# What is a "remittance man?" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 5, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-remittance-man/307049 "2005-06-05T21:58:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-remittance-man/307049/1 "2005-06-05T21:58:49Z")
In my reading of some of W. Somerset Maugham’s short stories, I get the impression that a “remittance man” is someone who has disgraced his family back in England. In the absence of an ability to have him quietly put away, he is shipped out to the far reaches of the British Empire, and provided a stipend, or remittance, to stay away from his home. I get the impression that the label carried only a slight taint of embarrassment in the eyes of the British expatriates who had productive roles in these outposts. Have I got that about right?If I do, how common was the practice in actuality? ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-remittance-man/307049/2 "2005-06-05T22:14:52Z")
Yes, that’s pretty much it. The “black sheep” of the family was sent to the colonies, with some sort of allowance sent to him on a regular basis. He was then expected to sink or swim under his own steam. Some did well. Some didn’t. I’ve only ever come across the concept in literature. I have no idea how common it was in practice. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2005, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-remittance-man/307049/3 "2005-06-05T23:30:01Z")
Thanks much. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-remittance-man/307049/4 "2005-06-06T03:39:23Z")
In the little Saskatchewan town I grew up in, there was a particular family of ne-er do wells. My mother mentioned that the grandfather who had emigrated from the U.K. was a “remittance man” who never got into the habit of working hard because of the steady payments from the old country, and passed the inability on to his family. Don’t know how accurate Mum’s impression was. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-remittance-man/307049/5 "2005-06-06T14:12:27Z")
I always heard it like this: Under English law, the eldest son inherited everything. Younger sons were encouragerd to enter the military or were sent to far distant colonies with a remittance, thus becoming “remittance men”. This helped increase the life expectancy of eldest sons, among other factors. ---
**Author:** ![St.Urho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8e7dd6/32.png) [@St.Urho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/St.Urho)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2005, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-remittance-man/307049/6 "2005-06-06T14:21:34Z")
Mark Twain discusses remittance men in [Following the Equator](http://www.literaturecollection.com/a/twain/following-equator/2/) > [@Mark Twain](#): > > He was a “remittance man,” the first one I had ever seen or heard of. Passengers explained the term to me. They said that dissipated ne’er-do-wells belonging to important families in England and Canada were not cast off by their people while there was any hope of reforming them, but when that last hope perished at last, the ne’er-do-well was sent abroad to get him out of the way. He was shipped off with just enough money in his pocket–no, in the purser’s pocket–for the needs of the voyage–and when he reached his destined port he would find a remittance awaiting him there. Not a large one, but just enough to keep him a month. A similar remittance would come monthly thereafter. It was the remittance-man’s custom to pay his month’s board and lodging straightway–a duty which his landlord did not allow him to forget–then spree away the rest of his money in a single night, then brood and mope and grieve in idleness till the next remittance came. It is a pathetic life.