Welcome toThe Rothschild Archive'swebsite

Sources for business history: plans of New Court

Sources for art history: Catalogue of the pictures of Alfred de Rothschild 1901

Sources for yachting history: Plans for Nathaniel von Rothschild's yacht Veglia 1905

Sources for natural history: Walter 2nd Lord Rothschild and his zebra carriage: c.1910

Sources for global financial history: Map of lines of the Brazil Railway Company: c.1920

Sources for business history: index cards to bank files

Sources for social history: Rothschild Hospital Paris: 1920s

Sources for business history: detail of a Rothschild bond coupon

Sources for architectural history: Halton House: 1890s

Sources for the history of travel: Lionel de Rothschild's tours of Spain: 1909

Sources for local history: Tring Park: c.1900

Sources for Royal history: shooting party with Edward Prince of Wales: 1893

Sources for political history: Lionel de Rothschild: first Jewish MP: 1858

Sources for sporting history: St Amant winner of the Derby: 1904

Sources for local history: gardeners at Aston Clinton: 1899

Sources for Rothschild family history: Lionel de Rothschild's yacht Rhodora: 1927

Sources for London history: entrance to New Court: 1965

Sources for design history: plans for Lionel de Rothschild's Rolls-Royce: 1930

Sources for business history: Rothschild gold bars produced by the Royal Mint Refinery: 1930s

Sources for business history: letters of August Belmont Rothschild Agent in New York: 1860s

Exhibition - Rothschilds & the First World War

2: Business during the war

It was vital that the world of commerce and business should continue. In August 1914, the Chancellor Lloyd George sent for the Senior Partner of N M Rothschild & Sons, 'Natty' 1st Lord Rothschild (1840-1915) to discuss what measures should be adopted to keep the currency steady in the time of conflict. 

Lloyd George recalled that Natty ‘had a high sense of duty to the State…and was prepared to make sacrifices for what he genuinely believed in’. The Chancellor awaited his visitor with some trepidation, as he was keenly aware that he had made more than one reference 'not of the kind to which the great House of Rothschild had hitherto been subjected'.

'Lord Rothschild,' said Lloyd George as he shook hands, 'we have had some political unpleasantness ... ' Natty brushed the attempted apology aside with his famous curtness. 'No time to bring up such things. What can I do to help?' 'I told him,' wrote Lloyd George 'He undertook to do it at once. It was done.'

Natty died in 1915, and his son Charles (1877-1923) succeeded him at the helm of the London business, guided by his uncles Alfred (1842-1918), and Leopold (1845-1917). Charles served on the committee of the Volunteer Munitions Brigade and offered his services as a financial expert to Lloyd George's Ministry of Munitions. 

In France, Edouard Alphonse de Rothschild (1868-1949) managed the business with a fastidious and consciously old-fashioned approach.The Frankfurt house of M A Rothschild & Söhne had been liquidated in 1901, a voluntary decision by the family, as there was no male heir to take on the running of the business.

Nathaniel 1st Lord Rothschild

Nathaniel 1st Lord Rothschild