I had quite a few 'Gentleman Farmers', there was one that must have been quite wealthy, as he left 4 of his daughters £14,000 each in Trust, plus the rental income from 8 cottages. 4 sons £14000 each, and the the ownership of those cottages, not to be sold without consent of the eldest 5th brother.
The 5th brother inherited Farms, land, pastures, woodlands and orchards in Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. And all the rest of the properties his father owned. Plus £29,000 in trust, and a further £12,750 in cash. in 1702. That's a
huge amount of money in those days.
By 1852 it had all pretty much vanished. My eldest Gt Gt Uncle sold up what was left and went off to Australia.
That's the problem when the wealth was split in such quantities to so many children. It dwindles faster than a drying up waterfall. A case of Primogeniture not gone far enough.
Because by the time my Gt Gt Grampy was born there was only 5 cottages left, but they belonged to my Gt Gt Uncle. By the time my Gramps was born there was nothing. So that's why I had to work for a living, and not become the 'the lord of the land'.



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