Posted by Jim Hadfield on March 16, 2006 at 20:43:16 from 195.92.168.170 user JimHadfield.
Discussion on the subject of affordability is a bit superfluous. Some peoples` poverty is somebody else`s wealth beyond their wildest dreams.
Some years ago I was loaned a book of "potted biographies" of famous people. The entry on George Bernard Shaw began " His parents were penniless, and he was brought up by a series of governesses" (!).
And I`m reminded of the circumstances of Charles Darwin, as reported in the excellent biography by Desmond & Moore. Apparently in the 1870`s Darwin`s excess of income over expenditure (including paying the wages of 17 servants!) was over £5,000 (at 1880`s value). Nonetheless, Darwin constantly worried in case he didn`t have enough money.
It should be remembered that people could afford lots of servants because they (the servants) were paid a pittance, and in today`s greater prosperity, nobody is going to put up with that. Hence there are many fewer servants in even the grandest houses.
Oh that I should have such worries!