Murder in the Family.
We Brits, were rather late when it came to family hunting, decades behind the Aussies, so when the program WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? Was first shown, overnight it became very popular, at least in my household.
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It had always been exiting times watching the stars of radio and film, as they delved into their family history. but it is Black Sheep hunting that I have always enjoyed that little bit more, no one is interested in just the mundane, we probably all have a teacher, nurse, or factory worker, who fell in love and ran away, with the insurance man, whilst, poor uncle William, was playing darts in the Hare and Hounds second team. But if truth is known, it is the real skeletons that we all have in our cupboards that interest us most… Was anyone hung, or worse still Hung Drawn and Quartered, a high way robber, or even part of the Great Train Robbery, Sad as it must have been but as soon as we find that we had a relation, on the Titanic, we will spend hours informing the rest of the family. What we had found.
When the program starts we see Esther and her daughter walking there Labradors, in the country side there was a reference to there hope of finding some exotic chapter in there past lives, and uncovering the secrets, that her Dad had hidden for so long. .
I like many were sitting on the edge of my seat, when given a name, but dashed when instead of him being Jack the Ripperhttp://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSJGu6PANVXKVCuqona4d6GxRpPakItMJDvmPMxbZ75P0ou8SiLOg
He was an 18 year old, idiot, who shot a servant, accidentally. She then went on to spend the next hour, telling us he was also a bigamist, but even that was untrue. For he never married, his second love. at this stage I was getting ready to switch over to an old 1960s, Carry On Film, we were then let into a real secret, that when he ran away from his British wife, he became a great garden designer in America, perhaps, we were now at last going to be told, this was the Black Sheep,http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRngX_Bo5ah0prJG7pCEihBMNxDBvV4npmLP2PkvofG4b8BnC2u of the Rantzen clan, who bedded, a young women, on a billiard table. They had my attention again, perhaps we were about to be informed of a great gigolo, or the unknown jockey, who was having, it off with Lady Chatterley’ before her real affair. With her very own gardener.
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My detective instinct began to click in, I wished to follow the obvious black sheep that her father, was unprepared to discuss, for who would keep a secret so long, if there had never been one in the first place. I decided to ignore the Levison, line, and to follow, the Isaacs,/Rantzens, of Sarah and Abraham, these appeared much more interesting. Poor as church mice, but there was something about this family, that I had read about in the past, I needed to start hunting my self,
Sarah had two brothers, Henry and Barney, within a few years, of leaving school. They were entertaining the public, as a music hall act, the fact that they changed there name from Isaac, to the Italian, sounding name Barnato, was much more exotic than, a randy gardener,
This is the place I would look, for the Rantzen Murderer, anyone who would change there name in this way had something up there sleeve.
Esther’s grandfather’s birth certificate revealed that his father was Abraham Rantzen, a cap maker. Born in Spitasfield. Also living in a same area were the Isaac’s both in the clothing industry, one Caps the other second hand. Cloths,
So here we go, what was Spitasfield like at the start of the 1800s, this is a very dangerous time, even by Victorian standards, the silk industry had entered a long decline and the old merchant dwellings had degenerated into multi-occupied slums. Spitalfields became a by-word for urban deprivation,
The poor houses all huddled together in close and dark lanes and alleys, presenting at first sight an appearance of non-habitation, so dilapidated are the doors and windows:- in every room of the houses, whole families, parents, children and aged grandfathers swarm together. It was during this period, when the Rantzens, arrived.
By the later 19th century Shorditch had eclipsed rival claimants to the dubious distinction of being the worst criminal rookery of London with common lodging-houses in the Flower and Dean Street area being a focus for the activities of robbers and prostitutes. The latter street was dubbed as being “perhaps the foulest and most dangerous street in the metropolis”. Another claimant to the distinction of being “the worst street in London” was nearby Dorset Street, which was highlighted by the brutal killing and mutilation of a young woman named Mary Kelly in her lodgings here by the serial killer known as Jack the Ripper in the autumn of 1888. This was the climax of a whole series of slayings of local prostitutes that became known as the Whitechapel Murders. If we are looking for a murderer, we should look no further than Spitalsfield.
Let us turn to the Isaacs there were a little class in there past, a Rabbi, and a Master of the Roles, so I can only imagine that Leah, the mother had married down a few steps, when she met Isaac, Isaac, in the second hand cloths, industry, although they did have a shop. A they had a shop. Not the healthiest of occupation, to take in cloths from the destitute or even deceased, for pennies, I can understand why so many new born children failed to reach there 10th birthday.
In some records it is stated that if Isaac Isaac’s, father was a Rabbi. you would think, that the children would be well educated, by the age’s of 14 and 16 .both the boys were scavenging for there own living, unhappy, to help there father with his early morning sorting. This could have been Independence,
There eldest boy Henry was obviously a personality for all he ever wanted to do was go on the stage, and entertain, at first a singer, then an acrobat followed by stand up comedian.
