Belle's inheritance
In the film, Belle inherited an annuity of 2,000 pounds per year. It's said in the film to be a substantial amount. Can anyone give me an idea of how much this amounted to, perhaps in terms of purchasing power?
shareIt's too generous speaking of the filmmakers.
Mr Bennet (not great estate owner from Austen's Pride and Prejudice) had an income like this, about £2,000 a year; but he had quite a family to keep having 5 daughters, it seems he wasn't able to save much. Or not so great as a manager... But they had a pretty house, an equipage, decent closing - I mean, it was quite enough for provincial not a great way of living.
Miss Bennet's admirer Mr Bingley had £5,000 a year, which meant pretty money even for living in high society, even in London. And to rent an estate in the meantime, planning to buy one of his own in some near future.
And at last, Miss Lizzy's suitor Mr Darcy had £10,000 a year, which made him the owner of one of the best estates in Derbyshire and a person who might be considered among 10 of the most important people in those times.
But alas, real Dido got only 100 pounds a year and a sum like 500 pounds from her Unkle's will, so after he died, his successor quickly married Dido, already 30 years spinster with some money, to his servant of French origin John Davinier. And that was the end of her living in the grandeur of Kenwood estate.
Did Daviniers really work for the second Earl? I did not know that. Was an inconvenient Belle got rid of? Link pls!
shareNo, not for sure.
But more likely he was his servant of some kind... But a servant still.
I've read lots of articles about Belle, but little is known about her "for sure".
Quicky can find in my archive only this:
When Lord Mansfield died in 1793, Belle lost her friend and protector – but she had become a woman of some means. Belle was in her 30s and no doubt considered herself past marriageable age. How she met her husband, a servant of French extraction called John Davinier, remains a mystery.
It seems probable that Lord Stormont took it upon himself to solve the problem of what to do with her when he moved into Kenwood by setting her up with one of his own men. Two years after their marriage Belle gave birth to twin boys, Charles and John, though it appears that John did not survive infancy. Another son, William Thomas, was born in 1800.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2618656/Portrait-mystery-l ady-The-incredible-story-18th-century-painting-inspired-new-movie.html
Some bits in Wiki -
After her great-uncle's death in March 1793, Belle married John Davinier, a Frenchman who worked as a gentleman's steward, on 5 December 1793 at St. George's, Hanover Square.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dido_Elizabeth_Belle
Thank you so much for the reply :-)
shareBut alas, real Dido got only 100 pounds a year and a sum like 500 pounds from her Unkle's will, so after he died, his successor quickly married Dido, already 30 years spinster with some money, to his servant of French origin John Davinier. And that was the end of her living in the grandeur of Kenwood estate.
Let's not forget, she inherited 1000 pounds from her father. There was mentioned that the money was to be divided among his children, but there was no record of him having any more children.
So, the 2000 pound said in the movie, I guess is a rough estimate of what she received in total.
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You're wrong. The Web full of such rubbish about Dido now. People like to be soooo kind as to give the poor soul that grand inheritance, clever loving husband and so to speak, everything what cost them nothing really.
shareI've seen two source that said that her father, great uncle, and his great uncle sister left her money.
Even though, a person can't believe half of what they see in movies, in this case, it is safe to assume she got 2000 pounds like the movie said. I know it's up to debate, but it appears with the fancy wedding she had, fancy baptisms of her children, she got paid.
http://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.com/2014/12/dido-elizabeth-belle .html
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/10863078/Dido-Belle-Britains-f irst-black-aristocrat.html
I've seen two source
But neither confirms anything.
He left a legacy of 1000 pounds to an illegitimate son and 1000 pounds to a daughter named Elizabeth who may (or may not) have been Dido. Most sources indicate that Dido inherited from her father, but there seems to be some uncertainty about it.
Where do you see the proof?
But to make reference to some magazine's writings as a serious argument is not serious at all. They just copy off those fantasies of others. They are for entertaining. Do you take this -
He had no children with his wife but his will mentions a second illegitimate child, John. Maria Belle’s son? Who knows.
As a proof? Even they aren't sure.
And don't take words of now living the Mansfields as a reliable source. It is the Scone Palace they own still what brings them money. They do everything to attract tourists. Say, never allowing to make pictures inside the house. I (as others) had to buy their very expensive booklet for getting photos of the Elizabeth&Belle portrait (nothing could be found in Web more than 10 years ago); and many others, too, the images of the most splendid collection of ivory among lots of other things.
