a man of culture and a lover of art and literature, became embittered by the fact that his seven children, of whom Emma Louisa was one, were all girls.
WAS A NOTED HOSTESS
After her marriage to Nathaniel Mayer, who became the first Lord Rothschild in 1885, Emma Louisa became an integral part of the social life which centered around Buckingham Palace.
Her husband, during his undergraduate days at Trinity College, was on friendly terms with his fellow student, who later became King Edward of England. This intimacy continued until Edward’s death.
Emma Louisa was a noted hostess during the period of Edward’s reign and frequently entertained members of the royal family. When the late Queen Alexandria was Princess of Wales, she and Emma Louisa were close friends.
CARRIED ON HUSBAND’S WORK
Emma Louisa’s husband, Nathaniel Mayer, first Lord Rothschild, who died in 1915, was the first Jew to take a seat in the House of Lords, an event which was regarded as signalizing the complete emancipation of English Jewry.
Despite his social position in the London of King Edward, he never lost a vigorous interest in Jewish affairs. His wife, who had cooperated with him in this respect during his lifetime, carried on his work after his death.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.