Maurice de Forest

Maurice Arnold de Forest (9 January 1879 – 6 October 1968) was an American-born British politician. He briefly served as a Liberal politician in the United Kingdom. He was born in France to poor American circus performers and was adopted by a wealthy German Jewish couple, later converting from Judaism to Catholicism. He bought noble titles, first as a baron in Austria and later as Count de Bendern in Liechtenstein, using inherited wealth. His life was characterised more by the pursuit and performance of aristocratic identity than by lasting public service or achievement. Despite having no local ties, he self-funded his political campaigns in Britain and was eventually elected to Parliament in 1911 for a single term as Member of Parliament for West Ham North.