Barney number two son, 2 years younger than Henry, was always seeing opportunities, one thing there father had taught them was to fight, and with a name Isaac, Isaac, that was a good idea, times were very dangerous, anti-Semitism was a every were. .
It was 1863 when Barney, was looking on the floor, out side the Garrick Theatre http://lh4.googleusercontent.com/public/pePEALr9pq1LIr6sXDwckWCbv_rBQGn63EzsNeX4IYivBJ0Z__pGf0EIRosr4yhIjNdamfDkbI65YlbIYxHhBThcgxmxtNvviIqBOfaHLeecoKhorOoi-Wbp-AFD
He couldn’t fail to see the amount of people who came out at the half time break, some to enter the pub across the street, but a few caught a cab, or walked away, having had enough of the show.
Barney, noticed that tickets were thrown, into the gutter, it was not very long before he found there was a market for second hand tickets, after a while customers, would offer the tickets just for coppers, after all that was better than nothing, Barney found he had a market and clients, every one realised even then that the teenager Barney was a grafter, who would try anything. To buy and sell. At a knock down price. Within a few weeks he had become a ticket spic, with a regular clientele. .
The Garrick was very popular venue, his brother entertained there sometimes a comedian and conjurer afterwards Barney started as a stage hand then, helping him with his props, that was before he himself joined the act.
History indicates that after one show were Henry, would end with a “Hope you enjoyed the show, see you again tomorrow Henry”
One night a stage hand followed Henry’s ending with a comment, “Barney too”.
That may be an attractive, show stopper but the truth is a little less exotic.
Over the years, Barney and Henry had been chased and beaten, by youths. And although they were both good fighters, they were no fools, it would be better to only fight for money. It was Barney who spoke to Henry about changing there stage name to. Henry and Barney Barnato… “This will keep us out of lots of trouble”, they agreed.
They began to advertise there act as The Italian Boys, The Barnato’s. or The Italian Brothers, what a great move this was for although there were many thousand of Irish living in London, and not many Italians, It was the Italians, who fought there corner a lot more vigorously and had strong protection, and although fellow shop keepers many in the ice cream industry, and Ice, in general. Were paying through a protection racket, as soon as any trouble against an Italian or there family. Within minutes they would have a gang to fight there corner, Barney always thought this was hilarious, and told many Jewish shop keepers to change there names. Barney and Henry got there protection free.
Barney was still trying his hand at boxing, but he was having no success, one day the two brothers were watching an old Irish heavyweight. not that tall but very stocky, he had been fighting for years, but had been badly hurt, in a previous battle, and although his arm, lay at his side he could never throw a punch from that side in fact he was billed, as the one “One Armed Irishman” or “One Armed PAT” even with that disability he won many of his fights, the power of his right hook, being his only weapon, just one blow, would knock his opponents, out, for the count. He never bothered winning on points. Just head butting and the upper cutter. Is all he had?
But he was now getting past it and was fighting less and less. He was desperate to fight for a purse didn’t matter how small.
After convincing his brother and a friend David Harris, that he could beat the Irishman, but only if the terms were altered, the normal terms, for the fight could be 10 rounds, but a fight could be re-arranged, as long as both parties’ agreed, instead of the normal, 3 minute rounds, Barney negotiated a £25 Prize, winner takes all.
Just three rounds, at two minute each round, a draw and Barney would be the winner.
This wasn’t new, but was usually part of bank holiday race meeting, were any one could fight the champion, all they had to do was stay on there feet, for a few rounds,
The manager of the Irishman could see no problem, for a 5ft, 3inch teenager would be knocked out in the very first punch. Even betting was created with Barney being offered at 5/1 against.
The fight in the back of a pub in Petticoat lane, When Paddy looked at Barney; he almost called the fight off, and said that he had no intention of being tried for murder.
After much merriment, on both sides, it was agreed, the winner would be the person still standing, after three rounds, if both remained on there feet at the end of the 6 minutes, Barney would be deemed as the winner,
Obviously, the weight and height difference, made the fight laughable, but if promoted every fight can cause an interest, £25 to the winner, was never going to be ignored, and the fight was arranged. For Saturday night. When the betting commenced both sides, seeing some value the Irish prepared to bet big odds on. That Pat would knock the Jew out cold. In fact a few bets were offered; in bad taste that Barney would be lucky to get out with his life.
Only the two brothers knew of there plan, but even Henry was not fully convinced. But Barney had a habit of being right. More times than not.
The Fight was advertised as David v One armed Goliath, but strangely there were many punters interested in placing a bet, the odds for gambling purposes was now only 4/1 against, even the Bookmakers with there popular list houses, had taken bets thinking that it was money for nothing..
