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William Jennens (1701–1798), also known as the 'Acton miser' and 'William the Rich', was Britain's richest man at the time of his death. His estate was said to be worth over £2,000,000 though it was probably closer to £1,100,000 producing an annual income of about £40,000 although The Times of 20 July 1798 published a tabulated list of the late Mr Jennens worth as a capital of £432,509 and an annual interest of £119,415. Jennens died without leaving a will (intestate) and the subsequent legal proceedings took 130 years without reaching a conclusion; the legal costs exhausting the Jennens inheritance in the process.

Charles Dickens based the fictional Jarndyce and Jarndyce court case in his Bleak House novel on the Jennens inheritance legal proceedings; Bleak House was published in twenty instalments between 1852 and 1853.

See also

• Article inspired by a 'quite interesting' question posed to the panel of QI series J (for Justice) episode 12 by presenter Stephen Fry, first broadcast by BBC One on 7 December 2012
• Jarndyce and Jarndyce
• Bleak House

References

Footnotes

Notes

1. ^ Polden 2003a, p. 212.
2. "Mr. JENNEN'S PROPERTY", The Times, no. 4235, p. 2 col. D, 20 July 1798 {{citation}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
3. Polden 2003a, p. 247.
4. Polden 2003a, p. 211.

Bibliography

• Polden, Patrick (2003a). "Stranger than Fiction? The Jennens Inheritance in Fact and Fiction Part One: The Jennens Fortune in the Courts". Common Law World Review. 32 (3). Vathek Publishing: 211–247. Retrieved 8 December 2012.

Further reading

• Pedigree of Jennens, Howe, Hanmer, Lygon and other families, London, 1869
• Willis, M; Harrison, M (1879), Great Jennens case: being an epitome of the history of the Jennens family, Sheffield, England: Pawson & Brailsford
• The Gentleman's Magazine and Historical Chronicle, vol. 68 part 2, London, 1798, pp. 627–628, retrieved 9 December 2012, A will was found in his coat-pocket, sealed, but not signed; which was owing, as his favourite servant says, to his master leaving his spectacles at home when he went to his solicitor for the purpose of duly executing it, and which he afterwards forgot to do.
• Jennings wills and administrations at Litchfield, England, abstracts in the two registries from 1550 to 1857, all tending to show who are heirs to the late William Jennings, of Acton place, Suffolk. (PDF), London, 1870, retrieved 9 December 2012
• Sir Richard Phillips (1798), Monthly Magazine and British Register, Volume 5, R Phillips, p. 472, retrieved 9 December 2012, At Acton Place, near Long Melford, aged 99, Wm. Jennens, esq. supposed to be the richest commoner in England. King William was his godfather. {{citation}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
• Polden, Patrick (2003b). "Stranger than Fiction? The Jennens Inheritance in Fact and Fiction Part Two: The Business of Fortune Hunting". Common Law World Review. 32 (4). Vathek Publishing: 338–367. doi:10.1350/clwr.32.4.338.19427. Retrieved 8 December 2012.

External links