Sotheby’s recently auctioned a portrait of Charles Blair (1743-1802) by Sir Joshua Reynolds. This is the second time the painting has changed hands during the 21st century. In 2008, it sold for US$182,500 and the new owner has just forked out US$230,400 for this 18th century portrait of George Orwell’s great-great-grandfather. The catalogue included the […]
“In England, for centuries past, our so-called aristocracy has been recruited by successive waves of scoundrels who have enriched themselves upon the current swindle and whose position depends solely upon money.” […]
How much did Orwell know about his Scottish ancestry? His well-known prejudice against the Scots conceivably emanated from the distaste he felt for the way wealth was accrued by his forebears. These progenitors, who owned plantations in Jamaica from 1699, had a much greater involvement with the institution of slavery than previously understood. It is […]
This post has been updated. Read this one. “He hated Scotsmen!” Kay Ekevall “He wrote under the name ‘Orwell’, partly because he preferred separate identity as an author, partly because he disliked he idea of family origins in Scotland.” Anthony Powell Slave Owner: Blair Come here! You ! Adam ! You’d better jump a […]