The Salomons Museum

David Salomons is known primarily for being the first Jewish Lord Mayor of London, and for fighting the Jewish cause in Parliament, but he was also a pioneer of joint-stock banking, and held prominent positions in other fields. These various activities were connected in many ways, but this section addresses them separately, to better demonstrate the breadth of his interests. His religious/communal background was important too - so that is also covered.

His nephew, David Lionel Salomons, did not play quite such a prominent part in public life (and he tended to avoid religion) but his contributions, too, are worth recording.

Note: much of this story comes from A.M. Hyamson's 1939 biography 'David Salomons'; with details, too, from M.D. Brown's 1968 catalogue of the collection. These have been supplemented with material from other sources such as contemporary newspapers.

The City of London

Over the centuries the City of London had built up a complex structure of self-government. It had responsibilites for many aspects of ordinary life: law and order, public health and education; and more focussed responsibilities in areas of finance, trade, and manufacturing. Much of the structure was centred on the status of 'freeman of the City', but becoming a freeman involved taking an oath on the New Testament, which effectively barred Jews from its benefits. This was only the first of many barriers that David Salomons faced in his long campaign for equal access.

Membership of the Coopers' Company / Freedom of the City

In 1830 the City changed its rule to allow an applicant to take an oath appropriate to her/his own religion. Salomons was one of the first to take advantage. In 1831 he was admitted into the Worshipful Company of Coopers,* one of the City's long-established 'livery companies'. These were originally based on particular occupations, such as coopers, and protected the trading rights of their members. They were also the main route to becoming a freeman. Salomons achieved his Freedom of the City in 1832.

In 1841 he was elected Master of the Coopers' Company. David Lionel and David Reginald Salomons both later became members, David Lionel becoming Master in 1893.

* Some of the other companies were apparently reluctant to take on the newcomers (M.D.Brown).

Sheriff of London and Middlesex

Salomons' initial goal was the position of Sheriff of London (and Middlesex). Two sheriffs were elected each year by the combined members of the livery companies. Salomons was elected in 1835, but the oath 'upon the true Faith of a Christian', was again a problem.* The government stepped in with the Sheriffs' Declaration Act,** and Salomons was able to take up the role see. His year's service seems to have been a success. Salomons, with his fellow sheriff was presented with a framed testimonial at the end see. There was talk of Salomons being knighted but nothing came of this (perhaps it was just snidy comments in the press on his seeming urge for position).

At some point Salomons presented the City with a gold shrieval chain (the one he is wearing in the portrait). This was later stolen, but was replaced by David Lionel Salomons.*** In 1964 the then Sheriff presented Vera Salomons with a brooch made from one of the links see.

* It was specified by the 1828 Sacramental Test Act, which had opened up public office to Catholics and non-conformists, but left this restriction on Jews and atheists.
** It was supported by the Home Secretary, Lord John Russell. Public opinion had become more liberal in the previous 20 years, but there were still those who were opposed. John Bull complained that 'liberality' was rampant, and found an excuse to bring Ikey Solomons, a well-known Jewish crook (and supposed model for Fagin), into its report about Salomons; while Bells Weekly Messenger thought the City had acted 'spitefully and almost malignantly'. Had the word 'wokeism' existed it would no doubt have been used by both papers.
*** That was Vera's understanding of the story. It seems though that David Lionel actually gave the shrieval chain to the Clockmakers Co in 1924, when their much simpler chain was left on a bus. In 1964 they gave it to one of their members (Gilbert Edgar) when he was elected Sheriff, and he gave the brooch to Vera. .

Alderman

The next step, becoming an alderman, took rather longer. In December 1835 Salomons topped the poll in the ward of Aldgate* but was again faced with a Christian oath as the Sheriffs' Declaration Act applied only to sheriffs. The Court of Aldermen refused to accept him without an oath see - he took them to court and won, but then lost on appeal. He topped the poll again in 1844 in the ward of Portsoken. The law had been changed in the meantime but only to the benefit of Quakers and Separatists, and a government bill in 1841 to give relief to Jews was defeated in the Lords; so he was thwarted again. Eventually the Jewish Disabilities Removal Act was passed - in 1845,** and Salomons was admitted an alderman after winning the election in the ward of Cordwainer in 1847 see.

