The Salomons Museum

Three generations of the Salomons family lived at Broomhill:

• Sir David Salomons and his wife Jeannette (née Cohen)
• his nephew, Sir David Lionel Salomons, and his wife Laura (née de Stern)
• their children: Maud, Sybil, David Reginald, Vera and Ethel

Read about them here, and about members of the wider family who were connected to Broomhill.

The Salomons Family Background

David Salomons was born in 1797 in Bury St. in the City of London (just off St Mary Axe, near the 'Gherkin'). His father Levy was a financier. The family had arrived in London from the Netherlands early in the 18th century, attracted by the financial opportunities in the developing British economy. They were an Ashkenazi Jewish family and chose that part of the City because it was both a centre of the finance industry and had an established Jewish community.

David had two brothers and three sisters. His elder brother, Philip, is described below. The younger brother, Joseph, died relatively young though he did marry and had three daughters*. His wife, Rebecca Montefiore, was from another Jewish banking family. This intermarrying within a small group of families is a feature of the Salomons story. Two of David's sisters married brothers from the Goldsmid family. They will also feature later.

* Rosalind Franklin, a member of the team who discovered DNA in the 1950s, was a descendant of Joseph and Rebecca.

David and Jeannette

In 1825 David married Jeannette Cohen. Jeannette's family had moved out of the City, to Canonbury, just north of Islington. Her aunt, Judith, was married to Moses Montefiore (brother of Rebecca, mentioned above)*. In 1827 David and Jeannette accompanied the Montefiores on an epic journey to the Holy Land. David and Jeannette got as far as Naples, but Jeannette was finding the journey a little too adventurous so they turned back there.

David was obviously prospering by this time - his business and public life are discussed *here*. The Salomons acquired a house in the West End of London, in Great Cumberland Place, just off Marble Arch. In 1829 they also took a lease on a house near Tunbridge Wells - Broomhill Cottage; and then, two years later, they bought an estate in Groombridge where they had a new house, Burrswood, built. The two houses are described *here*. The Salomons also spent a lot of time in Paris where Jeannette's sister was living.

* Another aunt, Hannah, married Nathan Meyer Rothschild. Both the Montefiores and the Rothschilds were at David and Jeannette's wedding.

David and Jeannette at Broomhill

In 1851/2 the Salomons sold Burrswood and re-developed the Broomhill estate - they built a new house there and re-designed the grounds. Unlike Burrswood it was not a working estate, but a place of leisure, culture and retreat (the new house and grounds are described *here*, and the art collection they created at Broomhill *here*).

David and Jeannette did not have any children. It possibly worried Jeannette (her aunt Judith was in a similar situation). She was able, though, to take in an orphaned cousin, Clara Phillips*, who lived with her and David at Broomhill. The painting 'Doubtful Fortune' by Abraham Solomon, shows Jeannette and Clara in the drawing room at Broomhill (with Emma Salomons - see below).

Needlework was one of Jeannette's interests. The 'vesper chair' in the present collection see was one of her projects. Queen Adelaide (wife of William IV) was also a fan, and it was perhaps through that shared interest, that they became acquainted. There are gifts from Adelaide to Jeannette in the collection see.

* In 1849 Clara married Adelbert von Nordeck, and became Baroness de Rabenau. They built Schloss Friedelhausen, near Marburg, north of Frankfurt, in the Tudor Gothic style (arch. John Dobson).

Jeannette's illness

By the 1850s David's public career was flourishing. In 1855 he was Lord Mayor of London (see more *here*). But Jeannette was not well. She was unable to attend formal dinners at the Mansion House - her sister Hannah, or sister-in-law, Emma, acted as hostess instead. By the 1860s things were getting worse. Jeannette spent some time at a care home in Blackheath, and then at the asylum in Ticehurst. It was while she was in the care of Ticehurst that she died in 1867, in a house that they used for their patients in St Leonards.

David remarried in 1872 - to Cecilia Salomons, a cousin of Jeannette's (and the widow of one of his own cousins). He died the following year (having been made a baronet in 1869). Both David and Jeannette are buried in the West Ham Jewish Cemetery. After David's death Cecilia lived at their London house, so isn't really part of the Broomhill story.

Philip and Emma Salomons

Philip Salomons was David's elder brother. As a young man he had emigrated to America but later returned, and eventually made his home in Brighton - 26 Brunswick Terrace (the outline of his private prayer room can apparently be seen on the roof).

In 1850 he married Emma Abigail Montefiore see - he was then 54, she was 18. She is the third (central) figure in the picture 'Doubtful Fortune', above. Emma was the daughter of Jacob Montefiore (cousin of Rebecca and Moses) who was the Rothschild representative in Melbourne, Australia, in the 1850s (a key financial centre after the discovery of gold in Victoria).

Notes: Items from Philip's prayer room are on display at the museum, as are twenty-four leather fire buckets with the Salomons crest, presented to him as Sheriff of Sussex. There are also letters to Emma from her family in Australia. Although Philip is not directly involved in the story of the Salomons at Broomhill it would be good to know more of his life before 1850.

