Otto Beit

On his return to London, he followed for a few years the career of stockbroker and continued with his interest in the mining industry until the death of his brother Alfred, after which he retired and devoted himself for the remainder of his life to philanthropy.

He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the 1920 New Year Honours for his work in connection with South African troops and hospitals in England[3] and was created a baronet on 25 February 1924[4] for his numerous donations to children's sanatoria, libraries and a homoeopathic research institute.

He was a generous benefactor of the Johannesburg Art Gallery, and more so with his gifts to the University of Cape Town, of which he turned the first sod in 1920.

He was no less generous to public collections in the United Kingdom, helping the Victoria and Albert Museum to acquire many works of art.

He received an Honorary LLD from the University of Cape Town and was elected Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1924.