Perilous Question Read online

  encounter with Hardinge, 238

  speaks about the intentions of the proposed new administration, 239

  hears about Wellington’s decision not to form new administration, 241

  comments on how to deal with press attacks on the King, 256–7

  Haydon’s comment on, 261

  depictions of, 262

  spends time at Wiseton, 265–6

  lifestyle after inheriting title, 275

  Macaulay’s opinion of, 275

  brief references, 16, 93, 149, 159, 165, 230, 259, 274

  American War of Independence, 3

  Anglesey, 1st Marquis of, 5, 59, 111

  Anglican Church; see Church of England/Anglican Church

  Anne, Queen, 185

  Appleby, 126

  Apsley House, 44, 48, 77, 113, 232

  Arbuthnot, Charles, 34, 233

  Arbuthnot, Harriet, 1, 4, 23, 44, 47, 99, 117, 149, 198

  Arkwright, Richard, 229

  Army, 170–1

  Arnold, Dr Thomas, 264n

  Ascot, 265, 273

  Ashley, Lord (later 7th Earl of Shaftesbury), 160–1

  Association movement, 10

  Athenaeum, 55

  Attwood, Thomas

  respect for Grey, 22

  founds Birmingham Political Union, 26

  character, gifts and beliefs, 26–8

  committed to non-violent protest, 27–8, 60, 92, 120, 137, 222

  letter to Grey about proposed modification to Reform Bill, 124

  addresses meeting at Newhall Hill in 1831, 143–4

  Russell’s letter to, 153, 164

  suggests military organization, 176, 177

  at Newhall Hill in May 1832, 220, 223

  sums up stark reality of the crisis, 237

  meeting with Grey, 247

  thanked by Grey, 247, 277–8

  becomes Freeman of the City of London, 249

  return journey to Birmingham, 249–50

  subsequent career, 267

  important role of, 277–8

  brief references, 40, 43, 55, 133, 160, 171, 227, 258, 259, 264

  Austen, Jane: Emma, 18

  Avington House, 61

  Bagehot, Walter, 15–16

  Baines, Edward, senior, 74–5

  Baines, Edward, junior, 75

  Baring, Alexander, 239

  Baring, Sir Thomas, 68

  Barnes, Thomas, 4, 75–6, 99

  Barrington, George, 58

  Battle, 28

  Bathurst, 3rd Earl, 149

  Bathurst, Henry, Bishop or Norwich, 262

  Beardsworth, John, 26

  Beardsworth’s Repository, Birmingham, 26, 62

  Beaumont, Thomas Wentworth, 18

  Beckwith, Captain, 169

  Bedford, Dukes of, 54, 89, 190

  Bedingfield, Lady, 153–4

  Belgium, 12, 40

  Belvoir Castle, 13, 77, 172

  Bentham, Jeremy, 101, 137, 159

  Bessborough, Harriet Cavendish, Countess of, 21, 66

  Birmingham, 18–19, 20, 26, 27, 124, 137, 171, 176, 177, 249, 271

  meetings in, 62, 138, 143–4, 219–24

  Birmingham (racehorse), 21

  Birmingham Journal, 143, 224

  Birmingham Political Union

  founding of, 26

  dinner to celebrate recent French Revolution, 26, 27–8

  growing numbers in, 28

  Blandford as honorary member of, 28, 267

  petitions the King to dismiss his Ministers, 43

  and the growth of unions, 60, 137

  expresses confidence in William IV, 68

  supports Reform Bill, 92–3, 98

  active during 1831 election campaign, 120

  holds dinner in honour of William’s coronation, 133

  meeting at Newhall Hill in 1831, 143–4

  petition to House of Lords, 144

  letter from Russell to, 153, 164

  National Political Union founded in direct imitation of, 160

  and Bristol riots, 176

  Attwood’s suggestion concerning military organization for, 176, 177

  response to suggestion for national fasting, 208

  meeting at Newhall Hill in May 1832, 219–24

  Grey meets leaders of, 247

  members elected to Parliament, 267

  Black, John, 76

  Blackfriars Bridge, London, 44

  Blackstone, William: Commentaries on the Laws of England, 75

  Blandford, 160

  Blandford, Marquess of (later 6th Duke of Marlborough), 10, 11, 28, 33, 118–19, 186, 267

