Benjamin Benjamin

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Early life and education

Benjamin was born in London on 2 September 1834 to Moses Benjamin and Catherine Benjamin, née Moses. His family left for Australia in 1843 on a boat named London. He was educated in a school run by the Reverend William Jarrett, a Congregational Church minister.[2]

Working life

After leaving school he joined M. Benjamin & Sons, his father's import and export business. In 1864 he and his brother-in-law Edward Cohen went into business together.[3] He retired from active involvement in business in 1878.[2]

Public life

Benjamin was heavily involved in the Melbourne Jewish community acting in various committee positions for the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation.[2][4]

In 1870 he was elected to the Melbourne City Council[5] in the Albert ward, becoming an Alderman in 1881 and Mayor between 1887 and 1889. He was the second Jewish Mayor of Melbourne, with his brother-in-law Edward Cohen preceding him by over twenty years. He became the first Melbourne Mayor and first Jewish Australian to receive a knighthood when he was made a Knight Bachelor in 1889.[2][3]

In 1888 as Mayor of Melbourne Benjamin welcomed the Russian ship Rynda and Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia who was visiting the Australian colonies in a goodwill mission in light of tensions between Britain and Russia.[6]

Benjamin was elected as a member for the Melbourne Province of the Victorian Legislative Council in 1889 and served until 1892.[1]

Imperial Banking Co.

His tenure as a Member of the Legislative Council was brought to a close after he was declared bankrupt when the Imperial Banking Co. collapsed. He had offered personal guarantees on the bank's finances.[7] A subsequent court investigation cleared him but his reputation was reduced and he left public life.[2][8]

Death and legacy

Benjamin died at his home "Canally" at the corner of George and Powlett Streets in East Melbourne[9] on 7 March 1905. He was survived by his wife Fanny, née Cohen, (c. 1839 – 18 February 1912) and 13 of his 16 children.[2] Lady Benjamin was a sister of Justice Cohen of Sydney.[10]

In 2009 a masonic apron believed to have been originally owned by Robert Burns and subsequently purchased by Benjamin was auctioned by Michael Bennett-Levy, a descendent of Benjamin.[11]

References

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  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Mennell, Philip (1892). "Wikisource link to Benjamin, Hon. Sir Benjamin". The Dictionary of Australasian Biography. London: Hutchinson & Co. Wikisource 
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  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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