BRITISH CONSERVATISM AND THE PRIMROSE LEAGUE ... - ideals

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The regional
and local organization of the Primrose League
within England and Wales was overseen by District Agents from the
Central Office who were responsible for maintaining activities and
enrolling members within a geographical
region, typically consisting of
several counties situated adjacent to one another.
Divisional Councils
were in theory to be erected in parliamentary districts throughout
Britain and to consist of a Divisional President, Secretary, and an
Executive Council
comprised of officers and representatives of the
surrounding Habitations.
In practice not all Divisions contained a
Council or representatives from all associations in the area.
At the grass-roots level, the Habitation typically consisted,
apart from its rank and file participants, of a Ruling Councillor,
Honorary Secretary, Executive Council, and Wardens.
The last named
individuals performed a number of tasks essential to the operation of
the association: recruiting members, collecting subscriptions,
circulating pamphlets, and assisting in the canvassing and registration
efforts undertaken to assist political candidates.
In some instances
Habitations were also served by Dame Presidents, a dignitarial or
executive appointment roughly equivalent or superior to that of the
Ruling Councillor.
The diagram presented on the following page illustrates the
regional and executive patterns of the organization where it func­
tioned, to some extent, apart from the Grand Council.
While the figure
represents the mature organization, circa 1895, only one new position,
that of the LGC Extra President, was created after 1888.