Samuel Montagu, 1st Baron Swaythling facts for kids
Samuel Montagu, 1st Baron Swaythling (born December 21, 1832 – died January 12, 1911), was an important British banker. He started his own bank, Samuel Montagu & Co.. He was also a philanthropist, which means he gave money and time to help others. As a Liberal politician, he was a member of the House of Commons (like a parliament) from 1885 to 1900. Later, he was given the special title of a Baron. Montagu was a very religious Orthodox Jew and spent a lot of his life helping Jewish communities and social causes.
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Early Life and Starting a Bank
Montagu was born in Liverpool with the name Montagu Samuel. His father, Louis Samuel, was a watchmaker. In 1853, Samuel Montagu started his own bank, Samuel Montagu & Co.. At first, his company focused on exchanging different types of coins and collecting foreign coupons. Later, the bank also dealt with foreign bills of exchange, which are like promises to pay money in another country.
Helping Jewish Communities
Samuel Montagu cared deeply about Jewish causes. He worked to improve the lives of Jewish people in England. He also supported the "Lovers of Zion" movement, which was an early idea about Jewish people having their own homeland.
He helped create new synagogues (Jewish places of worship). In 1887, he helped set up the Federation of Synagogues. This group brought together many small Orthodox Jewish communities in the East End of London. By 1911, the Federation included 51 London communities, making it the largest group of synagogues in the UK. Montagu's money helped the Federation hire important religious scholars. Historians say the Federation helped Jewish immigrants fit into British society and stay organized.
Political Career
Montagu became a Liberal MP for Whitechapel in the 1885 election. He kept this job until 1900. He even ran against his brother-in-law, Lionel Louis Cohen, in 1885. Because Montagu spoke Yiddish, he could connect with the many immigrants in his area. He was made a Baronet in 1894, which is a special title.
In 1888, after some terrible murders in Whitechapel (linked to someone called Jack the Ripper), Montagu offered a reward to find the criminal. The police did not accept his offer because they had stopped giving rewards. Montagu offered it because the murders caused some unfair treatment against the Jewish community in the East End.
In 1893, Montagu presented a request to the government. He asked them to support Jewish people moving to and settling in Palestine. This showed that the idea of a Jewish homeland was becoming important to many people.
Montagu also owned land in Edmonton and gave some of it to the Federation of Synagogues to use as a burial ground. He wanted to help Jewish families move out of the crowded city and into the suburbs. He suggested building 700 low-rent houses with small gardens for 3,000 to 4,000 people. He wanted to give these houses to people living in Whitechapel. Although his first plans were not accepted, he later gave £10,000 to help build houses on the White Hart Lane estate in Tottenham.
Montagu also strongly believed that the British money system should use decimalisation, meaning it should be based on units of ten, like many other countries.
Later Life and Family
Towards the end of his life, Montagu lived at South Stoneham House near Southampton. In 1907, he was given the special title of Baron Swaythling.
Samuel Montagu passed away in January 1911, at 78 years old.
He married Ellen Cohen in 1862. His oldest daughter, Henrietta, was known for improving children's education. His daughter Lily helped start Liberal Judaism, a different way of practicing Judaism.
His oldest son, Louis Montagu, took over his titles. His second son, Edwin Montagu, also became a politician. Samuel Montagu's nephew, Herbert Samuel, 1st Viscount Samuel, was also a very important politician.
Samuel Montagu's family continued to achieve great things. His great-grandson, Oliver Hart, won a Nobel Prize in economics in 2016. Other notable family members include chemist Sir Martyn Poliakoff and director Stephen Poliakoff.
Legacy
Today, the Samuel Montagu Youth Centre in Kidbrooke, South London, provides fun activities for young people. In Edmonton, several places are named after him, including Montagu Road, Montagu Gardens, Montagu Crescent, and Swaythling Close.
