Reading the Regency

The Younger sons of Peers and the Gentry

"So you are to be a clergyman, Mr. Bertram. This is rather a surprise to me."

"Why should it surprise you? You must suppose me designed for some profession, and might perceive that I am neither a lawyer, nor a soldier, nor a sailor."

"Very true; but, in short, it had not occurred to me. And you know there is generally an uncle or a grandfather to leave a fortune to the second son."

"A very praiseworthy practice," said Edmund, "but not quite universal. I am one of the exceptions, and being one, must do something for myself."
[Chapter 9, Mansfield Park by Jane Austen]

The eldest son of a gentleman or peer usually inherited the family estate. This allowed the family to preserve the estate as a whole, rather than dividing it between their children.

But if the eldest ended up with everything, how did the younger sons of gentlemen and peers support themselves?

Some of the wealthiest families did provide for their younger sons, by paying them allowances and sometimes even giving them a modest property, but such generosity was not guaranteed. It really depended on how financially comfortable the family was. They would never financially support a cadet branch of the family at the expense of the primary line. The priority was always to keep the main family "seat" intact for future generations to bolster the family's prestige and influence.

Many fathers thought it was important for their younger sons to have an occupation, to keep them from wasting their lives in idle frivolity and allow them to be independent. General Tilney explained a similar view to Catherine Morland:

"Perhaps it may seem odd, that with only two younger children, I should think any profession necessary for him; and certainly there are moments when we could all wish him disengaged from every tie of business. But though I may not exactly make converts of you young ladies, I am sure your father, Miss Morland, would agree with me in thinking it expedient to give every young man some employment. The money is nothing, it is not an object, but employment is the thing. Even Frederick, my eldest son, you see, who will perhaps inherit as considerable a landed property as any private man in the county, has his profession."
[Chapter 22, Northanger Abbey, by Jane Austen]

Of course, a second son might be lucky enough to inherit his family's estate if his elder brother dies with no son of his own. The third Earl of Clarendon was a second son, who chose the law and politics for his profession. He had a successful career before his elder brother died unmarried and he inherited the Earldom aged 67 years.

But if you were the third, fourth or even fifth brother you couldn't sit around with your fingers crossed, hoping that all your elder brothers would end up six feet under.

Inheritance

If a younger brother was very fortunate they could inherit money or property from a childless and/or wealthy relative. This happened to one of Jane Austen's brothers, and also to her favourite nephew.

Edward Austen was the third eldest brother of Jane. He became the heir of Thomas and Catherine Knight, a relative of his father, and when they died Edward inherited two large estates and an annual income of £15,000 per year. A condition of his inheritance was that he adopted the name Knight, and he legally changed his name to Edward Austen Knight.

James Edward Austen (known as Edward) was the son of James Austen, and nephew to Jane Austen. He was the youngest mourner at her funeral when she died in 1817. When he married in 1828 his great aunt, Mrs Leigh Perrot, gave him an income of £600 per year, and to show his gratitude Edward named his eldest son Cholmeley, which was Mrs Leigh Perrot's maiden name. When she died she also left him a house in Berkshire, and enough money to produce an additional income of £500.00. In return, Edward took the surname Leigh for himself and his family.