  Bletchingley, 123

  Blomfield, Bishop, 208

  Blore, Edward, 194

  Bodmin, 178

  Bolingbroke, 1st Viscount: The Idea of a Patriot King, 8, 163–4

  Bolton, 89

  Boundary Bill, 265

  Bouverie, General, 170–1

  Bowood, 54

  Bradford, 19

  Brereton, Colonel, 168–9, 171, 222

  Bright, John, 26, 271

  Brighton, 71, 129, 190, 191, 195

  Bristol, 139, 167–70, 176, 177, 181, 196, 200

  Bristol Mercury, 243

  Bromsgrove, 267

  Bromsgrove Union, 221

  Brooks’s Club, 54, 232

  Brougham, Henry, 1st Baron Brougham and Vaux

  elected to Parliament in 1830, 20–1

  earlier career, 35

  appearance, 35

  character and intelligence, 35–6

  views about reform, 36–7

  becomes Lord Chancellor, 5, 57

  close relationship with Barnes, editor of The Times, 76, 99

  and Tory response to Reform Bill, 86

  disparaging remarks about fellow Cabinet members, 99

  and William IV’s dissolution of Parliament, 107, 108, 110

  presents petition to Lords, 144

  speech in debate about Reform Bill, 147–9

  in cartoons, 163, 225, 269

  and creation of new peers, 187, 190, 251

  hostile reference to royal ladies, 203

  does not anticipate defeat in Lords, 219

  asked by Attwood to present petition to Lords, 220

  meeting with William IV, 224–5

  at public house in Hounslow, 225

  and possibility of continuing in office under new administration, 226, 230

  and William IV’s decision not to attend Lords, 255

  speaks at Guildhall Banquet, 260

  Haydon’s description of, 261

  popular depictions of, 262

  later career, 266

  brief references, 46, 47, 51, 58, 177, 259

  Brydges, Sir John, 126

  Buckingham, Duke of, 61, 263

  Buckingham Palace, 44, 194, 276

  Bulwer, Edward (later Lord Lytton), 121

  Burdett, Sir Francis, 135–6, 184, 196

  Burdett-Coutts, Angela, 135

  Burke, Edmund, 80, 181

  Bushy Park, 4, 6, 8

  Butler, J.R.M. 41n

  Butler, Samuel: Hudibras, 179

  Byng, Captain the Hon. John (later Viscount Torrington), 18

  Byron, Lord, 13, 22, 37, 60

  Cabinet

  composition of, 57–60, 99

  resolution concerning response to civil disturbance, 61

  remains united in spite of internal difficulties, 99

  asks the King for dissolution, 107

  discussions about creation of peers, 130, 184, 187–8, 190

  discussions about possibility of moderating Reform Bill, 175

  debate about date of next meeting of Parliament, 175

  Durham attacks Grey during dinner, 175–6

  discussions about Ireland, 189

  William IV requests a formal minute from, 192

  official minute concerning creation of peers is submitted to William, 193

  Durham’s behaviour in meetings, 205–6

  meeting on eveni
ng before Grey’s speech to Lords, 217–18

  minutes submitted to the King after defeat of Bill in Lords, 224, 242

  see also names of Cabinet members

  Caledonian Mercury, 94

  Calne, 82, 89, 182

  Cambridge, Prince George of, 111, 129, 269

  Cambridge University, 59, 64, 116, 123

  Trinity College, 195–6

  Campbell, 1st Baron, 149

  Campbell, John, 84–5, 109, 198

  Canning, George, 9, 181, 253

  Canningites, 33, 58, 59, 130; see also names of individuals

  Canterbury, 28, 37

  Canterbury, William Howley, Archbishop of; see Howley, William, Archbishop of Canterbury

  Carlile, Richard, 173

  Carlisle, 61

  Carlisle, 6th Earl of, 68

  Carlton Club, 54

  Carnarvon, 2nd Earl of, 146

  Caroline, Queen, 9, 72, 76, 254–5

  Carrington, 1st Baron, 111–12

  Castlereagh, Viscount, 73, 118, 206

  Catholic Emancipation, 9–10, 15, 17, 24, 45, 56, 81, 90, 103, 142, 186, 230, 231, 241, 271

