Staff Photographs

Staff photographs: early staff photograph, Clerks and porters outside New Court, c.1880

1/217 (000/954), 1 item

A single photograph of clerks and porters outside New Court, c.1880, with a key to the persons depicted. These photograph was were kept in a file containing miscellaneous items of historical significance retained in the NMR Secretary’s Department, 1 series files.

Staff photographs: sundry photographs taken just before the First World War, 1910-1914

000/348/1; 1/217 (000/954), 1 volume; 4 items

Photographs of NMR staff taken just before the First World War:

• small photograph album of portraits of New Court staff compiled between 1910 and 1914. The staff are posed at their desks or in offices in the second New Court. There is a list of sitters with the volume. (000/348)
• photograph of ‘Wise, 1914’; photograph of ‘Montefiore, 1914’; photograph of ‘Bartram, 1914’ ; photograph of ‘P.Noble, “The Old Un”’. These images were kept in a file containing miscellaneous items of historical significance retained in the NMR Secretary’s Department, 1 series files.

Staff photographs: Annual Dinner, c.1930

000/1415/22, 1 item

Photograph of an unknown 'Annual Dinner' event c.1930. The precise event is not known; the photograph was discovered in the Treasury Business Operations Department, with photographs relating to the Gold Fixing, so it may have been an event for those involved in this. Mr Roland Williams of NMR is the only person in the photograph who has been identified.

Staff photographs: 'New Court staff' photograph albums, 1937

000/307/1-4, 000/2736/1, 4 volumes, 1 folder

New Court: New Court staff photograph albums, 1937. Little is known about the compilation of these three albums. They are all dated 1937, and near identical in format. They contain small, informal monochrome photographs of New Court staff. The albums are not duplicates of each other; some contain different images of the same person, others the same images, but arranged in a different order. Staff are largely shown seated or standing at their desks in the second New Court. Some images are more posed than others. Some, such as that of May Gregory, switchboard operator, show staff engaged in daily tasks; others show clerks on the telephone or writing in ledgers. Each photograph is accompanied by a small label, upon which the staff member has signed their name in ink.

The inscription in the first volume 000/307/1 states "This Album is dedicated to my colleagues at New Court with apologies for many shortcomings. H.S.Alton, mcmxxxvii. Dulce est desipere in loco" [It is pleasant to be frivolous at the appropriate time]. The photographs were taken by two clerks at New Court, H.S. Alton and F.C. Reed, and the back of the album records the following ditty in ink beneath their photographs: "These photographs, taken by Alton and Reed/On sensitive film of most fabulous speed/For a second's exposure arrested careers/And recorded expressions for subsequent years." It is not known which images are by Alton or Reed. The photographs are of high quality in composition and lighting, leading to speculation that the photographers may have been influenced by Lionel de Rothschild (1882-1942); Lionel was an accomplished photographer. Judging by the smartness of the dress of the the sitters, it is clear that the exercise was carefully planned, but no Rothschild partners are included amongst the images, which would suggest that the album was a private endeavour amongst the New Court staff rather than an 'official' compilation, although the undertaking would have required the approval of the firm.

• New Court Staff photograph album, 1937. This album appears to contain more photographs than the other two below, including images of the exterior of New Court and staff of the Royal Mint Refinery. (000/307/1);
• New Court Staff photograph album, 1937 (000/307/2);
• New Court Staff photograph album, 1937 (000/307/3);
• New Court Staff photograph album, 1937 (000/2736/1). [Note: This example was gifted to the Archive from the estate of the late Mr Michael Bucks, a former Partner at New Court];
• New Court Staff photographs (loose). A folder of loose photographs of New Court and New Court staff, many duplicates from the 1937 albums, and a small collection of cartoons drawn by staff and humorous verse and quotations written by staff, c.1937-1950. These items were found inside the albums when they were transferred to the Archive. (000/307/4).

Staff photographs: NMR seasonal party, Christmas, 1949

000/2307/1, 1 item

Large photograph of guests in formal attire at a dinner party. The event is believed to be the N M Rothschild & Sons seasonal party, held Christmas 1949. The location for the event is unknown. The photograph was a gift from a Rothschild pensioner, Ms Vivienne Burrows, who may have attended the event.

