Itching Ears

Abstract

Chapter 1 covers Latrobe’s early life from his birth in 1764 in a Moravian community, his rebellion against the church, and his expulsion from a seminary in Barby, Germany. It describes his thirteen years in London where he studied architecture and engineering and set up his own practice. Latrobe achieved success as an architect in London, but amid the successes there were disturbing signs of his inability to manage his financial affairs, especially when the city experienced an economic downturn. He continually complained that his Moravian background had sheltered him from negotiating the realities of finance. The chapter also describes his marriage and the devastating death of his wife and third child. Suffering from this loss and forced into bankruptcy, Latrobe made the decision to emigrate to the United States.