Charles Dickens’ “Christmas Carol”: The real Scrooge was much, much stingier

It is probably the best known “Christmas Story” of the world: Charles Dickens’ story about the hard-hearted miser Ebenezer Scrooge, to whom three ghosts appear on the night before Christmas and show him quite dramatically the consequences of his heartless life.

What is less well known: There was a real role model for Scrooge: the London businessman and millionaire John Elwes (1714-1789).

He was famous (and infamous) for saving on everything! His houses were in ruins because he never had anything repaired. It was raining through the roof and the wind was whistling through the broken windows. At most there was a fire in the kitchen, usually just a log.

There were only leftovers to eat, some of which were weeks old. He is said to have once snatched the carcass of a drowned grouse from a rat. His rich mother had already starved to death – because she was too stingy to buy food!

The millionaire was wearing rags and had found his wig in a hedge. Some passers-by thought he was a beggar and gave the millionaire gentle gifts.

When he traveled, he tried to travel only on grass if possible so that the horseshoes would not wear out. In between, he took a break and let his horse, which was already emaciated, graze in order to save the straw at home. On longer journeys he slept under hedges and saved himself an inn.

Even in the pouring rain, the few pennies for a carriage were too much for him. He ran on foot and then went to bed in his soaking wet clothes – without changing them or lighting a fire to dry them.

Elwes had to travel frequently, especially when he later became a member of Parliament. Then he lived in one of his London houses, which was currently empty. In one case this almost became his downfall. After he failed to show up for an appointment with his nephew, he searched for him all over town. Eventually he found Elwes in one of his houses, seriously ill and feverish in bed. A doctor was just able to save him. But not his long-time housekeeper. She was found dead in the house days later.

Legendary: When the miser injured both legs, he only had the doctor treat one – to save half the medical costs!

On his deathbed, the notary had to write his last will in the light of the fireplace because Elwes was too stingy for the candle. His doctor said he could have lived at least ten more years if his greed hadn’t ruined his health so much.

Unlike Scrooge, he never managed to free himself from his stinginess. However, Elwes had one good trait: If he loaned someone money, he never asked for it back!

John Elwes left his two illegitimate sons and his nephew a gigantic fortune of 800,000 pounds (135 million euros in today’s purchasing power) and lived on 50 pounds (around 8,500 euros today) a year throughout his life.