Value of Estate

[caliope]

From an ancestor's will I received, a daughter of the deceased received an annuity of 50 British pounds from the estate. The will is dated 1847. Can anyone advise as to whether this was a large amount or what this might possibly be equivalent to in today's terms? The other daughter of the deceased received a couple of parcels of land so I'm curious to see if one daughter outbested the other. The daughter receiving the land was mentioned quite fondly throughout the will.

Thank you!

[Sue Mackay]

Try http://www.projects.ex.ac.uk/RDavies/arian/current/howmuch.html#tools

[salcat]

found this

http://www.measuringworth.com/ukcompare/

which suggests anything between £3000 and £100,000 depending what you compare (prices, average earnings etc)

HTH

S

They can do other currencies too

[birdlip]

From Liza Picard's wonderful book 'Victorian London';

The Retail Price Index, how much you could buy in todays prices with one pound then..

1847 44.98

So 50 pounds x 44.98 = 2250 pounds or thereabouts.

42 pounds was the annual wage of a manservant, and 90 pounds the annual salary of a Junior Clerk, second class, in the Post Office. 6s 6d would buy a crinoline, and 16s an umbrella though, so I suppose an annuity of 50 pounds would go a long way, if the recipient didn't actually have to LIVE on it, and was using it as an allowance for clothes etc.

regards birdlip