He remained alderman for Cordwainer for the rest of his life.

* Hyamson says Dowgate, but press reports from the time indicate Aldgate.

** Salomons set up a scholarship at the City of London School to celebrate the Act. He also, in 1850, presented the City with a painted screen depicting William Beckford, as Lord Mayor, receiving George III at Temple Bar in 1789. Beckford was noted at the time for his liberal beliefs; but these are overshadowed today by his extensive estates in Jamaica. .

Lord Mayor of London

Having served as Sheriff and Alderman, Salomons was eligible for election as Lord Mayor, and achieved this in September 1855. For his inaugural banquet at Guildhall in November, the east window was decorated with a transparency portraying the City Corporation as an advocate of civil and religious liberty see.* The event, though, was dominated rather by the Crimean War, as was much else at the time. In December, Salomons hosted a banquet for Victor Emmanuel, King of Sardinia, one of the four allied nations fighting against Russia see. (For souvenirs of the event see). The war came to an end in March 1856, with Salomons making the formal proclamation from the steps of the Royal Exchange (see above). His year in office again seems to have been a success, with praise for his personality, his charity, and the liberal values which he represented see.** There was again talk of him being knighted, but Palmerston - the prime minister - is said to have disappoved. There is a bust, though, of Salomons in the entrance lobby to the Mansion House (the official home of the Lord Mayor) today see.***

* Brown says that Lord John Russell spoke at the banquet of the triumph of civil and religious liberty. Contemporary papers, though, record that Russell was met by groans and hisses and forced to sit down again. It was probably a reflection of his personal unpopularity at the time, rather than an attack on his message.

** Hyamson claims that Salomons' year in office also saw the removal of the anti-Catholic inscription on The Monument (ie another example of religious sensibility); but this seems to have actually happened in 1831 (and been arranged by Charles Pearson, the radical lawyer mentioned earlier.)

*** In 1858 the City commissioned William Behnes to make a bust of Salomons for the City of London School. This may be the bust in the Mansion House today.

One reason that David Salomons was able to achieve public office in the City of London was that he was a well-known and successful professional working in the City. His family had been established there for a century or so. Before looking at his wider achievements in parliament and elsewhere, we might complete the City side of the story by looking at this commercial/professional side of his life.

Finance

The world of finance can seem mysterious, and trying to understand what it involved 200 years ago is even more difficult; attempting, for example, to understand the difference between 'brokers' and 'merchants', 'financiers', 'bankers', 'underwriters' and so on.

The Royal Exchange in Cornhill see was founded in the 16th century to faciltate and control trading. From 1671 the number of 'brokers' entitled to operate there was limited to 100 freemen of the City, plus 12 'Jew-brokers' and 12 'aliens'. Unregulated dealers, though, continued to operate in the streets and coffee-houses round about. In the later 18th century some of these got together to create the Stock Exchange. In parallel, those providing insurance cover to merchants and traders, set up the Lloyd's insurance market. They all operated in the same small physical area, near the Bank of England, which tended to be called 'Change.

The City and its immediate suburbs were also a centre for the physical side of international trade - the wharves and warehouses; and of manufacturing, silk and sugar, for example see. Quite where the Salomons fitted into all of this isn't always clear.

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The Salomons Family

David Salomons' great grandfather, Levy Salomons, came to London from the Netherlands in the early 18th century. He is described as a 'merchant' of Seething Lane, but what he bought/sold there is not known.* Levy had two sons: Philip and Solomon. They moved to Bury St, where they operated as 'P & S Salomons & Co., Merchants'. Philip died in 1780, but his four sons seem to have prospered. One of them, Eliazar Philip, was a 'licensed broker' at the Royal Exchange (as was a member of a related family see). As for Solomon, Hyamson quotes an unnamed source describing him as 'a celebrated broker and underwriter' who was worth nearly a million at his death (in 1807). In 1795 he and Eliazar appear to have taken on some 10% of total government debt, only the Goldsmids took more. His son, Levy Salomons (1774-1843), (David's father), was also a 'man of wealth' (Hyamson). Levy, Solomon and David, were all members of Lloyds, though it is not clear whether they were active insurers themselves. A commentator in the 1850s described the Salomons as being amongst the greatest people on 'Change.** He was a bit dismissive of Levy's appearance - like a 'dealer in old clothes', though their offices, at Shorter's Court, were at the very centre of things see.

