During the Regency period in the aristocracy, peerage and families of means, the eldest son would inherit everything on the death of the father, but what of younger sons - the so-called 'spare' and the others? What would younger sons do so that they were not reliant on their elder brothers to keep them and their family?
If the younger sons did receive any income from an annuity, or grant, it would only be a small fraction of the estate income that the eldest son, for example the eldest may inherit an estate that would earn them anywhere from £10,000 to £20,000 per year, (about £1million - £2million today), whilst a younger son may only get about £1000-£2000 a year (about £100,000-£200,000 today). For most people today that would be enough to live a more than comfortable life with, but for a member of the peerage, including a younger son, it would most likely not be enough for him and his family when you take into account the household expenses, stabling the horses, carriages, dowries, education costs for the children (especially the sons), then the cost of a daughter's societal debut. It all adds up for the younger son if they wish to keep their place in society, so in order to not be a burden on their elder brother and his family the younger son would have to find a way to make their own money.
For these younger sons there were very few careers that they could enter and maintain their social status, often they would become officers in the military (army or navy), or they would enter the church and become a clergyman, or they could enter the legal profession as a barrister. Medicine was rather dubious as an occupational choice for these sons, even though physicians were considered gentleman. Some may have entered into trade using family connections, professions such as banking were socially acceptable, whilst others would be sent to the colonies (India or the Caribbean) in order to make their fortune.
Some could make their fortune, and most could make a decent living that would supplement any annuity they received, and in very rare instances they may receive a peerage in their own right. Arthur Wellesley was a younger son of an Earl, so to make his way he gained a commission into the army at the age of 18, where he made his mark during the Napoleonic Wars, and was made the Duke of Wellington in 1814. This is a rare occurrence, but also not unheard of for younger sons to receive a peerage for service to the Crown.
The curse of the younger son is that whilst they grew up in luxury not needing to work, in adulthood they will need to forge a career in a socially acceptable profession in order to continue to live a life they are used to, and for the second son there was the added burden of being the heir apparent until such time that their elder brother had a son to supplant him.
