Ferdinand James von Rothschild

Ferdinand James von Rothschild
Ferdinand de Rothschild
Born	(1839-12-17)17 December 1839 Paris
Died	17 December 1898(1898-12-17) (aged 59) Waddesdon Manor
Nationality	British
Occupation	MP; Banker
Known for	Waddesdon Bequest
Spouse(s)	Evelina de Rothschild

Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild, the style he used in Britain, or Ferdinand James Anselm, Freiherr von Rothschild (17 December 1839 – 17 December 1898) was a French-born, Austrian-turned British and Jewish banker, art collector, and politician, who was a member of the prominent Rothschild family of bankers. He was a Liberal, later Liberal Unionist, MP who sat in the House of Commons from 1885 to 1898.

Although Ferdinand von Rothschild was born in Paris, he was from Vienna and a part of the Rothschild banking family of Austria. He was the second son of Baron Anselm von Rothschild (1803–1874) and his English wife Charlotte von Rothschild née Rothschild (1807–1859)., and the great-grandson of Mayer Amschel Rothschild. He held the hereditary title Freiherr (Baron) in the Austrian nobility. He became a British subject and moved from Vienna to London.

On 7 June 1865, he married his second cousin Evelina de Rothschild (1839–1866), the daughter of Lionel de Rothschild (1808–1879). On 4 December 1866 their son was stillborn, and Evelina died later the same day. In her memory, Ferdinand built, equipped and endowed the Evelina Hospital for Sick Children in Southwark, south London. He began terms as Treasurer of the Jewish Board of Guardians in 1868 and 1875, and as Warden of the Central Synagogue in 1870. An offer he made of £2,000 to anyone who could suggest a useful way of spending it led to the foundation of the Army Reservists' Home.