David Salomons facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir
David Salomons
1st Baronet
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| Member of Parliament for Greenwich | |
| In office 1851–1852 Serving with J. W. Deans Dundas and H. Stewart
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| Preceded by | Edward George Barnard James Whitley Deans Dundas |
| Succeeded by | Peter Rolt Montague Chambers |
| Constituency | Greenwich |
| Lord Mayor of the City of London | |
| In office November 10, 1855 – November 8, 1856 |
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| Preceded by | Francis Moon |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Finnis |
| Member of Parliament for Greenwich | |
| In office 1859–1873 Serving with W. Codrington, W. Angerstein, C. T. Bright, and W. E. Gladstone
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| Preceded by | Sir William Codrington John Townsend |
| Succeeded by | William Ewart Gladstone Thomas Boord |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 22 November 1797 London, Great Britain |
| Died | 18 July 1873 (aged 75) |
| Resting place | West Ham Jewish Cemetery |
| Political party | Radicals (1851–1859) Liberal (1859–1873) |
Sir David Salomons (born November 22, 1797 – died July 18, 1873) was an important person in the 1800s. He fought for Jewish emancipation in the United Kingdom. This meant he worked to give Jewish people the same rights as everyone else. He was the first Jewish Sheriff of the City of London and the first Jewish Lord Mayor of London.
Contents
Early Life of David Salomons
David Salomons was born in London. His father, Levy Salomons, was a businessman. David followed in his father's footsteps. He became a very successful banker in the City of London. He even helped start the London and Westminster Bank, which is now called NatWest. He was also part of the London Stock Exchange.
Becoming a Public Servant
In 1835, David Salomons was chosen to be the Sheriff of the City of London. A sheriff is like a high-ranking official who helps with law and order. However, he could not take the job at first. This was because the oath, a special promise you make, included Christian religious statements.
Later that year, a new law was passed. It was called the Sheriffs' Declaration Act. This law changed the oath, so David Salomons could take his place as Sheriff. In 1839, he became the High Sheriff of Kent. His large home, Broomhill estate, was in Kent. Today, it is the Salomons Museum.
Overcoming Challenges to Serve
In December 1835, Salomons was chosen as an Alderman of the City of London. An Alderman is a senior member of the city council. Again, he faced a problem with the oath. This time, the law was not changed right away. So, Salomons was not allowed to take the position.
But he did not give up. He was chosen again in 1847. By then, a new law, the Religious Opinions Relief Act, had changed the oath. This allowed him to become an Alderman. In 1855, the Aldermen chose him to be the Lord Mayor of London. This is a very important role, like being the head of the city government.
David Salomons also studied law. He became a lawyer in 1849, but he did not work as one. Still, he was the first Jewish magistrate in England. A magistrate is a judge who handles minor cases.
Sir David Salomons in Parliament
In 1851, David Salomons decided to run for Member of Parliament (MP). An MP is a person elected to represent people in the country's government. He ran as a Liberal candidate for the Greenwich constituency. On June 28, he was elected as one of Greenwich's MPs. He had tried to get elected before, in 1847, but did not win then.
Fighting for Equality in Parliament
Even after being elected, David Salomons was not allowed to serve in the House of Commons. This is the main part of the UK Parliament. The problem was still the oath. He had to take a special promise called the oath of abjuration. This oath also had Christian phrases.
Salomons decided to take the oath but left out the Christian parts. Then, he took his seat in Parliament. He was asked to leave, and he did after the second request. But he came back three days later, on July 21, 1851.
The Oath Controversy
During the debate that followed, Salomons explained why he was there. He said that many people had voted for him. But in the end, he was removed by the Sergeant-at-Arms. This is an officer who keeps order in Parliament. He was also fined £500 for voting illegally three times. He did not win re-election in 1852.
The law finally changed in 1858. After this, Lionel de Rothschild became the first Jewish MP to legally take his seat. In 1859, David Salomons was elected again for Greenwich. He served as an MP until he died in 1873. His country home, Broomhill, is now the Salomons Museum.
David Salomons' Family and Legacy
In 1825, David Salomons married Jeanette Cohen. Her aunts were married to famous people like Sir Moses Montefiore and Nathan Mayer Rothschild. Jeanette passed away in 1867. In 1872, Salomons married Cecilia Samuel.
He was given the title of baronet in 1869. This means he became "Sir David Salomons, 1st Baronet." He died on July 18, 1873. He is buried in the Jewish Cemetery at West Ham. David Salomons did not have any children of his own. So, his titles and property went to his nephew, David Lionel Salomons. David had raised his nephew after his brother Philip died.
See also
- Emancipation of the Jews in England
- Lionel de Rothschild
