What do you think happened to the family? (SPOILERS)

Before, the aristocracy of England had much of their fortunes invested in land. They owned vast properties of land, that was used for farming and such. Attatched to those properties, was usually some kind of big manor house, with a big staff to keep it up. What happened was, England began to tax those properties quite heavily, beginning at the early 1900's. Owning land vent from being assets, to being liabilities, as the taxes was higher than the upkeep and incomes. Also, land was taxated heavily when it went from one owner to the other, as in a part of an inheritence.

That meant, most of the landed gentry sold out their properties and invested their fortunes elsewhere, mostly in the stockmarket. Also, keeping a big staff went from cheap labour to being very expensive, which meant only the superrich could afford keeping up with that kind of lifestyle. Most sold out and had to adapt other more cheap ways of living. It was the end of an era, a dying aristocracy, as depicted in "Brideshead Revisited". Those who didn't sell and couldn't keep up with the cost went bankrupt, the estates being taken over by the National Trust, or the Save British Heritage movement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landed_gentry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Trust_for_Places_of_Historic_Int erest_or_Natural_Beauty

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAVE_Britain%27s_Heritage

So, what would happen is most likely:

Larita and Jim Whittaker would end up on the French Riviera, after a weekend of passion in Paris. Mr Whittaker would drink himself to death in a matter of five years or until the money runs out. Larita would pursue a more adventurous lifestyle, perhaps being caught up in the politics that leaded up to the second world war. I have no problem seeing her as an international socialite / part time spy for the allies.

John Whittaker would try to keep up the manor house, with the help of his mother. They were forced to sell more and more land to their neighbour, Lord Hurst. At the end, they would end up with nothing but the house, which they would be forced to sell to the National Trust. The manor house is now a public school for women. John Whittaker married Sarah Hurst, and they got a couple of children.

Lord Hurst managed to make his vast estate a profitable farming business, which Sarah and her children would eventually inherit. John Whittaker would thus be able to continue that kind of lifestyle, but he would be more or less pennyless by his own accord. He probably ended up with an inferiority complex, trying to wave the Whittaker flag as high as he could. He would probably feel very miserable, having a string of affairs in between, and end up slightly alcoholic.

After Veronica Whittaker sold the manor house, she rented a big flat in London, and began to live the happy life of a grandmother in Londons higher social circles. There wasn't that much money left, but she could have a very nice flat of her own, and a minimal staff of servants. She began to loosen up in her senior years, after having let go of the old lifestyle, and she was actually quite happy. Perhaps even more so after the usual monthly visit by Lord Hurst, who took her to theatre and dinner, and perhaps a nightly romantic escapade now and then.

Her daughters, Hilda and Marion Whittaker, would both leave the big manor house soon after the events of the film. Marion ended up married with one of the neighbours sons. They lived a happy and quiet country lifes, she eventually fostered five children. Hilda had a more abrupt start in her life outside the manor house. She ran away with a theatre actor and pursued the life of a comedienne of the burlesque. Eventually, she was quite successful, entertaining the troops during the second world war. After the war, she settled down running a theatre business.

Furber discovered that he had a keen eye for arts and investments. He ran a successful art gallery in London, but was shot and killed during the war, on account of a dispute on some stolen artwork.