Harewood House

The ground that Harewood House was built on was bought by Henry Lascelles in 1738, using money from the West Indian sugar trade. The money came from owning plantations, slaves, ships and warehouses, a fact that was pervasive throughout British society at the time, with many of the great institutions; the Church, banks, artistic and educational establishments – either created or greatly enhanced during that period.

Henry was involved in every aspect of the sugar trade, which might now be called vertical integration and however abhorrent the nature of his business, he was a very astute businessman, who became one of the richest men in England. His eldest son Edwin was born in Barbados in 1712 and received a classical education that Henry had not had. In 1738 they acquired the estates of Harewood and Gawthorpe, where Edwin would later build Harewood House. Henry, though, did not live to see it. He killed himself in 1753 and whilst Harewood House is full of portraits, including one of Henry’s brother Edward, who was the junior partner of their business enterprises, there is no image of Henry.