Posted by Kathy F. on July 16, 1997 at 23:32:00:
In reply to Re: The conversion factor posted by Bill K on July 16, 1997 at 21:15:58
] At the Regency Repository Web Page, a link that is provided at this site, 1 English pound of the Regency day was deemed equivalent to $25 in 1970. If you factor in a 3% annual inflation for 27 years, it would be worth $55.50 today. According to this, Darcy made over 1/2 million current US dollars a year.
] The problem I have with that is that such a minimal income would never allow one to keep up a property such as Pemberley, even if one drastically cut the number of servants required to service it. I'd say Ann's $1M is a minimal figure, but I would say something closer to $5M would be required annually to provide one with the type of living and lodging to which Darcy was accustomed, a figure that goes up to $10M if Pemberley were to be located somewhere like Malibu, Aspen or Vail. ;-)
But think about what they didn't have to pay for--no electricity, no running water [read: no plumber], no gasoline (or petrol, for those of British persuasion), no computers--gasp!!! no computers!!
I would wager that the large majority of modern money goes to pay modern bills, and it would be unfair to convert that to Regency money and Regency bills.
Also, I read on other posts that the Bronte sisters made 20 or 30 pounds a year as governesses. Imagine what you could do with 10,000.
Kathy F.
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