  Cavendish, Lady Georgiana, 68

  Census

  1821, 89

  1831, 178–9

  Chandos, Marquess of (later 2nd Duke of Buckingham), 90, 130

  Chandos clause, 130

  Chantrey, Francis: marble relief, 261–2

  Charing Cross, 272

  Charles I, King, 2, 113, 140, 182

  Charles II, King, 73, 117

  Charles X, King of France, 3, 11, 83, 95, 243

  Charlotte, Queen, 3, 72, 106, 129, 134, 194

  Charlotte, Princess, 6, 57

  Chartist movement, 267

  Churchill, Winston: A History of the English-Speaking Peoples, 273

  Church of England/Anglican Church, 141–2, 147, 179

  City, 44, 111, 130, 239

  Clarence, William, Duke of; see William IV

  Clarke, Mary Anne, 106

  Cleveland, Marquess of, 139

  Clutton, Thomas, 221–2

  Cobbett, William

  on the link between poverty and riots, 13

  visit to Battle, 28

  and Hansard, 32

  on stamina and health needed by MPs, 33

  addresses crowds at the Rotunda, 44

  and Reform Bill, 87, 101, 179, 217

  tried for encouraging sedition, 121

  on public anger, 227

  rejects idea of publicly funded galleries, 272

  Cobden, Richard, 26

  Cockburn, Henry, 59, 63

  Coke, Thomas (later 1st Earl of Leicester of Holkham), 54, 190, 261–2, 273

  Colwick, 152

  Combe Florey, 17

  Combination Acts, 137

  Committee of Four, 62–7, 69, 76, 79

  Commons, House of

  system of representation, 15–20

  conditions in, 30–3, 127

  debate in November 1830, 46–7

  Government defeated in a vote, 47–8

  Althorp is leader of, 55, 58, 63

  budget presented to, 76

  Grey announces that Reform Bill will be presented in, 76

  Reform Bill introduced by Russell, 77–80

  reaction to Bill in, 80–2, 83–4

  Peel mounts official attack of Tories in, 85, 86–7

  debate on the Bill, 88–9, 95

  vote on the Bill, 95–7

  Hunt makes speech against the Bill, 100, 101

  rumours in, 105

  Althorp defeated on bill for supplies, 105

  called to attend House of Lords for dissolution, 109

  majority of members in favour of Reform, 122, 123

  Second Reform Bill introduced, 123–4

  Peel gives Opposition’s response to Bill, 124–5

  debate and vote on Bill, 125

  third reading and vote on Bill, 134

  speeches after rejection of Bill in House of Lords, 156–7

  Third Reform Bill presented in, 177–9

  debate, 179–83

  vote in favour of Bill, 183

  debate over public expenditure on Buckingham Palace, 194

  wrangling over Reform Bill continues, 194–5

  Perceval’s speeches in, 198–200, 207

  third reading of Bill passes in, 209

  cheering for Althorp in, 226

  Ebrington’s motion in, 229

  fills up early on 14th May, 238

  speeches, 239–40

  and results of 1832 General Election, 268

  remains large, 269

  Peel’s speech about National Gallery, 272

  Constable, John, 19

  Conyngham, Elizabeth, Marchioness, 4, 134

  Copley, John Singleton 56

  Cornwall, 19

  Court of Common Council, 111

  Coutts, Sophia, 135

  Coventry, 250

  Coventry, Earl of, 210

  Cowper, Earl, 69

  Cowper, Emily Lamb, Countess, 51, 59, 160

  Cowper, Minnie, 160–1

  Cowper, William, 116

  Creevey, Thomas

  on Brougham’s wife, 36

  on Grey, 40, 91, 99, 275

  and Lady Grey’s reflections on marriage, 21

  on Lady Lyndhurst, 56

  on Queen Adelaide, 228, 255

  on railways, 1

  on Reform Bill, 84, 254–5

  on the Tories, 251

  on William IV, 202, 225, 227, 255

  Croker, John Wilson

  and Government defeat in House of Commons, 47–8

  on the struggle between Whigs and Tories, 51

  and the Athenaeum, 55

  conversation with Palmerston, 59

  and the press, 74, 75

  speech during debate following the introduction of Reform Bill, 89

  hears about conversation between William IV and Gloucester, 105

  calculations about voting in new Parliament, 123

  comment about Victoria, 133

  comment on new Reform Bill, 179

  battle with Macaulay, 182

  attacked in Stanley’s speech, 182, 195

  on cholera epidemic, 198

  conversation with Peel, 230–1

  brief references, 28, 94

  Cromwell, Oliver, 16, 39, 135

  Crown and Anchor Tavern, the Strand, 87–8, 158

  Croxteth, 1

  Cumberland, Ernest, Duke of, 6, 56, 90, 105, 117, 128, 132–3, 149, 152, 174, 227, 243, 264, 269

