Benjamin Benjamin
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The Honourable Sir Benjamin Benjamin JP |
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|---|---|
| 42nd Mayor of Melbourne | |
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In office 1887–1889 |
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| Preceded by | William Cain |
| Succeeded by | Matthew Lang |
| Member of the Victorian Parliament for Melbourne Province |
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In office 1889–1892 |
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| Preceded by | Sir James Lorimer |
| Succeeded by | Robert Reid |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
2 September 1834 London, United Kingdom |
| Died | 7 March 1905 (aged 70) Melbourne, Australia |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Spouse(s) | Fanny |
| Religion | Jewish |
Sir Benjamin Benjamin JP, (2 September 1834 – 7 March 1905) was an Australian businessman and politician, member of the Victorian Legislative Council from 1889 to 1892.
Benjamin was born in London on 2 September 1834 to Moses Benjamin and Catherine Benjamin, née Moses. His family left for Australia in 1843 on a boat named London. He was educated in a school run by the Reverend William Jarrett, a Congregational Church minister.
After leaving school he joined M. Benjamin & Sons, his father's import and export business. In 1864 he and his brother-in-law Edward Cohen went into business together. He retired from active involvement in business in 1878.
Benjamin was heavily involved in the Melbourne Jewish community acting in various committee positions for the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation.
In 1870 he was elected to the Melbourne City Council in the Albert ward, becoming an Alderman in 1881 and Mayor between 1887 and 1889. He was the second Jewish Mayor of Melbourne, with his brother-in-law Edward Cohen preceding him by over twenty years. He became the first Melbourne Mayor and first Jewish Australian to receive a knighthood when he was made a Knight Bachelor in 1889.
In 1888 as Mayor of Melbourne Benjamin welcomed the Russian ship Rynda and Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich of Russia who was visiting the Australian colonies in a goodwill mission in light of tensions between Britain and Russia.
Benjamin was elected as a member for the Melbourne Province of the Victorian Legislative Council in 1889 and served until 1892.
His tenure as a Member of the Legislative Council was brought to a close after he was declared bankrupt when the Imperial Banking Co. collapsed. He had offered personal guarantees on the bank's finances. A subsequent court investigation cleared him but his reputation was reduced and he left public life.
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