Bernhard Baron
Encyclopedia
Bernhard Baron was a Jewish
cigarette
-manufacturer and philanthropist
. He was born at Brest-Litovsk (modern Belarus
), in poor circumstances, and brought up among the Don Cossacks
at Rostov
. His father took him to the United States
when young; and there, after working at a tobacco
factory
, he began making the newly popularised cigarettes by hand. He invented
a cigarette-making machine which he brought back to England
and sold for £160,000. With this money he bought the tobacco business of Mme. Carrera in 1903.
In the later years of his life, he engaged in charity
on a grand scale, contributing over three-quarters of a million pounds to hospital
s, as well as endowing a trust
for the benefit of hospital and asylum
patients. Despite these activities, his fortune, on his death at Brighton
, amounted to £5 millions.
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
cigarette
Cigarette
A cigarette is a small roll of finely cut tobacco leaves wrapped in a cylinder of thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smoulder; its smoke is inhaled from the other end, which is held in or to the mouth and in some cases a cigarette holder may be used as well...
-manufacturer and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
. He was born at Brest-Litovsk (modern Belarus
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
), in poor circumstances, and brought up among the Don Cossacks
Don Cossacks
Don Cossacks were Cossacks who settled along the middle and lower Don.- Etymology and origins :The Don Cossack Host was a frontier military organization from the end of the 16th until the early 20th century....
at Rostov
Rostov
Rostov is a town in Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia, one of the oldest in the country and a tourist center of the Golden Ring. It is located on the shores of Lake Nero, northeast of Moscow. Population:...
. His father took him to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
when young; and there, after working at a tobacco
Tobacco
Tobacco is an agricultural product processed from the leaves of plants in the genus Nicotiana. It can be consumed, used as a pesticide and, in the form of nicotine tartrate, used in some medicines...
factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
, he began making the newly popularised cigarettes by hand. He invented
Invention
An invention is a novel composition, device, or process. An invention may be derived from a pre-existing model or idea, or it could be independently conceived, in which case it may be a radical breakthrough. In addition, there is cultural invention, which is an innovative set of useful social...
a cigarette-making machine which he brought back to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and sold for £160,000. With this money he bought the tobacco business of Mme. Carrera in 1903.
In the later years of his life, he engaged in charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
on a grand scale, contributing over three-quarters of a million pounds to hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
s, as well as endowing a trust
Trust law
In common law legal systems, a trust is a relationship whereby property is held by one party for the benefit of another...
for the benefit of hospital and asylum
Mental Hospital
Mental hospital may refer to:*Psychiatric hospital*hospital in Nepal named Mental Hospital...
patients. Despite these activities, his fortune, on his death at Brighton
Brighton
Brighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, amounted to £5 millions.