Rufus Daniel Isaacs PC GCB GCS (1860 - 1935)

Born 10 Oct 1860 in London, England, United Kingdom

Ancestors

Husband of Alice Edith (Cohen) Isaacs GBE — married 8 Dec 1887 in London, England, United Kingdom

Husband of Grace Stella (Charnaud) Isaacs GBE — married 6 Aug 1931 in St George, Hanover Sq, Westminster, London, England, United Kingdom

Descendants

Died 30 Dec 1935 at age 75 in Westminster, London, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

Rufus Isaacs PC GCB GCS has Jewish Roots.

Rufus was born in London in 1860. He was the son of a Jewish fruit importer, educated until the age of 15 at The University College School before joining his father's business. The following year he became a ship's boy, and when he was 20 years old, became a jobber on the stock exchange. At 25, he began to study Law, entering the Middle Temple in London. He was called to the Bar 2 years later at 27 and the same year married Alice Cohen. Two years later, they had a son, Gerald Isaacs 2nd Marquess of Reading. Rufus established his own law firm the same year as his marriage and did very well. He was made a Queen's Counsel 10 years later aged 37.

In 1900, he contested the seat of north Kensington but was unsuccessful. In 1904, he entered the House of Commons as Liberal member of Parliament for Reading, through a by-election. In 1910, he was appointed Solicitor General and received a knighthood. Shortly after, he became Attorney General and in 1912 he was offered a cabinet position. In his role as Attorney General, he led some high profile prosecutions. He also guided the House of Commons through some important legislation in the years before WWI.

In 1913 he became Lord Chief Justice of England and in 1914, was given the title of Baron Reading of Erleigh in Berkshire, thereby becoming an English peer. In 1915, he was appointed GCB. He juggled his time between legal duties and negotiating economic crises resulting from WWI. In 1916 he was made Viscount Reading. In 1917 he was appointed High Commissioner to The United States and Canada and made Viscount Erleigh and Earl of Reading. And in 1918, he became British Ambassador to the United States, while retaining is position as Lord Chief Justice. He returned to England and the bench in 1919.

In 1921, he resigned as Chief Justice and became Viceroy and Governor-General of India. He began with liberal policies and a wish to eliminate racism, but quickly became heavy handed in his approach to quelling rebellion.

He returned to England from India in 1926 and was made Marquess of Reading. He was widowed in 1930, when his wife Alice died of cancer. He was the leader of the Liberal Party in the House of Lords between 1931 and 1935 and was involved in discussions about the future of India and drafting the 'Government of India Act'. He married Stella Charnaud in 1931. ^[1] He was appinted Lord Warden of the Cinq Ports in 1934. He served for a short time as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and as leader of the House of Lords, and stepped down in 1934, due to poor health. In all Rufus received 5 peerages and 5 knighthoods over the course of his career. He was also received honorary degrees from 8 universities and numerous other awards. See [1]. The Lord Reading Law Society was created in his honor in Quebec, Canada, to promote the interests of Jewish members of the Bar there. He was a founding chairman of the Palestine Electric Corporation and the Reading Power Station in Tel-Aviv was named in his honor.

He died in London in December 1935, ^[2]and was cremated at Golders Green Crematorium.

Sources

1. ↑ Name: Stella Charnaud Registration Date: Jul 1931 [Aug 1931] [Sep 1931] Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep Registration district: St. George Hanover Square Inferred County: London Spouse: Rufus D Isaacs Or Reading Volume Number: 1a Page Number: 1306
2. ↑ Name: Marquess of Reading Rufus D Isaacs Death Age: 75 Birth Date: abt 1860 Registration Date: Oct 1935 [Nov 1935] [Dec 1935] Registration Quarter: Oct-Nov-Dec Registration district: Westminster Inferred County: London Volume: 1a Page: 549