Disraeli, Benjamin

Disraeli, Benjamin 1st Earl of Beaconsfield (1804-81), statesman, b. London.

In 1837 the new Member of Parliament for Maidstone, Kent, stood up in the House of Commons to make his first speech. He was a thirty-two year-old Jew named Benjamin Disraeli, well known as an author and a figure in London society, and noted for the way he dressed. He might wear a black velvet coat lined with satin, mauve trousers with a gold stripe down them, a crimson waistcoat and white gloves with several jewelled rings on the fingers.

His fellow MPs were not impressed by Disraeli's fanciful speech. They laughed and jeered, but, as he sat down, Disraeli said, "Though I sit down now, the time will come when you will hear me."

He was right. Disraeli was Prime Minister of Britain twice, in 1868 and 1874-80. He passed many laws to help ordinary people and in his dealings with other countries he made sure Britain was respected.

He is remembered as one of Britain's greatest Prime Ministers.

See Adam Kirsch Benjamin Disraeli