- Bernard Oppenheimer
Sir Bernard Oppenheimer, 1st Baronet (
13 February 1866 –13 June 1921 ) was aSouth Africa n-Britishdiamond merchant andphilanthropist .Oppenheimer was chairman of Pniel's Ltd, the New
Vaal River Diamond & Exploration Company, and Blaauwbosch Diamonds Ltd, andmanaging director of Lewis & Marks Ltd ofHolborn . His brother, Sir Ernest Oppenheimer, was also heavily involved in the diamond industry.In July 1917, Oppenheimer established a scheme for training disabled soldiers in
diamond cutting atBrighton ,England . The Bernard Oppenheimer Diamond Works (National Diamond Factories Ltd) opened on Lewes Road on1 April 1918 . It was mainly paid for by Oppenheimer himself and by Lewis & Marks. In 1920 it also opened branches inCambridge ,Wrexham and Fort William. By 1921 the works employed about 2,000 men who were referred to it by theMinistry of Labour . New men received six months training, during which they were paid a maintenance allowance by the government, and were then virtually guaranteed employment at a good wage. The factory had a well-equippedclinic to provide ongoing care for the employees, many of whom wereamputee s or otherwise severely disabled. The business did not do well and closed in 1923, but reopened later the same year. It finally went intoreceivership in 1924.For his work with the disabled, Oppenheimer was created a
baronet in the 1921 New Year Honours. He died suddenly six months later at the age of 55.References
*Obituary, "
The Times ",14 June 1921 External links
* [http://www.mybrightonandhove.org.uk/page_id__5954.aspx Old Diamond Works, Brighton]
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