Exchequer – reorganises the indirect tax system by maintaining the sup- posedly temporary income tax, re- Research Notes forms Civil Service. March Outbreak of Crimean War against Chronology Russia in support of Turkey. Key dates in the life of William Ewart Gladstone January, Aberdeen resigns over 1809–1898 the conduct of the war. Palmerston becomes premier. Gladstone resigns Compiled by Tony Little on February.
Early Life 1841–46: 1859–65: Palmerston’s December Peel’s Government William Ewart Gladstone born at Government Rodney Street, Liverpool, the fourth September son (and fifth child) of Sir John Appointed Vice-President of the June Gladstone, a merchant with West In- Board of Trade. Gladstone joins ‘Formation’ of the Liberal Party in dian plantations, and Anne Macken- Cabinet as President of Board of Willis’ Rooms. Agreement reached zie Robertson, a frail woman with Trade on May , and carries to bring down Derby. Palmerston strong evangelical leanings. the first general railway act in , becomes premier on June and ap- ensuring that poorer passengers are points Gladstone Chancellor of the – provided for. Exchequer – raises income tax from Educated at Eton and Christ d to d in his first budget. Church, Oxford: double first in clas- sics and mathematics. Resigns from the government over a grant to the Maynooth RC col- Cobden agrees a commercial treaty December lege, but rejoins in the Corn Law with France, and in the ensuing Elected MP for Newark (Tory). crisis, though losing his parliamen- budget Gladstone greatly strength- June tary seat. ens free trade and enhances his Maiden speech defending his father’s reputation. treatment of slaves on the West In- The government repealed the pro- dian plantations. tective tariff on corn in response to Gladstone introduces the Post Of- December the Irish famine, but is defeated fice Savings Bank Bill and consoli- Appointed Junior Lord of the Treas- shortly thereafter on a coercion bill. dates all the annual financial legisla- ury. The Tory party splits between pro- tion into the udget to ensure the tectionists and Peelites. abolition of the excise duty on pa- January per in the face of opposition from Appointed Under-Secretary for War the Lords. and the Colonies (until April) in Elected MP for Oxford University. Peel’s short-lived ministry. / Gladstone defeated at Oxford Uni- Death of his daughter Catherine (Jessy), of Robert Peel, of his father. versity, but ‘unmuzzled’ he is elected Publishes The Church in Its Relations for South Lancashsire. with the State, arguing the case for the role of the Church of England as a 1852–55: Aberdeen’s state church. 1865-66: Peelite/Whig/Liberal July Russell’s Government Marries Catherine Glynne (aged ), Coalition daughter of an historic Whig family, Russell succeeds on the death of at Hawarden. December Palmerston. Government defeated Gladstone vigorously attacks over Reform Bill through splits in June Disraeli’s budget, bringing down the Liberal Party, and resigns on June Eldest son, William Henry, born. Derby Government. Aberdeen ap- . Derby becomes the new pre- points Gladstone Chancellor of the mier of a minority Tory government journal of liberal democrat history 20: autumn 1998 49 and Disraeli introduces a new Re- form bill which, thanks to skilful 1880-85: January Irish and Liberals com- manoeuvering, becomes the second Gladstone’s Second bine to defeat the Salisbury govern- Reform Act in . On Derby’s ment on an amendment to the death Disraeli becomes Prime Min- Government Queen’s Speech calling for allotments ister. By Gladstone is able to for agricultural labourers (‘Three regain the initiative through a cam- Elected for Midlothian, Gladstone Acres and a Cow’). Hartington refuses becomes prime minister for the sec- paign to disestablish the Church of to join the government and Cham- ond time on April and com- Ireland. berlain resigns on March over bines the office with the Exchequer. plans for Home Rule. Home Rule An unhappy government, most of Bill introduced April. Defeated on whose members threaten resignation 1868-74: Second Reading ( June) by thirty at one time or another, its time is votes. Liberals, split into Gladstonian Gladstone’s First largely taken up with: and Unionist groups, are beaten by Government •Irish land reforms and attempts the Conservatives in the resulting to suppress rural violence against general election. July Gladstone Now MP for Greenwich, Gladstone