Manasseh Meyer
Encyclopedia
Sir Manasseh Meyer was a British
businessman and philanthropist
who was a benefactor to the Jewish community in Singapore
.
and educated in Calcutta, Manasseh Meyer came to Singapore in 1861 and continued his English
education in St Joseph's Institution. In 1864, he returned to Calcutta to work with his uncle in business as well as to learn Hebrew
and Arabic
. He returned to Singapore in 1873 and founded his own import
-export
business.
He did very well in business and invested his money in property
. He bought Adelphi Hotel
in Coleman Street
and Seaview Hotel in Katong
, giving his name to the road on which it stands — Meyer Road.
Meyer gave generously to charity
within and without his community. He started the Manasseh Meyer Trust that benefited educational institutions. He was one of the major donors to Raffles College, one of the two institutions of tertiary learning that subsequently formed the University of Malaya
. He also contributed towards the war
effort from 1915 to 1919.
Meyer was a Municipal
Commissioner
from 1893 to 1900 and a member of the Currency
Board.
He was the Jewish community's most generous benefactor, being responsible for the setting up of its two synagogue
s — Maghain Aboth Synagogue
and Chesed-El Synagogue
. Chesed-El was built for the use of his family and others.
Together with three other wealthy Jews, Meyer bought a large piece of land in Moulmein Road for $5,407.12 for the Jewish Cemetery
. Meyer also bought the adjoining piece of land for $8,681.40 and, after reserving a plot for himself and his second wife, Rebecca, presented it to the community. His wife Rebecca died in 1915.
Sir
Manasseh Meyer was knight
ed by the British for his generous contributions to society. He died in 1930.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
businessman and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
who was a benefactor to the Jewish community in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
Biography
Born in BaghdadBaghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
and educated in Calcutta, Manasseh Meyer came to Singapore in 1861 and continued his English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
education in St Joseph's Institution. In 1864, he returned to Calcutta to work with his uncle in business as well as to learn Hebrew
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
and Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
. He returned to Singapore in 1873 and founded his own import
Import
The term import is derived from the conceptual meaning as to bring in the goods and services into the port of a country. The buyer of such goods and services is referred to an "importer" who is based in the country of import whereas the overseas based seller is referred to as an "exporter". Thus...
-export
Export
The term export is derived from the conceptual meaning as to ship the goods and services out of the port of a country. The seller of such goods and services is referred to as an "exporter" who is based in the country of export whereas the overseas based buyer is referred to as an "importer"...
business.
He did very well in business and invested his money in property
Property
Property is any physical or intangible entity that is owned by a person or jointly by a group of people or a legal entity like a corporation...
. He bought Adelphi Hotel
Adelphi Hotel
The Adelphi Hotel was a hotel based in the city centre of Sheffield, England. It was notable for the founding of three major sports teams; Yorkshire County Cricket Club , Sheffield Wednesday and Sheffield United...
in Coleman Street
Coleman Street
Coleman Street is a street and one of the 25 ancient wards in the City of London.- The Ward :Warren Stormes Hale, Lord Mayor of London in 1864, was the Ward’s most notable civic dignitary...
and Seaview Hotel in Katong
Katong
Katong is a residential area in the east of Singapore near the seafront. Formerly located by the sea, land was reclaimed all the way to East Coast Park to provide more land for housing and recreational purposes due to shortage of land in the late 1960s after Singapore gained independence.Katong was...
, giving his name to the road on which it stands — Meyer Road.
Meyer gave generously to charity
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
within and without his community. He started the Manasseh Meyer Trust that benefited educational institutions. He was one of the major donors to Raffles College, one of the two institutions of tertiary learning that subsequently formed the University of Malaya
University of Malaya
The University of Malaya is located on a campus near the centre of Kuala Lumpur, and is the oldest university in Malaysia. It was founded in 1905 as a public-funded tertiary institution...
. He also contributed towards the war
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
effort from 1915 to 1919.
Meyer was a Municipal
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
Commissioner
Commissioner
Commissioner is in principle the title given to a member of a commission or to an individual who has been given a commission ....
from 1893 to 1900 and a member of the Currency
Currency
In economics, currency refers to a generally accepted medium of exchange. These are usually the coins and banknotes of a particular government, which comprise the physical aspects of a nation's money supply...
Board.
He was the Jewish community's most generous benefactor, being responsible for the setting up of its two synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
s — Maghain Aboth Synagogue
Maghain Aboth Synagogue
The Maghain Aboth Synagogue is a synagogue in Singapore. It is located at Waterloo Street in the Rochor Planning Area, within the Central Area in Singapore's central business district....
and Chesed-El Synagogue
Chesed-El Synagogue
The Chesed-El Synagogue is a synagogue in Singapore. It is located at Oxley Rise in the River Valley Planning Area, within the Central Area in Singapore's central business district.The synagogue was constructed in 1905...
. Chesed-El was built for the use of his family and others.
Together with three other wealthy Jews, Meyer bought a large piece of land in Moulmein Road for $5,407.12 for the Jewish Cemetery
Cemetery
A cemetery is a place in which dead bodies and cremated remains are buried. The term "cemetery" implies that the land is specifically designated as a burying ground. Cemeteries in the Western world are where the final ceremonies of death are observed...
. Meyer also bought the adjoining piece of land for $8,681.40 and, after reserving a plot for himself and his second wife, Rebecca, presented it to the community. His wife Rebecca died in 1915.
Sir
Sir
Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...
Manasseh Meyer was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed by the British for his generous contributions to society. He died in 1930.