Upper ten thousand

Upper ten thousand

Upper Ten Thousand was a term used in the late 19th century to denote Britain's ruling elite; those rich and landed persons and families, titled and untitled, who were thought to control the vast majority of the country's political and financial system. This term included not only landed gentry, aristocracy, and the peerage; it also included the industrialists and financiers of the day. The invention of this term was a response to the broadening of the British elite caused by the Industrial Revolution.

Starting in 1875 Kelly's directories published annually "The Upper Ten Thousand" [http://books.google.com/books?id=atYNAAAAQAAJ] After three editions and for the next century it was called by its original subtitle "A Handbook of the Titled and Official Classes."

Most of the people listed in the "Handbook" were among the 30,000 descendants of Edward III, King of England, tabulated in the Marquis of Ruvigny and Raineval's "Plantagenet Roll of the Blood Royal" (London: T. C. & E. C. Jack, 1903). Most also appeared in Walford's "County Families" and Burke's "Landed Gentry".

ee also

*upper class
* The Four HundredPhotographs and anecdotes of typical Upper Ten Thousand Victorians and Edwardians appear in the photo album [http://www.harrymclaughlin.com/album.htm] of Louisa McLaughlin's family.


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  • Upper ten thousand — Upper Up per, a.; comp. of {Up}. Being further up, literally or figuratively; higher in place, position, rank, dignity, or the like; superior; as, the upper lip; the upper side of a thing; the upper house of a legislature. [1913 Webster] {The… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • upper ten (thousand) — noun The richest or most influential class ● up …   Useful english dictionary

  • upper ten thousand — noun see upper ten * * * upper ten (thousand) noun The richest or most influential class • • • Main Entry: ↑up …   Useful english dictionary

  • Upper ten — Upper Up per, a.; comp. of {Up}. Being further up, literally or figuratively; higher in place, position, rank, dignity, or the like; superior; as, the upper lip; the upper side of a thing; the upper house of a legislature. [1913 Webster] {The… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • upper ten — noun or upper ten thousand : the members of the highest social class : upper class * * * upper ten (thousand) noun The richest or most influential class • • • Main Entry: ↑up * * * upper ten, works see …   Useful english dictionary

  • Upper Ten — Up|per Ten 〈[ ʌ̣pə(r) tɛ̣n] Pl.; geh.〉 die oberen Zehntausend [<engl. upper ten (thousand) „die oberen Zehn(tausend)“] * * * Up|per|ten, (auch:) Up|per Ten [ ʌpə tɛn] <Pl.> [engl., gek. aus: upper ten thousand] (bildungsspr.): die oberen …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Upper Ten — Up|per Ten [ʌpə tɛn] die (Plur.) <aus gleichbed. engl. upper ten, gekürzt aus upper ten thousand> die oberen Zehntausend, Oberschicht …   Das große Fremdwörterbuch

  • Upper — Up per, a.; comp. of {Up}. Being further up, literally or figuratively; higher in place, position, rank, dignity, or the like; superior; as, the upper lip; the upper side of a thing; the upper house of a legislature. [1913 Webster] {The upper… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Upper Bench — Upper Up per, a.; comp. of {Up}. Being further up, literally or figuratively; higher in place, position, rank, dignity, or the like; superior; as, the upper lip; the upper side of a thing; the upper house of a legislature. [1913 Webster] {The… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Upper case — Upper Up per, a.; comp. of {Up}. Being further up, literally or figuratively; higher in place, position, rank, dignity, or the like; superior; as, the upper lip; the upper side of a thing; the upper house of a legislature. [1913 Webster] {The… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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