Michael (Meyer) Solomon was a successful Bishopsgate manufacturer, and was one of the first Jews to be admitted to the

freedom of the City of London The Freedom of the City of London started around 1237 as the status of a 'free man' or 'citizen', protected by the charter of the City of London and not under the jurisdiction of a feudal lord. In the Middle Ages, this developed into a freedom o ...

. Solomon's family arrived in England from Europe, possibly Holland or Germany, sometime at the end of the eighteenth century. His wife's name was Catherine (Kate) Levy, and he was the father of eight children. Three of these—

Abraham Abraham, ; ar, , , name=, group= (originally Abram) is the common Hebrew patriarch of the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. In Judaism, he is the founding father of the special relationship between the Je ...

, Rebecca, and

Simeon Simeon () is a given name, from the Hebrew (Biblical ''Šimʿon'', Tiberian ''Šimʿôn''), usually transliterated as Shimon. In Greek it is written Συμεών, hence the Latinized spelling Symeon. Meaning The name is derived from Simeon, so ...

—became notable painters, their other children were named Aaron, Betsy, Isaac, Ellen, and Sylvester. Solomon lived among a well established Jewish community, in No. 3 Sandys Street, Bishopsgate, London, and his considerable wealth allowed him to be accepted by London society while maintaining their heritage. His business concern was as a manufacturer of Leghorn hats. Solomon as a freemason, having joined the Premier Grand Lodge of England.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Solomon, Meyer Businesspeople from London English Jews British milliners Freemasons of the Premier Grand Lodge of England 19th-century British businesspeople