Alexander Raphael
British politician (1775–1850)
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Alexander Raphael (1775–1850) was a British politician who was the first British-Armenian to serve in the House of Commons.[1] He was returned as a Whig MP from the Irish constituency of County Carlow, at a by-election in June 1835. However the election was challenged on petition and he was unseated on 19 August 1835. Raphael succeeded in re-entering the House of Commons as a Catholic Whig from St Albans in 1847 and retained the seat until his death.
Alexander Raphael | |
|---|---|
| Member of Parliament for St Albans | |
| In office 1847–1850 | |
| Preceded by | Benjamin Bond Cabbell |
| Succeeded by | Jacob Bell |
| Member of Parliament for Carlow | |
| In office June 1835 – 19 August 1835 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1775 Madras, India |
| Died | 1850 (aged 74–75) |
| Party | Whig |
Prior to serving in Parliament, he had been Sheriff of London for 1834, where he lost the tip of his left index finger in a fight with a criminal.[2]
Early life
Raphael was born in Madras, India to father Edward Raphael, a founder of Carniac Bank who died in 1791, and mother Maria Stephana Manuel, who died in 1790. He was baptised as a Catholic. His father was reportedly descended from Armenians (surnamed either Gharamiants or Kharan) who moved to New Julfa, Iran in the mid-17th century and then Madras. Raphael was tutored by Father Nicholas Pusani.[3]
Legacy
His legacy is St Raphael's Church in Surbiton, London, which he financed and had built as a family chapel. Completed in 1848, only two years before his death, it was later opened to the public as a Roman Catholic church by his nephew, Edward.[4]
