BRITISH CONSERVATISM AND THE PRIMROSE LEAGUE ... - ideals

the figures substantially overrepresent the more affluent sectors of
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society.
Undoubtedly most of unidentified members were derived from
the agricultural community, supplemented by individuals employed in
local industries, businesses, shops, and domestic service.
Nevertheless, the precise character of the membership remains elusive,
not subject to detailed occupational analysis.
Garstang Habitation provides, in some respects, an interesting
contrast to the Melbury case study.
Situated in Lancashire, the county
with the single largest number of Primrose members, it nevertheless
only accounted for 1.4 percent of its 1891 census.
In part the
relatively poor showing can be explained by the highly populous and
industrial character of the area.
The League's performance was further hampered by its failure to
make a strong showing in the two regional capitals: Liverpool and
Manchester.
With its vital base of popular conservatism nurtured in
response to the Irish Catholic immigrants in the area, Liverpool might
have been expected to provide a strong base of support for the
activities of the League.
However, the working class Protestants who
formed the core of support for Conservatives in the town identified
with a particular brand of Tory Democracy which was, in some respects,
sympathetic to the Orange movements indigenous to the region.
Industrial-magnate-turned-politician, A.B. Forwood, established the
foundations for this popular support for the party during the 1885
General Election, winning, on behalf of Conservatives, eight of the
nine constituencies in the town.
His efforts in building an urban,
sophisticated, Tory Democratic machine for Liverpool
in the 1880's