Respectability, Bankruptcy and Bigamy in Late Nineteenth- and Early Twentieth-Century Britain

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John Benson (University of Wolverhampton, UK)

Respectability, Bankruptcy and Bigamy in Late Nineteenth- and Early Twentieth-Century Britain

John Benson (University of Wolverhampton, UK)

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English

Routledge
27 May 2024

Biography: general

Series: Routledge Studies in Modern British History

Respectability, Bankruptcy and Bigamy in Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth-Century Britain explores the vexed question of middle-class respectability in Victorian and Edwardian Britain. It focuses upon the life of London solicitor Hamilton Pawley (1860–1936), who was barred from working by the Law Society, twice declared bankrupt, and in 1919 was sentenced to eighteen months’ imprisonment with hard labour for bigamously marrying a woman practically forty years his junior. If Pawley did not suffer the revenge of respectable society, it is difficult to think who would.

Drawing upon the fact that the disgraced and the disreputable have always tended to attract a disproportionate amount of attention, the book ranges widely, exploring such important issues as middle-class education, career choices, the dynamics of family life, and the workings of the late nineteenth and early twentieth-century legal system. It shows that Pawley was able to hold on to his professional – and even gentlemanly – status for far longer than seemed likely. This all suggests, the book concludes, that although respectability was as important to the middle class as we have always been told, it was both easier to acquire and easier to retain than we have generally been led to believe.

This book will appeal to all those interested in British society in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

By: John Benson (University of Wolverhampton UK)
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 229mm, Width: 152mm,
Weight: 270g
ISBN: 9780367766863
ISBN 10: 0367766868
Series: Routledge Studies in Modern British History
Pages: 136
Publication Date: 27 May 2024
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Introduction / A Secure Upbringing / A City Partnership / A Good Marriage / A Fading Career / A Failing Marriage / Family Feuds / Bankruptcy / Bigamy / Belligerence / Aftermath / Conclusions

John Benson is Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Wolverhampton. He has written widely on modern British history, has held visiting positions in Canada and Japan, and has spoken on his work in Australia, Canada, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United States of America.