Inheritance: The Lost History of Mary Davies

A Story of Property, Marriage and Madness

Inheritance: The Lost History of Mary Davies
Leo Hollis
RRP:
NZ$ 45.00
Our Price:
NZ$ 36.00
Hardback
h234 x 153mm - 304pg
6 May 2021 UK
International import eta 7-19 days
9781786079954
Out Of Stock
Currently no stock in-store, stock is sourced to your order
' Hollis expertly weaves together the human tragedy and high politics behind the explosion of one of the world' s greatest cities. ' Dan SnowIn June 1701, a young widow, Mary Davies wakes up in a hotel room in Paris and finds a man in her bed. Within hours they are married. Yet three weeks later, Mary fled to London and swore that she had never agreed to the wedding. So begins one of the most intriguing stories of madness, tragic passions and the curse of inheritance. Inheritance charts the forgotten life of Mary Davies, born in London during the Great Plague of 1665, and the land that she inherited as a baby. This estate would determine the course of her tragic life. Hollis restores this history of child brides, mad heiresses, religious controversy and shady dealing. The drama culminated in a court case that determined not just the state of Mary' s legacy, but the future of London itself. Today, Mary' s inheritance is some of the most valuable real estate in the world.
' Wonderful. . . Leo Hollis knows the expanding city like the back of his hand, and brings a forensic eye and a deep empathy to the mystery at the heart of Mary Davies' s tragic life. . . Inheritance is a consistently enthralling read. ' -- Helen Castor, author of Joan of Arc ' A fascinating insight into a tragic backwater of London' s history, yet from which one of its most magnificent estates emerged. . . ' * Simon Jenkins, author of A Short History of London * ' Leo Hollis has written a thorough and readable account of the Mary Davies saga, at times almost as a thriller, set in the glamour of Restoration London. We dodge from the plague and the Glorious Revolution into matrimonial rights, lunacy acts and 99-year leases. The life of this otherwise inconsequential woman is meticulously recorded, and all for the incubus of an inheritance which she barely seemed to comprehend. ' -- Oldie ' Hollis expertly weaves together the human tragedy and high politics behind the explosion of one of the world' s greatest cities. His scholarship and storytelling make the seventeenth century seem so familiar. ' * Dan Snow, Death or Victory: The Battle for Quebec and the Birth of Empire * ' Leo Hollis combines meticulous research with his trademark style once again in this perceptive and humane book on one of modern London' s most significant origin stories. ' -- Lucy Inglis, author of Georgian London: Into the Streets ' Identifying an authentic seventeenth-century mystery, Leo Hollis uses the form of the classic detective story to deliver a fast-moving and forensic account of the birth and development of the London property market. Here is a valuable addition to the literature of the city in another period of cancerous growth. ' -- Iain Sinclair, author of The Last London
Leo Hollis is the author of two acclaimed history books: The Phoenix: The Men Who Made Modern London, and Stones of London, and the international bestseller, Cities are Good for You. He has written for the New Statesman, Guardian, Financial Times. He lives in London.
Status: Active
ISBN-13: 9781786079954
Published: 6 May 2021
Published In: United Kingdom
Imprint: Oneworld Publications
Publisher: Oneworld Publications
Format: Hardback
Height: 234mm
Width: 153mm
Spine: 27mm
Pages: 304

In stock - for items in stock we aim to dispatch the next business day. For delivery in NZ allow 2-5 business days, with rural taking a wee bit longer.

Locally sourced in NZ - stock comes from a NZ supplier with an approximate delivery of 7-15 business days.

International Imports - stock is imported into NZ, depending on air or sea shipping option from the international supplier stock can take 10-30 working days to arrive into NZ. 

Pre-order Titles - delivery will vary depending on where the title is published, if local stock is available in NZ then 5-7 business days, for international imports it can be 10-30 business days. In all cases we will access the quickest supply option.

Delivery Packaging - we ship all items in cardboard sleeves or by box with either packing paper or corn starch chips. (We avoid using plastics bubble bags)

Tracking - Orders are delivered by track and trace courier and are fully insured, tracking information will be sent by email once dispatched.

View our full Order & Delivery information