Leopold Salomons
Encyclopedia
Leopold Salomons was a city financier
and company director active in the City of London
in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Salomons was born into a British Jewish
family, but it has been suggested that he later converted to Christianity
. Today he is primarily remembered for his purchase of Box Hill
in 1914 to protect it from development.
.
Together with city financiers Jabez Balfour
and Sir John Pender
, Salomons founded the investment underwriting
firm the Trustees, Executors and Securities Insurance Corporation, Limited in December 1887.
near Mickleham
in Surrey
from the estate of Sir Thomas Grissell
in 1890. In 1914 he purchased 230 acres of Box Hill
to protect it from development, which he subsequently donated to the nation. Box Hill became the UK's first Country Park
and is now owned and managed by the National Trust
. A memorial to Salomons (commonly known as The Viewpoint) was constructed at the summit of the hill.
breeding and served as a Governor of the Royal Agricultural Society
.
Salomons funded the addition of a vestry to St Michael's Chapel in Westhumble
.
Salomons was buried in the churchyard of St Michael's Church, Mickleham. His wife, Annie Martha Salomons (born in Geelong, Australia) was buried alongside him after her death on 27 November 1932.
Financier
Financier is a term for a person who handles typically large sums of money, usually involving money lending, financing projects, large-scale investing, or large-scale money management. The term is French, and derives from finance or payment...
and company director active in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Salomons was born into a British Jewish
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
family, but it has been suggested that he later converted to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. Today he is primarily remembered for his purchase of Box Hill
Box Hill, Surrey
Box Hill is a summit of the North Downs in Surrey, approximately south west of London. The hill takes its name from the ancient box woodland found on the steepest west-facing chalk slopes overlooking the River Mole. The western part of the hill is owned and managed by the National Trust, whilst...
in 1914 to protect it from development.
Career in the City of London
Salomons was one of the founders and directors of the Employers' Liability Assurance Corporation Limited in 1880. He identified the potential market for employers' liability insurance which had arisen as a consequence of the Employers' Liability Act 1880. After Salomons' death in 1914, the then director of the Corporation commented, "[Salomons] was the founder of the Corporation and one of the original Directors, and through his great financial ability helped us to steer through many shoals which confronted us at the commencement of our career as a company." The company survives to this day (after multiple mergers and acquisitions) as part of the Aviva plc insurance groupAviva
Aviva plc is a global insurance company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the sixth-largest insurance company in the world measured by net premium income and has 53 million customers in 28 countries...
.
Together with city financiers Jabez Balfour
Jabez Balfour
Jabez Spencer Balfour was a businessman, British Liberal Party politician and fraudster.-Life:He was the son of James Balfour and Clara Lucas Balfour....
and Sir John Pender
John Pender
Sir John Pender , British Submarine communications cable pioneer, was born in the Vale of Leven, Scotland, and after attending school in Glasgow became a successful merchant in textile fabrics in that city and in Manchester; where he had a warehouse in Peter street near The Great Northern Warehouse...
, Salomons founded the investment underwriting
Underwriting
Underwriting refers to the process that a large financial service provider uses to assess the eligibility of a customer to receive their products . The name derives from the Lloyd's of London insurance market...
firm the Trustees, Executors and Securities Insurance Corporation, Limited in December 1887.
Purchase and gift of Box Hill
Salomons purchased Norbury ParkNorbury Park
Norbury Park is a swathe of land arranged around a small manor house near Leatherhead and Dorking, Surrey, which appears in the Domesday Book of 1086. The manor was also known as Northbury for some time....
near Mickleham
Mickleham, Surrey
Mickleham is a village and civil parish between the towns of Dorking and Leatherhead in Surrey, England covering . The parish includes the hamlet of Fredley.-History:Mickleham lies near to the old Roman road known as Stane Street...
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
from the estate of Sir Thomas Grissell
Thomas Grissell
Thomas Grissell was an English public works contractor who was responsible for constructing a number of prestigious buildings in England.-Early life and education:...
in 1890. In 1914 he purchased 230 acres of Box Hill
Box Hill, Surrey
Box Hill is a summit of the North Downs in Surrey, approximately south west of London. The hill takes its name from the ancient box woodland found on the steepest west-facing chalk slopes overlooking the River Mole. The western part of the hill is owned and managed by the National Trust, whilst...
to protect it from development, which he subsequently donated to the nation. Box Hill became the UK's first Country Park
Country park
A country park is an area designated for people to visit and enjoy recreation in a countryside environment.-History:In the United Kingdom the term 'Country Park' has a special meaning. There are over 400 Country Parks in England alone . Most Country Parks were designated in the 1970s, under the...
and is now owned and managed by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
. A memorial to Salomons (commonly known as The Viewpoint) was constructed at the summit of the hill.
Personal life
Salomons had a keen interest in shire horseShire horse
The Shire horse is a breed of draught horse or draft horse . The breed comes in many colours, including black, bay and grey. They are a tall breed, with mares standing and over and stallions standing and over. The breed has an enormous capacity for weight pulling, and Shires have held the world...
breeding and served as a Governor of the Royal Agricultural Society
Royal Agricultural Society
The Royal Agricultural Society of England was established in the United Kingdom in 1838 with the motto "Practice with Science". The RASE aim is to promote the scientific development of agriculture. The society received its Royal Charter from Queen Victoria in 1840.From its early days the society...
.
Salomons funded the addition of a vestry to St Michael's Chapel in Westhumble
Westhumble
Westhumble is a village situated north of Dorking in Surrey, England. Neighbouring villages include Mickleham and Great Bookham. The census area Mickleham, Westhumble and Pixham has a population of 1,932....
.
Salomons was buried in the churchyard of St Michael's Church, Mickleham. His wife, Annie Martha Salomons (born in Geelong, Australia) was buried alongside him after her death on 27 November 1932.