Eva Isaacs, Marchioness of Reading

Eva Violet Isaacs, Marchioness of Reading CBE, JP (née Mond; 6 August 1895 – 14 August 1973) was a British philanthropist, Zionist activist, children's welfare advocate, and writer. Among other roles, she served as Vice President of the World Jewish Congress, President of its British section, and President of the National Council of Women.

The Most Honourable The Marchioness of Reading CBE JP
Lady Reading (second from right) with George Bernard Shaw, Charlotte Payne-Townshend, and Hadassa Samuel.
President of the British Section of the World Jewish Congress
In office 1939–1973
President of the National Council of Women
In office 1955–1957
Preceded by	Mrs Stanley Moffat
Succeeded by	Joan Robins
Personal details
Born	Eva Violet Mond 6 August 1895 Chelsea, London, England
Died	14 August 1973 (1973-08-15) (aged 78) Thakeham, West Sussex, England
Spouse	Gerald Isaacs, 2nd Marquess of Reading ​ ​ (m. 1914; died 1960)​
Children	Michael Isaacs, 3rd Marquess of Reading Lady Joan Isaacs Lady Elizabeth Isaacs
Parent(s)	Alfred Mond, 1st Baron Melchett Violet Mond, Baroness Melchett
Writing career
Pen name	Eva Erleigh
Genre	Children's literature baby books

Biography

Eva Violet Mond was born in Lowndes Square, London, the eldest daughter of Sir Alfred Mond and Violet Goetze (later the 1st Baron and Baroness Melchett).^[1] Her paternal grandfather was German-born chemist and industrialist Ludwig Mond. Though her father was of Jewish descent, Eva was baptised and raised in her mother's Anglican faith.^[2]

On 28 September 1914, she married Gerald Rufus Isaacs, son of Alice Cohen and Rufus Isaacs, 1st Marquess of Reading, in a civil ceremony.^[3] She began reconnecting with her Jewish heritage after a series of trips to Palestine,^[4] and formally converted to Judaism under the supervision of Rabbi Dr. Maurice Perlzweig in 1933.^[5][6] She thereafter became a member of London's Liberal Jewish Synagogue and an active Zionist.^[2]

Lady Reading became involved in various child welfare charities, including as Chairman of the National Society of Day Nurseries and as member of the General Nursing Council.^[4] She toured the United States as a representative of the United Jewish Appeal in 1939,^[7] and the same year became president of the British section of the World Jewish Congress.^[8] Under her leadership, the organisation petitioned the British government to take action to save Jews during the Holocaust.^[9] She meanwhile served as regional adviser on child care for the Ministry of Health from 1940 to 1945,^[7] and served as vice chairman of the Children's Refugee Movement, which supported 10,000 orphaned Jewish refugees.^[10] She became vice president of the World Jewish Congress in 1947, and from 1955 to 1957 served as president of the National Council of Women.^[11]

She died at her home in Thakeham, West Sussex, on 14 August 1973, one week after her 78th birthday.^[12][13]

Personal life

Lady Reading and her husband had three children:

• Michael Alfred Rufus Isaacs, 3rd Marquess of Reading (8 March 1916 – 2 July 1980), who married Margot Irene Duke;
• Lady Joan Alice Violet Isaacs JP (19 July 1918 – 25 March 2000), who married Solly Zuckerman, Baron Zuckerman; and
• Lady Elizabeth Ann Mary Hornsby (11 October 1921 – 9 February 2019).

Titles and honours

She was styled as Viscountess Erleigh from 1917, and as Marchioness of Reading upon her father-in-law's death in 1935.^[3] She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1957 for her work in child welfare,^[3] and in 1971 received an honorary fellowship from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in recognition of her "distinguished services to the cause of Israel and humanity".^[14]

Publications

• Erleigh, Eva (1926). In the Beginning: A First History for Little Children. New York: Doubleday, Page & Company. Illustrated by Mary Adshead.
• Erleigh, Eva (1927). The Little One's Log: Baby's Record. London: The Library Press Limited. Illustrated by E. H. Shepard.
• Viscountess Erleigh, ed. (1928). The Mind of the Growing Child. New York: Oxford University Press.
• The Marchioness of Reading (1940). The Toddlers' Diet Book for Mothers and Children. London: The National Society of Day Nurseries.
• Reading, Eva Isaacs, Marchioness of (1973). For the Record: The Memoirs of Eva, Marchioness of Reading. London: Hutchinson & Co. ISBN 978-0-09-115760-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

References

1. Reading, Eva Isaacs, Marchioness of (1973). For the Record: The Memoirs of Eva, Marchioness of Reading. London: Hutchinson & Co. ISBN 978-0-09-115760-9.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
2. Rubinstein, William D.; Jolles, Michael A.; Rubinstein, Hillary L., eds. (2011). "Reading, Eva Violet, Marchioness of". The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History. London: Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 791–792. ISBN 978-0-230-30466-6. OCLC 793104984.
3. Mosley, Charles, ed. (2003). Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage. Vol. 2 (107th ed.). Wilmington, Delaware: Burke's Peerage Ltd. p. 2662.
4. Lehrer, Natasha (2009). "Eva Violet Mond Isaacs, Second Marchioness of Reading". Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia. Jewish Women's Archive. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
5. "Famous Conversions". The Indiana Jewish Post and Opinion. Vol. XLVIII, no. 30. 9 April 1982. p. 9.
6. "Viscountess Erleigh Follows Her Brother's Example As Convert to Judaism". Daily News Bulletin. Vol. X, no. 2644. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 11 September 1933. pp. 1, 4.
7. Berenbaum, Michael; Skolnik, Fred, eds. (2007). "Reading". Encyclopaedia Judaica. Vol. 17 (2nd ed.). Detroit: Macmillan Reference. p. 134. ISBN 978-0-02-866097-4. Gale CX2587516519.
8. "Marchioness of Reading Heads British Congress". The Sentinel. Vol. CXIV, no. 7. 18 May 1939. p. 39.
9. "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: The Years of the Holocaust". World Jewish Congress. Retrieved 9 April 2021.
10. Goldmann, Harold (20 April 1951). "Marchioness of Reading is a Modern Ruth". The American Jewish World. Vol. 39, no. 34. Minneapolis–Saint Paul. pp. 15, 48.
11. Glick, Daphne (1995). The National Council of Women of Great Britain: The First One Hundred Years, 1895-1994. London: National Council of Women of Great Britain. pp. 40, 63, 166, 221. ISBN 978-0-900915-07-9.
12. "Lady Reading Dies at 78; Women's Equality Leader". The New York Times. 15 August 1973. p. 40.
13. "Lady Reading Dies at 78". Daily News Bulletin. Vol. XL, no. 157. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 16 August 1973. p. 2.
14. "Lady Eva Recipient of Honorary Fellowship from Hebrew U." Daily News Bulletin. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 5 May 1971.