LONDON has always been a magnet for the rich and super-rich, but, in the 1880s, there was an important shift in the character of this group. The landed aristocracy, who had long presided over London Society, saw their income fall as a consequence of Britain’s free-trade policies and the agricultural depression. At the same time, growing foreign trade and the expanding Empire created new fortunes in larger numbers than ever. With wealth drawn from across the world, these plutocrats were a more cosmopolitan elite than Britain, or any other nation, had ever seen before. Their opulent houses were designed as settings for lavish entertainment and their aim was to gain acceptance in High Society. Generally speaking, the strategy worked, helped in some cases by the friendship of the Prince of Wales, a lover of luxury. Many of the richest plutocrats established themselves in the old West End, centred on Mayfair and St James’s. The area was not big enough to house all of them, however, and the later 1800s saw fashionable London spreading westwards.
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