Staff photographs: NMR Partners' and staff, c.1960

000/212, 5 items

NMR staff with Mr Edmund de Rothschild and Mr Anthony de Rothschild; NMR Boardroom with Mr Edmund at the head of table.

Staff photographs: photograph of the New Court staff taken shortly before the demolition of the second New Court, c.1962

000/910, 13 items

Copies of an official photograph of the New Court staff, taken in the courtyard of the second New Court, shortly before the demolition of the second New Court, to allow for the building of the third New Court, 1962-1965. One copy is framed in amodern frame. A key to the to names of persons depicted (compiled by the Archive c.2006) is available. Copies of this photograph were held by the Secretary's Department and the Staff Department, others have been donated to the Archive by former members of staff and their famillies.

In 1962, the bold decision was taken to rebuild New Court. Senior Partner Mr Edmund de Rothschild (1916-2009), and the Partners Evelyn (later Sir Evelyn) de Rothschild (1931-2022), Leopold de Rothschild (1927-2012) and Jacob (later Jacob, 4th Lord Rothschild) de Rothschild (b.1936) created a new Rothschild-owned company to undertake the development. The architect Fitzroy Robinson was commissioned and the construction company Trollope & Colls were appointed to oversee the project. In 1962, staff said goodbye to the old New Court and left for a temporary office in City Gate House, Finsbury Square. In 1965 the staff returned to St Swithin's Lane to a building very different to that which they had left. 

Staff photographs: NMR Board, Partners and senior Managers, c.1955-1960

000/289/7, 2 items

Staff photographs: NMR Board, Partners and senior Managers:

• two copies of a posed company photograph of NMR staff with Mr Edmund de Rothschild, seated around the table in the NMR Boardroom in the second New Court, c.1960. Possibly taken for publicity purposes when Mr Edmund de Rothschild effectively assumed the role of Senior Partner. 

Staff photographs: 'Rothschild family members at present employed at New Court' , 1976-1985

000/251/1-5, 5 items

Collection of photographs of 'Rothschild family members at present employed at New Court' [April 1985], presumed collected together for publicity puposes:

• Victor, 3rd Lord Rothschild (1910-1990) (b/w portrait photograph);
• Mr Edmund de Rothschild (1916-2009) (b/w portrait photograph);
• Mr Lionel David de Rothschild (b.1955) at his desk captioned on reverse 'New York, 1981', (b/w photograph);
• Sir Evelyn de Rothschild (1931-2022) (b/w portrait photograph);
• Mr Leopold de Rothschild (1927-2012) (informal colour photograph), taken at Exbury.

Staff photographs: Messenger and Postroom staff, 1989-1993

000/1578, 1 file

Photographs of the NMR Post Room and NMR Messengers’ Office staff: photograph dated 'Xmas 1989'. Key to staff available. 

Staff photographs; staff of Rothschild House, Croydon, 1993

000/367, 2 items

Photograph of the staff of Rothschild House, Croydon taken just before closure of office, late 1993, with key to names. In 1969, N M Rothschild & Sons took extra premises in Croydon to accommodate staff from administrative and accounting departments, and a new computer department. 

Staff photographs: Banking Division staff, 2007

000/1956, 1 item

Team photograph of Banking Division staff taken on the steps of 'old' New Court in December 2007,  before the demolition of the building to make way for the fourth New Court. 

Staff photographs: photographs of a staff party to celebrate the move out of the third New Court, 2007

000/1925, 1 box

Series of photographs taken of a staff party, hosted by Leopold de Rothschild and held in December 2007 to celebrate the last days of the third New Court building before demolition.

Staff photographs: New Court secretaries, 2008

000/2122, 2 items

Framed photograph of Third floor secretaries in New Court reception taken Thursday 20 December 2008. The photograph, taken in the reception of the third New Court shortly before its demolition in 2008, shows the eight senior secretaries: From left to right: Tracey Wiltshire, Fiona Stewart (top row) Linda Scott-Cerins, Fiona Stow, Jennifer Jacobs, (bottom row) Hazel Matthews, Jan Sharp and Lora Sharples.