Gerald George Samuel1,2 (M)
b. 1886, d. 7 June 1917, #8486
Pop-up Pedigree

Gerald George Samuel was born in 1886 at Marylebone, London, Middlesex, and his birth was registered in the June quarter 1886 at Marylebone Registration district.3,2 He was the son of Marcus Samuel and Fanny Elizabeth Benjamin.3 He appeared on the census of 5 April 1891 at 20 Portland Place, St Marylebone, London, as Son, age 4, birthplace Marylebone, London.1 He was listed as Merchant of 25 Bishops Gate, E.C., in 'The London Gazette Issue 29300 published on the 17 September 1915' concerning Land Registry, Land Transfer Acts, 1875 and 1897 for Title 18420, land at Mile End Old Town, London, described as 'Freehold buildings and land, 14½, Trafalgar Square'. This was jointly undertaken with Denzil Alex Myer.4 He died on 7 June 1917; when he was killed in action during the Great War [WWI]. The Commonwealth Wargraves Commission provide the following information:

'Name: SAMUEL, GERALD GEORGE
Initials: G G
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lieutenant
Regiment/Service: Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)
Unit Text: 10th Bn.
Age: 31
Date of Death: 07/06/1917
Additional information: Son of Lord and Lady Bearsted, of 3, Hamilton Place, Piccadilly, London.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 45 and 47.
Memorial: YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL.5,6'


According to V. D. Lipman, the Samuel and Myer Home was the first connection the Jewish Board of Guardians had with the general welfare of boys, as distinct from provisions such as apprenticeships, and its history was as follows:

'... Gerald Samuel (Honorary Secretary) and Denzil Myer (a member of the Apprenticing Committee) had purchased a freehold of a house in Trafalgar Square, Stepney, intending to adapt it as a Home for ten working boys, and to live there and run it personally. They were both killed in action in 1917 and the second to be killed, Gerald Samuel, bequeathed the house and £10,000 for its maintenance to the Board [of Guardians], on the condition that two or more gentlemen would live there supervise the home and look after the boys... In 1923 a married couple became Honorary Warden and Matron and a gift from Lady Bearsted (Gerald Samuel's mother), made it possible to take in the full complement of ten boys.7,4'