D'avigdor
D'AVIGDOR
D'AVIGDOR (later d'Avigdor-Goldsmid ), family that settled in England about the middle of the nineteenth century and became united with the prominent Jewish family Goldsmid. Among its members were elim d'avigdor (1841–1895), engineer and author. He was the eldest son of count Salomon Henri d'Avigdor (whom Napoleon iii created duke of Acquaviva) and grandson of Isaac Samuel d'Avigdor, member of the Great Sanhedrin. His mother rachel (1816–1896), noted for her charitable activities, was the daughter of Isaac Lyon *Goldsmid. D'Avigdor worked as an engineer in various parts of the world on construction projects, including railways in Syria and Transylvania. He wrote hunting stories under the pseudonym "Wanderer" and was publisher of the Examiner and Yachting Gazette. D'Avigdor was active in the Ḥovevei Zion (see *Ḥibbat Zion). As a member of the executive of the
*Anglo-Jewish Association, he was responsible for the transference to its control of the Evelina de Rothschild school in Jerusalem, previously controlled by the Rothschild family. His son, sir osmond d'avigdor goldsmid (1877–1940), added the name Goldsmid on inheriting the estates of his cousin Sir Julian *Goldsmid. He devoted his life to public service. He received recognition for these services in 1934 when the hereditary baronetcy of Isaac Lyon Goldsmid was revived and awarded to him. In 1912 he was high sheriff of the county of Kent. Within the Jewish community, he served as president of the Anglo-Jewish Association (1921–26), president of the British *Board of Deputies (1926–33), chairman of the Jewish Colonization Association, and treasurer of the Jewish Memorial Council. Although not a Zionist, he was for many years chairman of the council of the British section of the Jewish Agency. His elder son, sir henry joseph d'avigdor goldsmid (1909–1976), the 2nd baronet, was a Conservative member of parliament from 1955 and parliamentary private secretary to the minister of housing and local government (1955–56). He was president of the Jewish Colonization Association, and chairman of the Anglo-Israel Bank. Another son, Brigadier General sir james arthur d'avigdor-goldsmid (1912–1987) headed the British Territorial Army. He later became major general and was a Conservative member of Parliament from 1970 to 1974.
bibliography:
jc (Feb. 15, 1895 and April 15, 1940); The Times (April 15, 1940); P. Emden, Jews of Britain (1943), 148–9; 536–7; jhset, 17 (1951–52), 10. add. bibliography: C. Bermant, The Cousinhood, index; M. Jolles, Biographical Directory of Prominent British Jews, 1830–1930 (2002), index; odnb online.
[Vivian David Lipman]