Peter Lousada and Julian Land's wife Sylvia Geddes in front of the Lauderdale Road Synagogue and Ashworth Road Library on 29 Jun 2015

Inscribed 'E. Lousada'

Published in Amsterdam by Selomoh Proops in 1716

They are both Jewish daily prayerbooks entirely in Spanish

Both prayerbooks have a tortoiseshell cover and silver clasps

Published in Amsterdam by David Tartas in 1692 and inscribed 'Abigail Baruh Lousada'

Edgar Samuel, Peter Lousada and Julian Land's daughter Clare

The above two very similar daily prayerbooks were donated by Sir Anthony Baruh Lousada, as was a third prayerbook now in the Jewish Museum of London. Edgar Samuel considers that the publication dates do not help identify E(manuel) and Abigail, but suggested that the books were probably owned by direct ancestors of Sir Anthony Baruh Lousada - and hence of Peter Lousada and Julian Land as well - indicating that the owners were Emanuel b1682 Barbados and Abigail 1723-90 his daughter-in-law. Edgar Samuel said that the books have been given new covers, perhaps in Jamaica as suggested by the tortoiseshell, and as can be seen the silver clasps have been papered over. Abigail's prayerbook may have had a previous owner and that inscription has been lost in the recovering, but perhaps Emanuel was the original owner of his - his inscription appears on the second page. Perhaps he acquired it when in Jamaica where he arrived around 1705 (it seems likely that he died there though there is no record of his death to confirm this). Edgar Samuel informed us on 23 Jul 2015 that the 500 volume Bevis Marks Archives library, including the two prayerbooks, had just been transferred to the Jewish Studies Library, part of the Bodleian Library at Oxford University - so our visit was timely. At Oxford the volumes will be available to scholars but will take some time to catalogue.