BRITISH CONSERVATISM AND THE PRIMROSE LEAGUE ... - ideals

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Even allowing for varying regional, political, and social
influences, the League managed to obtain a fairly significant foothold
in most English counties.
The organization gained the greatest
strength in traditionally Conservative areas, particularly where local
party officials were prepared to utilize its influence.
VI
The changing character of Primrose performance between 1888 and
1899 can be gauged by comparing the Rolls of Habitations for these
years.
This presents some difficulties as the 1899 Roll provides only
numbers of Habitations and officers, omitting the most significant
indicator, rank and file membership.
The generally declining position
of the League by 1899 raises the possibility that the 1899 Habitation
listings were somewhat inflated.
Despite these limitations, the Roll
does provide a basis of comparison over time, thereby enabling a better
understanding of League development.
The 1899 Roll of Habitations lists 1,541 Habitations, a decline
of 11 percent over the 1888 figure.
Of these associations, 1,322 are
located in England, 113 in Wales and Monmouthshire, 21 in Ireland, and
85 in Scotland. If we examine the 1888 and 1899 figures for England,
the area of greatest Primrose activity, we find a rather dramatic 16
percent decline during this eleven year period.
better, losing only 9 percent of its Habitations.
Wales fared somewhat
The relatively
moderate loss sustained by Welsh Habitations in 1899 appears to be
compensation for the region's slow development ten years previously.