In the first two minutes of round one, all the little Jew did was run for his life, going round in circles. It appeared that he was behind the Irishman most of the time, who found it impossible to throw a serious punch. The first round was certainly a draw as no punch had been landed, in the second, there was a few right hander’s thrown, but missed by miles. What ever plan Barney had concocted, it was working,
The only danger was the possibility of the pub being burned down, unless they got a run for there money, it was clearly, a out up job, The first two rounds were uneventful to say the least, The two minutes seemed to go by very quickly. Before the punters knew it the Referee announced “Final Round”
The backers of the Irishman were beginning to boo loudly. When it was seen that one fighter didn’t wish to land a blow and the other couldn’t.
At the start of the third and final round, Barney was shattered, from just keeping out of Paddy’s way. And could hardly stand, The Irishman’s manager, whispered, “If you don’t throw at least one punch we wont get out of here alive,” just, throw, a punch, anywhere, Barney was trapped in a neutral corner when Paddy reluctantly, threw a right uppercut, only half hearted, Barney went down like a bag of potatoes. Lying on the wooden floor, it appeared that the boy was out cold, but as soon as the referee announced 8, he jumped up. And stood to attention in front of the referee. by the time they started again 20 seconds had gone, this time Barney surprised the Irishman by running head first into his mid riff, bouncing off him falling to the floor, the same thing happened again, and again, every time reaching 8 before recovering, even the referee, forgot to stop the fight after the final two minutes, but was soon reminded by a very observant, Barney confirmed by Pat,
In a period of corrupt sport, this must have been the only boxing match, were not one blow was landed; Barney had been on the floor no fewer than 7 times. But was declared the winner,
Complete strangers, ran into the ring and placing the winner Barney high on there shoulders. You would have thought, it was for the heavy weight championship.
It was amazing that there were very few objecting, for it had been a right confidence trick, only one person wishing to win and that wasn’t the one armed Irishman,
Barney would agree years after that it was the easiest money he had ever earned, over £200. Divided three ways between, Barney, Henry, and the owner of the Pub., Patrick’s manager.
Henry began to have full confidence in any of Barney’s bright ideas for he was a little genius. In the making, a very clever conman, that had soon convinced friends and foe, that he would go a long way. And certainly never starve.
Life in Spitalsfield, however was dire, and it was Henry and his friend David Harris, who had noticed references in the local news, of a Diamond, Rush in South Africa they decided to follow there instinct, and get the earliest ship they could find. .
In 1871 with a £150. Loaned by Harris’s mother, they were on there way. Over the next 6 months, letters telling Barney how well they were doing arrived, regular every one convinced Barney that he should follow suit.
It was a complete shock when all of a sudden David Harris arrived in Spitasfield, like a lord new suit, a large cigar, and a cake of readies at least £1400. After paying his mother the £150. she had loaned him, he would sit in one of the most popular public houses, telling every one who would listen, how well they had done in there first 6 months, when asked how Henry was doing, David confirmed he is doing fantastic, , AFRICAhttp://www.allaboutgemstones.com/images/diamond_mining_northcape_so_africa.jpg
It was many years later before Barney found out that the cash that David had come home with was what he had won gambling with his last few pounds, but didn’t want to tell anyone. For they all knew he was a compulsive gambler, and would soon be penniless again.
When Barney finally arrived in Kimberley it was 1872, with a few clothes and a five pound note, he found his brother living in a tent with his toes sticking out of his socks. Barney knew he had been conned, but soon forgave his brothers after all, they were both streetwise and in their small way entrepreneurs. They were a soon a double act again, Barney the ideas man, Henry, a hard worker, they son scraped a little capital together by trading a few cheap diamonds.
Every night Barney would go out alone, sitting with strangers he would ask all sorts of questions, doing what he was good at, picking brains, and reporting back to Henry what he had discovered.
There was no one who failed to enjoy Barneys Company, he would seek out old wealthy men, and join them in conversation, and he knew that old men usually lonely, in a place like Kimberly. Who were, missing there families, and loved ones, enjoyed good company, Barney would ask the simple question that all young 21 year old’s should ask,
“What would you do if you were starting out again” “and just arrived in South Africa”
Barney had found that it always worked.
This particular night, an old man who was covered in the trappings of diamond wealth, a Tie Pin, with a diamond as large as a thumb nail. rings on every finger, a gold chain, with gold fob watch, he soon told barney that in less than 2 years he had made a fortune, by just being in the right place at the right time, He explained that all the diggers were finding it very hard, now, and there was about to be a massive slump. But he had made his fortune already and was booked on the very next steamer back home. His answer to Barneys question was, certainly not the answer, he wanted,
Barney Barnatohttp://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4z08nZJl6Kk/S7UrgguA3LI/AAAAAAAAAIY/6U44ZnMSboo/s320/barney5
Fortunately he carried on, “If I come here again I would think bigger and buy more diamond sites before they disappeared. And sell them when every one was making a fortune and not hang around when it was obvious that the fortunes were no longer there.”
