Sir Philip Magnus, noted educator and prominent Jewish leader, celebrated his ninetieth birthday here today.
Sir Philip has represented London University in Parliament for sixteen years.
A native of London, where he was born on October 7, 1842 and educated at University College and the University of London, Sir Philip trained for the ministry. For many years he served as one of the ministers of the Berkeley Street Synagogue.
Sir Philip, who was knighted in 1886 in recognition of his services to education, is a leading authority on technical education in the United Kingdom.
While still associated with the Berkeley Street Synagogue, he did much private teaching and became a Professor of mechanics at the Catholic University. His “Lessons in Elementary Mechanics” published in London in 1874 was for a long time a standard text book on the subject.
In 1880 he was appointed secretary of the City and Guilds of London Institute for the Advancement of Technical Education. In this connection he served as a member of a royal commission which visited the chief educational centers of western Europe.
He has served as principal of the Finsbury Technical College and as a member of the London School Board. In 1900 he became fellow of the senate of London University.
Sir Philip is connected with a number of communal Jewish institutions, principal among them being the Anglo-Jewish Association of which he is a vice-president.
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