Annuitant, what is it.

[MARIA LUCKING]

I have a chap born in India lodging in staffordshire with a relative in 1871 it looks like his occupation reads private gentleman, i have found him again in 1881 in bakewell as a visitor with the occupation of Annuitant there also are another couple of people lodging in this household with the same occupation.
It looks like he just went up and down the country lodging or visiting people .
I do not think he is a relative but like to know what he would have done for a a living.
maria

[Wirral]

I have a chap born in India lodging in staffordshire with a relative in 1871 it looks like his occupation reads private gentleman, i have found him again in 1881 in bakewell as a visitor with the occupation of Annuitant there also are another couple of people lodging in this household with the same occupation.
It looks like he just went up and down the country lodging or visiting people .
I do not think he is a relative but like to know what he would have done for a a living.
maria

In a word - nothing! He lived off private means (probably owned land, shares, buildings etc) & had an annuity (like a pension, where money invested paid an annual sum). A gentleman wouldn't need to do anything for a living. If he came from India, he may have inherited money or earned it out there, then come to England & lived the high life. May have been called a Nabob at the time!

[jeeb]

Hi Maria,
An Annuitant was someone who recieved a annuity ie a regular payment from a grant or such, very similar to the modern day pensions paid out from invested money.
Jeremy

[G.V.Ford]

I believe it was common for the eldest son to inherit the family estate whilst younger sons or unmarried daughters recieved annuities from the estate, ceasing of course on their death. Rather less common these days I imagine since family estates are broken up to pay death duties.

Geoff

[Procat]

In a word - nothing! He lived off private means (probably owned land, shares, buildings etc) & had an annuity (like a pension, where money invested paid an annual sum). A gentleman wouldn't need to do anything for a living. If he came from India, he may have inherited money or earned it out there, then come to England & lived the high life. May have been called a Nabob at the time!

Although I have seen entries on the census for occupation "Annuitant", residence "Workhouse".

[Peter Goodey]

Although I have seen entries on the census for occupation "Annuitant", residence "Workhouse".

Sounds weird doesn't it? But some annuities might be quite small and if the person became unable to work to supplement the annuity or fell seriously ill, there might be little alternative to the workhouse!

[Guy Etchells]

There is no reason to believe that any annuity was sufficient for a person to live on, it all depends from where the annuity stems.
Some could allow the living of the high life some degradation of the workhouse and all shades between.
Some depended on stocks & shares and if the returns from those fell a high roller could turn pauper overnight.

Cheers
Guy

[Procat]

Some depended on stocks & shares and if the returns from those fell a high roller could turn pauper overnight.

Cheers
Guy

And some things never change.

[MARIA LUCKING]

Thanks for that , that could explain being down as private gentleman on the 1871 census as well .
maria