David Lionel, Laura and Stella Salomons

Philip and Emma had three children: David Lionel (b.1851), Laura Matilda (b.1853) and Stella Rosalind Jeannette (b.1855). (A second son, Philip Montefiore, died as an infant.)

Emma herself died in 1859 and the children began increasingly to be looked after by David and Jeannette, in London and at Broomhill. Philip died in 1867 and the children moved in with David (Jeannette also died in 1867). When David died in 1873, David Lionel inherited Broomhill and the baronetcy.

In 18xx Laura married Edward Lucas, a cotton merchant (see below for a picture of them in fancy-dress). They lived in Bayswater. In 18xx Stella married George Paget, a stockbroker, and they also lived in Bayswater. Stella later returned to Broomhill and lived in Oak Lodge at the entrance to the Salomons Estate.

David Lionel Salomons

David Lionel Salomons succeeded his uncle at Broomhill in 1873. He graduated that year in Natural Sciences at Cambridge*, and the following year was called to the bar by the Middle Temple. His principal interest, though, was science and technology.

He set about extending Broomhill. He constructed the tower for use as an astronomical observatory and built a photographic studio and darkroom, and extensive workshops. And he was a very early adopter of electricity, generated on-site. For more details of these see *here* and *here*.

In 1874 he was made a magistrate, and the same year he stood (unsuccessfully) as Liberal candidate for Mid-Kent.

He also contributed to the social life of the area. In 1879 he and his sister Laura hosted a grand fancy-dress ball at Broomhill. The 'Courier' called it 'one of the most successful... ever held in the district'. Dancing started at 8:30 and continued until 2:00am with music provided by the band of the Royal Horse Guards. There were over 170 guests.

* The last restrictions on Jewish (and other non-Anglican) access to the older universities were finally removed in 1871. David Lionel had briefly attended University College, London. One of its founders (in 1826) had been his near relative Isaac Lyon Goldsmid.

Laura de Stern

In 1882 David Lionel married Laura de Stern. Her father was Hermann (Baron) de Stern. He and his brother David ran the successful banking firm of Stern Brothers. Her mother was Julia (née Goldsmid), and Julia's mother was Sophie (née Salomons), sister of the first David Salomons.

Laura was born in 1855, the youngest of four children see.

• Emily (b.1846) married Edward Dutton, 4th Baron Sherborne, and became Lady Sherborne. (Her portrait hangs above the main staircase at Salomons - see *here*.)
• Alfred (b.1850) appears in a number of the family mementoes but his life is something of a mystery. He may have developed a mental illness - later in life he had a large house near Goudhurst with resident medical support.
• Herbert (b.1851) inherited his father's Portuguese barony, but in 1905 also became a British peer, as Baron Michelham of Hellingly. He owned Strawberry Hill House in Twickenham see.

David and Laura at Broomhill I

David and Laura had five children: Maud (b.1883), Sybil (1884), David Reginald (Reggie) (1885), Vera (1888) and Ethel (1892) With a much bigger household (there was also a governess and 11 indoor staff, plus coachman, grooms, gardeners, etc.) the house needed to be extended. The East Wing was built in 188x, and a second floor added to the main block in 189x (see *here* for more details). They also had a London house at 49 Grosvenor Street.

David continued his research into electricity and photography, moving into new areas such as X-rays and radio (see *here* for more details). The Broomhill visitors book see records visits by prominent scientists, such as Lord Kelvin and Joseph Swan, inventor of the electric light bulb. David also hosted visits by the local photographic society see.

In 1899 he was given permission to add the names Goldsmid and Stern to Salomons see. It may have been linked to a bequest from Laura's parents, who died in 1887 and 1899, and reflects the complicated family backgrounds.

David and Laura at Broomhill II

David Lionel was very active throughout the 1890s. A keen coachman see he designed and built a new stable block - a striking architectural statement in red brick and Portland stone see (see *here* for details). Ironically he then developed a great interest in motor cars. As mayor of Tunbridge Wells in 1895 he organised the world's first motor-show (see *here* for details).

On the site of the original stables he built a theatre. It was initially intended for scientific lectures and experiments, but he soon realised that theatre itself offered great scope for technological innovation, in lighting, projection, and the electrical operation of curtains, blinds, etc. see

His innovations continued into the new century: perhaps the very first garages in the country; a new library; and extensions to the theatre culminating with the installation of the Welte organ in 1914. These are all described in the pages on Science and Technology.

He wasn't restricted to works at Broomhill. In 1909 he funded the purchase of a building in the public gardens at Venice which became the British Pavilion see of the Venice Biennale.

David and Laura at Broomhill III

The First World War cast a dark shadow over the family's final years. The uncertain security situation in the years before led to the creation of a Territorial 'Force' in 1908. David Lionel became an honorary colonel and encouraged the creation of a local unit of the Kent (Fortress) Royal Engineers. It was while serving with this unit that David Reginald died at Gallipoli (see below).

Laura was fully involved in the war effort - as commandant of local VAD hospitals. The first was at the Victoria Hall, a local authority theatre to which the Salomons had contributed in 189x, and then at Park House, Southborough see.

