Furnishing the family: John Clerk of Penicuik and his network of interdependencies and influences
Author
Faculty Advisor
Date
2024
Keywords
John Clerk of Penicuik, social ascension, France, Scotland
Abstract (summary)
John Clerk of Penicuik (1611–1674) was a Montrose-born merchant whose commercial activities in France between 1634 and 1645 placed him at the centre of an extensive network, one that connected him to a vast array of producers of art and luxury items as well as merchants and elite clients from across western Europe. His economic dealings garnered him a reputation at home and abroad for fair trade and an eye for quality goods. In turn, this helped Clerk to earn considerable wealth and to establish associations that would lay the foundation for his family’s social ascension over the next two generations. As Siobhan Talbott noted, the key to Clerk’s success in business during this early period was the trust he earned and the relationships he cultivated. Returning to Scotland and establishing himself in Edinburgh in 1645, Clerk continued to oversee the commercial network he had developed in France, travelling to wherever his involvement was crucial to his (and his clients’) business interests. In 1654, he acquired the barony of Penicuik and began building up his family’s position in the region. By the 1660s, Clerk had transformed the family home at Newbiggin into the epicentre of his extensive landholding and commercial activities such that, at his death in 1674, he was able to leave his family in a position of wealth, influence, and stature that ensured their place among Scotland’s elite.
Publication Information
Falconer, J.R.D. (2024). Furnishing the family: John Clerk of Penicuik and his network of interdependencies and influences. In Baer-Tsarfati, L., Dye, S., & Hudec, M. (Eds.), Networks and Networking in Scottish Studies: Essays in Honour of Elizabeth Ewan. The Centre for Scottish Studies. https://books.lib.uoguelph.ca/networksandnetworking/
DOI
Notes
Item Type
Book Chapter
Language
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND)