DOCTOR..ATHERSTONE.http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e2/WG_Atherstone00.jpg/220px-WG_Atherstone00.jpg
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Before Barney had time to sulk, the old man told him to go and have a word with that man in the corner, pointing to a fat man with a gigantic beard. “I always call him Doc, he was one of the first, diamond experts, to arrive, here I will introduce you to him his name is Dr Atherstone, the geologist he was the man who was asked to value, Eureka, the very first diamond, discovered in South Africa, he continued, “Doc, began as a medical practitioner, but had always been interested in the study of plants and fossils, he had returned to Kimberley only that week at the request, of the South African government, just to do a report, and see how bad the situation was for himself. A rather quite man, with a loud voice and louder laugh.
Fortunately for Barney he was alone, and didn’t mind, company, he confirmed that working conditions in Kimberley were deteriorating fast; it did appear that the Diamond industry had peaked, and that many illustrious diamond experts thought it was all over, and that no more fortunes, would be made. And that the big killings were over,
However, he looked at Barney, as if he was talking to a very close friend, Diamonds, finds are a bit like a sandwich, under the blue stone of worked out mines a new layer of diamonds would be found in time but no longer with a pick axe, some sort of machinery would be required. For the blue layer was very hard rock. And underneath, Stones will be found again.
The Big Hole
Barney had received his first lesson, in geology, and for less than 1/2 a bottle of Gin, he had been taught, how diamonds had formed, in the first place, and how they had been forced up to the surface in volcanic eruptions, causing diamond pipes, like a funnel growing steadily smaller the deeper it went.
About this time, the flow of diamonds from the yellow sand had started to dry up. But Barney had listened to Atherton, enough to be convinced how diamonds were formed and pushed to the surface in the pipes. It was time for Barney and Henry to take a giant, gamble, betting there whole future on what the doctor had told him,
.
The next day he got all the money that he had accumulated and with Henry in support, they began buying up the claims that disgruntled diggers had lost there money over, and there hearts, They then began to start to dig at the blue (Kimberlite) to see what was below, At first a few bits of diamonds were found, and then they flowed freely. By the end of the year they had sold £100 000 worth – the two brothers were off and running.
RANDLORDS http://www.henry-bar.net/familytree/Barney%20Barnato.jpg
http://www.henry-bar.net/familytree/Barney%20Barnato.jpg
This was a cut throat business, and Barney and Henry took no crap from anyone, one tale told of how at the Johannesburg Stock Exchange he overheard one of the traders refer to him as a ‘little Yid who should go back to the East End.’ Barnato walked over calmly, and with one punch, knocked him out cold, the chairman of the committee of the Stock Exchange declared they must both resign, at once, Barney responded:
“’How can I resign when I own the whole Exchange”?’
,
By 1888 Rhodes and Barnett Barnet had joined in a fight for control, with Barney still in a stronger position. Rhodes entered the struggle with his advisor Alfred Beit, a German who knew the diamond trade inside out. With his counselling The Englishman, and his backers, out manoeuvred Barney, taking over Kimberley Central. Rhodes and eventually gained a majority share in all Barnato’s company, purchasing three fifths of Kimberley Central’s stock and spending £5,338,650. Barney then realized that it was a big numbers game and that Rhodes had many very wealthy men behind him, were Barney was still just a very wealthy one man band,
Barnet agreed to give up control of Kimberley Central in exchange for becoming a life governor of the new company, along with Rhodes, Beit, and Philipson-Stow. And so De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited was born with Rhodes as its first chairman. The cheque he received took pride of place on his office, wall, and for years was the largest, cheque ever conducted.
With the Diamond Industry Rhodes, saw a bigger picture the whole of South Africa as his gaol. He had many backers some of the wealthiest Englishmen in the country, but also the great wealth of the Rothschild’s, all ready to back him, as well.
The one thing that was giving Rhodes a massive headache was security, African workers passed through a guarded gate, along a fenced walkway to the mine, s they worked at, and returned the same way. The only difference was that they were searched for diamonds on their return. They could only leave these compounds to go down the mine or to return home at the end of their contracts. There were two main reasons for the introduction of closed compounds:
From the outset, whites in Kimberley feared that they would be swamped by African
Workers. They demanded that Africans be ‘localised’ in their own Area of the diggings. However hard the new great Diamond Industry, attempted to control there finds, over half of all diamonds, were finding there way onto the open market uncut and illegal.
I do believe that it was planned this way, but within a very short period, Diamond brokerages, began to open, all over Kimberley, purchasing uncut diamonds,
There was nothing to be done, for there were still many independents working small. Sites,
The only problem however was that these Diamonds were illegally stolen, from the great conglomerates, and shipped into London, and the other world, Diamond centres,
Jack Barnhart Joelhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/04/Joel_4195203404_a44401e15e_o.jpg/220px-Joel_4195203404_a44401e15e_o.jpg
And there was one firm who organised and created this new business, was the Joel’s, led by Jack, Sully and Woolf, perhaps Barney and Henry, looked on this conspiracy, with a little anguish, but when you see who controlled the British end of this enormous, business, it couldn’t have happened without some compliance by the man at the top Barney,
There is no doubt in my mind that the two younger and arguably the greediest of the, Joels, had there hands as deep in the honey pot as it was possibly to contemplate.
