BRITISH CONSERVATISM AND THE PRIMROSE LEAGUE ... - ideals

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the war was the extent to which it harkened back to events of the
1880's, rather than in pursuing themes central to the opening years of
the twentieth century.
Repeatedly the themes of Home Rule and
Gladstone's foreign policy failures of 1880-81 were stressed, at times
to the detriment of more pressing issues.94
Like many of the old issues which failed to stimulate renewed
public enthusiasms by 1900, the executive leadership, at both the
London headquarters and the local Habitations, was ageing, a phenomenon
which tended to deter new initiatives.
A prominent feature of the late
1890's was the obituary columns in the Gazette.95
Between 1898 and
1899 alone, at least five principally sustaining members of the LGC
executive died: Lady Glensk, Lady Lathom, the Duchess of Marlborough,
and Lady Salisbury, and Lady Ridley.96
Their deaths were reflective of
a more general trend exhibited throughout the organization.
Even the
Queen and Lord Salisbury, who had inspired the League in its quest for
greatness, were ultimately unsuccessful in their bid to survive the
transition into the twentieth century.
94
Heme! Hempstead Gazette and W. Hert. Advertiser, 16
December 1894, p. 5. The Primrose League Gazette, 1 January 1900, p.
6; 1 June 1901, pp. 7-8.
95 The Primrose League Gazette, 1 April 1898, p. 1; 1 June
1898, p. 3; 1 August 1898, p. 1; 1 October 1898, p. 9; 1 November 1898,
p. 1; 1 December 1898, pp. 5 8; 1 February 1899, p. 5; 1 May 1899, pp.
4, 7; 1 August 1899, p. 9; 1 December 1899, pp. 1, 3-4; 2 April 1900,
p. 6; 1 December 1900, p. 3; 1 February 1901, pp. 3, 10. Deaths had
become so commonplace by 1900 as to prompt a regular feature column in
the paper entitled, "Memoir of the Moment." Ibid., 1 March 1900, p. 6;
1 June 1900, p. 7; 2 July 1900, p. 10.
96 ibid., 1 June 1898, p. 3; 1 May 1899, pp. 4, 7; 1 December
1899, pp. 3-4.