Henry d'Avigdor-Goldsmid
This article includes a list of general references, but it remains largely unverified because it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (December 2010) |
Major Sir Henry Joseph d'Avigdor-Goldsmid, 2nd Baronet, DSO, MC, TD, DL, JP (10 June 1909 – 11 December 1976), sometimes known as Harry d'Avigdor-Goldsmid, was a British army officer, company director and politician.
Early life and education[]
The eldest son of Sir Osmond d'Avigdor-Goldsmid, 1st Baronet, d'Avigdor-Goldsmid went to Harrow School and Balliol College, Oxford.[1] On the death of his father in 1940, d'Avigdor-Goldsmid inherited Somerhill House near Tonbridge, Kent.[2]
Second World War[]
He joined the Royal West Kent Regiment and the 53rd Reconnaissance Regiment, Reconnaissance Corps and was twice mentioned in dispatches. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and Military Cross in 1945.[1]
Post-War political career[]
Following the Second World War, d'Avigdor-Goldsmid left the army and became a member of Kent County Council from 1946 to 1953. He was made a Freeman of the City of London and became a Justice of the Peace, Deputy Lieutenant (1949) and High Sheriff of Kent for 1953.[3] His business career as a banker and bullion broker was marked by being Chairman of the Anglo-Israel Bank from 1961, and Chairman of Pergamon Press from 1969 to 1971.
At the 1955 general election, d'Avigdor-Goldsmid was elected as Conservative Member of Parliament for Walsall South. He was recruited by Duncan Sandys, then Minister of Housing, to be his Parliamentary Private Secretary but held the post for only a year.
Following the 1970 general election, d'Avigdor-Goldsmid was joined in the House of Commons by his younger brother James who won the nearby seat of Lichfield and Tamworth. In that Parliament, Henry served as Chairman of the Select Committee on Nationalized Industries and of that on Public Expenditure. In 1973 he was appointed a member of the Horserace Totalisator Board. He stood down from Parliament at the February 1974 general election.
Personal life[]
Following the death of his 21 year old daughter Sarah at sea in 1963, Sir Henry commissioned a stained glass window at eighteenth century All Saints' Church, Tudeley. It was designed by the eminent artist Marc Chagall, and when it was installed in 1967, Chagall was so inspired by the effect that he committed to re-making the other eleven windows between 1969 and 1985.
He was a member of White's and Beefsteak Club.[1]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "D'Avigdor-Goldsmid, Major Sir Henry Joseph, (10 June 1909–11 Dec. 1976), DL, JP; Major RAC TA, late Royal West Kent Regiment". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 2007. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u153762. ISBN 978-0-19-954089-1. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
- ^ Huntingford, Diane (February 2009). "SOMERHILL HISTORY" (PDF). The Schools at Somerhill. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2011. Retrieved 8 December 2010.
- ^ "No. 39798". The London Gazette. 13 March 1953. p. 1442.
- M. Stenton and S. Lees, "Who's Who of British MPs" Vol. IV (Harvester Press, 1981)
- Obituary from The Times, 13 December 1976.
Notes[]
- Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Henry d'Avigdor-Goldsmid
- D’Avigdor-Goldsmid, Major Sir Henry Joseph, (10 June 1909–11 Dec 1976), DL, JP; Major RAC TA, late Royal West Kent Regiment https://doi.org/10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U153762 Who's Who (published online: 1 December 2007)
- 1909 births
- 1976 deaths
- Alumni of Balliol College, Oxford
- British Jews
- British people of Dutch-Jewish descent
- British Army generals
- British Army personnel of World War II
- Royal Artillery officers
- Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
- Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies
- Members of Kent County Council
- Deputy Lieutenants of Kent
- High Sheriffs of Kent
- People educated at Sandroyd School
- People educated at Harrow School
- UK MPs 1955–1959
- UK MPs 1959–1964
- UK MPs 1964–1966
- UK MPs 1966–1970
- UK MPs 1970–1974
- Recipients of the Military Cross
- Baronets in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom
- Jewish British politicians
- Goldsmid family