* Seething Lane was a centre for East India Co warehouses, though there is no indication that Salomons was directly connected with them. A recent study has identified a family called Salomons who were involved in the diamond trade, with Amsterdam and India, at this time, but the relationship, if any, with 'our' Salomons is not clear (Tijl Vanneste, 2009).

** David Morier Evans, in 'The City; or, the Physiology of London Business', 1855. According to him even in 1855 they were involved with Dutch finance.

The London & Westminster Bank

In 1834 David Salomons entered a new field, that of 'retail' banking. Banks at that time were mainly small, family-owned affairs. English law required that they operate as partnerships, with no more than six partners. The law changed in the 1820s to allow 'joint-stock' banks (ie with multiple share-holders) but not within 65 miles of London. One reason was to protect the Bank of England from competition - it was then a commercial operation. That geographical restriction was lifted in 1833, and the London & Westminster Bank was formed in 1834 see.* David Salomons was one of the first Directors, and remained one for more than thirty years. The new banks were not universally popular, and it fell largely to him to present their case, in speeches and writings see.**

He also wrote leaflets on currency issues and international trade - he was by then an extensive dealer in foreign loans on the Stock Exchange.

* In 1968, after a century of mergers and name-changes it became the National Westminster Bank (NatWest). In 2000 that was acquired by the Royal Bank of Scotland, but then in 2020 the combined group was renamed NatWest.

** The bank had no formal Chairman or Governor, but it tended to be Salomons who chaired meetings, etc.

Other business interests

Between the various financial crises this was a time of business optimism and company formation. Salomons was involved in a number of ventures, railways and insurance companies in particular.

In 1835 he was one of the promoters of a South Eastern Railway, intending to serve Brighton and the Weald of Kent. There were competing bids, though, with much haggling over routes; and the South Eastern went to Dover instead. Salomons also served as director of many of the smaller companies; the East Kent, for example, and the East Grinstead, Groombridge and Tunbridge Wells. He was chairman of the Reading, Guildford & Reigate see see. He was also interested in French railway development, though his actual involvement is not clear.*

As for insurance, he was a promoter of the Marine Insurance Co. in 1836, and in 1839 of the London & Westminster Mutual Life Assurance Co. By 1843 he was its chairman see, though the company was dissolved the following year and folded into the Britannia. A little later he was a trustee of the London Life Association, another mutual organisation which lasted a lot longer.

And an organisation which one would have associated more with David Lionel - the Universal Private Telegraph Co Ltd., which floated in 1860, with David Salomons as chairman see.

* Malcolm Brown notes that he was a director of the Bordeaux-Sete company in 1846-7, though the company seems to have folded without building the line. Salomons wrote a book: 'Railways in England and in France' published that year. The museum has an extensive collection of commemorative medals relating to continental railways. Some may record an involvement by David Salomons, but most are probably the result of David Lionel's numismatic interests.

Access to many positions at national level was restricted in the early 19th century by religious tests imposed a century and more earlier. These arose from a fear at the time of the influence of Catholicism, and the possible return of the Stuart monarchy. They were challenged in the 19th century as working against the interests of many ordinary people, especially in Ireland. Relief from the specifically anti-Catholic measures was achieved in 1829, and attempts were made to end restrictions on other faiths. A 'Jews Emancipation Bill' was introduced to the Commons in 1830 but failed its Second Reading. It took Salomons and other campaigners another 25 years to achieve parity. There tended to be support in the Commons, but not in the Lords.

Salomons and Parliament

Salomons first stood as an MP in 1837 - for New Shoreham in Sussex, as a Whig. He did reasonably well, polling 619 against 773 and 850 for the two sitting candidates.* He was less successful in Maidstone in 1841, as a Radical, gaining only 418 votes (22%).

He stood again as a Radical, in Greenwich, in 1847, without success; but then triumphed in 1851 at a by-election, with 63% of the vote. The problems then began. He attended Parliament, and took the oath, omitting the phrase 'on the true faith of a Christian'. He was asked to leave but returned the following day. He took part in a vote, and he addressed the house, neither of which were permitted for unsworn members. He was eventually removed, taken to court,** and fined £500 see.

