Louis Montagu, 2nd Baron Swaythling

Louis Samuel Montagu, 2nd Baron Swaythling (10 December 1869–11 June 1927)[1] was a prominent member of the British Jewish community, a financier, and a political activist. He was the son and heir of Samuel Montagu, 1st Baron Swaythling, and of his wife Ellen (Cohen).

Life

He was educated at Clifton College,[2] and later became head of the family banking business.

He opposed the Balfour Declaration.[3] In 1917, along with Lionel Nathan de Rothschild, Sir Philip Magnus and other prominent British Jews, he co-founded the anti-Zionist League of British Jews.[4] He was president of the Federation of Synagogues, until 1925.[5] [6]

In 1897 Townhill Farm was purchased for Louis by his father Samuel Montagu, who continued to live at South Stoneham House. In 1912 extensive further modiciations were made to the building by the architect Leonard Rome Guthrie, who returned after the First World War to add the music room and a boudoir for Lady Swaythling.[7] The gardens at Townhill Park were laid out by Gertrude Jekyll and were noted for their rhododendrons, azaleas and camellias.

Family

He was married to Gladys Helen Rachel Goldsmid (1879–1965), a member of both the Goldsmid and Rothschild banking families. Lady Swaythling was active in voluntary organisations, including the Electrical Association for Women and the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children. In World War I, she supported Belgian refugees and volunteered with the Wounded Allies' Relief Committee. [8]

They had four children:

References
  1. "Person Page: Louis Samuel-Montagu, 2nd Baron Swaythling". ThePeeerage.com. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  2. Muirhead, J.A.O. (1948). Clifton College Annals and Register, 1860–1947. J. W. Arrowsmith. p. 313.
  3. The Divided Elite: Economics, Politics, and Anglo-Jewry, 1882-1917. BRILL. 1992. ISBN 9789004094475.
  4. "To Combat Zionism". The Modern View. 28 December 1917. p. 13. Retrieved 17 April 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. Alderman, Geoffrey (2008). Controversy and Crisis: Studies in the History of the Jews in Modern Britain. Academic Studies PRess. ISBN 9781934843222.
  6. The Jews of Britain, 1656 to 2000. University of California Press. 2002. ISBN 9780520227194.
  7. "Facilities Hire - A brief history of Townhill Park House - wedding hire, Southampton, Hampshire". Gregg.southampton.sch.uk. Retrieved 2012-08-23.
  8. "MS 383 Papers of Gladys, Baroness Swaythling". University of Southampton.
Peerage of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
Samuel Montagu		 Baron Swaythling
1911–1928		 Succeeded by
Stuart Montagu
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