A genius for money: business, art and the Morrisons

This is the spectacular rags-to-riches story of James Morrison (1789–1857), who began life humbly but through hard work and entrepreneurial brilliance acquired a fortune unequalled in nineteenth-century England. Using the extensive Morrison archive, Caroline Dakers presents the first substantial biography of the richest commoner in England, recounting the details of Morrison's personal life while also placing him in the Victorian age of enterprise that made his success possible.An affectionate husband and father of ten, Morrison made his first fortune in textiles, then a second in international finance. He invested in North American railways, was involved in global trade from Canton to Valparaiso, created hundreds of jobs, and relished the challenges of "the science of business". His success enabled him to acquire land, houses, and works of art on a scale to rival the grandest of aristocrats

This is the spectacular rags-to-riches story of James Morrison (1789–1857), who began life humbly but through hard work and entrepreneurial brilliance acquired a fortune unequalled in nineteenth-century England. Using the extensive Morrison archive, Caroline Dakers presents the first substantial biography of the richest commoner in England, recounting the details of Morrison's personal life while also placing him in the Victorian age of enterprise that made his success possible.An affectionate husband and father of ten, Morrison made his first fortune in textiles, then a second in international finance. He invested in North American railways, was involved in global trade from Canton to Valparaiso, created hundreds of jobs, and relished the challenges of "the science of business". His success enabled him to acquire land, houses, and works of art on a scale to rival the grandest of aristocrats

""Contents""; ""Illustrations""; ""Acknowledgements""; ""The Family Tree""; ""Introduction""; ""Middle Wallop""; ""The Todds of Fore Street""; ""Fore Street and the Textiles Trade""; ""James Morrison, �the Napoleon of Shopkeepers�""; ""The Education of a Gentleman (Part One)""; ""The Education of a Gentleman (Part Two): The Grand Tour""; ""Into Parliament""; ""Fonthill""; ""57 Harley Street""; ""In Parliament""; ""�The American Project�""; ""Letters from America, 1841�1845""; ""Basildon: Papworth�s Last Commission""; ""Basildon: �What a Casket to Enclose Pictorial Gems�

Intro -- Contents -- Illustrations -- Acknowledgements -- The Family Tree -- Introduction -- Middle Wallop -- The Todds of Fore Street -- Fore Street and the Textiles Trade -- James Morrison, 'the Napoleon of Shopkeepers' -- The Education of a Gentleman (Part One) -- The Education of a Gentleman (Part Two): The Grand Tour -- Into Parliament -- Fonthill -- 57 Harley Street -- In Parliament -- 'The American Project' -- Letters from America, 1841-1845 -- Basildon: Papworth's Last Commission -- Basildon: 'What a Casket to Enclose Pictorial Gems' -- The Final Decade -- Charles Morrison, 1817-1909: 'Statesman in Finance' -- Alfred Morrison, 1821-1897: 'Victorian Maecenas' -- Epilogue -- Notes -- Select Bibliography -- Index.