  Czapski, Count Joseph Kazimierz, 223–4

  Dalrymple, General, 2

  Dartmouth, 1st Earl of, 185

  Davies, Colonel, 46

  Davies, Mr, 160

  Dawson, George, 58

  Derby, 105, 152, 162, 170, 171, 196

  Derby Day 1832, 257

  Devonshire, 6th Duke of, 50, 52, 105, 108, 128, 133, 246

  Devonshire, Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of, 2, 21, 22, 28

  Devonshire House, 52

  Dickens, Charles, 2, 88, 261

  ‘The Devil’s Walk’, 169–70

  Digby, Lord, 161

  Dino, Duchess of, 59

  Disraeli, Benjamin: Endymion, 48

  Doncaster, 21

  Dorchester, 160, 161

  Dorset, civil disturbances in, 160–2, 174

  Dover, 1st Baron, 243

  Downton, 89

  Doyle, John, 90, 91, 93, 112, 128, 163, 268–9

  Drayton Manor, 171

  Drummond, Henry, 198

  Dryden, John, 115

  Absalom and Achitophel, 149

  Dublin University, 94

  Dudley, 1st Earl of (later 4th Earl of Bessborough), 56, 146, 151, 230

  Duncannon, Viscount, 51, 52, 62, 65–6, 194, 264

  Dunwich, 19

  Durham, 139

  Durham, John George ‘Radical Jack’ Lambton, 1st Baron (later 1st Earl of Durham)

  and 1826 Northumberland county election, 17–
18

  description of Graham, 34

  and defeat of Tory Government, 48

  and family connections among Whigs, 52

  included in Grey’s Cabinet, 58

  and formation of Committee of Four, 62, 66

  temperament and background, 66–7

  relationship with Grey, 66, 129, 130, 175–6

  Committee begins to meet at house of, 68

  in favour of Secret Ballot, 102

  and dissolution of Parliament, 108–9

  as Old Etonian, 127

  and his son’s illness, 129, 130

  and his son’s death, 175

  insults Grey at Cabinet dinner, 175–6

  sums up options to ensure passing of Bill, 188

  difficult behaviour in Cabinet, 205–6

  threatens to resign, 207

  speech in Lords, 213–14

  analysis of ‘public excitement’, 250

  and death of his daughter, 252

  and Royal Assent, 257

  after passing of Reform Bill, 266

  brief references, 56, 71, 99, 262

  Durham, Louisa Grey, Lady 52, 188

  East Anglia, riots in, 15, 29

  Eastlake, Lady, 159

  East Retford, 19–20

  East Sheen, 188

  Eaton Hall, 77

  Ebrington, Viscount (later 2nd Earl of Fortescue), 156–7, 229, 239

  Edgeworth, Maria, 3–4, 7, 56, 111–12

  Edinburgh, 97, 274

  Edinburgh Review, 17, 35, 51, 59, 271

  Eldon, 1st Earl of, 90, 128, 146

  Eliot, George: Middlemarch, 270

  Elizabeth, Princess, 7

  Ellenborough, 1st Baron (later 1st Earl of Ellenborough), 22–3, 56, 57–8, 89, 125, 128, 130, 145, 214, 241–2, 250

  Ellice, Edward, 58

  Ellis, Georgiana, 68

  English Civil War, 2, 113

  Essex, 5th Earl of, 187

  Eton College, 127–8

  Examiner, 68

  Exeter, 174

  Exeter, Henry Phillpotts, Bishop of; see Phillpotts, Henry, Bishop of Exeter

  Ferrers, 8th Earl, 8

  Figaro in London, 203, 256, 272

  FitzClarence, George, later Earl of Munster; see Munster, George FitzClarence, Earl of

  FitzClarence, Viscount, 118

  Fitzwilliam, 4th Earl, 54

  Fonblanque, Albany, 67–8, 165

  Forbes, Sir Charles, 100

  Fox, Charles James, 2, 12, 51, 54, 64, 87–8, 181, 190

  Frampton, James, 160, 161

  Frampton, Mary, 160, 161, 174

  France, 7, 39, 74, 113–14, 187, 213, 274

  revolutionary events in, 3, 11–12, 26, 41 52, 95, 160, 181, 201, 213, 250, 258, 277

  French Assembly, 135

  French Revolution 1789, 11, 52, 160, 181, 250, 258, 277

  July 1830, 3, 11–12, 26, 41, 95, 201, 213, 277

  Gambier, William Henry, 28–9

  Garth, Thomas, 106

  Gascoyne, General Isaac, 103, 104, 112, 179

  Gatton, 19

  General Election

  1830, 13, 15, 20–1