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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

3: The Jewish War Services Committee

In 1914, a patriotic fervour swept the nation, and the Rothschilds were not alone in embracing the typical ‘mood’ of 1914.

Lionel Nathan de Rothschild (1882-1942) was reluctantly persuaded, by no less than the King himself, that he would serve his country best if he remained at the heart of New Court. He put himself to the tasks of managing the business and placing his considerable resources behind the war effort.

Lionel had established a recruiting office at New Court three months before a War Office Circular of 18th December 1915 formally noted the establishment of a Central Jewish Recruiting Committee with Edmund Sebag-Montefiore as Chairman and Lionel as Vice-chairman. The Committee’s purpose was to encourage the recruitment of Jews. The first meeting was held on December 15th, 1915 at Bryanston Square, home of Edward Sebag­ Montefiore, where 'Major Lionel de Rothschild explained the disabilities under which Jewish Recruiting was suffered'.

The site of operations of the Committee was New Court. Initially meeting every 3 or 4 days, and later monthly, the Committee moved quickly to fulfill its purpose. As the war continued, the Committee's remit widened to include matters of welfare of Jewish soldiers, for example providing lodging for Jewish soldiers passing through London, and Jewish Chaplaincy services in the field of battle, working closely with The Visitation Committee of the United Synagogue, and the Jewish Army Chaplain, the Reverend Adler.

Papers of the Jewish War Services Committee in The Rothschild Archive London

Papers of the Jewish War Services Committee in The Rothschild Archive London