Henry Mond, 2nd Baron Melchett
Encyclopedia
Henry Ludwig Mond, 2nd Baron Melchett (10 May 1898 – 22 January 1949) was a British politician
, industrialist
and financier
.
and his wife Violet
. He was educated at Winchester College
. From 1915 he served in World War I
with the South Wales Borderers but was wounded in 1916.
and he was also a director of the Mond Nickel Company
and Barclays Bank
.
for the Isle of Ely
1923-24 as a Liberal
. He then became a Conservative
and was Member of Parliament for Liverpool East Toxteth
from 1929 to 1931. On the death of his father in 1930 he succeeded to the barony becoming the 2nd Baron Melchett. He then set about restoring the family finances and moved his interests away from politics to economics.
, he reverted to his family's Judaism
in the 1930s and became a champion of Zionism
, hoping that the Jews and Arab
s could live harmoniously with each other. He advocated the evacuation of Jews from Germany to Palestine
and supported the formation of an independent state of Palestine as part of the British Commonwealth
. He was chairman of the British Agency for Palestine and took an interest in the Maccabean Jewish youth organisation.
, at Chelsea Register Office on 30 January 1920 She was described as: "a show stopping beauty and artist".
The couple lived in a London home, Mulberry House in Smith Square
, Westminster
, in a ménage à trois
relationship with writer Gilbert Cannan
, a friend of D H Lawrence. Paying homage to the relationship, they commissioned a 1.6m high relief from the era's prominent artist Charles Sargeant Jagger
called "Scandal", which they displayed in their living room. This showed a naked couple in an intimate embrace watched by society ladies in a state of outrage. The sculpture and the Baron's relationship led to censure and outrage from their contemporaries. The work was bought by the Victoria and Albert Museum
for £106,000 where it is on display.
in 1945. Mond bought and restored Colworth House
on the edge of the Bedfordshire
village of Sharnbrook
and lived there for twelve years. During World War II
he made the house available for the recuperation of American nurses and to house Jewish refugees. He sold the house to Unilever
in 1947 due to his wife's conviction that moving to Florida
would restore his health. He died at Miami Beach, Florida
in 1949 and the title passed to his surviving son Julian
.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, industrialist
Business magnate
A business magnate, sometimes referred to as a capitalist, czar, mogul, tycoon, baron, oligarch, or industrialist, is an informal term used to refer to an entrepreneur who has reached prominence and derived a notable amount of wealth from a particular industry .-Etymology:The word magnate itself...
and financier
Financier
Financier is a term for a person who handles typically large sums of money, usually involving money lending, financing projects, large-scale investing, or large-scale money management. The term is French, and derives from finance or payment...
.
Early life and education
Henry Mond was born in London, the only son of Alfred MondAlfred Mond, 1st Baron Melchett
Alfred Moritz Mond, 1st Baron Melchett PC, FRS , known as Sir Alfred Mond, Bt, between 1910 and 1928, was a British industrialist, financier and politician...
and his wife Violet
Violet Mond, Baroness Melchett
Violet Florence Mabel Mond, Baroness Melchett, DBE , née Goetze, was a British humanitarian and activist....
. He was educated at Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
. From 1915 he served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
with the South Wales Borderers but was wounded in 1916.
Business life
He then joined some of his father's businesses, becoming a director, and from 1940 to 1947 chairman, of Imperial Chemical IndustriesImperial Chemical Industries
Imperial Chemical Industries was a British chemical company, taken over by AkzoNobel, a Dutch conglomerate, one of the largest chemical producers in the world. In its heyday, ICI was the largest manufacturing company in the British Empire, and commonly regarded as a "bellwether of the British...
and he was also a director of the Mond Nickel Company
Mond Nickel Company
The Mond Nickel Company Limited was a United Kingdom-based mining company, formed on September 20, 1900, licenced in Canada to carry on business in the province of Ontario, from October 16, 1900...
and Barclays Bank
Barclays plc
Barclays PLC is a global banking and financial services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. As of 2010 it was the world's 10th-largest banking and financial services group and 21st-largest company according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine...