a background of obstruction of resigns. becomes premier for the first time the House of Commons by Irish on December . July Home Rule MPs. Obstruction is Celebrates Golden Wedding Anni- reluctantly overcome by the now versary in London. Disestablishment of the Church of familiar guillotine. Ireland. October •The Bradlaugh affair, where the Newcastle Programme – a party, not MP for Northampton is refused prime ministerial, manifesto. Irish Land Reform.Elementary his seat as an atheist and efforts Education Act. to introduce an affirmation bill fail. 1892–94: Abolition of purchase of army com- • Third Reform Act of , Gladstone’s Fourth missions. which brings household suffrage Government to the counties as well as the bor- oughs. In debates Gladstone op- Secret ballot introduced. July poses votes for women, Liberals win general election but •The Egyptian and Sudanese cri- with a smaller majority than hoped The government is defeated over ses (General Gordon is killed at following splits among Irish MPs af- Irish University reforms in but Khartoum in the Sudan on ter Parnell’s divorce. August limps on to the general elec- January , just before a relief Gladstone forms fourth government. tion where it is defeated by Disraeli, force arrives). who achieves a Conservative major- ity for the first time since the April February Home Rule Bill intro- general election. Disraeli dies. duced in Commons and passes Commons stages but defeated in January June Lords on September. Retires from Leadership of the Lib- The government resigns after Tories eral Party, succeeded by Hartington and Irish defeat the budget. Salisbury in the Commons and Granville in forms the new government. Gladstone refuses to accept increase the Lords. in naval expenditure and resigns on March; replaced as Prime Minis- September 1886: ter by Rosebery. Gladstone remains Re-entry into politics with publica- an MP until the general election of tion of The Bulgarian Horrors and the Gladstone’s Third July , which sees heavy Liberal Question of the East. Government defeat. November November May The First Midlothian Campaign – a A general election produces a hung Death of Mr Gladstone at Hawarden new style of popular electioneering. Parliament: Liberals , To r ies , from cancer . Buried in Westminster Irish Home Rulers . Abbey.
50 journal of liberal democrat history 20: autumn 1998 Matthew has collected together the introductions to the diaries to form Bibliography what is probably the best modern biography. Although the opening Gladstone: Further Reading section dwells heavily on the ines- Compiled by Tony Little capable religious aspects, do not be deterred. Life of Gladstone: / vols (depend- The following very brief list is merely a starting point. Most ing on edition): J. Morley. of the works listed have their own much more extensive Still the unreplaced classic, but a monument which lacks the personal bibliographies for the serious student. insights and ‘warts’ expected of a modern life. Published sources line between politics, the civil serv- Gladstone –: R. Shannon. ice and friendship. A competitor to Matthew on the The Gladstone Diaries: vols: Edited early career. Long and detailed but by M. R. D. Foot & H. C. G. Mat- Background not without humour. Volume may thew. be with us by the end of the year. Detailed abbreviated daily doings. Nineteenth Century Britain: A. Wood. Disraeli: R. Blake. The skeleton on which Gladstone A standard ‘A’ level textbook. studies now hang, but not an easy Gladstone’s chief competitor and read as they were intended as a per- Politics Without Democracy: M. Bent- antithesis. Infinitely preferable to the sonal introspection and ready refer- ley. gossipy newer biography by S. ence of time spent. Inexpensive paperback which gives Weintraub. a brisk survey of the period with Robert Peel: vols.: N. Gash. The Political Correspondence of Mr. added perspective. Peel was Gladstone’s first ministerial Gladstone & Ld. Granville: vols.: Ed. A. Ramm. The Palliser Novels: vols.: A. Trollope employer and the mentor who in- Granville was Gladstone’s closest Capture the mood, mores and some- spired the rest of his career. political confidant and friend. thing of the principal personalities. The Prime Minister’s Papers: W. E. The Crisis of Imperialism – : Politics Gladstone: vols.: Ed. J. Brooke & M. R. Shannon. Thought-provoking, poses the McCalmont’s Parliamentary Poll Book Sorenson. –: