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Fortune's Many Houses
A Victorian Visionary, a Noble Scottish Family, and a Lost Inheritance
Table of Contents
About The Book
A unique and fascinating look at Victorian society through the remarkable lives of an enlightened and philanthropic aristocratic couple, the Marquess and Marchioness of Aberdeen, who tried to change the world for the better but paid a heavy price. This is a true tale of love and loss, fortune and misfortune.
In the late 19th century, John and Ishbel Gordon, the Marquess and Marchioness of Aberdeen, were the couple who seemed to have it all: a fortune that ran into the tens of millions, a magnificent stately home in Scotland surrounded by one of Europe’s largest estates, a townhouse in London’s most fashionable square, cattle ranches in Texas and British Columbia, and the governorships of Ireland and Canada where they lived like royalty.
Together they won praise for their work as social reformers and pioneers of women’s rights, and enjoyed friendships with many of the most prominent figures of the age, from Britain’s Prime Ministers to Oliver Wendell-Holmes and P.T. Barnum and Queen Victoria herself. Yet by the time they died in the 1930s, this gilded couple’s luck had long since run out: they had faced family tragedies, scandal through their unwitting involvement in one of the “crimes of the century” and, most catastrophically of all, they had lost both their fortune and their lands.
This fascinating family quest for the reason for their dramatic downfall is also a moving and colorful exploration of society in Victorian Britain and North America and an inspirational feast for history lovers.
In the late 19th century, John and Ishbel Gordon, the Marquess and Marchioness of Aberdeen, were the couple who seemed to have it all: a fortune that ran into the tens of millions, a magnificent stately home in Scotland surrounded by one of Europe’s largest estates, a townhouse in London’s most fashionable square, cattle ranches in Texas and British Columbia, and the governorships of Ireland and Canada where they lived like royalty.
Together they won praise for their work as social reformers and pioneers of women’s rights, and enjoyed friendships with many of the most prominent figures of the age, from Britain’s Prime Ministers to Oliver Wendell-Holmes and P.T. Barnum and Queen Victoria herself. Yet by the time they died in the 1930s, this gilded couple’s luck had long since run out: they had faced family tragedies, scandal through their unwitting involvement in one of the “crimes of the century” and, most catastrophically of all, they had lost both their fortune and their lands.
This fascinating family quest for the reason for their dramatic downfall is also a moving and colorful exploration of society in Victorian Britain and North America and an inspirational feast for history lovers.
About The Author
Photograph by Anke Addy
Simon Welfare has had a long career as a television producer, working on a variety of programs, including the Mysterious World series with science writer Arthur C. Clarke. He lives in Scotland, married to the great-granddaughter of the first Marquess and Marchioness of Aberdeen, the subjects of his first biography Fortune’s Many Houses.
Why We Love It
“‘The Victorian John and Yoko’ (Air Mail) exhaust one of the world’s great fortunes while doing good, and along the way they cross paths with everyone from Queen Victoria to Granny, the world’s oldest sea anemone. Plus very amusing footnotes.”
—Trish T., VP, Executive Editor, on Fortune’s Many Houses
Product Details
- Publisher: Atria Books (February 16, 2021)
- Length: 352 pages
- ISBN13: 9781982128647
Raves and Reviews
"The Victorian John and Yoko...Simon Welfare spins out the do-good couple's saga with brio and warmth...a teeming portrait of the era."
– Air Mail
"This is a wonderfully written, meticulous account, at times hilarious, at times heartbreaking, of a well-intentioned, charitable couple's journey on the Road to Ruin."
– Julian Fellowes, creator of "Downton Abbey"
“With the feel of a real-life Brideshead Revisited, full of towering good deeds and devastating miscalculations, Fortune’s Many Houses is a fantastic fusion of biography and memoir. At its heart, Simon Welfare has placed his extraordinary family story of an aristocratic heroine who dazzled British high society while attempting to make the world a better - and kinder - place.”
– Gareth Russell, author of Young and Damned and Fair and The Ship of Dreams
“The riveting tale of how one of Victorian Britain’s golden couples rose to pre-eminence then lost everything. Ishbel and Johnny Aberdeen were on intimate terms with many of the key figures of the age, and their story is an extraordinary window into Victorian society. Theirs is a story so rich and absorbing it reads like fiction"
– Neil Oliver, author of Wisdom of the Ancients
"Compelling."
– Country Life
"I enjoyed every word of this biography...it is a wonderful, run-along on wheels read, an always engaging account of the efforts of a gallant couple to change, if not actually save the world."
– The Irish Catholic
"A vibrant portrait of British society through his animated, well-informed dual biography....A fresh, engaging cultural history of the rich doing good."
– Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"A vibrant, rich, and dynamic historical portrait" drawn from an invaluable insider viewpoint."
– Booklist
"These imperfect do-gooders make for entertaining company."
– Publishers Weekly
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Fortune's Many Houses eBook 9781982128647
- Author Photo (jpg): Simon Welfare Photograph by Anke Addy(0.1 MB)
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