BARNATO, BARNEY

BARNATO, BARNEY
BARNATO, BARNEY (Barnett Isaacs; 1852–1897), South African financier and mining magnate. Born in London, Barnato was educated at the Jews' Free School and went to Kimberley, South Africa, in 1873, during the diamond rush. He joined his brother Henry and they began buying diamonds as well as claims which were becoming unworkable as separate units. Within a short time the mines were bringing in an income of $9,000 a week. In 1881 the Barnato brothers formed the Barnato Diamond Mining Company, with capital of over $500,000. It soon rivaled the De Beers Mining Company of Cecil J. Rhodes, who was aiming at control of the diamond fields. The struggle between Rhodes and Barnato ended in 1888 with the amalgamation of the two companies into the De Beers Consolidated Mining Company, in which Barnato became a life governor. In the same year he was elected to the legislative assembly of Cape Colony. With the discovery of the Witwatersrand gold fields, Barnato acquired large holdings in Johannesburg, where the Barnato group eventually became one of the big mining units. In 1895 his optimism and business acumen saved the Rand from a serious slump. He denounced the Jameson Raid of that year which was aimed at   overthrowing the government of Paul Kruger, but interceded with Kruger to reduce the offenders' sentences. Barnato was a colorful figure who loved to act in Shakespeare and sport fancy waistcoats. His wealth, financial shrewdness, and mode of living made him almost legendary. His vast interests, however, imposed a considerable strain on him and on a voyage to England in 1897, apparently emotionally disturbed, he jumped overboard and was drowned. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: H. Raymond, B.I. Barnato (1897); L. Herrman, History of the Jews in South Africa (1935), 228ff.; R. Lewinsohn, Barney Barnato (1937); S. Jackson, The Great Barnato (1970). ADD. BIBLIOGRAPHY: G. Wheatcroft, The Randlords (1985), index; ODNB online. (Lewis Sowden)

Encyclopedia Judaica. 1971.

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  • Barnato, Barney — ▪ British financier original name  Barnett Isaacs   born 1852, London, Eng. died June 14, 1897, at sea       financier and diamond magnate who rivaled Cecil Rhodes in struggling for control in the development of the South African mining industry …   Universalium

  • Barnato, Barney — (1852 97)    South African mining magnate. Born in London, he went to the Jews Free School. In 1873 he went to South Africa during the diamond rush. He initially ran a theat rical company, and later worked in the diamond industry. Together with… …   Dictionary of Jewish Biography

  • Barnato, Barney (Barnett Isaacs) — (1852–97)    South African mining magnate. At the age of twenty one, Barnett Isaacs went to South Africa from his native London to join his brother Henry on the newly discovered Kimberley diamond mines. A colourful character, sporting fancy… …   Who’s Who in Jewish History after the period of the Old Testament

  • Barney Barnato — (born Barnett Isaacs) (5 July 1852 – 14 June 1897) was a South African Randlord, one of the entrepreneurs who gained control of diamond mining, and later gold mining, in South Africa from the 1870s. Background He was born in 1852 in a slum in… …   Wikipedia

  • Barney Barnato — Barney Barnato, um 1890 Barney Barnato (* 5. Juli 1852 in Whitechapel, London; † 14. Juni 1897, geboren als Barnett Isaacs) war ein südafrikanischer Diamantenmagnat, erst Gegenspieler von Cecil Rhodes, dann mit ihm Miteigentümer von de Beers.… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Barnato — ist der Name folgender Personen: Barney Barnato (1852–1897), südafrikanischer Diamantenmagnat Diana Barnato Walker (1918–2008), englische Pilotin Woolf Barnato (1895–1948), Sohn von Barney Barnato, englischer Autorennfahrer und Finanzier, der als …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Barney — may refer to:;Media * Barney Friends , a children s TV show ** Barney (character), a purple dinosaur, the main character of Barney Friends * Barney (TV series), a British animated children s series * Barney Bear , a cartoon series * Barney Google …   Wikipedia

  • Barnato — may refer to: *Barney Barnato (born Barnett Isaacs) *Woolf Barnato (Joel Woolf Babe Barnato) …   Wikipedia

  • Barney (Vorname) — Barney (Aussprache: engl. /ˈbɑr.nɛɪ/ oder ˈ/bɑr.ni/, eingedeutscht: /ˈbaɐ.ni/) ist eine englische Koseform des männlichen Vornamen Bernhard (Bernard, Barnard), Barnabas und Barnaby. Berühmte Träger des Namens Reale Personen Robert Barney Baker… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Barnato Walker, Diana — ▪ 2009       British pilot born Jan. 15, 1918, London, Eng. died April 28, 2008, Surrey, Eng. as a prominent member of the Atagirls, the women s branch of the World War II Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA), delivered some 250 Spitfires and other… …   Universalium

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