Francis Levett

Francis Levett was a London merchant born into a prominent Sussex Anglo-Norman family which eventually lost much of its medieval wealth. Forming a partnership with his brother Sir Richard Levett, he built a trading empire, importing and distributing tobacco and other commodities.

The brothers began their career dealing as small haberdashers, trading everything from tobacco to textiles. They imported tobacco and other goods to England, which were sold to peddlers at fairs across the country, including those at Lenton, Gainsborough, Boston, Beverley and elsewhere. The company Sir Richard Levett & Co. continued to prosper and brothers had at disposal their own ships to transport various commodities from tobacco to linens. Their business activities extended as far afield as present day Turkey and India, where they had interests in the early London East India Company, to North America, the West Indies, Portugal, Africa, Ireland and Russia.

Eventually, their company became among the largest factors of its day in England owning an immense working capital estimated between £30,000 and £40,000 in 1705.

In 1683 Francis married Susan, the daughter of Sir Thomas Holt and they had three sons and a daughter.