BRITISH CONSERVATISM AND THE PRIMROSE LEAGUE ... - ideals

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104 able to see, been remarkably successful in stimulating energy and promoting organization." While complimenting the League on its observation of "the spirit of the election laws," his manner suggested a general lack of enthusiasm for its endeavors.42 Salisbury, on the other hand, seemed to grasp quite early on that the future success of the party as a whole and his position in particular were dependent on his ability to capture the loyalty and support of the new electorate as represented indirectly through rank and file political associations. Between 1880 and 1885 he addressed a number of Conservative groups throughout the country, frequently praising their efforts and calling on their aid in furthering party principles which strengthened the empire and resisting "the active assailants of our institutions." In launching a campaign offensive, Salisbury challenged existing Liberal strongholds, venturing into Scotland and the city of Birmingham, respectively, the home of Gladstonian Liberalism and the Chamberlain caucus.43 42 Iddesleigh to William Hardman, 13 January 1886 in the Minutes of the Grand Council of the Primrose League, 20 January 1886, also cited in England, 23 January 1886, p. 7. 43 Citing Lord Salisbury's speech to the Junior Conservative Club in Wolverhampton. The Times, 31 March 1883, p. 6. The myriad political associations with which Salisbury had contact during these years included those located in London, Littlehampton, Brighton, Edinburgh, and Birmingham. "Lord Salisbury," The Times, 6 March 1881, p. 9; writing an acknowledgment to the Southwark Workingmen's Conservative Association for its vote of confidence in his appointment as Conservative party leader in the House of Lords. "Lord Salisbury," The Times, 19 July 1881, p. 8; sending a note of congratulations on the formation of the Littlehampton Conservative Association. "Lord Salisbury on the Policy of the Government," The Times, 15 May 1884, p. 10; speaking to the London and Westminster Working Men's Constitutional Association against the debilitating effects of the Liberal caucus and the government's inadequate defense of the empire. "Lord Salisbury at Brighton," The Times, 16 October 1885, p. 7; addressing representatives from Sussex regarding Liberal foreign policy failures in Egypt. "Lord
105 He was perfectly prepared to draw upon facets of the Disraelian mythology in order to create a multiclass coalition endorsing strong national interests. Thus, in speaking at the unveiling of Beaconsfield's statute in April of 1883, Salisbury paid tribute to the Disraelian legend, modifying its contours to suit his own distinctive purposes. Disraeli was to be remembered, "not because he was a great party leader, but because he was animated by sentiments and moved by ideas wider than the issue of parties." He was to be praised for achieving consensus "in times when the idea of the national greatness and of the strength and of the unity of the country was assailed by tendencies . . . which seem to . . . [split] . . . our country into classes and sectors."44 in Salisbury's hands, Lord Beaconsfield became a legendary figure beckoning for national unity amidst the raging seas of disintegration. Salisbury's Visit to Scotland," The Times, 22 November 1882, p. 4. "Lord Salisbury and Mr. Gibson at Birmingham," The Times, p. 6; greeting the crowd gathered to mark the opening of the Midland Conservative Club. 44 The Times, 20 April 1883, p. 11.
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BRITISH CONSERVATISM AND THE PRIMRO
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ABSTRACT BRITISH CONSERVATISM AND
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TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Tables Li
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LIST OF GRAPHS 1 Cumulative Distri
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PREFACE For a scholar embarking on
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Materials were also consulted at th
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INTRODUCTION The Primose League wa
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3 Conservative party leadership. Th
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5 government. It is, for him, a sys
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7 up in the early twentieth century
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9 Through an examination of a numbe
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11 . CHAPTER ONE Early Years, 1883
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country, albeit with the tacit supp
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15 districts to reflect the distrib
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17 marked most dramatically in the
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19 my allegiance to the Sovereign o
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21 leadership. 1 ? yhe Registrar wa
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23 at the meetings of .the Habitati
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25 Women in a sense had been active
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Although this was precisely the rol
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29 Ill As early as January, 1884 t
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The gains made in the recruitment o
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33 move intended to suggest the ass
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35 The Ruling Council enlarged its
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37 members charged with overseeing
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39 chairmanship of Gorst. 57 The P
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41 The political responsibilities o
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43 Conservative Cabinet. Balfour, A
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45 been taken, presumably at the in
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47 In many respects the formal adop
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49 existing institutions by means o
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Gains made in other spheres helped
Page 65 and 66: 53 PRIMROSE LEAGUE LOCAL ORGANIZATI
Page 67 and 68: 55 day decisions to its Executive C
Page 69 and 70: 57 Between the years 1886 and 1888
Page 71 and 72: 59 By contrast, District. Agents we
Page 73 and 74: 61 As the organization expanded, ne
Page 75 and 76: 63 meetings should be conducted at
Page 77 and 78: 65 While the move to shift registra
Page 79 and 80: 67 League. Consequently in Janyary,
Page 81 and 82: 69 The idea of a great loose body o
Page 83 and 84: 71 the League's formation. 44 A mor
Page 85 and 86: The controversy, which assumed its
Page 87 and 88: 75 Habitations. 55 The dispute bet
Page 89 and 90: 77 The direct-mail solicitation suc
Page 91 and 92: Lord Salisbury, as Grand Master, li
Page 93 and 94: 81 Agency, a Primrose Gazette Commi
Page 95 and 96: 83 CHAPTER THREE Politics, 1885-18
Page 97 and 98: 85 minimizing the irreversible gain
Page 99 and 100: 87 implementation until January, 18
Page 101 and 102: 89 a source of popular support. In
Page 103 and 104: anquet held just prior to the 1885
Page 105 and 106: 93 Political Secretary. A decision
Page 107 and 108: self-imposed restraints exercised d
Page 109 and 110: 97 practiced by Habitations. 26 By
Page 111 and 112: 99 The exact extent of League compl
Page 113 and 114: 101 Lady Churchill recalled that at
Page 115: 103 charge 1,222,000 pamphlets, lea
Page 119 and 120: 107 Increasingly the party made inr
Page 121 and 122: 109 in promoting a voluntary extrap
Page 123 and 124: Ill activities brought about by th
Page 125 and 126: 113 "representative" conservative o
Page 127 and 128: Churchill's prospects further dimin
Page 129 and 130: 117 Despite the lapse of time since
Page 131 and 132: 119 Maximum annual earnings for the
Page 133 and 134: 121 The Rev. J.S. Beckwith, speakin
Page 135 and 136: 123 the most jealous religious comm
Page 137 and 138: 125 Between the years 1885 and 1888
Page 139 and 140: Honorary Secretaries. At the bottom
Page 141 and 142: 129 the highest level by the operat
Page 143 and 144: 131 promoting supporters of denomin
Page 145 and 146: The women were prime movers in the
Page 147 and 148: 135 Women assumed a proportionately
Page 149 and 150: 137 More typical, perhaps, is Nails
Page 151 and 152: agents, and even the Vice Chancello
Page 153 and 154: 141 which the revenues of the Grand
Page 155 and 156: 143 TABLE 2 Grand Council Revenue
Page 157 and 158: 145 TABLE 3 SGC Ledger and Membersh
Page 159 and 160: 147 A Grand Council Precept was iss
Page 161 and 162: 149 become involved in party politi
Page 163 and 164: 151 notable female initiatives incl
Page 165 and 166: 153 Perhaps more than anything else
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period of several years and found i
