Ralph Bernal
British politician (1783/84–1854)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ralph Bernal (2 October 1783[1] or 1784[2] – 26 August 1854) was a British Whig lawyer, politician, and art collector who served as Member of Parliament (MP) four times in various constituencies between 1818 and 1852. He also served as Chairman of Ways and Means, the senior Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons from 1831 to 1841 and again from 1847 to 1852. Bernal is sometimes referred to as The Elder Bernal to distinguish him from his son, Ralph Bernal Osborne, who was also an MP.
Ralph Bernal | |
|---|---|
| Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons Chairman of Ways and Means | |
| In office 1847 – 1 July 1852 | |
| Speaker | Arthur Onslow |
| Preceded by | Thomas Greene |
| Succeeded by | The Lord Winmarleigh |
| In office 27 June 1831 – 23 June 1841 | |
| Speaker | Arthur Onslow |
| Preceded by | Sir Alexander Grant |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Greene |
| Member of Parliament | |
| In office 26 August 1847 – 1 July 1852 | |
| Preceded by | Coningsby Waldo-Sibthorp |
| Succeeded by | Edward LeRoy Bowerman |
| Constituency | Rochester |
| In office 1842 – 23 July 1847 | |
| Preceded by | The Viscount Melville |
| Succeeded by | William Freestun |
| Constituency | Weymouth and Melcombe Regis |
| In office 14 April 1820 – 23 June 1841 Serving with See list
| |
| Preceded by | James Barnett |
| Succeeded by | William Bodkin |
| Constituency | Rochester |
| In office 18 July 1819 – 29 February 1820 | |
| Preceded by | Coningsby Waldo-Sibthorp |
| Succeeded by | Edward LeRoy Bowerman |
| Constituency | Lincoln |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 2 October 1783 or 1784 London, England |
| Died | 26 August 1854 (aged 69–70) London, England |
| Party | Whig |
| Spouse |
Ann Elizabeth White (m. 1806) |
| Children | Ralph |
| Parents |
|
| Alma mater | Christ's College, Cambridge (BA) |
| Profession |
|
Early life
His parents, Jacob Israel Bernal and wife Leah da Silva,[3] were Sephardi Jews of Spanish and Portuguese origin, but he was baptised at St Olave Hart Street in London.[1][4] His father was a merchant.
During his youth he became an actor and he performed to acclaim in several works by William Shakespeare, during which time he gained a reputation for oratory.
Career
He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Lincoln 1818–20[5] and MP for Rochester from 1820 to 1841 and again from 1847 to 1852.[2] From 1842 to 1847 he was MP for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis.[6]
According to the Legacies of British Slave-Ownership at the University College London, Bernal was awarded a payment as a slave trader in the aftermath of the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 with the Slave Compensation Act 1837. The British Government took out a £15 million loan (worth £1.48 billion in 2023[7]) with interest from Nathan Mayer Rothschild and Moses Montefiore which was subsequently paid off by the British taxpayers (ending in 2015). Bernal was associated with three different claims, he owned 564 slaves in Jamaica and received a £11,458 payment at the time (worth £1.13 million in 2023[7]).[8]
Bernal was president of the British Archaeological Association in 1853.[9] He built up a substantial collection of glass, ceramics and other art objects, which were auctioned after his death, with the 4,000 lots selling for £70,000.[1]
Personal life
In April 1806, he married Ann Elizabeth White.[10] Together, they were the parents of:
- Ralph Bernal (1808–1882), a politician, who took on the surname Osborne on marrying Catherine Isabella Osborne, the daughter of Sir Thomas Osborne, 9th Baronet.[11]
Bernal died on 26 August 1854.