Ed. J. Vincent & M. Memos, mostly autobiographical, problems faced by successive govern- ments and their answers to them. Stenton. kept by Gladstone, for the record. The election results for every par- Gladstone’s Speeches: Ed. A. Tilney The Optimists, Themes and Personali- liamentary constituency over the Bassett. ties in Victorian Politics: I. Bradley. period, the psephologist’s delight. How the sometimes contradictory key speeches covering pages British Parliamentary Election Results: plus an -page list of all the major ideas which make up Liberal poli- tics came together. F. W. S. Craig (several vols). speeches! The modern work of reference, Midlothian Speeches: W. E. Gladstone The Rise and Fall of Liberal Govern- more accessible than McCalmont Ed. M. R. D. Foot. ment in Victorian Britain:Jonathan but not subtle enough on party la- A reprint of the key speeches of Parry. bels in the Gladstonian period. How the system worked in its prime. . Elections and Party Management: H. J. The Red Earl, The Papers of the th Earl Hanham. Spencer –: vols.: Ed. P. Biography Political organisation and campaign- ing in the good old days before cen- Gordon. Gladstone: R. Jenkins tral organisation and Focus. Princess Diana’s ancestor was a Very readable but somewhat Gladstonian Cabinet Minister; an headmasterly approach by our A Diary of Two Parliaments: vols.: insider’s view. former leader in the Lords. Draws H. W. Lucy. The Diary of Edward Walter Hamilton heavily on the diaries and Matthew The Punch sketchwriter views the ( Vols): Ed D. Bahlman. but with the insight of a practising party combat; naturally stronger on One of Gladstone’s secretaries and senior minister. later senior Treasury official. The Gladstone –: H. C. G. Mat- view of another insider, blurring the thew. concluded on page journal of liberal democrat history 20: autumn 1998 51 Gladstone and A Liberal Democrat History Group Fringe Meeting Britain’s Imperial Role continued from page
No More Heroes Any More? Isles, – (CUP, ), and au- thor of Liberty, Retrenchment and What have Liberal Democrats today to learn from Liberal Reform: Popular Liberalism in the heroes of the past? Who contributed most to the Age of Gladstone, –, (CUP, development of the party and of Liberalism? What common ). themes bind us together? Notes Three speakers offer their choices: I have further developed this analysis in my article ‘Exporting “Western & Ben- Bill Rodgers (Lord Rodgers of Quarry Bank), one of the SDP’s eficial Institutions”: Gladstone and Em- ‘Gang of Four’ and leader of the Liberal Democrat peers; pire, –', in D. Bebbington and R. Swift (eds.), Gladstone Centenary Essays Graham Watson MEP, former aide to David Steel and the (Liverpool University Press, ). Cit. in J. Morley, The Life of William Ewart one of the Liberal Democrats’ first two Euro-MPs; and Gladstone (), vol. , pp. –. See O. Ralph, Naoroji: The First Asian Professor Ben Pimlott, Warden of Goldsmiths College and MP (), p. ff. author of biographies of Harold Wilson and the Queen; H. C. G. Matthew, ‘Introduction’ to Gladstone Diaries (), vol. , p. xc. Chair: Graham Tope (Lord Tope of Cheam). W. E. Gladstone, Midlothian Speeches , with an introduction by M. R. D. Foot The meeting marks the launch of the Liberal Democrat (), pp. , . D.Schreuder, ‘The making of Mr History Group’s major new publication, the Gladstone’s posthumous career: the role Dictionary of Liberal Biography. of Morley and Knaplund as “Monumen- tal Masons”’, –’, in B. L. Kinzer (ed.), The Gladstonian Turn of Mind (), 8.15pm, Sunday 20 September p. . Metcalf, Ideologies of the Raj: The New Osborne Suite, Metropole Hotel, Brighton. Cambridge History of India (), III., p. . For interesting parallels between Jamaica and Ireland in terms of ethnic conflict Bibliography and the problems involved in granting continued from page A selection of articles, extracts and self-government, see Gordon to sketches covering the whole history Gladstone, January , ibid., p. . personalities than issues. Other of parliament – well worth enjoy- For the general methodological and his- works by Lucy well worth sampling. ing in its own right. It has a chapter torical context see C. A. Bayly’s masterly Imperial Meridian: The British Empire and The Literary Companion to Parliament: on Gladstone and is more easily ob- the World – (). Ed. C. Silvester. tained than Lucy.
52 journal of liberal democrat history 20: autumn 1998