Cora's Aunt[]
Cora's Aunt is the aunt of Cora Crawley and was still alive in 1914, as Cora mentions sending Mary Crawley to visit her in Episode 1.06. It is unknown if she is blood related to Cora. She may be the sister of Martha Levinson or Isidore Levinson or she may simply be the wife of one of their siblings. Cora has a better relationship with her aunt than she does her own mother, perhaps hinting that her aunt is related to her through her father.
She may have been deceased by 1920[1].
Appearances
- Episode 1.06 (Mentioned only)
Mention
- Cora: "I might send Mary to visit my aunt. She could get to know New York"
- Violet: "Oh, I don't think things are quite that desperate."
- — Episode 1.06
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Isidore Levinson[]
Isidore Levinson is the late wealthy, Jewish[2] husband of Martha Levinson - and the father of Cora Crawley and Harold Levinson - who had made his fortune as a dry goods merchant in Cincinnati. Isidore tied up his money well, making sure that his children were both well cared for and received equal shares; on her marriage in 1890, Cora received her share, and the family she married into would receive no more[3].
Isidore also made sure that Martha was taken care of and made sure that no-one could touch the capital generated from his fortune, so that it would not be lost; all of this was done before his death.[4]
Cora tells Lord Sinderby that she did not believe it was difficult having a different religion from her father, and that she's not ashamed he was Jewish since she and her family never changed their name.
Appearances
- Episode 3.02 (Mentioned only)
- Episode 5.07 (Mentioned only)
- 2014 Christmas Special (Mentioned only)
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- References
- ↑ Mary mentions that there is "only Mama and Uncle Harold" to inherit Isidore's money; if this woman was Isidore's sister, then she would, presumably, be in line to inherit too. As Mary does not mention her it implies that she is either dead, or a sibling of Martha.
- ↑ The book The Chronicles of Downton Abbey confirms that Isidore was Jewish
- ↑ Episode 3.02: Martha claims that Isidore "tied the money up tight" thinking that "the Crawley family had had quite enough"
- ↑ In Episode 3.02, Martha states that she could not "touch the capital" and that her income is "generous".