BRITISH CONSERVATISM AND THE PRIMROSE LEAGUE ... - ideals

40
sympathetic to Churchill, the newest members were, on balance, more
favorable than the previous executive to the Conservative establishment
as represented by Salisbury and Northcote.
The participation of
Abergavenny, Hicks Beach, Lord John Manners, and Lord Elcho within the
executive for the ensuing year suggested the growing ties to
conventional
party interests.
In March, 1884 the first real efforts were made by the Council
to encourage political support for the Conservative party.
A precept
was ordered to be sent to all Habitations in order to ascertain the
Knights' willingness to volunteer their services to local Conservative
associations for the work of canvassing, providing free rooms for
meetings, and conveying voters to the polls.60
The Precept marked the
first time a statement has been sent to all Habitations.
It initiated
a practice of League members assisting Conservative campaign efforts,
in effect having the League serve as the handmaiden to the Conservative
party.
The League's growing political activity was indicated in April
when the Central Office ordered an electoral map so as to mark the
relative positions of Habitations throughout the country with yellow
flags. 61
In doing so it anticipated the League's future role as
nationwide canvasser for the Conservatives.
League, 16 July 1884. Members coopted to the Council included the Earl
of Egremont; the Earl of Limerick; Lord Arthur Hill, M.P.; J.T. Agg-
Gardner, Esq.; J. Brindley, Esq.; Ponsonby Moore, Esq.; and William
Vaughan, Esq. Minutes of the Grand Council of the Primrose League, 19
July 1884.
60 Minutes of the Grand Council of the Primrose League, 1
March 1884.
61
Ibid., 26 April 1884. The color yellow was designated to
represent the League's "pale yellow flower," the primrose.