Scope and content
Mostly comprises family heirlooms including letters, photographs, portraits, religious
books, scientific books, official catalogues, testimonials, patent specifications,
medals, embroideries, furniture and other memorabilia. The family also began the tradition
of keeping visitors books, which has continued to the present day.
Record creators history
The Salomons Family was a Victorian family renowned for scientific endeavour and for
campaigning for the political rights of Jews and other religious minorities. The two
main family members were Sir David Salomons (1797-1873) who became the first Jewish
Lord Mayor of London and his nephew, Sir David Lionel Salomons (1851-1925) who was
a scientist and engineer, particularly interested in photography and mechanical devices
including the motor car and electricity.
The family residence from 1829 was Broomhill near Tunbridge Wells in Kent. The enlarging
of the house and landscaping of the grounds continued for most of Sir David's life.
Sir David Lionel continued to develop the house by adding the water tower, workshops,
stables and motor-carriage houses (garages). He also added a science theatre with
photographic studio and chemical laboratory attached. He also installed a Welte player
pipe organ in the science theatre. This is now the only one of its type left in the
world. Finally Sir David Lionel added a top storey to the house, which was made from
local stone and bricks made on the estate.
Broomhill was the first building in England to use electricity for cooking and other
domestic work. The first light was installed in the workshops in 1874 and in 1896
a dynamo was installed.
The house was presented to Kent County Council by a deed dated 1937 with the proviso
that it be used in an educational, scientific, medical or museum capacity. From 1948
to 1971 the house was used as a convalescent home by the NHS. It then became a conference
and training centre for the South East Thames Regional Health Authority until Salomons
Centre was created as a trading agency of the Authority in 1993. In 1996 Salomons
Centre was divested to Canterbury Christ Church College, later Canterbury Christ Church
University College.
For a more detailed history of the family and the estate see www.salomonscentre.org.uk/history
Archival history
On the transfer of the house by Vera Bryce Salomons the family heirlooms and papers
were collected together into the Memento Rooms. Anything which was left outside these
rooms has not survived. This includes the majority of the estate and household records
of the family, which cannot be found.
Accruals
Further accruals are unlikely.
System of arrangement
This collection is divided in the catalogue into the different family members and
also has a section for the Goldsmid, Stern and Montefiore families.
Conditions governing access
To view this collection please apply in writing to the Librarian, Kathy Chaney, Salomons
(Canterbury Christ Church University College), David Salomons Estate, Broomhill Road,
Southborough, Kent, TN3 0TG
Email k.v.chaney@salomons.org.uk
Telephone 01892 507717
Conditions governing reproduction
Reproduction of these documents is at the discretion of the Librarian and is subject
to copyright and the preservation needs of the documents.
Other finding aids
Most material is numbered and catalogued in David Salomons House, Catalogue of Mementos by M. D. Brown (1968). An additional list was produced in 1995. There is also Catalogue of Medals relating to the History of Transport by M. D. Brown (1968) and Catalogue of Ballooniana. An electronic location list in Word is also available.
Related material
The Salomons family had wide ranging influence and references to them appear in many
types of documents held throughout the country. Other collections that have been traced
so far are as follows:
- Records of the David Salomons Society, reference SS, held at Salomons.
- Records at the Public Record Office. On line catalogue available www.pro.gov.uk
- British Library, Manuscript Collections. Correspondence with Sir Robert Peel, 1835-1849,
and W.E. Gladstone, 1854-1871.
- Other references are available at the National Register of Archives Persons Index
www.hmc.gov.uk
- For a general survey of Jewish archives see the University of Southampton Library
website www.archives.lib.soton.ac.uk
- For early records of Broomhill Estate see Powell MSS U934 T2 and T3 held at the Centre
for Kentish Studies, County Hall, Maidstone, Kent ME14 1XQ. Telephone 01622 694363.
Extent
2 rooms
Keywords
Subjects:
Judaism
Jews
Religious minorities
Photography
Electricity
Chemistry
Mechanical engineering
Transport engineering
Lighting
Motor vehicles
Family names:Salomons family 1797-1938 Broomhill, Tunbridge Wells
Language of the material
English,
French,
Hebrew,
German,
and Italian.
Record creator
Content provider