His money originally came from a family owned department-store in Whitechapel. At the time, he was living in Wadhurst, Sussex.

He was a sporting tenant at Sponish from 1908 until moved onto Borve in Harris in 1913, then onto Uig. He bought the Pairc crafting estate in 1925, which remained in his family until the acrimonious community buyout. He also took a 99-year lease of Luskentyre estate in 1923 which he lost when the Government bought the estate by compulsory purchase order in 1929 for a recrofting programme. He also bought Kyles Lodge in Leverburgh (which his daughter inherited)

On his death, his estate was worth £206,00 (equivalent to some £12.3 million today)