In March 1884 in Kimberley, Sully’s Brother Jack was arrested and charged with illicit diamond buying. His bail was set at £4,000 but in April he fled to England. Never to return,
Since diamonds were so easy to steal, mine owners were constantly trying to find ways of preventing theft. They used different methods of searching workers and tried to introduce tighter controls over workers’ movements closed compounds were designed to control theft.
But it was the Diamond Trade Act that was most important, there was very little security, even in the well run mines, with 1/3 to 1/2 of all diamonds found, being sold off cheaply in an illegal action. Diamond stealing and smuggling, was at a record level. It just couldn’t continue, anyone found with an uncut diamond was required to explain how it came into his possession, that there, guilt was assumed while innocence had to be proven. This is a European concept, but is not usually found in English or American law.
Sully Joel http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Solomon_Joel_01.jpg/170px-Solomon_Joel_01.jpg
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As far as Esther Rantzen, is concerned, the Cap and Cloth industry in Spitersfield, changed drastically, not long after the Joel’s, arrived in Kimberley, Abraham, had set up as Diamond broker’s a massive jump from Cap to Diamonds, there is very little if any evidence what the Isaacs did, but I can assure you, there second hand cloths shop. Was soon passed on to a more worthy, family, for Barney and Henrys parents no longer needed to work. , As far as other relations, there were opportunities all over London, Barney was very wealthy, and so were every one concerned, with the family. Diamonds had started, the rush, but Gold and every business opportunity, that existed, whether it be legal, or black markets, this family business, were massive,
Barney however was concerned, with how the business was being run, although still only in his 50s, Barney placed Woolf the oldest of the Joel’s as Chairman, although everyone knew that the powerbase was Sully, and Jack..
, That summer the Metropolitan Police circulated a woodcut portrait of Jack,. But his warrant had been withdrawn on the insistence of Cecil Rhodes. “Questions were asked in Parliament” but Jack Joel avoided a trial and certain prison.
Back in South Africa, things were not as good as they had been, in the past, a great deal of trust, had disappeared, And although the Barney conglomerates, were making more and more money, things were not as Barney wished, he had lost confidence in his new partners. He was beginning to wish he had never invited the three Joels to come to Kimberley in the first place, but it was to late.
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Cecil Rhodes and Alfred Beit. And the Jameson Raid of three days, was an attempt to over throw, Paul Kruger’s and the Transvaal Republic,
British colonial statesman Leander Starr Jameson and his Rhodesian and Bechuanaland policemen. conducted a power struggle, although it took place unexpectedly during the New Year weekend of 1895–96. It was intended to trigger an uprising by the primarily British expatriate workers, but failed to do so. The Johannesburg conspirators. They were expected to recruit an army and prepare for an insurrection. The raid was ineffective and no uprising took place, but it was an inciting factor in the Second Boer War.
For Barney Barnato to get involved was a great mistake and proved that he was no politician, the only good thing was that he had feet in both camps, being a great friend of Paul Crugers, as well as business partner of Rhodes,s.
This plan was to eradicate the Dutch all together. A huge inflow from Britain came to the region in search of employment and fortune. The discovery of gold made the Transvaal overnight the richest and potentially the most powerful nation in southern Africa, The basic plan was that Johannesburg would revolt and seize the Boer armoury in Pretoria. Jameson and his force would dash across the border to Johannesburg to “restore order” and with control of Johannesburg would control the gold fields. However Jameson waited and waited for the insurrection and the instruction to move but in the meantime differences arose within the Reform Committee and between Johannesburg Uitlander reformers including regarding the form of government to be adopted after the coup. At a point, certain reformers contacted Jameson to inform him of the difficulties and advised him to stand down. Jameson, with 600 restless men and other pressures, became frustrated by the delays, and, believing that he could spur the reluctant Johannesburg reformers to act, He sent a telegram on 29 December 1895 to Rhodes warning him of his intentions - “Unless I hear definitely to the contrary, shall leave to-morrow evening” - and on the very next day sent a further message, “Shall leave to-night for the Transvaal”. However the transmission of the first telegram was delayed, so that both arrived at the same time on the morning of the 29 December, and by then Jameson’s men had cut the telegraph wires and there was no way of recalling him. A complete cock up.
On 29 December 1895 Jameson’s armed column crossed into the Transvaal and headed for Johannesburg. It was hoped that this would be a 3 day dash to Johannesburg before the Boer commandos could mobilise, and would trigger an uprising by the British.
