Research Catalog

Title

No idle rich : the wealthy in Canterbury and Otago, 1840-1914 / Jim McAloon.

Author

McAloon, Jim.

Publication

Dunedin, N.Z. : University of Otago Press, 2002.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Description

230 p., [16] p. of plates : ill., maps; 23 cm.

Summary

"Wealth and power in a colonial society is the subject of this book. It is a detailed study of the richest settlers in southern New Zealand, where the country's earliest fortunes were made, mostly by pastoral farmers and financiers. Who where the rich? Not born gentlemen, the author shows, but astute and innovative capitalists, generally from relatively humble origins, Drawing on innovative research using wills, business papers and biographical sources, he investigates how they made their money, the significance of family relationships and the role of women, the influence of the rich on national and local politics, and how they justified and maintained their position." --Publisher's description.

Subject

• Canterbury (N.Z.) > Social conditions
• Canterbury Region (N.Z.) > Social conditions
• Gentry > Cangerbury > History
• Gentry > Canterbury > History
• Gentry > Otago > History
• Landowners > Cangerbury > History
• Landowners > Canterbury > History
• Landowners > Otago > History
• New Zealand > History > 1840-1876
• New Zealand > History > 1876-1918
• Otago (N.Z.) > Social conditions
• Otago Region (N.Z.) > Social conditions
• Rich people > Cangerbury > History
• Rich people > Canterbury > History
• Rich people > Otago > History

Note

• "A much expanded version of the doctoral thesis which I presented at the University of Otago in 1993"--Pref.

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references (p. [211]-219) and index.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

Wealth, class, power: concepts and frameworks -- 'Wealthy and respectable': agricultural and pastoral businessmen -- 'Perserverance, business ability, and probity': the world of urban wealth -- 'The partnership of husband and wife'? wealth and the colonial family -- 'The democratic tendency of the present times': wealth and politics, 1853-1914 -- 'A sort of vindictive legislation which is to be deplored'? the wealthy and closer settlement, 1891-1912 -- 'I have done fully my part in improving the whole of the District': wealth and local influence -- 'When he dies his most flattering requiem would be he left a lot of money': conclusions and implications.

ISBN

1877276235 (pbk.)

LCCN

^^2002416751

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library