Grave 91
     

George Isaac Braham

1813  – 1865

Here lies 
a generous man who walked in sincerity. His name was known as one who loved his fellow man.  Isaac son of [Rabbi] 
David died Thurs 3 buried Fri 4 Tevet 5626 small counting
May his soul be bound up in the bond of life eternal

פנ

איש נדיב הלך כתמים שמו היה נודע כאהבים יצחק ב"ר

דוד נפטר יום ה ונקבר ע"ש ה טבת ת"ר כ"י לב"ק

תבצבר


SACRED
TO THE MEMORY OF GEORGE BRAHAM
A DEVOTED HUSBAND AND AFFECTIONATE FATHER
DEPARTED THIS LIFE DECR 21ST 5626 AGED 55 YEARS
MAY HIS SOUL REST IN PEACE


George Isaac Abraham was born in 1813 in Devonport, the youngest son of David and Rose (née Jacobs) Abraham. 

In 1828 his elder brother John (1799–1864) set up an ‘Optician: Mathematical Instrument Warehouse’ at 12 Clare Street, Bristol, selling microscopes and other optical instruments, as well as admiralty charts. Both brothers had anglicised their name to Braham. 

In 1833 they formed a partnership to open another business in Bath, and it was George who moved to the city for that purpose. Their business is registered in the 1833 Bath City Directory as ‘Optical, Mathematical and Philosophical Instrument Maker’, 8 Pulteney Bridge and also at 10 St Augustine’s Parade Bristol. 

In 1841 George was living in Bladud Buildings, Bath. He married Amelia Bright on 22 May 1842 at his brother John’s house in Bristol. They had three sons: Philip whose birth is not registered in Bath, and two further sons who were both born in Bath, David in 1844 and James in 1846. 

From 1846 until his death George lived and carried on his business at 6 George Street and was prominent in Bath society. He sold tickets for the Citizens Ball in 1842, and ‘presented a pair of gold spectacles, of the value of £5, as a prize to be rowed for at the new Regatta, all the competitors to wear spectacles’. 

He placed many adverts in the Bath Chronicle for novelty items, including spectacles for viewing the total eclipse of the sun in 1858, stereoscopes and a novelty umbrella which was also a portable case for scientific instruments. 

In 1855 however, George and Ralph Soloman were summoned for assaulting Louis Simmons over a dispute at the synagogue on the first day of Passover. 

George died of heart disease at home at 6 George Street in December 1865. He left effects of £4,000 (about £500,000 today) including leaseholds. As well as bequests to his wife and sons, he left £5 to the Bath Synagogue (about £500 today).

After his death his sons David and Phillip opened ‘Braham Brothers’, selling optical instruments and spectacles also at 6 George Street. 

George’s wife Amelia died in Bath in 1890 at 6 George Street and is buried in the Unitarian cemetery. George Braham formed a partnership around 1833 with his elder brother John, to establish an optician’s business in Bath. For the next two decades, advertisements and trade directory entries from both John and George often listed addresses in Bristol and Bath. However, neither brother’s advertisements and directory entries mentions the other brother. 

When the partnership was dissolved in 1852, the London Gazette described it as ‘Braham Brothers’. That partnership is not to be confused with the Braham Brothers of Bath whose name appears on microscopes, slides, and other apparatus - that business was a partnership between George Braham’s sons in the later 1800s. 

From the National Probate Calendar 1866: 5 Feb - The Will of George Isaac Braham late of 6 George-street in the City of Bath Optician deceased who died 20 December 1865 at 6 George- str aforesaid was proved at Bristol by the oaths of Amelia Braham of 6 George-street aforesaid Widow the Relict and Philip Braham of 27 Charlewood Street Pimlico in the County of Middlesex Engineer the Son the Executors. Effects under £4,000. 

Children

David: in the 1871 census at 4 Vale View Place, Walcot, Bath: David Braham, aged 26, unmarried, manufacturing optician, born at Bath, Amelia Braham, aged 57, widow, mother, derive[s] income from house property, born at Doncaster, and a servant. In the 1881 census at Fiddington House, West Lavington (Wilts): David Braham, aged 36, unmarried, patient, optician, lunatic. Death aged 40 was registered 1884/Q3 Scarborough.

Philip: in the 1891 census at 6 Green Park, Bath: Philip Braham, aged 47, optician, born at Bath, wife Louisa (née Brown), aged 27, born at Liverpool, children: Paul, aged 5, born at Bath, and George Noel, aged 4, born at Bath, Mary S Paul, aged 63, married, mother-in-law, living on own means, born at Southwark, London, a governess and three servants. In the 1901 census at 18 Leigh St, St Pancras, London: Phillip Braham, aged 52, married, engineer mechanical & electrical, born at Bath, and son Paul, aged 15, commercial clerk, born at Bath. Death aged 60, was registered 1904/Q2 St Pancras. 

James: James moved to Birmingham with his wife Sarah where he worked as an optician’s assistant. By 1891 they were living in London where James died in 1920.

Census records
  1851   6  George St   Bath
Name | Age
Birth
Relationship
Occupation
Devonport 
Head
Optician
Doncaster 
Wife
Wife
Bath 
Son
Unstated
Bath 
Son
Unstated
Bristol 
Cousin
Independent
Unstated 
Servant
Servant
Unstated 
Servant
Servant
  1861   6  George St   Bath
Name | Age
Birth
Relationship
Occupation
Devonport 
Head
Optician
Doncaster 
Wife
Wife
Bath 
Son
Optician
Bath 
Son
Unstated
Bath 
Son
Unstated
Doncaster 
Sister in law
Independent
Unknown 
Servant
Servant
Associated addresses
  1846-1885   6  George Str   Bath
  Business of the Braham Family