BRITISH CONSERVATISM AND THE PRIMROSE LEAGUE ... - ideals

216
Hanwell might best be characterized as a suburban town, a significant
riverside industry was located nearby.39
The club generated capital by issuing shares at five shillings
apiece.
Of the 77 men constituting its membership between 1885 and
1901, 28.6 percent characterized themselves as gentlemen, 11.7 percent
as professionals, 5.2 percent as merchants,40
and 19.5 percent held
service positions. 41
Shopkeepers accounted for 13 percent of members,
assistants, 5.2 percent.42
Thirteen percent of club members were
skilled tradesmen, a scant 3.8 percent manual laborers.
Under the
merchant heading were included a brewer and a wine distributor.
Religious interests were represented by two clerks from the Holy
Orders, recorded in the service category.
Loosely termed the privileged stratum, the gentlemen,
professionals, and merchants, combined accounted for just under 40
percent of the membership of Brent Club.
Nevertheless, the diversity
of rank and file members should not be minimized.
There were clerks, a
station master, grocers, a baker, butcher, asylum workers, a porter,
shop assistants, builders, a boot maker, plumber, blacksmith, painter,
stoker, an oilman, and still others.43
84.
39 Pelling, Social Geography of British Elections, pp. 62, 67,
40 Merchants encompassed manufacturers and distributors (1),
the liquor trade (2), and inn and hotel keepers (1).
41 The Service category was composed of a number of members of
the lower middle class including teachers, clerks, secretaries,
inspectors, surveyors, and traveling salesmen.
42
Within the Service classification were placed assistant
shopkeepers, stewards, porters, and asylum attendants.
43 - The Brent primrose League Club," PRO BT31 3540/21610.