This novel is both about things that did happen and things that might have happened. It will take you back in time to the early 1870s in the prosperous English city of London. Josiah Raines is fashioned after my great-grandfather, Fredrick Henry Daniels. He was a merchant banker in the City of London and a wealthy man, He was an Alderman and a Freeman of the city of London. This is his story as it happened and perhaps as he wished it to happen.
The morning of October 4,1873 Josiah Raines woke as usual. Dressed, with the assistance of his butler Henry Brooks. Breakfasted with his wife Ann, kissed her on the cheek and began his walk to the bank in the city center. Everything seemed normal until he entered the street. Chaos, cars, and people everywhere, shouting, screaming, crying, lost in confusion. Josiah knew things had been very tense and unpredictable but was in no way prepared for what was to happen next.
The grand doors to the bank opened and not far behind Josiah came 'The Official Receivers'. The American bank, Jay Cooke, had failed. Jay Cooke had handled the financing from banks and investors worldwide for the American Railroad Scheme. When Jay Cooke had failed, the London banks had as well. Josiah was obliged to remain in his office until the officials had finished their initial inspection and all the locks on the bank changed.
Josiah was escorted by the official receivers for the walk back to his home. Josiah had never noticed before how far that walk had become. His thoughts scattered. He would lose everything. How will he explain this to his wife, Ann? How would he care for her and their young daughter, Elizabeth? Bankrupt Merchant Bankers were not in high demand for employment. As the house drew closer the weight of the responsibility for the eight servants in his employ, also bore on him heavily. Josiah's glass had always been full to overflowing. Now he felt challenged to see it neither half full nor half empty. Before ushering the previous residents out onto the streets, all the locks had been changed. The eleven stood on the sidewalk in front of what, moments ago, was home, now looked up to the heavens praying that answers would suddenly fall from the sky. Fate can be cruel! Who amongst them had the strength, imagination and drive to hold them all together and to lead them to a new better life?
The journey ahead of them will take you from the 4th day in October 1873 up to World War 1, and beyond. They will have many challenges. Over and above all of this was the inevitable loss of their security, homelessness, a sense of no longer belonging and loss of pride in what they had been doing. Innovations and changes that come from progress; electricity, telephones, industry, manufacturing all striving to unite urban and rural England with no one left behind, all must be assimilated and put to advantage. How will this unlikely group of companions, held together by circumstance travel through these next fifty years?
The first 80 of my 87 years I wrote short stories or long letters when people used to write letters. My second adventure is a two-volume collection of some of these stories. From Penury to Poverty covers all kinds of episodes from thoughts on history, life experiences, answers to provocative questions and the just because it needed to be said stories. I hope you will choose to read it when they become available.
I submitted my manuscript for Editing Services by BookBaby prior to publication resulted in the following recognition.
The author's historical knowledge and presentation is to be commended, as is his incredible talent to relate the necessary steps and ideas that Henry and his cohorts come up with to continue to build the business. The government requiring food storage and hence turning the farm into a food processing industry is nothing less than brilliant. The encouragement and critique are greatly appreciated. Thank you.