Lewis and Sophia Fraser

A carte-de-visite portrait of Lewis Fraser (1811-1868) and his wife Sophia (1827-1876).

Lewis Fraser was born on 8 September 1811 at Forres on the Moray Firth, the son of Lewis Fraser and his wife Anne (née Gearie).

He married Sophia Cumming, also born in Forres, on 26 July 1845 at St Andrew's Cathedral Church, Singapore. Their first four children were all baptised in Singapore.

The couple appear on the 1861 census, living at 23 Oxford Square, Paddington. He gave as his profession ‘East India Merchant.' At the time of the census, he was 49 and she was 34. Also present on the night of the census were six children and eight servants, including a governess, a butler and a page.

Lewis Fraser died, aged 56, at 6 Montagu Square in Marylebone on 27 February 1868 and was buried in Kensal Green Cemetery. He left an estate valued at £20,000 (later resworn at £14,000).

In 1871 Mrs Fraser was a widow living at York Terrace overlooking the south side of Regent's Park. Also present on the night of the census were one son, four daughter, a governess and six servants.

Sophia Fraser died, aged 49, on 17 March 1876 at 7 Oxford Terrace, London. Her effects were valued at under £450.

Photographed by Camille Silvy of London on 28 June 1862.