'Fairlight' in Wood Lane, Highgate, was built in 1908 for Julius Elias. who was the head of the publishing firm, Odhams Press, and later became Viscount Southwood. There is a book by R.J Minney, 'Viscount Southwood', published by Odhams in 1954 which describes his involvement in publishing, beginning with his employment by Odhams, his war work, charitable works, etc. In addition to information about this man in our picture source our colleague, Andrew Behan, has research him.
Julius Salter Elias was born as Julius Elias Selzer on 5 January 1873 at 31 Richard Street, Birmingham, Warwickshire, the last of the eight children of David Elias Selzer (1826-1903) and Esther Elias née Jones (1832-1907). His father, who had emigrated from Lissa, Prussia (now called Leszno, Poland) and had become a British naturalised subject, was a jeweller specialising in jet products from Whitby, Yorkshire, who had adopted the surname of Elias.
The 1881 census shows him living at 17 Harrow Road, Queens Park, with his parents and five siblings: Edgar Elias (1859-1943), Gertrude Elias (1863-1933), Bertha Elias (1864-1940), Charles Elias (1866-1908) and Alfred Elias (1870-1930). In the 1891 census he is shown as a printer's manager living at 6 Claremont Square, Clerkenwell, with his parents, three of his siblings: Edgar, James and Alfred, together with a female general domestic servant.
The 1901 census shows him as a printer and an employer, living at 18 Alexandra Villas, Seven Sisters Road, Stoke Newington, with his parents, three of his siblings: Edgar, James and Alfred, together with a housekeeper and a general domestic servant. On 12 January 1904 he was admitted to the Freedom of the City of London by redemption into the Company of Stationers, occupying printing and stationers premises at 6/9 Plough Court, Fetter Lane, London, EC.
He married Alice Louise Collard (1865-1951) and their marriage is recorded in the 4th quarter of 1906 in the St. Marylebone registration district. Electoral registers for 1907 show him residing at Harpley House, Queen's Road, Finsbury Park, but these registers and local directories from 1908 to at least 1920 show his address as 'Fairlight', 38 Wood Lane, Highgate. In the 1911 census he is recorded as a printer living at 38 Wood Lane, Highgate, with his wife, his visiting father-in-law Charles Stone Collard, a cook and a parlour-maid.
Local directories and electoral registers from 1925 show his home to have been Southwood Court, 74 Southwood Lane, Highgate. In 1937 he was President of Hornsey Central Hospital. On 11 June 1937 he was created Baron Southwood of Fernhurst in the County of Sussex.
The 1939 England and Wales Register records him as The Lord Southwood, whose occupation was chairman & managing director newspapers & periodicals, living at 74 Southwood Lane, Highgate, with his wife Lady Alice Southwood, an Alice Stogdon née Frost (1855-1950), together with a cook, a lady's maid, a parlour-maid, a housemaid and a chauffeur. Also there was the chauffeur's wife and their three sons and three daughter.
In 1944 he was appointed as the Labour Party Chief Whip in the House of Lords, a post he held for one year and on 25 January 1946 he was created Viscount Southwood, of Fernhurst in the County of Sussex.
He died of a heart attack, aged 73 years, on 10 April 1946 at his Highgate home and as he had no children, his hereditary titles died with him. When his death was recorded in the Edmonton registration district he was shown as Southwood, Julius S. (Viscount). Probate records confirm that his address was Southwood Court, Southwood, London, and that when probate was granted on 16 August 1946 to his executors: Alfred Charles Duncan and William Surrey Dane, who were both company directors, his effects totalled £165,063-9s-9d. Despite being Jewish, his ashes were buried in St James's Churchyard, Piccadilly, Westminster. along with those of his wife who died on 7 March 1951.
