SIR EDGAR SPEYER

Hokitika Guardian, 8 April 1932, Page 6

SIR EDGAR SPEYER

GERMA-.x FINANCIER DEAD

LONDON, March 1

A. German millionaire financier, Sir Edgar Speyer, who became a naturalised Briton in 1892, -..a baronet in 1906, and rose to the rank of Privy Councillor, only to be denaturalised in 1921 for disloyalty to his King and country, died in a Berlin clinic a few days ago.

Sir Edgar Speyer was a chairman of tiie London Underground Railways, a noted philanthropist and patron of the arts, and head of the bank of of. Speyer Brothers. He was made a Privy Councillor in 1909, but in 1913 he resigned his various offices, and: wrote to Mr Asquith, then Prime Minister, asking him to revoke , his baronetcy and allow him to resign from the Privy Council. No action was taken, hut in 1921 Sir Edgar’s naturalisation certificate was withdrawn as a result of the finding

of the Naturalisation (Revocation) Committee, whose report read: “That Sir Edgar Speyer has shown himself by act and speech to be disaffected and disloyal to liis Majesty. “That Sir Edgar Speyer, during a war in which his Majesty was engaged, unlawfully communicated with subjects of an enemy State and associated with business which was to his knowledge carried on in such manner as to assist the enemy in such war. “That- the continuance of Sir Edgar Speyer’s certificate is not conducive l to the public good.” Sir Edgar then left the country and had since been in London only once, when, in 1924, he went there on a visit from America. He was seventy years of age. He loaves no heir