Hi Thimblewheel
Fascinating to read your thread about John Cohen and Catherine Cohen/Knight. So there were a few branches of European Cohens that came to London, it could well be that John is somehow connected the Judah/Edward branch. There was another one, in fact another Judah Cohen who had a brother Hyman and they were very involved in the sugar (read also slave) trade in the Caribbean. I'm trying to map them all out and see if they're related.
I was actually going to post a fresh question about this family, as I have come across a pretty mysterious newspaper article which might shed some light on the origins of the family. However, since I am replying to you here anyway, I'll post the newspaper article here and see what happens.
The more I read this article the more I think it cryptically relates to Issachar/Jacob, who was Judah and Edward's father, and points to him coming from Copenhagen. Even though the article is written in the 1820s after Issachar's death (1815), there are just so many coincidences in it: textiles salesman in Rosemary Lane, his name Issachar Cohen, the link with Dr Leo (I think Issachar married Dr Leo's widow after his death). The article seems completely fantastical, but I think I could validate some of the details in it (eg existence of an Alexander Donaldson at the right epoque, ie before Issachar's death). I have tried to attach it but I had to reduce the size to keep within the size limit.
Is this all wishful thinking by me? Or will I actually be able to pinpoint Issachar's birth in Copenhagen? Has anyone got any ideas? I would be unbelievably grateful!