The Lost Houses of Lincoln
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The landed families and entrepreneurs of Lincoln seemed to have a need to show their wealth and success by building grand houses. Most of the houses lasted for less than 100 years. There are several reasons for this, improved standard of living of the working class caused by improved wages in the factories and foundries, until the mid 19th century most of the jobs for men were on the land, and for women in service, most of these houses had many live-in servants. "The flower of British manhood" was decimated during World War One, many of the men who were destined to take over the grand city and country houses were lost. Many of the houses were of an age where maintenance costs were spiralling. The introduction of Death Duties in 1894 and increases in income tax in the early 20th century, by 1918 the rate stood at 30%, meant these houses were becoming millstones.
See also: "The Old House on Corporation Street"