Sir Sigismund Ferdinand Mendl (2 December 1866 – 17 July 1945) was a British

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

politician and businessman.

Early life

Mendl was born in Kensington, the son of Czech-born grain importer and shipowner Ferdinand and Jeanette Rachel Mendl. He was educated at

Harrow School Harrow School () is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English boarding school for boys) in Harrow on the Hill, Greater London, England. The school was founded in 1572 by John Lyon (school founder), John Lyon, a local landowner an ...

and

University College, Oxford University College, formally The Master and Fellows of the College of the Great Hall of the University commonly called University College in the University of Oxford and colloquially referred to as "Univ", is a Colleges of the University of Oxf ...

, graduating with second-class honours in Jurisprudence, and was called to the bar at the

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional association for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practice as a barrister in England and Wa ...

. Mendl was a grain importer, like his father, and served as president of the London Corn Trade Association from 1909 to 1912 and again from 1915 to 1919, and on the Royal Commission on Wheat Supplies until 1920. From 1915 to 1918, he was also a member of the War Office Advisory Committee on Army Contracts. Mendl was the first chair of

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis after his acquisition of a gramophone manufacturer, The Decca Gramophone Company. It set up an American subsidiary under the Decca name, which bec ...

, a company that his grandson,

Hugh Hugh is the English-language variant of the masculine given name , itself the Old French variant of '' Hugo (name)">Hugo'', a short form of Continental Germanic Germanic name">given names beginning in the element "mind, spirit" (Old English ). ...

, worked for. He was appointed Vice President of the World Services Group in 1938.

Political career

Mendl was the Liberal MP for

Plymouth Plymouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers River Plym, Plym and River Tamar, Tamar, about southwest of Exeter and ...

from 1898 to 1900, having unsuccessfully contested the seat in 1895 and the Isle of Wight constituency in 1892. During his election campaign in Plymouth, the Chief Rabbi

Hermann Adler Hermann Adler HaKohen CVO (30 May 1839 – 18 July 1911; Hebrew: נפתלי צבי הירש הכהן אדלר) was the Chief Rabbi of the British Empire from 1891 to 1911. The son (and successor as Chief Rabbi) of Nathan Marcus Adler, the 1911 ...

urged Jewish voters in Plymouth to vote for the non-Jewish

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

candidate over Mendl, who was Jewish. From 1915 to 1918, Mendl served on the War Office Advisory Committee on Army Contracts. Mendl was knighted in 1918.

Personal life

He married Frances Moses in 1888, with whom he had two sons. His younger brother, Charles Mendl, was a diplomat. He died on 17 July 1945. His funeral was held on 20 July at

Golders Green Crematorium Golders Green Crematorium and Mausoleum was the first crematorium to be opened in London, and is one of the oldest crematoria in Britain. The land for the crematorium was purchased in 1900, costing £6,000 (the equivalent of £136,000 in 2021), ...

References

1866 births 1945 deaths Alumni of University College, Oxford Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire Liberal Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies People educated at Harrow School UK MPs 1895–1900 Members of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for Plymouth Jewish British politicians {{England-Liberal-UK-MP-stub