Sir Bernhard Samuelson, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Bernhard Samuelson, 1st Baronet FRS (22 November 1820-10 May 1905) was an industrialist, educationalist and a Liberal
politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1859 and from 1865 to 1895.
Samuelson was born in Hamburg
, the son of Samuel Hermann Samuelson and his wife Sarah Hertz. His father, who became a merchant in Liverpool, was born in Petersburg, Virginia
, and his grandfather Hyman Samuels, was born in London in 1764.. Samuelson was educated at the Rev. J Blezard's school at Skirlaugh
, Yorkshire near Hull. He started work in his father's office at the age of 14 and was then apprenticed to a Swiss firm in Liverpool. He was exporting engineering machinery and became manager for a Manchester
firm of Sharp, Stewart & Co.
Samuelson bought a small factory in Banbury
that was manufacturing agricultural equipment in 1848. He also built blast furnaces in Middlesbrough
and Newport
.
In February 1859, after a by-election caused by the resignation of Henry William Tancred
, Samuelson was elected as Member of Parliament
for Banbury
until displaced at the 1859 general election
. In 1865 he was elected for Banbury again, but his defeated opponent Charles Bell petitioned against his return on the grounds that he was an alien. Samuelson was able to demonstrate that as his grandfather was born in England he was eligible under the British Nationality Act of 1772. He held the seat until 1895. His interests in parliament were industrial and technical issues. He chaired committees on scientific instruction
, railways and patents and was a member of the Royal Commission for the Paris Exhibition in 1878. Meanwhile his industrial activities had grown significantly. By 1872 his Banbury works were producing over 8000 reaping machines and the production of iron, tar and other products from his ironworks had also grown.
Samuelson was a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and a member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society
in 1881. He was adjudged a considerate employer and developed the institutions of Middlesbrough and Cleveland. He was a firm believer in technical education and presented a technical institute to Banbury in 1884. He received a Baronetcy
in the same year for services to education.
Samuelson died in London at the age of 84 and was buried in Torquay.
Samuelson married Caroline Blundell, daughter of Henry Blundell at Hull in 1844. Their son Henry
who succeeded to the baronetcy was also an MP.
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...
politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1859 and from 1865 to 1895.
Samuelson was born in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, the son of Samuel Hermann Samuelson and his wife Sarah Hertz. His father, who became a merchant in Liverpool, was born in Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg, Virginia
Petersburg is an independent city in Virginia, United States located on the Appomattox River and south of the state capital city of Richmond. The city's population was 32,420 as of 2010, predominantly of African-American ethnicity...
, and his grandfather Hyman Samuels, was born in London in 1764.. Samuelson was educated at the Rev. J Blezard's school at Skirlaugh
Skirlaugh
Skirlaugh is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England in an area known as Holderness. It is situated approximately north east of Hull city centre on the A165 road. Originally a farming community, it is now primarily a commuter village for Hull.According to the 2001 UK...
, Yorkshire near Hull. He started work in his father's office at the age of 14 and was then apprenticed to a Swiss firm in Liverpool. He was exporting engineering machinery and became manager for a Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
firm of Sharp, Stewart & Co.
Samuelson bought a small factory in Banbury
Banbury
Banbury is a market town and civil parish on the River Cherwell in the Cherwell District of Oxfordshire. It is northwest of London, southeast of Birmingham, south of Coventry and north northwest of the county town of Oxford...
that was manufacturing agricultural equipment in 1848. He also built blast furnaces in Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough
Middlesbrough is a large town situated on the south bank of the River Tees in north east England, that sits within the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire...
and Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
.
In February 1859, after a by-election caused by the resignation of Henry William Tancred
Henry William Tancred
Henry William Tancred QC was an English Whig and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1832 to 1858....
, Samuelson was elected as Member of Parliament
Member 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 Banbury
Banbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Banbury is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It is a strongly Conservative seat.The constituency was created January 26, 1554 through the efforts of Henry Stafford and Thomas Denton...
until displaced at the 1859 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1859
In the 1859 United Kingdom general election, the Whigs, led by Lord Palmerston, held their majority in the House of Commons over the Earl of Derby's Conservatives...
. In 1865 he was elected for Banbury again, but his defeated opponent Charles Bell petitioned against his return on the grounds that he was an alien. Samuelson was able to demonstrate that as his grandfather was born in England he was eligible under the British Nationality Act of 1772. He held the seat until 1895. His interests in parliament were industrial and technical issues. He chaired committees on scientific instruction
Select Committee on Scientific Instruction
The Select Committee on Scientific Instruction was a select committee of the House of Commons in the Parliament of the United Kingdom that sat from 1867 to 1868. Its chairman was Sir Bernhard Samuelson.The Report of the Committee concluded in July 1868:1...
, railways and patents and was a member of the Royal Commission for the Paris Exhibition in 1878. Meanwhile his industrial activities had grown significantly. By 1872 his Banbury works were producing over 8000 reaping machines and the production of iron, tar and other products from his ironworks had also grown.
Samuelson was a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and a member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
in 1881. He was adjudged a considerate employer and developed the institutions of Middlesbrough and Cleveland. He was a firm believer in technical education and presented a technical institute to Banbury in 1884. He received a Baronetcy
Samuelson Baronets
The Samuelson Baronetcy, of Bodicote in Banbury in the County of Oxford, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 29 July 1884 for Bernhard Samuelson. He was a businessman, Liberal Member of Parliament for Banbury and a pioneer of technical education. The baronetcy was...
in the same year for services to education.
Samuelson died in London at the age of 84 and was buried in Torquay.
Samuelson married Caroline Blundell, daughter of Henry Blundell at Hull in 1844. Their son Henry
Sir Henry Samuelson, 2nd Baronet
Sir Henry Bernhard Samuelson, 2nd Baronet was an English Liberal Party politician who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1868 and 1885....
who succeeded to the baronetcy was also an MP.