And more important, the Mansfields had no idea who Dido was up to the end of XX century. They were sure she was just Elizabeth Murray's servant, no more... Very likely the family quickly forgot all about Dido as soon as she left Kenwood house. Frankly, why shouldn't they?
So, again, don't confuse people. Lindsay had several white illegitmate children from different women - except black Belle. share
You see rather dismissive of Dido. Why is that? Are you stuck up, or just a racist?
He left a legacy of 1000 pounds to an illegitimate son and 1000 pounds to a daughter named Elizabeth who may (or may not) have been Dido. Most sources indicate that Dido inherited from her father, but there seems to be some uncertainty about it.
Where do you see the proof?
So, again, don't confuse people. Lindsay had several white illegitmate children from different women - except black Belle.
John Linsday had two known children, as dictated by his will:
I further give and bequeath unto my dearest
wife Mary Lindsay, Onc Thousand Pounds
in trust to be disposed by her for the benefit of John and Elizabeth
my reputed son and daughter in such a manner as she thinks proper.
Who do you think Elizabeth is? Are you seriously claiming that Dido Elizabeth Belle was NOT his daughter? Do you think John Lindsay would just bring a random half-black child to Lord Mansfield, of all people?
As quoted in the source from the previous post, archeology study in Florida shows that John Lindsay provided for Dido's mother. You think he did that for, what, just the heck of it?
Very likely the family quickly forgot all about Dido as soon as she left Kenwood house. Frankly, why shouldn't they?
Because she was a member of the household for so many years? Are you ignoring the ample evidence that she was looked upon very affectionately by the entire family? Seeing that her portrait stayed in the home for so many years, I think you're rather arrogant to presume she was forgotten about.
http://sharonlathanauthor.com/wp-content/uploads/Dido-Elizabeth-Belle_-a-black-girl-at-Kenwood.pdf
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You see rather dismissive of Dido
Not me, it was just the life, Dido's real life - not that from movie.
just a racist
It's you who is a racist then, but against whites.
Or plainly ignorant and too lazy to read, to learn, but why in a hurry to write?
John Linsday had two known children, as dictated by his will
No, he had three before he married Mary Millner:
Marriage and family
While in the West Indies, Lindsay had a mixed-race daughter with an enslaved African woman, known as Maria Belle. They named her Dido Elizabeth Belle at her birth in 1761. Under colony slave law, the mixed-race girl was born into slavery. When she was very young, Lindsay took her back to England and entrusted her to his maternal uncle, Lord Mansfield, and his wife, who were childless. Dido was baptized in Bloomsbury in 1765. The Murrays raised the girl with an orphaned cousin whom they were also rearing, and educated her. She lived with them for 30 years (Murray bequeathed her a lump sum and an annuity in his will in 1793).
On 19 September 1768, Lindsay married Mary, daughter of Sir William Milner. They had no children (by the end of his life, Lindsay was known to have fathered three illegitimate children, two girls and a boy, by three different women). He provided for his white daughter and son in his will, asking his wife to look out for the daughter after his death in 1788, but did not address Belle. His uncle provided for her.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lindsay_%28Royal_Navy_officer%29
Who do you think Elizabeth is?
Belle's father died in 1788 without legitimate heirs, bequeathing £1000 to be shared by his "reputed children", John and Elizabeth Lindsay (as noted in his will).[1] Historian Gene Adams believed this suggested that Lindsay referred to his daughter as Elizabeth, and she may have been named Dido by his uncle and aunt after they took charge of the girl.[3] Another source says that there was another natural daughter, known as Elizabeth Palmer (born c. 1765), who lived in Scotland.[1]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dido_Elizabeth_Belle#Later_life
You sources are outdated or you, again, hardy care to google and read the Web.
archeology study in Florida
Oh yes, one always can get a lot from Florida grounds if digging hard enough.
she was a member of the household for so many years
She WAS, for some time. But when her guard Lord Mansfield died, his heir David Murray the same year quickly married her off to one John Davinier, and she left Kenwood for good. Obviously new family had no wish to have Dido in Kenwood.
You'd be surprised to know that the now living members of Mansfield family, the owners of Scone Palace where the portrait was placed after the Mansfields lost Kenwood House, thought of the black girl being no more than a Lady's maid. And only in 1980s historians (not from Florida) discovered that it was thanks the film now famous Dido related to them by blood.
But it seems I am getting repetitive and tired to write the same again and again, because of new ignorant users popping up here to post their angry posts in defence of Great Famous Wealthy Aristocrat Dido Belle.
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