Category Archives: Images of MPs

Sir Robert Peel’s smile rehabilitated

Posted on August 17, 2022 by sball1832

It’s not unusual for quotations in politics to assume a life of their own. The late Simon Hoggart amusingly recorded how one particular phrase attributed to him about Lord Mandelson, of which he had no memory, appeared first in one … Continue reading →

Posted in Images of MPs, Prime Ministers | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Elected without his consent: William Wilshere (1804-67) and the venal electors of Great Yarmouth

Posted on December 16, 2020 by salmonphilip

The huge financial cost of Victorian elections, especially in venal constituencies, has been a recurrent theme in some of our more recent blogs. It’s tempting to think of the MPs associated with bribery, treating and other forms of electoral corruption … Continue reading →

Posted in Biographies, Constituencies, Corruption, Elections, Images of MPs, MP of the Month | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

From parliamentary reporter to Member of Parliament: Robert Spankie (1774-1842)

Posted on January 27, 2020 by Martin Spychal

January’s MP of the Month takes a look at the unusual pre-parliamentary career of Robert Spankie, who was returned for Finsbury in 1832. A ground-breaking parliamentary reporter during the 1790s, Spankie ascended to the editorship of the Morning Chronicle before re-training as a barrister and serving as a controversial advocate-general of Bengal. Continue reading →

Posted in Biographies, Elections, Empire, Images of MPs, MP of the Month, Parliamentary life, party labels, Scotland, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Innovation, corruption and bankruptcy: Charles John Mare (1814-1898)

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Martin Spychal

Charles John Mare (1814-1898) was an innovative East End shipbuilder. Thought to be a millionaire when he was returned for Plymouth in 1852, his election proved the apex of his career. He was unseated for bribery in 1853, and declared bankrupt, for the first of four times, in 1855. Continue reading →

Posted in Biographies, Corruption, Elections, Images of MPs, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

‘The sagacity of the elephant, as well as the form’: MP of the Month, George Ward Hunt (1825-77)

Posted on July 21, 2016 by Martin Spychal

The recent rise of a certain parson’s daughter to the premiership provides a fitting opportunity to consider the unexpected ascent of a parson’s son to one of the great offices of state during the 1860s – George Ward Hunt, Conservative … Continue reading →

Posted in 1832-68 preview site, Biographies, Images of MPs, MP of the Month | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New book: Politics Personified

Posted on February 9, 2015 by millerhenryj

One of our former Research Fellows on the 1832-68 project, Dr. Henry Miller, has just published his first book, with Manchester University Press, entitled Politics Personified: Portraiture, Caricature and Visual Culture, 1830-1880. He shares some of the key insights from … Continue reading →

Posted in Images of MPs, Parliamentary life, Publications | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Victorian Political Memorabilia

Posted on January 14, 2015 by salmonphilip

One of the many eye-openers of this project has been the sheer amount of political memorabilia produced by the Victorians. British politics has of course always been associated with satirical prints and various forms of commemorative art. However, the volume … Continue reading →

Posted in Images of MPs, Local government, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment