BRITISH CONSERVATISM AND THE PRIMROSE LEAGUE ... - ideals

egion it appears to have reached its saturation point quicker than
208
other areas.
The generally urban, suburban, and mixed social class
character of this area included many large constituencies which were
not drawn in large numbers to the League.
This is exhibited perhaps
most strikingly in the poorest sections of London, Pelling's "Category
C." 29
While Habitations were maintained in these areas, only in the
more mixed sections of middle and working class representation were
they able to generate sufficiently high levels of participation within
the Primrose League.30
Nevertheless, a network of associations was
maintained throughout the South-East with significant levels of
activity, even if the results did not reflect strength in terms of the
percentage of the total
population of the area.
Despite the overall decline of League fortunes by 1899, its
organization did manage to maintain a significant presence in a few
areas.
Perhaps the best example in terms of its 1899 performance is
the East Midlands.
strong agricultural
A moderately industrial region which possessed
interests, the East Midlands was noted for its
Liberal, Nonconformist beliefs.
Nevertheless, the League managed to
increase its presence slightly in this section of the country.
54.
29
Pelling, Social Geography of British Elections, pp. 43, 53­
30 Of the 24 London parliamentary districts listed under
Category C of Pelling's Social Geography of British Elections, the 1899
Roll contains lists of 20 Divisions and 23 Habitations. Only Battersea
was left without Primrose representation. Nevertheless, Lady
Salisbury's "East End Poor Habitation fund" introduced in 1894 attests
to the flagging efforts of League recruitment in the more marginal
social class constituencies. LGC Executive Committee Minutes, 27 July
1894; 2 November 1894; 31 May 1895; 29 November 1895.