An aristocratic baronet has launched an unconventional search for a new wife, publishing a detailed list of requirements for the potential Lady Slade.
The Job Description for a Wife
Sir Benjamin Slade, 79, is seeking a spouse who is at least twenty years his junior. The successful candidate will receive an annual salary of £50,000 to help run his sprawling 1,300-acre estate in Somerset.
His advert makes it clear that the role demands a specific skill set. The future wife must be a proficient ballroom dancer and capable of handling a shotgun. She must also hold a driving licence, with a helicopter licence considered a bonus.
A Detailed List of Prerequisites
Sir Benjamin's requirements extend far beyond practical skills. He has stipulated that his bride must not be a Scorpio, use drugs, or have a problem with alcohol. He is also seeking a "good breeder" to provide him with a male heir, stating he would like two or three sons.
Further personal preferences include that she does not read the Guardian newspaper, is not Scottish, and stands taller than 5ft 6ins. The baronet expressed a preference for "a nice, ordinary country girl" from backgrounds he considers similar, such as Canadian, American, or Northern European, explicitly ruling out marrying an "Eskimo".
The ideal candidate should be physically fit, able to engage in fast walking and swimming, and skilled in bridge, backgammon, and crosswords. Estate management, legal, or accountancy training would be useful for managing his two castles.
The Financial and Practical Motivations
Sir Benjamin has revealed that the age requirement is partly for tax and insurance reasons. "Death tax is 40 per cent," he explained, noting that leaving his estate to a wife is tax-free. For this to work, she must outlive him by seven years, hence the need for a younger, insurable spouse.
The compensation package includes the £50,000 salary plus a bonus, which covers a car, a house, expenses, food, and holidays. Sir Benjamin, who has a daughter from a previous relationship, lives at Maunsel House in Bridgwater. He inherited his baronetcy, which is descended from Charles II, after his father's death in 1962.
Defending the traditional nature of the role, he cited Jane Austen, saying, "You always have a lady of the house, women run houses... They run the staff, they have an eye for it."
