Gladys, Baroness Swaythling

OBE The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

DStJ The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem (), commonly known as the Order of St John, and also known as St John International, is an order of chivalry constituted in 1888 by royal charter from Queen Victoria and dedica ...

(''née'' Goldsmid; 4 December 1879 8 January 1965), was a prominent member of the

British Jewish British Jews (often referred to collectively as British Jewry or Anglo-Jewry) are British citizens who are Jewish. The number of people who identified as Jews in the United Kingdom rose by just under 4% between 2001 and 2021. History The firs ...

community, a philanthropist and wife of

Louis Montagu, 2nd Baron Swaythling 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, and ...

Biography

Gladys Helen Rachel Goldsmid was born in

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to Colonel Albert Edward Williamson Goldsmid and Ida Stewart Hendricks on 4 December 1879. On 9 February 1898 she married Louis Samuel-Montagu and became Baroness Swaythling on 12 January 1911. She was Officer of Public Instruction at France before her marriage. During the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

Swaythling volunteered with the ''Wounded Allied Committee'' and Belgian refugees. She also worked with the Ladies London Association. Throughout 1921 to 1962 Swaythling was Vice-President 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 founded as the Liverpool Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (LSPCC) by Thomas Agnew on 19 April 1883. The NSPCC lobbies t ...

. After her husband died, Swaythling was involved in 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 ...

for three decades, as the inaugural President of the Hampshire branch, acting as national treasurer from 19311938 and then as national president 19381957. She volunteered with refugees during the second world war. André Simon credited her with inspiring the founding of

International Wine and Food Society The International Wine & Food Society Ltd. (formerly the Wine and Food Society) is a not-for-profit gastronomical organisation founded in 1933 by André Simon and A.J.A. Symons.Symons, Julian (1950). "A.J.A. Symons. His Life and Speculations", ...

. Swaythling was President of the Southampton Branch of the

Alliance Française (; "French Alliance", stylised as ''af'') is an international organization that aims to promote the French language and francophone culture around the world. Created in Paris on 21 July 1883 under the name ''Alliance française pour la propa ...

in Great Britain.

Honours

Swaythling was known for her philanthropy and awarded several honours during her life. She was appointed Dame of Grace, Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem and given an O.B.E. Swaythling was also a Fellow of both the

Royal Geographical Society The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers), often shortened to RGS, is a learned society and professional body for geography based in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical scien ...

and the

Royal Photographic Society The Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain, commonly known as the Royal Photographic Society (RPS), is the world's oldest photographic society having been in continuous existence since 1853. It was founded in London, England, in 1853 as th ...

. Swaythling had four children with her husband. * Stuart Albert Samuel Montagu, 3rd Baron Swaythling * Ewen Edward Samuel Samuel Montagu * Ivor Goldsmid Samuel Montagu * Joyce Ida Jessie Samuel-Montagu She died on 8 January 1965 aged 85 in London. She was a great-aunt of comedian

Christopher Guest Christopher Haden-Guest, 5th Baron Haden-Guest (born 5 February 1948), known professionally as Christopher Guest, is a British-American actor, comedian, screenwriter and director. Guest has written, directed, and starred in his series of comedy ...

References and sources

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swaythling, Gladys Helen Rachel 1879 births 1965 deaths 19th-century Irish women 20th-century Irish women British baronesses People from County Antrim Edwardian era Officers_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire