Ralph Bernal

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Wikipedia

Ralph Bernal
Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons
Chairman of Ways and Means
In office
1847 – 1 July 1852
SpeakerArthur Onslow
Preceded byThomas Greene
Succeeded byThe Lord Winmarleigh
In office
27 June 1831 – 23 June 1841
SpeakerArthur Onslow
Preceded bySir Alexander Grant
Succeeded byThomas Greene
Member of Parliament
In office
26 August 1847 – 1 July 1852
Preceded byConingsby Waldo-Sibthorp
Succeeded byEdward LeRoy Bowerman
ConstituencyRochester
In office
1842 – 23 July 1847
Preceded byThe Viscount Melville
Succeeded byWilliam Freestun
ConstituencyWeymouth and Melcombe Regis
In office
14 April 1820 – 23 June 1841
Serving with
See list
Preceded byJames Barnett
Succeeded byWilliam Bodkin
ConstituencyRochester
In office
18 July 1819 – 29 February 1820
Preceded byConingsby Waldo-Sibthorp
Succeeded byEdward LeRoy Bowerman
ConstituencyLincoln
Personal details
Born2 October 1783 or 1784
London, England
Died(1854-08-26)26 August 1854 (aged 69–70)
London, England
PartyWhig
Spouse
Ann Elizabeth White
​
(m. 1806)​
ChildrenRalph
Parents
  • Jacob Israel Bernal
  • Leah da Silva
Alma materChrist's College, Cambridge (BA)
Profession
  • Politician
  • art collector

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.

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 £1.8 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 £1.37 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:

Bernal died on 26 August 1854.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Davies, Helen (2004). "Bernal, Ralph (1783–1854)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/2233. Retrieved 15 November 2010. (Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.) available online to subscribers, and also in print
  2. 1 2 Rayment, Leigh. "Rochester (Kent)". House of Commons. Archived from the original on 20 December 2009. Retrieved 15 November 2010.
  3. ↑ "CRAWLEY m. BERNAL 1792". Curiousfox.com. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  4. ↑ Members Constituencies Parliaments Surveys. "BERNAL, Ralph (1783-1854), of 11 Park Crescent, Mdx". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  5. ↑ Rayment, Leigh. "Lincoln (Lincolnshire)". House of Commons. Archived from the original on 29 October 2008. Retrieved 15 November 2010.
  6. ↑ Rayment, Leigh. "Weymouth &Melcombe Regis (Dorset)". House of Commons. Archived from the original on 10 August 2009. Retrieved 15 November 2010.
  7. 1 2 UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  8. ↑ "Ralph Bernal". University College London. Retrieved on 20 March 2019.
  9. ↑ "Past Presidents". British Archaeological Association. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  10. ↑ "Joy-Lumsden-Kingston-6 - User Trees". genealogy.com. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  11. ↑ Beales, Derek (2004). "Osborne, Ralph Bernal (1808?–1882)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/2234. Retrieved 15 November 2010. (Subscription, Wikipedia Library access or UK public library membership required.) Available online to subscribers, and also in print