Fortune's many houses : a Victorian visionary, a noble Scottish family, and a lost inheritance

Author

Simon Welfare

Call Number

• 941.1081 W4458 (CEN)

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Edition

First Atria Books hardcover edition.

Publication Information

New York : Atria Books, 2021.

Physical Description

xiv, 336 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 25 cm

Summary

"As the Marquess and Marchioness of Aberdeen, John and Ishbel Hamilton-Gordon enjoyed wealth and privilege that many in Victorian times could only imagine. Unlike other aristocrats of the time, however, the couple spent most of their money helping others. Ishbel--social reformer, political activist, health campaigner, and advocate of women's rights--personally transformed lives not only in her native Scotland, but in Canada and Ireland where her husband was appointed Viceroy by Queen Victoria. The couple ran their charitable campaigns from the homes they bought on their travels in Britain and North America, including a mansion in the Scottish Highlands, grand townhouses in London's most fashionable square, a fishing lodge in Quebec, and ranches in British Columbia and Texas. Yet Ishbel's passion for reform was a double-edged sword, doing as much good for others as it did reckless harm to her family's fortune and John had to sell almost all of his vast estates. When he died in 1934, their coffers were all but empty and Ishbel faced eviction from her home in the Scottish hills. A moving and colorful exploration of Victorian society through the eyes of an inspirational couple who did their best to change the world for the better, often at great personal cost, Fortune's Many Houses is a feast for history lovers"--

Contents

• A House by a Brook
• A Mansion in a Glen
• A Palace in Mayfair
• A House for a Honeymoon
• The Family Seat
• A House for the Shooting, a House for Good Works
• A House in Town and Cottages in the Country
• A Royal Residence in Edinburgh
• A Castle in Dublin City and A Lodge in Phoenix Park
• A Cabin In North Dakota and a Ranchhouse in Texas
• A House Near Niagara Falls
• A Fruit Farm in Kelowna and a Fake Castle in Chicago
• A Chapel in Ottawa
• A Fishing Lodge in Quebec and a Hospital in the Klondyke
• A "Dear House" in Ottawa and a Scottish Retreat
• A Village Hall in Ballsbridge and a Caravan in Kerry
• A Hospital with a Throne Room
• A House to Retire To
• Ishbel's Last Houses.