Joseph Chamberlain, though sympathetic to the ultimate goals of the Raid, was uncomfortable with the timing of the invasion He swiftly travelled by train to the Colonial Office, ordering Sir Hercules Robinson, Governor-General of the Cape Colony, to repudiate the actions of Jameson and warned Rhodes that the Company’s Charter would be in danger if it were discovered the Cape Prime Minister was involved in the Raid. Chamberlain therefore instructed local British representatives to call on British colonists not to offer any aid to the raiders.
The business interest of Barney.co were best met, by doing what they were good at, financial transactions, and leave wars, battle between the Dutch and the British, in the hands of others.
The Jameson raiders initially exchanged fire with the Boers losing around thirty men before Jameson realized the position was hopeless and surrendered to Commander Piet Cronjé.The raiders were taken to Pretoria and jailed. A few days after the raid, the Kaiser of Germany sent a telegram (”Kruger telegram”) congratulating President Kruger and the Transvaal government on their success “without the help of friendly powers”, alluding to potential support by Germany. When this was disclosed in the British press, it raised a storm of anti-German feeling. Dr Jameson was lionized by the press and London society, inflamed by anti-Boer and anti-German feeling Jameson was sentenced to 15 months for leading the raid, which he served in Holloway. The Transvaal government was paid almost £1 million in compensation by the British South Africa Company.how close Barney had came to a similar sentence made him understand, the need, for a two feet in the same camp theology. but the closeness to disaster, worried Barney for years, some say it created a mental. Discrepancy that would haunt him, for the remainder of his life.
Rudyard Kipling’s the great British, poet, summed up. This whole episode. and although many thought it was based upon Jameson, I feel that it summed up Barnato, just as much, The Raid is recalled in a number of lines in the poem, “IF” including: If you can make a heap of all your winnings / And risk it at one turn of pitch and toss / And lose, and start again from your beginnings / And never breathe a word about your loss..you will be a man my son..
Barney had a great deal to lose, and never intended to have to start again, from his beginnings, he had come to far, he needed to improve his friendship with all the power brokers, not indulge in war games.
He would spend time discussing this and other matters with Lionel de Rothschild by 1890, had moved into oil and mining exploration, and financed the establishment of De Beers. The family were the best at this type of wealth management; it was this man who Barneto would consult in future.
Legend has it that Cecil Rhodes, after a weary twenty-eight hours of negotiation, with Barney. Suddenly produced a bucket full of diamonds. “Sign, Barney, and it’s all yours,” Rhodes is purported to have said. “You can’t win me with bribes”, Barnato replied, “but you have your fancy, as other men have theirs, and I see that I shall have to give you the means to go North.”
This was what Barney was good at bribery and corruption without a life being lost.
Barnato’s was influential in obtaining the release of Dr Leander Starr Jameson from the 1896 Boer government in the Transvaal, his discussions with Oom Paul Kruger, did not involve, any large buckets,
But it was Barney who negotiated with Oom Paul Kruger to get all his pals out of prison after the Jameson Raid.” even Jameson himself. But not at once, after all he was in England, a hero in some eyes. Later, Jameson became Prime Minister of the Cape Colony (1904–08) and one of the founders of the Union of South Africa. He was made a baronet in 1911.
In 1896 Barney had a great deal of things on his plate, he certainly wasn’t happy with the way, the conglomerate was being run, in his absence, meeting were taking place, were Sully appeared to rule the rhoost, and this was never Barney and Henrys intention in fact the youngest of the Joel’s. Solly was not his favored, boy,
Woolf was heir apparent, not Solly and Jack. in fact with Jack in England, it was Solly, who needed watching, in the late 1896, a meeting was arranged back in England were Barneys legal teams were to be asked to advise on the position of the company, for mismanagement, had become a problem.
This was the reason why Barney and Solly caught the SS Scott, and not the reason given, about Barny’s health.
End of Chapter one.
Chapter two
Disaster,
The Truth
When ever looking for the truth find someone who has no axe to grind, in the case of a autobiography of the dead, then wait until you are together in heaven, and ask him to change any errors, from the original.
http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/ships/1890/SCOT_443.jpg
In the particular, it is the truth of BARNET ISAAChttp://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTQGZJrTvoaZ-YQAaukW5CqGVB9V3uP2-q0rNjYQIeV9V70njNfkw that I am interested in, for when reading Google; there are many different interpretations of who he was, but most of all what became of him, when he died, at the very young age of
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c1/Solomon_Joel_01.jpg/170px-Solomon_Joel_01.jpg
The only thing we have that we can rely upon is that he was from the Jewish persuasion. Although he admits that unlike his grandfather Rabbi Isaac, he was not practising.
I therefore intend to write the full account of my life, and times, of which I feel you will be interested in.
