BUILDING A FORTUNE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21716, 3 February 1934, Page 3 (Supplement)

BUILDING A FORTUNE

PAWNBROKER'S £775,000 STARTING ON 10s A WEEK A young man 63 years ago took over a small pawnbroker's and diamond merchant's business in London. By sheer hard work through many years lie built it up to be 0110 of the biggest of its kind in the city. The man died a few weeks ago, and it has been revealed that he left property valued, " so far as can at present be ascertained," at £BOO,OOO, with net personalty £77.5,000. Mr. Thomas Miller Sutton, pawnbroker and jeweller, the man in question, died on December 7, aged 86. His wife. Mrs. Dulce Marian Sutton, died shortly afterwards. She was 81. How Mr. Sutton built up his fortune after starting life as a pawnbroker's assistant on 10s a week was told by bis son, Mr. Edmund Miller Sutton, of Pnrley, Surrey, who has taken his father's place in the business. "My father," he stated, " lived only for his business, and managed it himself right up to the time of his death. He continued to be at the shop sharp at nine .each morning, and would work until six o'clock. Toward the end it was not the money that interested him —it was just his hobby, much as other men play golf." Mr. Sutton left £50,000 and his freehold property to Mr. "Edmund Sutton, and £50.000 on trust for his daughter, Mrs. Maud Elizabeth Woollet. The residue of his property he left equally between his son and daughter, after leaving £3500 to charities, and certain other bequests.