Mycroft the Enigma Part 2 - Holmes Family Fortunes

[wellingtongoose]

 A genuinely brilliant ask from Annoymous that I managed to delete by accident: “How rich do you think Mycroft Holmes is?”

I delve into the Holmes Family background, explore the Holmes ancestral mansion (as seen in ASiB) and a history of the gentry. I speculate as to Mycroft's professional salary and where his wealth comes from.

Comments

[charisstoma]

The horse statues in the "not dining room" reminded me of Bengal Lancers. The human figures aren't bulky enough to be in knight armor I think and the doodad *grins* on the horses' heads is more in that area's fashion.

[kassy2]

OK, firstly, he has to be at the very least, upper Middle- that house is NO way a lower middle (typically a semi detached!In the days of terraced houses being the norm, lower middle class families had semi detached houses, one up from a terrace) in point of fact I think Mycroft outgrew the class system some time ago. As to his wage- what about the "with benefits" part of his wage, the bit that does not show up? The flat in London would be free, pretty sure, and if not free, were he to buy it it would be tax deductible and tax free- I know he is not actually a politician but there are ways of doing these things that he would know about. I cannot see him going in for actual tax evasion but I do know he would know how to do it, were he to wish to

[wellingtongoose]

Hi thanks for the comment. Firstly I have said that the holmes family belongs to the upper class or aristocracy not middle class. Whether mycroft considers himself an aristocrat we don't have enough evidence but he does appear to adhere to the social graces if this class. Class system pervades most aspects of british life and it is difficult to be "beyond class" as it were

[ariadnechan]

I think Sherlock has an allowance and a trust, but is Mycroft who administer the trust fund for it. So Sherlock don't really want it to use the trust much because Mycroft will be more meddling about for what he needs his trusting... So he only use his allowance... That'a why he has no money to pay for the flat on his own... Because is central london and it isn't a little flat. He could afford his ex flat who was little and not so central on his oen with his allowance

[wellingtongoose]

Hi thanks for the comment. I've actually written a whole other part to this essay about Sherlock's financial situation

[ariadnechan]

I think Siger Holmes the father is the one who left the administration of the money for investment and such to Mycroft because he knew his youngest son was not into money and he said something like take care of your little brother son he will be lost without you

[wellingtongoose]

I think it's a good idea that Sherlock's inheritance is tied up on stocks or bonds but we have no idea how much actual liquid assets there were in the Holmes family for Sherlock to inherit

[aeowen]

Thank you so much for continuing with this series! I'm finding it very illuminating.

Cheers

[wellingtongoose]

Thank you so much!

[shezan]

It's entirely possible the house we see is a grace and favour residence that comes from the need to have one of the security services heads available day and night. I never believed it was actually Mycroft's private home.

[wellingtongoose]

It's very unlikely that an security service/MI5 safehouse is going to be quite as conspicuous as the mansion we see Mycroft Holmes in. The security services do not provide a "second home allowance" or actual grace residents to their employees. Only MPs get a second home allowance in London.

Like another government employees who are needed day and night e.g. doctors, Mycroft would be expected to find his own accommodation within a certain travel radius (usually 40 minutes).

Also there are very few buildings of that architectural period in the centre of London, mostly because much of medieval/late Tudor London was destroyed in the great fire. Therefore it is more likely the house is in the suburbs or outskirts of modern day London. Mycroft has no reason to go there so far from where he official works in the Whitehall, unless that is actually his family home.

[shezan]

If Mycroft is the Permanent Secretary of the JIC, he may well rate grace-and-favour apartments in Whitehall, chunks of which happen to be Tudor. Certainly a number of the Admiralty chiefs have something similar.

(A safehouse would not be appropriate; these are for operational use only, and indeed likely to be unconspicuous, not to mention rather grotty most of the time.)

[wellingtongoose]

Hi thanks for the reply: my reply is going to be very pedantic