I was born, Barnet Isaac at 9.15 on the 21st day of February 1853, and not the 5th July, 1853.quoted by some historians,
The poor family that I was born into in Islington, was always protective and loving, my father, traded in second-hand cloths from a small shop. We lived in the small rooms, in the rear, although when a boy I spent time in and around the Whitechapel slums, the many chroniclers, were wrong to claim that as my birth site.
The original name Barnet remained until I 15 year of age following anti-Semitism, it was true that Henry my brother and I decided to give our name and Italian sound, this was ideal. For Henrys, stage shows were we finished up be called the Italian Brothers,
Or the Barnato Brothers. When any stranger would ask, were the name was from, we would claim, half Yiddish and the other half, Italian,
It is true that I gained a small amount of money, begging tickets off, those who left a show at the half time stage, selling them on to clients that only wished to see the second half. From 14 when I left school to 21 I had various jobs, even working as a doorman, in my uncle’s pub.
What was going on in South Africa? Was exiting. But Henry managed to get enough for the trip. A long time before me, although the dream was diamonds, Henrys intention was to entertain, the many diggers, that he had been told were sitting around, with money to burn..
I had been called a little yidd, on many occasions, and will never forget the time that I fought a gang of 4 Irishmen, one at a time; I knocked one out and made the other three split there sides in laughter, with my Jewish-Cockney wit and humour.
People have indicated that only Henry and I left for Africa when in fact there were over 8, who tried there hands at diamond chasing between 1874 and 1880 I had read about the box of Cigars that I took all the way, to Kimberley, that is not true,
I made the initial break through by purchasing stolen stones un-cut, and selling them on at a massive profit, I found a way, of escaping the Kimberly police by having my own, cheap holes, that had dried up. And recording the stolen good, in my inventory,
This allowed me to earn £1500 in the last few months of the year, and became an itinerant buyer of diamonds, my genial personality allowed me the confidence, to grow bigger and bigger, I bought claims in the centre of the Kimberly Mine and prospered so that I was ultimately able to form the Barnato Diamond Mining Company.
At all times, my turnover was enlarged with the stolen stones, The bigger my turnover grew the more claims I purchased but still I became the biggest dealer of diamonds from the many independent mines, but added to this was vast IDB (illicit Diamond Buyer)activity, as diamonds began to flow again, legitimately, the majority of the “Rough” that I purchased was from thieves, in fact, when the industry became a large amalgamation, there records showed that it was impossible to get the amount of diamonds, that slipped through the net down below, 1/3rd to 1/5. I still carried on buying up claims. I also had a great network of curriers taking the stones, to London, were some of my relations were given the job as Diamond brokers.
I will not bore the readers with the deal that I finalised with Cecil Rhodes, other than to say, the many who believed that Rhodes had the best of the deal. I will happily. Divulge that the majority of my, claims were massively over valued.
The stage was now set for a titanic battle for the remainder of the Kimberly Central’s issued capital. Both Rhodes and I bought recklessly, and at a time when the price of diamonds barely covered the cost of production, the company’s shares soared from £14 to £49 within a few months. It still makes me laugh, when I remember that many of the diamonds dug from the Rhodes, mines, found themselves in my stock. This increased the assets that Rhodes was about to purchase.
After the deal that consisted of a bucket full of diamonds as an inducement I settled, for £5,338,650 for the assets of Kimberly Central plus becoming a life Governor…
.The larger you get in business the larger the mistakes you will make it was my major error inviting three nephews, Woolf, Jack, and Solomon Joel to join, I intended to rule South Africa the same was as Rhodes intended, the gold
.
The Jameson Raid in 1895/96 was a major mistake and proved that I should never have got involved in Kimberley politics,
The greatest find of the 1800s, was actually made, not in the Americas, but in South Africa. This great find revolutionized gold mining for more than a century made South Africa the world’s leading gold producer. The timing of the Joel’s, couldn’t have been better for Solomon, it gave him, the opportunity, of working for me, but buttering his own pockets, by misappropriation of companies books,
His elder brother Woolf on the other hand was loyal so much so that I made Woolf Joel the trusty of the whole Barnato estate, at the time I had a fortune, of over £40,000,000 in stocks, property, and investments, but I had found there was a company Haemorrhage, that if not corrected could bring us all down, much of the misappropriation was criminal.
I had lost a great deal of weight, it was something that I had to handle carefully, for and publicity, could have collapsed the majority of the company trust, and could have led to criminal charges of all the directors, not only Solomon,
During the last half of 1896 I had meetings with my legal team both in Kimberley and London and arranged a company meeting to disown, both Jack and Solomon taking them off the directorship.
Woolf who had been my favourite of the nephews, when I first met them, at there parents pubic house,
But it was an incident when they had just arrived in Kimberley, when I was in my office with Woolf, when there was a police raid, all my books were in order accept three rough uncut diamonds that I had just purchased, off an illicit diamond thief, this was before I had the illegal trading organised,
We were in trouble the charge for Illicit Diamond buying was based upon the size of the haul the three diamonds were made
Up of one very large, diamond, pure white and very expensive, two small diamonds worth no more than £5..http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTXzPuWXzV50a-UC3ePZpBEVSBqf7TR-_-FZJF0BG4aSCfymxwn
I gave the two small stones to Woolf, and without having time to explain what he was required to do the Police broke the door down.
