Person    | Male  Born 1853  Died 1906

Alfred Beit

Co-founder and funder (with Sir Julius Wernher) of the Royal School of Mines building.

Born Hamburg, learnt the diamond trade in Amsterdam and went to Kimberley where he met Wernher and Cecil Rhodes. In 1884 he and Wernher converted the firm Jules Porgès & Co into Wernher, Beit & Co. On his death he left vast sums of money for education and research in South Africa, Rhodesia, Britain and Germany.

His brother Otto, also made a fortune in the diamond trade. See Otto's page for the difficulties this is causing Imperial College in 2021.

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Alfred Beit

Commemorated ati

Other Subjects

White Hart Dock

White Hart Dock

The origins of a dock and slipway can be traced back to the 14th century. The present retaining structure was built c.1868 as a parish dock when the Albert Embankment was constructed by the Metrop...

Building, Industry

2 memorials
garment and textile industries in the East End

garment and textile industries in the East End

The origins of the East End textile industry can be traced to the 14th century when Flemish artisans set up dye works on the River Lea. In the late 17th century the Huguenots arrived in Spitalfield...

Concept, Commerce, Craft / Design, Industry

4 memorials
Barnett I. Barnato

Barnett I. Barnato

South African financier, b. London as Barnett Isaacs. Competitor of Cecil Rhodes in the South African diamond world. Entered politics in the Cape. His son Woolf became a successful racing driver an...

Person, Industry, South Africa

1 memorial
Reeves & Sons Ltd

Reeves & Sons Ltd

Artists' colour manufacturer. Established by William Reeves (1739–1803). It has had a number of names, always including "Reeves" until ownership passed to Wilhelm Becker, through Colart Fine Art an...

Group, Art, Commerce, Industry

1 memorial