Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Lord Rothschild
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Rothschild in 2008
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| Member of the House of Lords Lord Temporal |
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| Hereditary peerage 30 April 1991 – 11 November 1999 |
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| Preceded by | The 3rd Baron Rothschild |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Nathaniel Charles Jacob Rothschild
29 April 1936 Berkshire, England |
| Died | 26 February 2024 (aged 87) |
| Political party | Crossbench (1991–1999) |
| Spouse |
Serena Dunn
(m. 1961; died 2019) |
| Children | 4 (including Hannah Mary and Nathaniel Philip) |
| Parent | |
| Education | Eton College |
| Alma mater | Christ Church, Oxford |
| Occupation | Banker |
| Known for | Rothschild banking family of England |
| Awards | See list |
Nathaniel Charles Jacob Rothschild, 4th Baron Rothschild (born 29 April 1936 – died 26 February 2024) was a British peer and investment banker. He was a member of the famous Rothschild banking family.
Jacob Rothschild held many important positions in business and finance. He was also very active in helping charities and good causes.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jacob Rothschild was born in Berkshire, England. He was the oldest son of Victor Rothschild, the 3rd Baron Rothschild. His mother, Barbara Judith Rothschild, converted to Orthodox Judaism when she married his father.
He went to Eton College, a well-known school. After that, he studied history at Christ Church, Oxford University. He earned a top degree in history there.
Business Ventures
Jacob Rothschild started working at his family's bank, N M Rothschild & Sons, in London in 1963. He left the bank in 1980 after a disagreement within the family.
After leaving the family bank, he started his own successful businesses. In 1991, he co-founded J. Rothschild Assurance Group, which is now called St. James's Place plc. He also became Chairman of RIT Capital Partners plc. This is one of the biggest investment companies listed on the London Stock Exchange.
He also served as Deputy Chairman of BSkyB Television until 2008. He was also a member of the council for the Duchy of Cornwall. This is a private estate that provides income for the Prince of Wales.
Energy Investments
Jacob Rothschild also invested in energy companies. In 2010, a company connected to him bought a part of Genie Energy. This company explores for oil and gas.
Family Life
In 1961, Jacob Rothschild married Serena Mary Dunn. She was the granddaughter of a Canadian financier. They had four children together. Lady Rothschild passed away in 2019.
Their children are:
- Hannah Mary Rothschild Brookfield (born 1962)
- Beth Matilda Rothschild Tomassini (born 1964)
- Emily Magda Rothschild Freeman-Attwood (born 1967)
- Nathaniel Philip Victor James Rothschild (born 1971)
Jacob Rothschild died on 26 February 2024, when he was 87 years old.
Supporting Arts and Heritage
Jacob Rothschild was very involved in supporting arts and heritage in Britain. This is called philanthropy.
He was the Chairman of Trustees for the National Gallery, London from 1985 to 1991. He also led the National Heritage Memorial Fund from 1992 to 1998. This fund helps protect important parts of Britain's heritage.
From 1994 to 1998, he was Chairman of the Heritage Lottery Fund. This important role meant he was in charge of giving out £1.2 billion from the National Lottery. This money helped many heritage projects.
He helped restore Somerset House in London. He also worked to save Spencer House, a beautiful 18th-century building.
In 1993, he helped set up the Butrint Foundation. This foundation works to protect an ancient archaeological site called Butrint in Albania.
Jacob Rothschild also continued his family's charitable work in Israel. He was the chairman of Yad Hanadiv. This family foundation gave the Knesset (Israel's parliament) and the Supreme Court buildings to Israel.
Waddesdon Manor Estate
In 1988, Jacob Rothschild inherited the Waddesdon and Eythrope estates. These are in Buckinghamshire, England. He became very involved with Waddesdon Manor. This grand house was built by Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild in the 1880s.
Jacob Rothschild helped greatly with the restoration of Waddesdon Manor. He worked with the National Trust to manage it. The manor is now open to the public. It attracts many visitors each year.
The cellars at Waddesdon Manor hold his personal collection of 15,000 bottles of Rothschild wines. Some of these wines date back to 1870.
Waddesdon Manor has won many awards. It was named "Large Visitor Attraction of the Year" by Visit England in 2017. It has also hosted important visitors like Presidents Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton.
Awards and Recognition
Jacob Rothschild received many awards and honours for his work.
In the United Kingdom
- Member of the Order of Merit (OM) – 2002.
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) – 1998, for his services to the Arts and Heritage.
- Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) – 2020, for his work with the Duchy of Cornwall.
- Awarded honorary degrees from several universities, including Oxford and London.
- Honorary Fellow of the British Academy – 1998.
In the United States
- The Hadrian Award from the World Monuments Fund – 1995.
- The Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement – 2000.
- The J. Paul Getty Medal – 2014, for his amazing work in museums, art, and conservation.
In Europe and Israel
- Commander of the Order of Prince Henry – 1985, from Portugal.
- Europa Nostra Medal of Honour – 2003, in Brussels.
- The Sir Winston Churchill Award – 2004, in Israel.
- Honorary degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
See also
In Spanish: Jacob Rothschild para niños
- Nathaniel Philip Rothschild – his youngest child and only son
- Rothschild family