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157 However, the declining membersh
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159 multi-page handouts to single f
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161 the 152 reported in 1890. 61 O
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163 years later they proposed the e
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165 On the political front the Gran
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concerning Britain's economy and ov
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169 feature of the later years was
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171 on all great and vital question
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It seems significant that at the ti
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A new generation of imperial associ
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177 the war was the extent to which
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170 concerns in which Ireland was p
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172 they failed in their result, bu
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estoration of British supremacy and
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176 Certainly, the Primrose League
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Certainly the League was capable of
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180 Their victory in 1868 brought g
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182 II The best means available fo
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184 Elections 3 which provides a de
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186 stage of Habitation growth on a
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188 Appendices A, B, C, D, and E pr
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League made early inroads, almost a
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192 If we examine other regions of
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194 V Four years later, the situat
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196 The representation of the Primr
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198 The use of the census as a meas
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Cheshire county, located in Fawcett
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Habitation influence in Wales as me
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204 Even allowing for varying regio
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206 Another prominent feature exhib
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egion it appears to have reached it
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210 achievement is a significant on
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316 or 8.3 percent of all officers.
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undoubtedly highly esteemed in thei
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216 Hanwell might best be character
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218 a number of judgements. Individ
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Members of the military, none of wh
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222 caused many to regard his achie
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area, although a cotton factory and
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were attracted by the unique opport
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228 CHAPTER SIX Political Subcultu
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230 urban and rural communities whi
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232 II The "invention of tradition
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League, "the maintenance of religio
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236 As late as 1886, Gladstone's pe
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following passage is quoted at leng
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material ran round the various balc
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Deference has fared somewhat better
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244 Times are altered, and we have
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Periodic meetings were held to prom
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248 offered differentiating the var
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250 Bagehot exaggerated the extent
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252 actually held positions as Knig
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254 The social advantages conferred
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256 existing order by appealing to
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258 House of Lords, and the Church
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260 Wish they were dead.57 A compa
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262 Conservatives were urged to uni
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265 Conservative M.P.s' thanking lo
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267 are Ladywood (Birmingham), Hudd
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269 and counterbalanced by the enti
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271 both in addition to an Honorary
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273 League. In large measure this w
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275 Prior to 1885 the rural communi
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277 that all qualified voters suppo
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279 Liberal Unionist member.*6 Des
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independently of ordinary Conservat
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283 Relations remained uneasy in Bi
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Woolen manufacturing was the primar
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287 speaker retained by Grand Counc
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In the case of both Bain and Helder
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291 Catholics favoring denomination
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293 The efforts of members of the e
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later, members reminisced "over the
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297 The increasingly cosmopolitan f
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299 in South Africa" and a donation
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difficulties, we have at last succe
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While special rights and privileges
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305 exclusively of Dames.79 The re
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dated 21 February 1890, Merrick com
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Begun in February of 1888, Whitehav
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311 CHAPTER EIGHT Epilogue We [th
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313 politics. Although it adopted t
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315 the party like Walter Long, Leo
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317 The years 1900-1914 were marked
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319 London executive following the
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321 Financial and minute records in
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who were occupiers in their own rig
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In part this misconception has been
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327 century received a mixed respon
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329 social and political reforms. I
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331 BIBLIOGRAPHY I Primrose League
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333 Thornbury Habitation Minutes,,
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Cannadine, David. "The Context, Per
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Gwyn, William B. Democracy and the
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339 Mathias, Peter. The First Indus
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341 Rempel, Richard A. Unionists Di
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343 APPENDIX A London 1899 cumula
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345 APPENDIX C Dorset 1899 cumula
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347 APPENDIX E West Riding, Yorksh
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APPENDIX G County by County Analys
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APPENDIX H (Cont'd) Comparison of
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