Harry Ezekial Gubbay and family

Submitted by LAgood on Wed, 07/19/2023 - 01:31

Hi, I m hoping I have done this correctly and terribly sorry to the admin team if not!

I'm trying to reach back into the Gubbay (possibly Sassoon Gubbay) family of which my grandfather was Harry Ezekial Gubbay, born in 1911 to David and Katie. The information we think we have identified so far:

Kate Seemah Sassoon Gubbay born around 1848 died 22/02/1926 wife of David Sassoon Gubbay (who we cannot locate anything concrete on, I'm aware there are a number of gentlemen of this name which may be why it is tricky)

Were parents of:

David Sassoon Gubbay born 02/01/1866 died 17/10/1931 Married Sallie Gubbay (nee Judah) born around 1887, died 17/05/1942 who were parents to Lady Muriel Kadoorie.

Charles Sassoon Gubbay, Aaron Sassoon Gubbay, Joseph Sassoon Gubbay (can't locate any dates for them)

Hannah Nissim (nee Gubbay) born around 1878 died 03/02/1969 (married David Meyer Nissim)

Moselle Gubbay born around 1873 died 07/04/1970

Ezekial Hyam Sassoon Gubbay (can't find much information on Ezekial apart from that we believe he drowned on board a ship in around 1936) who married Katie Shram (unsure of the surname) B 1848 D 1926 (we have taken all of this information from the JHSHK website which links the family names including Ezekials daughter Rosie mentioned below)

My grandfather is one of Ezekial's sons along with Rosie Gubbay, Lily Peach (nee Gubbay), Mary (Penny) Gubbay, Rachel Ellis nee Gubbay (we believe married a Joe Ellis and had two daughters Hanz and Hilda) and Sophie Elias (nee Gubbay) Rosie and Sophie lived out their years in the China Coast Community home whilst Harry, Lily and Penny came to England, Harry settling in Nottingham after Lily arrived earlier than him and Penny in Hemel Hempstead. 

Grandad mentioned to his daughter, my mother Kathy, about his 'uncles' Vic and Meyer Sassoon and his 'aunty' Mos(z)elle and I've tried to do some investigating into the E.D Sassoon & Co LTD where Charles Gubbay seemed to work thinking this could perhaps be the link to his 'uncles'?

We are stuck trying to find any information before David Sassoon Gubbay and Kate Seemah Sassoon Gubbay, we understand they were all from Baghdad and settled in HK, the family living on Nathan Road for some time.

If anyone has any information that they think might help us in our quest we'd love to hear it! Thank you, Laura and family (Nottingham, UK)

Tags

Hi Laura,

I'll put you out of your misery (!)

Try the Carl Smith Collection and punch in 'Gubbay' and you will find a wealth of information to kick start you with, including info on your elusive 2ggrandfather David Sassoon Gubbay, wider family and generations back: 

https://search.grs.gov.hk/en/searchcarladv.xhtml?rpp=10

One useful info is that S.D. Gubbay had been doing business in Hong Kong since at least 1861 and he dealt in goods from Calcutta (please see “Supreme Court. BEFORE CHIEF JUSTICE SMALE. CHUN-A-CHUCK AND OTHERS v. S.D. GUBBAY

Source: Hong Kong Daily Press, page 2, 7th March 1867)

NB He seemed to have styled himself as S.D. Gubbay and I noticed you styled him as D.S. Gubbay. The reason I put the birth notice above is to prove that S.D. Gubbay was the same person as D.S. Gubbay. 

"Charles Sassoon Gubbay, Aaron Sassoon Gubbay, Joseph Sassoon Gubbay (can't locate any dates for them)"

Well there are two dates below (no names however) which would be at least two of the boys above:

"BIRTHS.

On Saturday, 30th November, Mrs. S.D. GUBBAY, of a son." 

Source: Hong Kong Daily Press, page 2, 2nd December 1867

 

"BIRTHS.

At Hongkong, on the 7th March, the wife of S.D. GUBBAY, Esq., of a son." 

Source: Hong Kong Daily Press, page 2, 9th March 1871