Henry Aaron Isaacs facts for kids
Sir Henry Aaron Isaacs (born August 15, 1830 – died August 2, 1909) was an important leader in the City of London. He served as an Alderman, a Sheriff, and even became the Lord Mayor of London in 1889. He worked hard to improve the city for its people.
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Sir Henry Aaron Isaacs: A City Leader
Early Life and Family
Henry Isaacs was born in London in 1830. He was the oldest son of Michael Isaacs, who was a fruit merchant. His mother was Sara de Mendoza. Henry Isaacs was also related to Daniel Mendoza, a famous boxer. His nephew, Rufus Isaacs, later became the first Marquess of Reading.
Working for London
Henry Isaacs became a successful trader in the City of London. At 32, he was chosen as a Common Councillor in 1862. This was an important role in the city's government. He was a member of the Liberal Party.
From 1883 to 1891, he served as an Alderman for the Portsoken area. Aldermen are senior members of the City of London Corporation. He was very interested in the city's markets during this time.
He held the position of Sheriff of the City of London from 1886 to 1887. Then, in 1889-1890, he became the Lord Mayor of London. This is one of the oldest and most important civic roles in the world.
Helping the Community
Sir Henry Isaacs worked for the City of London for 25 years. He cared about improving homes for people who were not well-off. He also helped make important changes to how the city's money was managed.
In 1859, he became the head of the City Lands Committee. Later, as the leader of the Markets Committee, he shared valuable information with the House of Commons. He also played a big part in making Tower Bridge happen.
Family Life and Interests
In September 1848, Henry Isaacs married Eleanor Rowland. They had four children together: Michael, Louisa, Sarah, and Joseph.
One of their children was born deaf. This made Henry Isaacs very interested in teaching deaf people. He believed in using the "oral system," which teaches deaf people to speak and understand speech. He even wrote a book about it called Sounds Versus Signs.
He was also a Freemason and held important roles in several groups. He was Master of the Worshipful Company of Loriners. He was also a Warden of the Hambro Synagogue and a member of the Jewish Board of Guardians. He served as a Justice of the Peace (J.P.) for London, which meant he helped with local law and order.
Later Life
Sir Henry Aaron Isaacs wrote a book about his time as Lord Mayor. It was called Memoirs of My Mayoralty and was published in 1890.
He passed away on August 2, 1909, at the age of 78.
