Louis Samuel Montagu, 2nd Baron Swaythling (10 December 1869–11 June 1927) 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 Samuel Montagu, 1st Baron Swaythling (21 December 1832 – 12 January 1911), was a British banker who founded the bank of Samuel Montagu & Co. He was a philanthropist and Liberal Party (UK), Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons of ...

, and of his wife Ellen (Cohen).

Life

He was educated at

Clifton College ''The spirit nourishes within'' , established = 160 years ago , closed = , type = Public schoolIndependent boarding and day school , religion = Christian , president = , head_label = Head of College , hea ...

, and later became head of the family banking business. He opposed the Balfour Declaration. In 1917, along with

Lionel Nathan de Rothschild Lionel Nathan de Rothschild, OBE (25 January 1882 – 28 January 1942), also Major Lionel de Rothschild, was a British banker and Conservative politician best remembered as the creator of Exbury Gardens by the New Forest in Hampshire. He was ...

, Sir Philip Magnus and other prominent British Jews, he co-founded the anti-Zionist

League of British Jews The League of British Jews was an Anglo-Jewish anti-Zionist organization that opposed the Balfour Declaration giving British support for the establishment of a Jewish homeland in Palestine. The League was founded in November 1917 by a group of p ...

. He was president of the

Federation of Synagogues The Federation of Synagogues is a British Jewish organisation with headquarters in Hendon, London. It comprises a network of 19 constituent and seven affiliated communities. As well as looking after its member synagogues , the Federation has a be ...

, until 1925. In 1897 Townhill Farm was purchased for Louis by his father

Samuel Montagu Samuel Montagu, 1st Baron Swaythling (21 December 1832 – 12 January 1911), was a British banker who founded the bank of Samuel Montagu & Co. He was a philanthropist and Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1900, a ...

, who continued to live at

South Stoneham House South Stoneham House is a Grade II* listed former manor house in Swaythling, Southampton; the former seat of the Barons Swaythling before the family moved to the nearby Townhill Park House. The building is owned by the University of Southampto ...

. In 1912 extensive further modifications were made to the building by the architect Leonard Rome Guthrie, who returned after the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

to add the music room and a boudoir for Lady Swaythling. 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 Rothschild () is a name derived from the German ''zum rothen Schild'' (with the old spelling "th"), meaning "with the red sign", in reference to the houses where these family members lived or had lived. At the time, houses were designated by sign ...

banking families. Lady Swaythling was active in voluntary organisations, including the

Electrical Association for Women The Electrical Association for Women (EAW) was a feminist and educational organisation founded in Great Britain in 1924 to promote the benefits of electricity in the home. History The Electrical Association for Women developed in 1924 from a p ...

and the

National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) is a British child protection charity. History Victorian era On a trip to New York in 1881, Liverpudlian businessman Thomas Agnew was inspired by a visit to the New Yor ...

. In World War I, she supported Belgian refugees and volunteered with the Wounded Allies' Relief Committee. They had four children: * Stuart Albert Montagu, 3rd Baron Swaythling, and father of

David Montagu, 4th Baron Swaythling David Charles Samuel Montagu, 4th Baron Swaythling (6 August 1928 – 1 July 1998), was a British peer who held prominent positions in a number of notable British companies. He succeeded to the title of 4th Baron Swaythling in 1990 on the death ...

. *

Ewen Montagu Ewen Edward Samuel Montagu (29 March 1901 – 19 July 1985) was a British judge, Naval intelligence officer and author. He is best known for his leading role in Operation Mincemeat, a critical military deception operation which misdirected G ...

, lawyer, judge, and naval officer. *

Ivor Montagu Ivor Goldsmid Samuel Montagu (23 April 1904, in Kensington, London – 5 November 1984, in Watford) was an English filmmaker, screenwriter, producer, film critic, writer, table tennis player, and Communist activist in the 1930s. He helped to de ...

, film maker. * Joyce Ida Jessie Montagu.

References

1869 births 1927 deaths People educated at Clifton College

Louis Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis ( ...

English Jews Burials at Willesden Jewish Cemetery {{UK-baron-stub