Jacob Barrow Montefiore facts for kids

Jacob Barrow Montefiore (born in 1801, died in 1895) was an important person who helped create the Colony of South Australia. He was part of a group in London called the South Australian Colonization Commission from 1835 to 1839. This group was chosen by the British Government to make sure the South Australia Act 1834 was followed. This Act officially started the new colony.

A place in North Adelaide called Montefiore Hill is named after Jacob Montefiore. This hill is also where you can find Light's Vision, a statue of the colony's founder, Colonel Light.

Early Life of Jacob Montefiore

Jacob Montefiore was the oldest son of Eliezer Montefiore and Judith Barrow. His father owned a sugar plantation in Barbados and also had a home in London. Jacob's family was a wealthy Jewish family. His younger brother, Joseph Barrow Montefiore, was also educated in London.

Helping the Colonies Grow

Jacob Montefiore became interested in trading goods from the colonies. He started investing in the Swan River Colony (which is now Perth in Western Australia) in 1829. He also owned real estate in the Colony of New South Wales with his brother Joseph.

The two brothers worked together in a company called J. Barrow Montefiore & Co. They also helped start the Bank of Australasia, which later became the ANZ Bank. Jacob was one of the first directors of the bank, and Joseph was their representative in Sydney.

Jacob Montefiore joined the South Australian Association in 1833. This group included different kinds of people, like those who helped others (philanthropists) and business owners. They wanted to create a new British area in southern Australia.

In May 1835, Jacob was chosen to be on the board of the South Australian Colonization Commissioners in London. This group was in charge of setting up the new British Province of South Australia. He stayed a Commissioner until 1839.

Jacob Montefiore and another Commissioner, Lieutenant-Colonel George Palmer, were responsible for getting everything ready for the "First Fleet of South Australia" in 1836. This fleet of ships was led by Colonel Light. As part of their work, they created new rules for ships carrying people. These rules said that any ship with more than 100 passengers needed to have a ship's surgeon (a doctor). The rules also set a minimum height for the decks inside the ships. These changes helped reduce the number of deaths at sea and were later used for all British ships carrying people by 1839.

In August 1836, the Commission's first two ships, Rapid and Cygnet, were getting ready to sail to Australia. Montefiore and Palmer helped Colonel Light prepare these ships for their long journey.

Later Life and Legacy

Jacob Montefiore visited South Australia in 1843 and was welcomed by the Governor of South Australia, Sir George Grey. When he visited again in 1854, his brother Joseph was living in Adelaide and had become successful in business once more. Jacob Montefiore continued to support South Australia for the rest of his life and often praised Colonel Light.

In 1859, four friends of Colonel Light – Palmer, Montefiore, Raikes Currie, and Alexander Lang Elder – sent a special silver bowl to the Mayor and City of Adelaide. This bowl was a gift to be used for remembering and honoring Colonel Light. This tradition continues even today.

In 1885, Montefiore gave a painted picture of himself by Barnett Samuel Marks to the National Gallery of South Australia. He was also made an honorary commissioner for South Australia at a big event in London called the Colonial and Indian Exhibition in 1886.

Jacob Montefiore passed away in London in 1895.

Family Connections

• The famous British helper of others, Moses Montefiore, was a cousin of Jacob and Joseph.
• Jacob Levi Montefiore (1819–1885), who became a politician in New South Wales, was a nephew of the brothers. He arrived in Sydney in 1837 and later became a director of the Bank of Australasia in 1855.
• Eliezer Levi Montefiore (1820–1894) was another nephew. He was Jacob Levi's brother. Eliezer arrived in Adelaide by 1843 and married his cousin Esther Hannah Barrow Montefiore (Joseph Barrow's daughter) there in 1848. The couple later moved to Melbourne in 1853 and then to Sydney. In Sydney, Eliezer became the first director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales.