Sir Benjamin Benjamin (2 September 1834 – 7 March 1905) was an Australian businessman and politician. He was

mayor of Melbourne This is a list of mayors and lord mayor, lord mayors of the City of Melbourne, a Local government in Australia, local government area of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. Mayors (1842–1902) Lord mayors (1902–1980) The title o ...

between 1887 and 1889, before serving as a member of the

Victorian Legislative Council The Victorian Legislative Council is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria, Australia, the lower house being the Victorian Legislative Assembly, Legislative Assembly. Both houses sit at Parliament House, Melbourne, Parliament ...

from 1889 to 1892.

Early life and education

Benjamin was born in

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, on 2 September 1834 to Moses Benjamin and Catherine Benjamin (''

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'' Moses). His family left for the

Colony of New South Wales The Colony of New South Wales was a colony of the British Empire from 1788 to 1901, when it became a State of the Commonwealth of Australia. At its greatest extent, the colony of New South Wales included the present-day Australian states of New ...

in 1843 on a boat named ''London''. He was educated in a school run by the Reverend William Jarrett, a

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minister.

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. He retired from active involvement in business in 1878.

Public life

Benjamin was heavily involved in the Melbourne Jewish community acting in various committee positions for the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation. In 1870, he was elected to the

Melbourne City Council The City of Melbourne is a local government area in Victoria, Australia, located in the central city area of Melbourne. In 2021, the city has an area of and had a population of 149,615. The city's motto is "''vires acquirit eundo''" which ...

in the Albert ward, becoming an Alderman in 1881, and

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from 1887 to 1889. He was the second

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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

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in 1889. 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. Benjamin was elected as a member for the Melbourne Province of the

in 1889 and served until 1892.

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. A subsequent court investigation cleared him but his reputation was reduced and he left public life.

Death and legacy

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

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Benjamin, Benjamin 1834 births 1905 deaths Jewish Australian politicians Jewish mayors People from the Colony of Victoria Politicians from Melbourne Australian justices of the peace Australian Knights Bachelor Members of the Victorian Legislative Council Mayors and lord mayors of Melbourne Politicians from London 19th-century mayors of places in Australia British emigrants to the Colony of New South Wales People from East Melbourne