A new paperback edition of the well-known study by the leading international expert on wealth formation and the wealthy in the 19th and 20th centuries in Britain. It is the first book by a historian to analyse who were the very rich. Until very recently surprisingly little was known on this beyond anecdotes and stereotypical impressions. The revelatory study is largely based on a detailed, comprehensive analysis of the probate records of wealth at death, and on income tax and other objective sources. From these has been built up a full picture of the occupations, social origins and career patterns of the very rich in Britain since the early 19th century. The study includes both businessmen and great landowners. This edition also includes chapters on the wealthy in Britain in the more recent period 1940-80.