How did the “Income” of rich people mentioned in the literature of 19th-century work?

Question

When reading a book like the Count of Monte Chriato or Scherlock Holmes, they mention that this and this person has an income of 4000 pounds and that person will have this and this income when she marries.

How does that work? Most of these people do not do any actual job.

In: 669

Answer 1

Rents have been mentioned, but there were also income from loans. Before the complete dominance of investment banks the nobility and industrialists were also the major source of venture capital. You wanted to start a business, then you borrowed from someone rich and paid them interest.