Outside of the war years David focused on his library and watch collections (see *here* for details). Each year he sent little booklets as New Year cards see. Some explained scientific concepts, others were simply collections of 'wise' sayings.

After the war their London home was 47 Montagu Square. David died in 1925, Laura in 1935. There is little in the collection relating to those last ten years - it would be nice to have more.

Maud Julia Salomons 1883-1935

David and Laura chose very 'English' names for their daughters: Maud, Sybil, Vera and Ethel, though Maud was also called Julia, after her mother.

She and her sisters were educated at home: there were governesses at Broomhill throughout the 1880s and 90s. In 1906 she married John Harvey Blunt see, He later became Sir John, 9th baronet. They lived at Huntleys, near Broomhill, an estate acquired earlier by her father, and which he left to her on his death. The Blunts had five children.

Maud died in 1935 and her husband in 1938. The house later formed the core of the Bennett Memorial School.

The V&A has a photograph of Maud in court dress taken by society photographer Lafayette in 1927. It was a record of her presentation at court that year - rather late, at the age of 44. It may have been so that she could then present her daughter, Cecily Maud Helen Blunt, the following season. The museum has recently received another picture of Maud, taken by Lafayette two years later, rather more plainly dressed see.

Sybil Gwendolen Salomons 1884-1899

There is relatively little in the collection relating to Sybil: a short diary and some cards she sent to Reggie. The reason is that she died young, aged fifteen, in 1899.

She was buried see in what became the family's private burial ground behind the evangelical chapel opposite Broomhill Bank (see *here* for more details).

They obviously cherished her memory see, though with some uncertainty about the spelling of her name - the locket apparently has 'Gwendoline' on the reverse.

David Reginald Herman Phillip (Reggie) Salomons 1885-1915

'Herman' and 'Phillip' after his grandfathers, though with slightly different spellings. The only boy among four girls Reggie was probably favoured. His long curls see were kept by his mother and are on display in the museum. Reggie went to Eton and to Cambridge - to his father's old college, Gonville & Caius.

In 1910 he made a long visit to Japan with his cousin, Arthur Paget (son of Stella Paget who was living in Oak Lodge). Reggie was fascinated by China and Japan and wrote a history of the former (unpublished). The museum has diaries and memorabilia see of the journey. (Arthur was even more taken with the region - he married a Japanese woman, Ichi Watanbe - and lived there (as an arms dealer) until his death in 1930.)

On his return to England Reggie was involved with the Territorial movement and the setting up and training of cadet companies.

The Hythe Disaster

In 1912 Reggie was appointed a captain in the Royal Engineers, and attached to the 1/3 Kent Field Co. Royal Engineers - the local Territorial unit with which his father was connected.

The role of the Territorials had originally been the defence of Britain. In the First World War they were used for service overseas. In October 1915 the 1/3 Kent Field Co. was approaching the Dardanelles in HMS Hythe, a converted cross-Channel steamer. On the evening of 28th, with lights extinguished to avoid sighting by Turkish batteries, they were rammed by HMS Sarnia, which was also without lights. The Hythe sank within ten minutes with the loss of some 150 men. Reggie Salomons was one of them. He had refused to leave the ship until all his men were safe.

It was obviously a tragedy for the Salomons family, made all the worse because most of those lost were from local families in Southborough, High Brooms and Tunbridge Wells. In 1916 Sir David erected a memorial to them see in the drill hall in Speldhurst Road. It is now in St Matthews Church in High Brooms.

The Hythe story was re-created in 2015 in the musical 'The Dreamers', written by James Beeney and Gina Giorgio, and performed at the St James Theatre in the West End. It also featured in 'The Vanishing Elephant' a community play staged in 2009.

Vera Bryce Salomons

Vera as a child/young woman // wartime service in Red Cross hospitals

Marriage // books

Donation of Broomhill to KCC // Creation of Salomons Museum

Work in Jerusalem // LA Mayer

Later life // Death in Ireland

Ethel Dorothy Salomons 1892-1937

Ethel was the youngest child - perhaps that is why she appears in so many pictures - perched on the front of her father's car, or laying the foundation stone of the extension to the General Hospital see.

She was presented at court by her mother in 1912, and in 1915 married Capt. Alexander Cameron Richardson. After the war they lived at Broomhill Bank see, given to her by her father (see *here* for more on Broomhill Bank).

The marriage appears to have broken down. Ethel sold Broomhill Bank back to her father and lived in France with her two children, Donald and Yvonne. She died in London in 1937.

Donald and Yvonne both added to the museum collection in later years: Donald contributed to the purchase of Reggie's uniform, and Yvonne gave a print of Sheriff Salomons.

Other families connected to the Salomons

Under consideration.

Montefiores - Judith and Moses

Benjamin Gompertz - Emma's GF. DLS proud of his maths heritage. / Bar Mitzvah letter.

Frances Goldsmid

Mertons and Cohens

Waggs Waleys etc

Sterns - perhaps already been addressed

*