As soon as they came in the room Woolf made a dash for it, being brought down in a sporting tackle when he opened his hands to reveal the rough,
I cried out “I disown you” Never look me in the face again; you know that this is unlawful.”
The police were rather apologetic to me for it was such a small breach of the law,
Woolf was still arrested and had to spend 2 months in the Kimberley jail.
If they had found the large stone I would have got 5 years,
I never forgot, Woolf’s, sacrifice, and increased his shares, and importance in the company, a decision that I never regretted,
Making him a senior trustee in my will.
It was arranged that I would go over to London, to the prearranged share holders meeting followed by the meeting with the company legal advisors, Jack Joel was already in London, Henry was on rout from Holland, Woolf would remain, in charge while we were away.
Solomon, who had been, away for some time, arrived the day before, I sailed, telling me that he had joined me and my family, on the trip to London.
It never occurred to me that he had spent a considerable time, telling many of my friends, and business colleges, that I was going through a very serious health break down, his opinion was that it had been brought about by the Jameson Raid, that I admit was a right cock up. it had never been other than that, my health was fine,
In 1897 I sailed to England with Solomon , my wife and small children, For the majority of the trip I spent with Solomon asking him how he would answer the charges if misappropriation, of the days, we were in company the vast majority of time never once did he admit the skulduggery, that could have sunk, the shares in our stock, leading to a run, on the company profits, it was strange that Solomon kept treating me like me a baby, in arms or a very old man suffering with dementia, one who had to be watched, for his own safety, it never occurred, to me the reasons for this odd behaviour, as we strolled along the side of the Scot, I stopped and gazed out to sea, the next thing I remembered was a loud cry of Help. I was pushed towards, the rail. And with the lifting motion, low down on my legs I toppled over into the sea,
Just before I toppled over the rail. I had time to cry out MURDER. The next thing I remember was hitting the water and going under it was fine and clear, the wind was still strong and the sea rough. Within a few minutes I could see the ship. Disappearing into the distance, for it had been travelling at anything just short of 20 knots, I was finding it difficult to keep a flout, I had never been a great swimmer, but managed to stay afloat doing a dogs paddle. for a while then on my back. Although I was panicking realizing what was about to happen.
I was soon overcome with the amount of water I had consumed; I had time to ask for gods, redemption. Before I slowly, submerged. From sight
The post mortem, was simple I had drowned, although the coroners, report that I had taken my own life, whist temporarily insane’.
The report that was produced some time after involved only two witness’s as to what had occurred.
“Soloman explained that for several months prior to the ships journey, Barney started acting strangely. He became more eccentric, began drinking heavily and suffered bouts of depression. we decided that for his health we would go to England, we all caught SS,Scot, Mr Barnato, his wife Fanny and three children, believing that a sea voyage would do him good. Barney and I was on deck, taking a walk after our lunch. We were deep in conversation, when Barney inexplicably ran to the railing, climbed it and jumped overboard.
The Scott’s fourth officer William Tarrant Clifford distinctly heard someone shout, ‘Murder!’ He turned to see Solly Joel hanging onto Barneys clothes as the man fell overboard. Clifford immediately dived in after Barnato but could not save him. Upon arrival in Madeira the coroner’s report declared ‘death by drowning while temporarily insane’. Barnato’s widow would never accept that her husband had taken his own life.http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSFWCsQYKxrxEgwWqIOO59Ed1baKVX6UzY92uFCJ42xdEnm5tQj
9 months later his nephew Woolf was killed by a German extortionist named Von Veltheim, This intriguingly left Solly Joel in command of the Barnato family fortune. Under the terms of Barneys will, after his family had been provided for, the sole survivor of the company took the rest.
Years later, according to historian James Leasor, Barney’s grand daughter Diana discussed Barney’s demise with her cousin Stanhope Joel - Solly’s son, who believed that his father had killed Barney.
Herbert Valentine Falk, Diana’s grandfather had heard rumours of an argument between solly and Barney before Barney’s death and decided to investigate. He eventually got permission to see the company’s books and found the relevant pages ripped out. After a court case to get access to the rest of the books, Mr Falk discovered that Solly had indeed swindled Barney out of £1 000 000. Which Solly then begrudgingly repaid to the family, with interest.
Alas, the mystery surrounding the death of Barney Barnato aged 47. Remains just that.
But the question interlinked with who murdered, Woolf and Why? Needs to be answered.
For without Woolf, the same two people that Barney was travelling to London to oust, from the Barnato business, Jack and Solly. Joel. Would finish up Billionaires,
The End.