Sir Bernhard Samuelson, 1st Baronet Federal Reserve System was an industrialist, educationalist and a Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1859 and from 1865 to 1895.
Background
Samuelson was born in Hamburg, the son of Samuel Hermann Samuelson and his wife Sarah Hertz. His father, who became a merchant in Liverpool, was born in St. Petersburg, Virginia, and his grandfather Hyman Samuels, was born in London in 1764. He started work in his father"s office at the age of 14 and was then apprenticed to a Swiss firm in Liverpool.
Education
Samuelson was educated at the Review J Blezard"s school at Skirlaugh, Yorkshire near Hull.
Career
He was exporting engineering machinery and became manager for a Manchester firm of Sharp, Stewart & Company
Samuelson bought a small factory in Banbury that was manufacturing agricultural equipment in 1848. He also built blast furnaces in Middlesbrough and Newport. He held the seat until 1895.
His interests in parliament were industrial and technical issues.
Meanwhile, his industrial activities had grown significantly. By 1872 his Banbury works were producing over 8000 reaping machines and the production of iron, tar and other products from his ironworks had also grown.
He was made a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1881. He was adjudged a considerate employer and developed the institutions of Middlesbrough and Cleveland.
He was a firm believer in technical education and presented a technical institute to Banbury in 1884.
He received a Baronetcy in the same year for services to education. Samuelson died in London at the age of 84 and was buried in Torquay. Samuelson married Caroline Blundell, daughter of Henry Blundell at Hull in 1844.
Their son Henry who succeeded to the baronetcy was also an Member of Parliament.
Membership
Royal Society; 17th United Kingdom Parliament. 19th United Kingdom Parliament. 20th United Kingdom Parliament.
21st United Kingdom Parliament.
22nd United Kingdom Parliament. 23rd United Kingdom Parliament.
24th United Kingdom Parliament. 25th United Kingdom Parliament]
In February 1859, after a by-election caused by the resignation of Henry William Tancred, Samuelson was elected as Member of Parliament for Banbury until displaced at the 1859 general election.
He chaired committees on scientific instruction, railways and patents and was a member of the Royal Commission for the Paris Exhibition in 1878.
Samuelson was a member of the Institution of Civil Engineers and a member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers.