Fotoreproductie van een portret van John Rooke before 1872

Here is a photographic reproduction of a portrait of John Rooke, a political economist and geologist. While the original artist remains anonymous, the portrait provides a glimpse into the world of 19th-century intellectual life. John Rooke is described as coming from an ancient family of yeomen. During Rooke’s early years, no class stood higher in general estimation in Cumberland. The term yeoman is applied to a person who occupies and cultivates his own land, leasehold or freehold. This was at a time when social status and economic class were deeply intertwined with one's relationship to the land. Portraits like this often reflect the societal values and ideals of the time, emphasizing the importance of lineage, status, and intellectual pursuits. Rooke’s story reflects the complex interplay between class identity, economic status, and social perception in the 1800s.