Herbert Raphael

Major Sir Herbert Henry Raphael, 1st Baronet (23 December 1859-24 September 1924)[1] was Member of Parliament for Derbyshire (South) from 1906 to 1918. He was a barrister, a politician, an art collector and trustee of the (British) National Portrait Gallery.[2]

In the 1890s he was living at Havering Court, Havering Road, Havering-atte-Bower, about 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Romford, in the county of Essex.[3] From 1897, he owned Gidea Hall (demolished 1930)[4] in Essex, which estate consisted of 480 acres (1.9 km2). Later, he lived at Allestree Hall, Derby, where he gave a Memorial Hall to the village.[5]

Contents

Town planner

Raphael began to develop his estate as Gidea Park from 1910 into a garden suburb, now known as Romford Garden Suburb, with two other MPs.[6] The suburb started in 1911 Romford as an exhibition to showcase the work of some of the most eminent architects of the day, such as Clough Williams-Ellis and Charles Robert Ashbee, prominent in the Arts and Crafts Movement. The idea was to demonstrate new ideas in town planning. According to Massy, six of the exhibition houses are now listed buildings and the suburb has been a conservation area since 1970.

Political career

He joined the Liberal party at an unknown date, and unsuccessfully contested the Romford constituency as a Liberal candidate in both 1892 and 1897.

On 20 January 1906, he defeated the Conservative incumbent John Gretton as Member of Parliament for Derbyshire (South).[7] He was himself replaced as MP on 14 December 1918 by Henry Holman Gregory, a Coalition Liberal.

He was apparently created a baronet on 10 February 1911.[1][8] The baronetcy became extinct on his death in 1924, aged 65.

Military career

Despite his large fortune and his age, he was one of the oldest soldiers in the Great War.[9] He soon held the position of Captain and in 1915, aged 56, he held the rank of Major. On 4 June 1915, he raised the 18th (Service) King's Royal Rifle Corps (Arts and Crafts) Battalion .[10]

Art collector and patron

He was active on several committees and a trustee of the National Portrait Gallery. In 1916, he gave several paintings and portraits to the National Gallery. He also sold several pictures by auction at Christie on 8 May 1916.[11]

Family

Raphael's background is unknown, although his family may have been Jewish. According to Landy, his brother Henry Lewis Raphael, of 31 Portland Place, London[12] was father of a son Cecil Frank Raphael (d. 1936 who was married 1899 to Margaret Alice Leon, daughter of Sir Herbert Samuel Leon, 1st Baronet and Fanny Hyman, on 7 December 1899. There was apparently no issue.[13]

Notes

  1. ^ a b Leigh Rayment (2006). Baronets R
  2. ^ [www.prbm.com/special/List_235_-_99_Rarities.pdf This mentions him as a barrister and trustee of the (British) National Portrait Gallery]. Retrieved 24 November 2007.
  3. ^ Parishes - Havering-atte-Bower | British History Online
  4. ^ Romford: Gidea Hall ()
  5. ^ [1] "Another former resident of Allestree Hall, Sir Henry Raphael, who represented South Derbyshire for the Liberal Party, gave the Memorial Hall to the village.". Retrieved 24 November 2007." Allestree is the home of Derby University and is near Kedleston, home of the Marquess Curzon
  6. ^ Massy (2003). London's secret suburbs Evening Standard 12 March 2003
  7. ^ Leigh Rayment (). Members of Parliament D
  8. ^ . Darryl Landy cites Sir Herbert Henry Raphael (no details given) in his database, with his source being Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 2, page 2304. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.
  9. ^ [2]"..des hommes comme sir Herbert Raphaël,avocat à la Cour de Londres, membre de la Chambre des Communes, une des plus grosses fortunes de l'Angleterre et simple soldat à cinquante-cinq ans."
  10. ^ Unknown (2007)[3]. "18th (Service) (Arts and Crafts) Bn. Locally raised. Formed at Gildea [sic] Park, Essex by the Mayor Sir Herbert Raphael on 04 Jun 1915. Joined the 122nd Brigade, 41st Division." "King's Royal Rifle Corps", part of the British Infantry Regiments page. Retrieved 24 November 2007.
  11. ^ [www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/opacdirect/18224.html The Fitzwilliam] acquired some of his pictures eventually.
  12. ^ Darryl Landy (2006). Henry Lewis Raphael
  13. ^ Darryl Landy cites Charles Mosley, editor, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 2, page 2304. Hereinafter cited as Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 107th edition.

References

Massy, Anthea (2003). London's secret suburbs Evening Standard 12 March 2003.

External links

Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
John Gretton		 Member of Parliament for Derbyshire South
1906–1918		 Succeeded by
Henry Holman Gregory
Baronetage of the United Kingdom
New creation Baronet
of Allestree Hall, Derby
1911–1924		 Extinct