy', Empire (Sydney), 16 April 1863, p 8
• 'Laying the Corner Stone of a Synagogue in West Maitland', Maitland Mercury, 25 February 1879, p 4
• 'Bequests of the Late Hon. L. W. Levy', Maitland Mercury (NSW), 19 February 1885, p 4
• 'A Pleasing Memorial Gift to Maitland Hospital', Maitland Mercury (NSW), 23 January 1886, p 4
• history of David Cohen & Co., Sydney Morning Herald, 21 January 1908, p 8

Related Entries in NCB Sites

• Levy, Lewis Wolfe go to ADB entry
• Levy, Julia (wife)go to Obituaries Australia entry
• Cohen, Rebecca (daughter)go to Obituaries Australia entry
• Cohen, George Judah (son-in-law)go to Obituaries Australia entrygo to ADB entry
• Cohen, Samuel (cousin)go to Obituaries Australia entry
• Cohen, David (cousin)go to Obituaries Australia entry

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GEDCOM Source

see Notes: Biography

GEDCOM Source

see Notes: Death Notice

GEDCOM Source

see Notes: Funeral Notice

GEDCOM Source

see Notes: Biography

GEDCOM Source