British Prime Ministers: William Ewart Gladstone (1868-74, 80-85, 66, and 92-94)

Figure 1.--This CDV portrait shows the Gladstone family, porobably in the 1880s. People at the time liked ti add these and similar CDVs in theier albums.

‎ William Ewart Gladstone was born in Liverpool (1809). He begn his parlimentary career as a Tory while Sir Robert Peel was prime minister (1832). He was given vrious caninet position. It ws during his time as Colonial Secretary that Brotin wrestling with the rights of the English-speaking countris to self goivernment. Fortunately the Britih had learned their lesson from the American Revolution. It was this issue more than any other that turned Gldstone yoward libralism. He served as prime-minister on four different occassions, alternating with Disraeli and the Marquess of Salisbury. He was an opponent of expanding the British Empire which Disreaeli and Queen Victoria favored. While resisting expanding the Empire, he was put in the position of defending it against, principally against the Russias in the Great Game. Imperial Germany began its rise during his primership. Unlike Disraeli he did not get on well with the Queen and made no effort to do so, nor for that matter did the Queen. One of his ministris were brought down by Gen Gordom who insisted on defending Khartoum in the Sudan. He has to be the most excentric of all British prime ministers. He refused the protectinof a body guard. He was surely the most devoutly Christian of all of Britain's leaders. Guided by his Christian zeal and reforming zeal, he would disappear in the dark steets of London on his night walks to seek out and save 'fallen' young women. His achievements included doubling the number of voters and ending penal fines. As with other prime ministers, he failed to solve the Irish Question despite efforts to do so.