You May Never See Us Again

byJane Martinson

The Barclay Dynasty: A Story of Survival, Secrecy and Succession

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You May Never See Us Again is the definitive story of David and Frederick Barclay - commonly known as the Barclay brothers. Born poor, these enigmatic twins built one of the biggest fortunes in Britain together and spent six decades at the epicentre of British business, media and politics. Their empire, said to be worth £7bn at its height, included Littlewoods, the Ritz, The Daily Telegraph and the channel island of Brecqhou.

And yet despite their fortune and influence, the Barclays' desire for privacy meant that their story has remained largely unknown - until a very public family dispute pitched Barclay against Barclay in the High Court.

Journalist Jane Martinson unravels the fascinating story of these once inseparable brothers. Through their lives she offers compelling insights into post-war Britain, from the conditions that enabled their way of doing business to thrive through to the tightly enmeshed webs of influence between capitalism, politics and the media that shape Britain today.

Part Ozymandias, part HBO’s Succession ... Jane Martinson has dug deep where many feared to tread. Her book is a gripping yarn of two boys who left school at 14 and became billionaires who entertained celebrities, prime ministers and royalty, only to fall out like ferrets in a sack.

Lionel Barber, former editor of the Financial Times

About Jane Martinson

Jane Martinson is a journalist and academic who first reported on the Barclay empire in 2004. She worked at the Financial Times before spending 18 years at the Guardian, latterly as a senior member of the editorial team. In 2018 she became the Professor of Financial Journalism at City, University of London and started to investigate the Barclay brothers soon after. Jane remains a regular columnist for the Guardian and frequently appears on broadcast media including BBC News, ITV's Good Morning, Sky News, and BBC Radio 4.
Details
  • Imprint: Penguin
  • ISBN: 9781405958905
  • Length: 336 pages
  • Dimensions: 197mm x 21mm x 129mm
  • Weight: 240g
  • Price: £10.99
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