Campaigning continued, and eventually, in 1858, the Jews Relief Act was passed. Salomons was elected again for Greenwich in 1859 and was finally allowed to take his seat see.*** He remained MP for Greenwich until his death.

* The Evening Standard had said that it was 'quite out of the question' that he would be returned. NB Like many constituencies at that time, it returned 2 MPs.

** Salomons himself wanted his case tested in court; the Government, not unsympathetic to his cause, might have preferred to play things more quietly.

*** Jewish emancipation was only one of a number of reforms being sought at the time. Some took rather longer to achieve. In 1859, for example, more than 90% of the adult population were denied the right to vote.

Other Public Positions

Some positions, eg those defined as 'Crown appointments', were not subject to the same restrictions. So Salomons could be included in the Commission of the Peace for Kent in April 1838 (ie become a magistrate), and for Sussex in October. He does, though, seem to have been the first professing Jew to achieve this. It was, perhaps, to qualify himself for these judicial duties that Salomons studied law, and was called to the Bar in 1849 see. And in 1839/40 he served as High Sheriff of Kent, another Crown appointment.*
The Salomons, David and Jeannette, spent time in France, and took an interest in the country. In 1859 he was made a Chevalier of the Legion d'Honneur, for raising a fund to help victims of floods there see.
Some of these honours were little more than labels, without specific responsibilities, but Salomons did also take on positions that involved work. These were at various levels, from parliamentary committees, and aldermanic duties, to presidency of the local Agricultural Society in Groombridge.

* In their 1984 book 'An Open Elite?', social historians L. and J. Stone suggested that the role of High Sheriff was only of interest to the nouveaux riches: it was an ‘onerous and expensive office … which nearly everyone else tried to avoid’. It was, nevertheless, an indication of acceptance.

Baronetcy

Salomons' greatest honour was the baronetcy, awarded in 1869 see. Moses Montefiore and I.L. Goldsmid, fellow-workers in the Jewish cause, were already baronets. It is said that Palmerston was opposed to granting the honour (or, indeed, any honour) to Salomons; so it had to wait until Gladstone, his fellow MP for Greenwich, was prime minister. A baronetcy is hereditary, but usually only to direct male heirs - Salomons was able to persuade Gladstone to extent this to his nephew, David Lionel.

The family already had arms, awarded to Levi Salomons in 1825 see. A baronetcy entitles the holder to use the symbol of a red hand see

David Lionel was obviously proud of the baronetcy - he incorporated the red hand symbol in the decoration of the science theatre, and on the facade of the main stable block.

Religious Background

The Salomons family were Ashkenazi Jews (they originated in the Netherlands). They had been prominent members of the Hambro Synagogue for many years. Levy Salomons (David's father), and Solomon Salomons (his grandfather) both served as President. It was one of three Ashkenazi synagogues near their home - the others were the Great (or 'Dukes Place') and the New.*
In 1806 there was a falling-out and Levy Salomons transferred his allegiance to the New Synagogue, which was then in Leadenhall Street. In 1837 it moved to Crosby Sq, next to his then home (surely not a coincidence). Levy served as Warden until his death in 1843, and was succeeded by his sons, Philip and then David.
When David moved to the West End, he joined the Western Synagogue, in the Haymarket; but remained a member of the New.** This must not be confused with the West London (Reform) Synagogue which opened in Burton St in 1841, and threatened a schism in the wider Jewish community - see below.

* Bevis Marks, the oldest synagogue in Britain, was actually the nearest, but that was Sephardi - for those of mainly Spanish and Portuguese background.

** And he joined the Central Synagogue in Gt Portland St., when that opened in 1855.

Board of Deputies

The 'Board of Deputies of the British Jews' was a body set up in the mid-18th century to watch over the interests of British Jews. Levy Salomons served for many years as a representative of the New Synagogue, as did his sons Philip and David. On occasions David acted as President, but things were not always straightforward.
One function of the Board was to protect Jewish interests externally - for example in a campaign against the mistreatment of Jews in Damascus in 1840. Salomons was closely involved in this. And he had its support in his battles against Jewish disabilities in British law. But there were difficulties in the case of the West London Synagogue.
The religious authorities, and the Board, were opposed to some of its Reform principles. Salomons himself had fairly traditional views, but he had many contacts among the reformers, and sought to reconcile the two sides. He pointed out the incongruity, for example, of imposing a 'religious test' on Reform applicants to the Board of Deputies, while opposing such a test for Parliament.
Things got a bit uncomfortable with Salomons at one point resigning the Presidency, but in general he and the Board were supportive of each other.

