Person | Male Born 1853 Died 1906

Alfred Beit

Categories: Industry, Philanthropy, Race Issues

Countries: Africa, Germany, South Africa

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.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

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

Commemorated ati

Imperial College - Beit

Beit

See other memorials in this area

Other Subjects

Vauxhall Motors

Founded by Scottish marine engineer, Alexander Wilson, 90–92 Wandsworth Road. Originally named Alex Wilson and Company, then Vauxhall Iron Works from 1897, the company built pumps and marine engine...

Group, Industry, Transport

1 memorial

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

C. Harman Wigan

Director of Vinot Cars Ltd. Andrew Behan has kindly carried out some research on this man: Cecil Harman Wigan was born on 7 June 1874 in Mortlake, Surrey, a son of James Wigan and Maria Branley He...

Person, Industry, Transport

1 memorial

Edward Acheson

American chemist, inventor and industrialist. Born Pennsylvania. Initially worked with Edison. Companies he founded include: Carborundum, Inc., UCar International, and Acheson Industries. In abou...

Person, Industry, Science, USA

1 memorial

Alfred Mond, Baron Melchett

Born in Lancashire, where his father Ludwig had a factory. Studied law and then entered his father's business as director. Liberal and then Conservative MP 1906-28. In 1926 he achieved the merger...

Person, Industry, Politics & Administration

1 memorial

Previously viewed

maypole riot

EC3, St Mary Axe

The only reference we can find to "Shaft's Stairs" concerns a 1970 Civic Trust Award "given to a development bounded by Leadenhall Street...

1 subject commemorated

View on map

Baynard’s Castle

There have been two buildings known as Baynard's Castle, on different sites. Just to the east of where Blackfriars station now stands Ralph Baynard erected a Norman fortification in about 1000. Th...

Building, Property, Royalty

1 memorial

King Henry VI

Born Windsor, son of Henry V. King of England 1422 - 1461 and 1470 - 1471. Madness and the Wars of the Roses explain the gap. Also King of France 1422 - 1453. As a child king there were regents unt...

Person, Royalty

3 memorials

George Howlett, Jnr.

Trustee of the Lambeth Hayles Estate development in 1894. We hope the Geo. Howlett Jun. in this photo is our one. The photo comes from an 1855 group shot: "An early photograph of seven Lambeth Geo...

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial

Docklands Light Railway

An automated light metro system, opened in 1987 and extended four times. 2024: Londonist have an excellent Brief History Of The DLR.

Building, Transport

3 memorials