victorian times

Are we doing your homework?

Are you aiming at a specific case or looking for the general causes that could lead to ruin in those days?

And what is a business poss. ?

Say the family runs a cotton business, and the American civil war breaks out. That could cripple a family.

New technology giving competitors the upper hand.

Tarnishing of the family name. It wasn't so much a typical case but Oscar Wilde lost his standing through his trials and subsequent incarceration. A newpaper editor for the Pall Mall gazette, also lost his welath and standing in Victorian England after being taken to court over his coverage of Child prostitution in Victorian London. In honesty I can't remember his name. Pretty famous though.

I get the impression that in the Victorian era alot was based on social position,respectability etc.
It seems as Wiggle says that if the family name was tarnished by scandal things could go downhill pretty quickly.
Ironic as I believe most husbands were probably visiting prostitutes(as we see in most victorian adaptations) on a regular basis while wifey stayed at home and yet the men would get away with it and the woman would be cast out if she was found to be cheating.

weather-if rain is poor and a river is powering a mill then production will be low.
price/affordability/durability/demand/fashions/trends/influences from other countries/transport.

Im waffling now. Im sure none of it helped you but I love the victorian era,cant get a better one better for ramance and vampires!!