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Charities

The synagogue, like the church or chapel in the Christian community, provided not only a religious/social focus; but a mechanism for feeding, housing and educating the poorer members of the commmunity. The Salomons look a leading role in this. David, for example, was President at various times of the Jews 'Hospital' (a refuge for the young and aged in the Mile End Road) see; the Westminster Jews Free School (in the West End) see; and the Jews Free School (Spitalfields). Newspaper reports in the 1830s show him linked to many more:

London Orphan Asylum / Childrens Friend Society / Friends of Foreigners in Distress / London Almshouses (Brixton) / Society for the Prevention of Juvenile Prostitution / Beth Holim Hospital / Seamans Hospital / Royal Lying-In Hospital / Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals / Jews Orphan Asylum / Merchant Seamen's Relief Fund / Licenced Victuallers School, Lambeth

As noted earlier he also funded scholarships at the City of London School see.*

* A lecturer at the David Salomons Society in the 1990s spoke of complaints within the Jewish community that Salomons should have focused his charity more within the community. It would be interesting to hear more of this idea.

David Lionel Salomons

An obituary of D.L. Salomons* said that he was 'early imbued by his uncle with a desire for public service', and the notes that follow will identify some of the many public positions that he held. The obituary, though, later claims that that the 'humdrum routine of local administration did not appeal', so perhaps he was more attracted by the recognition that public position provided, and the opportunity for formal dinners and speech-making. As for the Jewish community, Hyamson says that 'after his first year as baronet, he was practically unknown in Jewish public life'.**

* Kent & Sussex Courier Apr. 24 1925.
** Yet he presided over a 'magnificant banquet' in the Royal Pavilion in 1875 to celebrate the consecration of the new Middle St synagogue in Brighton. Brighton Gazette Sept. 25 1875.

Local and national government

Salomons stood for Parliament twice (unsuccessfully): in 1874, aged 22, for Mid-Kent see; and in 1885 for St Georges in the East (the Shadwell/Wapping area of East London). He stood as a Liberal and had quite radical views, though as he grew older they became considerably more conservative.
He turned to local government, and, from 1889, represented Tonbridge on Kent County Council. In 1894, though not a borough councillor, he was chosen as Mayor of Tunbridge Wells see. It was a successful year - he arranged the 'horseless-carriage' exhibition; he held a number of high-profile events, and organised the town's electricity supply. At its close he was presented with a memorial containing the signatures of more than a thousand residents requesting him (unsuccessfully) to continue for another year see.
In Southborough he was the principal funder of the Royal Victoria Hall, a municipal theatre opened in 1900 see. Though not a member of the Southborough Urban District Council, he was influential in the town.*
He was also a magistrate for Kent (and London, Middlesex and Westminster), and, in 1880, served as High Sheriff.

* Broomhill (the Salomons home) is in Southborough rather than the neighbouring, and larger, Tunbridge Wells.

The World of Business

Salomons followed his uncle in being a member, and indeed Master, of the Coopers' Company, but he was much less involved in the City of London and the world of finance.* His business involvement was directed towards his interests in science and technology.
From 1896 to 1900 he was chairman of the City of London Electric Lighting Co. which had been founded in 1891 and had a monopoly of supply to the City. Its generating plant was at Bankside - later known as Bankside A see. (The company was nationalised in 1948 and Bankside B (now Tate Modern) replaced it in the 1950s.)
Like his uncle he was also a director of the South-Eastern Railway see.* It gave him the opportunity to arrange the restoration of Invicta, an early Stephenson locomotive that had run on the Canterbury & Whitstable line. He had it displayed at the 'Exposition Universelle' in Paris in 1900, and presented it to the city of Canterbury in 1906 see.

* Though in 1921 he joined the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, and became a member of its Court. In 1924 he presented them with his uncle's shrieval chain see.
** In 1899 it became part of the South Eastern & Chatham Railway.

Other Interests

In preparation.

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