Ralph Bernal

Who was Ralph Bernal?

Ralph Bernal was a British Whig politician and art collector. His parents, Jacob Israel Bernal and wife Leah da Silva, were Sephardi Jews of Spanish and Portuguese origin, but he was baptised at St Olave Hart Street in London. His father was a merchant.

During his youth he became an actor and he performed to acclaim in several works by William Shakespeare during which time he gained a reputation for oratory.

He was Member of Parliament for Lincoln 1818 to 1820 and MP for Rochester from 1820 to 1841 and again from 1847 to 1852. From 1842 to 1847 he was MP for Weymouth and Melcombe Regis.

Bernal was president of the British Archaeological Society in 1853. He built up a substantial collection of glass, ceramics and other art objects, which were auctioned after his death, with the 4,000 lots selling for £70,000.

He married Ann Elizabeth White in April 1806. His eldest son was Ralph Bernal Osborne, a politician, who took on the surname Osborne on marrying the daughter of Sir Thomas Osborne, 9th Baronet.

Bernal's great-great-great-great-granddaughter is actress Olivia Wilde.