BRITISH CONSERVATISM AND THE PRIMROSE LEAGUE ... - ideals

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sake of their families and posterity.
Nevertheless, by the period
1889-1901, they had begun to advance their own claims as well as assume
a prominent role in the direction of LGC annual meetings.39
Thus, in
1889 Lady Willoughby de Eresby, addressing the members assembled, spoke
of the tremendous role exerted by women in the establishment and
leadership of Habitations throughout the country. 40
At that same gathering, Lady Lathom proposed the establishment
of League sponsored County Councils, to be composed entirely of women.
Their formation, she argued, would not only extend the domain of
Primrose influence, it would serve as an avenue for greater partici­
pation of women while not interfering with the male preserve of elected
representation at the county level.
The proposal was both a defense of
the status quo and simultaneously an effort to engage women further in
the political domain.
The Councils were introduced by the Grand
Council the following year, but with the distinction that they were
composed of both men and women and their adoption voluntary. 4 * Other
39 LGC Executive Committee Minutes, 25 May 1887, citing The
Morning Post article of 25 May 1887; 1 May 1888; 24 May 1890, citing
The Primrose League Gazette article of 24 May 1890, p. 2; 16 May 1891,
citing The Primrose League Gazette article of 16 May 1891, p. 3; 14 May
1892, citing The Morning Post article of 14 May 1892, p. 5.
40
According to Lady Willoughby de Eresby, there were three
hundred female Ruling Councillors and 450 Honorary Secretaries. These
numbers are well below the respective 508 and 564 figures contained in
the 1888 Roll of Habitations. They do not appear to be substantiated
by other sources and unlike the 1888 Roll provide no details concerning
the names of individuals and their Habitation affiliation. LGC
Executive Committee Minutes, 24 May 1889, citing The Morning Post
article of 24 May 1889, p. 5.
41
The Primrose League Gazette, 19 April 1890, p. 2; 5 May
1892, p. 8. The 1899 Roll of Habitations lists both male and female
County Council officers.