In one generation covering the first third of the 19th century, the Rothschild family emerged from the Jewish ghetto in Frankfurt to become figures on the international stage. They would become known throughout the western world as leading international bankers and as one of the world's wealthiest families.

For his part, Lionel Rothschild is generally considered to have been the first Jewish member of the British Parliament - the only possible contender for the title being David Salomons, about whom see page 5. Rothschild's long fight for the right to sit in the House of Commons without swearing an explicitly Christian oath brought to a close the drawn-out struggle of non-Anglicans for political emancipation, and paved the way for the non-denominational Chamber that we have today.

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