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1922 Encyclopædia Britannica/Michelham, Herbert Stern, 1st Baron

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16933981922 Encyclopædia Britannica — Michelham, Herbert Stern, 1st Baron

MICHELHAM, HERBERT STERN, 1st Baron (1851-1919), British financier, was born Sept. 28 1851, the son of Hermann de Stern, Portuguese baron and banker, and Julia Goldsmid. He entered his father's banking house, Stern Bros., of London, Paris and Belgium, and inherited from his father the Portuguese barony and a fortune of 2,000,000, which was much increased by his own financial ability. In July 1905 he was created a baronet and in Dec. was raised to the peerage of the United Kingdom as Baron Michelham. He presented to the nation the quadriga surmounting the arch on Constitution Hill, and subscribed liberally for the purchase of pictures for the National Gallery, besides forming a valuable private collection. He was also well known as an owner of race-horses. During the World War he bought the Hotel Astoria in Paris for use as a British hospital, and established and maintained a convalescent home for officers at Cimiez. He died in Paris Jan. 7 1919 and was succeeded by his son Herman Alfred Stern, 2nd Baron (b. 1900).