We begin here with Abraham Franks (confusingly known in Hebrew as Naphtali Hertz). He prospered in London and  was the only Ashkenazi among the Jew Brokers appointed in 1697 other than Benjamin Levy, and was a respected householder in the Parish of St. James's, Duke's Place, hard by the Synagogue. His wife was Abigail (Sarah Phila), a daughter of Rabbi David Bloch. She died on February 22nd, 1695, at the age of thirty-three and was buried in the Sephardi ground, that of the Ashkenazi community not yet having been purchased. Abraham Franks continued to play his part in congregational affairs until his death, advanced in years, in 1748. Among his sons were:

1. Jacob who married Abigail Levy His tastes were literary rather than mercantile although like many others before and since, he realized that the road to wealth was more rapid through the avenues of commerce than through the efforts of the pen. He was highly intellectual and master of many languages and learned in Jewish law. He had a degree of Doctor of Divinity and was known in the congregation by the title of Rabbi.