Sir Jacob Behrens
Born
Jacob Behrens

(1806-11-13)13 November 1806
Bad Pyrmont, Germany
Died22 April 1889(1889-04-22) (aged 82)
Torquay, England
NationalityBritish / German
Known forTextile merchant
Educator
Philanthropist

Sir Jacob Behrens (13 November 1806 – 22 April 1889) was an Anglo–German textile merchant.[1] His company, Sir Jacob Behrens & Son Ltd., was established in 1834 and still operates today.[2] Behrens was Jewish and was a prominent member of the Anglo-Jewish Association.[3][4]

Biography

Early life

Born in Bad Pyrmont, Germany, into a family of merchants, Sir Jacob Behrens settled in Leeds in 1834, establishing his business there.[3] He then moved to Bradford in 1838, opening a factory in Thornton Road.[5]

The businessman

Behrens helped to establish the Bradford chamber of commerce.[5] Behrens was knighted by Queen Victoria in 1882 for his work in strengthening trade relations between Britain and France.[5][6]

The educator

Behrens helped to reorganise Bradford Grammar School in 1871, and he helped establish the Great Horton Road Technical College in 1882.[5]

The philanthropist

Behrens was a prominent member of the Bradford Philosophical Society, and founded the Eye and Ear Hospital in Bradford.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Jacob Behrens". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  2. ^ "Official website". The Sir Jacob Behrens group. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  3. ^ a b c "Sir Jacob Behrens". Jewish Encyclopedia. Retrieved 23 November 2008.
  4. ^ "Sir Jacob Behrens 1806-1889 | Making Their Mark: Bradford Jewish".
  5. ^ a b c d "Behrens". Bradford Libraries. Retrieved 23 December 2008.
  6. ^ Tagore, Sourindro Mohun (1884). The orders of knighthood, British and foreign. Calcutta: By author. p. 196. OCLC 39255887.


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