Disraeli...

...pondering his front garden.

Hughenden Manor closes today for about 10 weeks.  It was thronged with last minute visitors, lots of families on the last day of the school Christmas holidays.

One of the guides gave us a potted life story, which probably doesn't bear too close examination.  Apparently Disraeli was born into a well-to-do but not rich Jewish family.  When he was 12, his father fell out with the local synagogue and had his children baptised as Anglicans.  Young Disraeli was ambitious and tried several times to get elected as an MP, as a result of which he ran up large debts. Luckily he met a rich couple with huge mining wealth.  They were rather taken with him and the husband was also trying to get elected as an MP.  They bankrolled Disraeli and both he and his benefactor were elected.  Sadly the benefactor died 8 months later.  However, his widow, an astute lady 12 years older than Disraeli called Mary Anne, realised that Disraeli needed money and she needed a husband, preferably one who was going to be successful.  The strategy succeeded beyond her wildest dreams.  He was Chancellor of the Exchequer three times, Prime Minister twice, charmed Queen Victoria and moved in the highest circles.  It was a successful marriage.  Mary Anne once joked that although Disraeli had married her for her money he would do it again for love.