Quick Index Board Index Home FAQ Site Map

View thread | Previous message | Next message


MT: Henry's bankruptcy   Written by Linden (3/11/2003 7:43 p.m.)
Are you new?

JA's favourite brother Henry probably caused more distress to the family than any other member, though he doesn't seem to have been much at fault. This information comes from George Holbert Tucker's `A History of Jane Austen's Family' -- a great read!

In 1813 Henry was made Receiver General for Taxes for Oxfordshire (I'm not at all certain what that means: can anyone cast any light?) His uncle James Leigh Perrot and his brother Edward Knight acted as his sureties for ten thousand and twenty thousand pounds respectively. The inflationary war economy made things prosper.

However, Waterloo brought deflation. The failure of the Alton bank of which Henry was a partner brought down the London bank of Austen, Maunde and Tilson in March 1816. No personal extravagance was attibuted to Henry, but his bankruptcy caused serious losses to several members of the family, particularly his guarantors. JA lost a little over thirteen pounds, part of her profits from Mansfield Park.

Tucker adds that the strain of the worry came at the beginning of her critical illness, and added greatly to her physical distress.


Previous message | Next message | Board index

All messages in the thread


Password:

Jane Austen's Life & Times is maintained by JulieW with WebBBS 3.21.


View thread | Previous message | Next message
Board index

Group Read Board Pride & Prejudice Board Emma Board Sense & Sensibility Board Persuasion Board Mansfield Park Board Northanger Abbey Board Austenuations Board Jane Austen's Life & Times Board Lady Catherine & Co. Board Library Board Virtual Views Board Ramble Board Meetings Board Newcomers' Board Milestones Board Help Board Pemberleans Board





- Jane Austen | Republic of Pemberley -

Quick Index Home Site Map JAInfo

© 2004 - 2012 The Republic of Pemberley

Get copyright permissions

Quantcast