.
Politics
He served as Member of ParliamentMember of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the Isle of Ely
Isle of Ely (UK Parliament constituency)
Isle of Ely was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, centred on the Isle of Ely in Cambridgeshire...
1923-24 as a Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
. He then became a Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
and was Member of Parliament for Liverpool East Toxteth
Liverpool East Toxteth (UK Parliament constituency)
Liverpool East Toxteth was a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Members of Parliament :...
from 1929 to 1931. On the death of his father in 1930 he succeeded to the barony becoming the 2nd Baron Melchett. He then set about restoring the family finances and moved his interests away from politics to economics.
Religion
Having been brought up in the Church of EnglandChurch of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, he reverted to his family's Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
in the 1930s and became a champion of Zionism
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
, hoping that the Jews and Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
s could live harmoniously with each other. He advocated the evacuation of Jews from Germany to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
and supported the formation of an independent state of Palestine as part of the British Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
. He was chairman of the British Agency for Palestine and took an interest in the Maccabean Jewish youth organisation.
Personal life
He married Amy Gwen Wilson, originally from South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, at Chelsea Register Office on 30 January 1920 She was described as: "a show stopping beauty and artist".
The couple lived in a London home, Mulberry House in Smith Square
Smith Square
Smith Square is a square in the Westminster district of London, just south of the Palace of Westminster. The centre of the square is occupied by St John's, Smith Square, a Baroque church now used as a concert hall...
, Westminster
City of Westminster
The City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...
, in a ménage à trois
Ménage à trois
Ménage à trois is a French term which originally described a domestic arrangement in which three people having sexual relations occupy the same household – the phrase literally translates as "household of three"...
relationship with writer Gilbert Cannan
Gilbert Cannan
Gilbert Cannan was a British novelist and dramatist.-Early life:Born in Manchester of Scottish descent, he got on badly with his family, and in 1897 he was sent to live in Oxford with the economist Edwin Cannan...
, a friend of D H Lawrence. Paying homage to the relationship, they commissioned a 1.6m high relief from the era's prominent artist Charles Sargeant Jagger
Charles Sargeant Jagger
Charles Sargeant Jagger MC was a British sculptor who, following active service in the First World War, sculpted many works on the theme of war...
called "Scandal", which they displayed in their living room. This showed a naked couple in an intimate embrace watched by society ladies in a state of outrage. The sculpture and the Baron's relationship led to censure and outrage from their contemporaries. The work was bought by the Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
for £106,000 where it is on display.
Family
They had had two sons and one daughter. The elder son, Derek, was killed in a flying accident while he was serving with the Royal Naval Volunteer ReserveRoyal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
in 1945. Mond bought and restored Colworth House
Colworth House
Colworth House is an 18th century mansion set in an area of parkland on the edge of the village of Sharnbrook in Bedfordshire. The current house was first built on a site occupied since prehistoric times and starting in 1715 by Mark Antonie, a self made man who aspired to become part of the landed...
on the edge of the Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
village of Sharnbrook
Sharnbrook
Sharnbrook is a village and civil parish located in the Bedford Borough of Bedfordshire, England.The settlement was recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as a parish within the Hundred of Willey but was probably first developed in Saxon times. The oldest surviving building, St Peter's Church, is...
and lived there for twelve years. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he made the house available for the recuperation of American nurses and to house Jewish refugees. He sold the house to Unilever
Unilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
in 1947 due to his wife's conviction that moving to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
would restore his health. He died at Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
in 1949 and the title passed to his surviving son Julian
Julian Edward Alfred Mond, 3rd Baron Melchett
Julian Edward Alfred Mond, 3rd Baron Melchett was an English industrialist who became the third Baron Melchett on the death of his father in 1949.-Early life:...
.
Publications
- Why the Crisis? (1931)
- Modern Money (1932)
- Thy Neighbour (1937)
- Hunting and Polo