NAME William Ewart Gladstone
WHAT FAMOUS FOR Four-time Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and one of the most influential British statesmen of the 19th century. Known as the “Grand Old Man,” Gladstone was a fierce advocate of moral politics, free trade, religious tolerance, and electoral reform.
BIRTH Born on December 29, 1809, at 62 Rodney Street, Liverpool, England. He was baptized in the parish church of St. Peter in Liverpool.
FAMILY BACKGROUND Gladstone was the fourth son of Sir John Gladstone, 1st Baronet (1764-1851), a wealthy Scottish merchant and politician, and his second wife Anne MacKenzie Robertson. His family had made a fortune through transatlantic corn and tobacco trade and owned extensive sugar plantations in the West Indies that employed some 2,500 enslaved Africans.
Although born in Liverpool, Gladstone was of purely Scottish ancestry, with his grandfather Thomas Gladstones being a prominent merchant from Leith. His maternal grandfather, Andrew Robertson, was Provost of Dingwall and a Sheriff-Substitute of Ross-shire. The family name was changed from Gladstones to Gladstone by royal licence in 1835.
CHILDHOOD Gladstone spent his early childhood at the family residence, Seaforth House, near Liverpool. He was raised in a devoutly Anglican household and showed early signs of intellectual curiosity and a strong moral compass. He was known for his serious demeanor even as a child.
One of his earliest childhood memories was being made to stand on a table and say "Ladies and gentlemen" to an assembled audience, probably at a gathering to promote George Canning's election as MP for Liverpool in 1812.
In 1814, young "Willy" visited Scotland for the first time with his brother John and father, traveling to Edinburgh, Biggar, and Dingwall to visit relatives. Both boys were made freemen of the burgh of Dingwall.
In 1815, he also traveled to London and Cambridge for the first time, attending a service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral following the Battle of Waterloo, where he saw the Prince Regent.
EDUCATION Gladstone was educated from 1816 to 1821 at a preparatory school at the vicarage of St. Thomas' Church at Seaforth, under the Rev. William Rawson, an evangelical Vicar.
In 1821, Gladstone followed his elder brothers to Eton College, where he remained until 1828. At Eton, his tutor was the Rev. Henry Hartopp Napp, and his most intimate friend was Arthur Hallam. Sports were his major pursuits initially, but Dr. Edward Craven Hawtrey provided him with the incentive to learn and succeed, turning him into a voracious reader. He was fond of sculling on the river, kept his own boat, and was always a great walker.
In October 1828, Gladstone matriculated at Christ Church, Oxford, where he read Classics and Mathematics. He achieved a double first-class degree in December 1831, a goal he had long desired. At Oxford, he served as President of the Oxford Union and developed a reputation as an outstanding orator.
CAREER RECORD Gladstone's political career spanned over 60 years.
1832: Elected Member of Parliament (MP) for Newark as a Tory.
 |
| Gladstone in the 1830s |
1834–1835: Junior Lord of the Treasury and Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies in Robert Peel's government.
1841–1845: Vice-President of the Board of Trade and later President of the Board of Trade under Peel.
1845–1846: Secretary of State for War and the Colonies.
1852–1855: Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Aberdeen coalition government, where he gained a reputation for financial acumen.
1859: Joined the Liberal Party.
1859–1866: Chancellor of the Exchequer under Lord Palmerston and Earl Russell.
1868–1874: First Term as Prime Minister. Implemented significant reforms, including the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland, the Cardwell Army reforms, and the Education Act of 1870.
1880–1885: Second Term as Prime Minister. Known for the "Midlothian Campaigns" and further electoral reforms (Third Reform Act). Faced challenges in Egypt and Sudan.
1886: Third Term as Prime Minister. Introduced the First Irish Home Rule Bill, which split the Liberal Party and led to his resignation.
1892–1894: Fourth Term as Prime Minister. Attempted to pass the Second Irish Home Rule Bill, which was defeated in the House of Lords. Resigned due to age and disagreements over naval estimates.
APPEARANCE Gladstone carried himself with such commanding presence that many assumed he was a giant, but he stood at an unremarkable 5 feet 10 inches. Broad-shouldered and pale, he had striking, nearly black eyes that gave his gaze an intense, almost hypnotic quality. In his 50s, his once-thick black hair began to thin and turn gray. He embraced the fashionable bewhiskered look of the time, letting his hair grow out around his face in a dignified frame. (1)
 |
| Gladstone in 1859, painted by George Frederic Watts |
He lost the forefinger of his left hand in a gun accident in 1842 and thereafter always wore a glove or finger sheath.
FASHION Gladstone typically wore traditional, sober Victorian dress, preferring black frock coats and high collars—befitting a statesman of moral gravity. He characteristically wore his tie in a bow knot rather than the more modern four-in-hand style.
CHARACTER Pious, principled, and intellectually intense, Gladstone was dominated by moral conviction. He often said, “Nothing that is morally wrong can be politically right.” Yet he was also deeply emotional and introspective—given to prayer and self-examination.
Gladstone was known for his principle of doing everything "with all thy might" - whether it was mastering budget details or cutting down trees. However, he also had notable faults and could be seen as priggish and overly controlling.
SPEAKING VOICE Gladstone was renowned for his powerful and resonant speaking voice. He spoke with clear diction in a northern (scouse) burr and with animated gestures. An exceptional orator, capable of holding large audiences spellbound for hours, his speeches were often long, detailed, and intellectually rigorous, yet delivered with passion and conviction.
Even in his later years when his hearing and sight were failing, his voice remained commanding. In old age, he weaponised his partial deafness by simply not hearing arguments he didn't want to engage with.
Not everyone enjoyed listening to him, however, "A sophisticated rhetorician inebriated with the exuberance of his own verbosity" commented Disraeli.
A phonograph recording of his voice was made by Thomas Edison in 1888, making it one of the earliest recordings of a major political figure.
SENSE OF HUMOUR While primarily serious in his public persona, Gladstone could display wit when the occasion called for it, though his humor was generally restrained by his strong moral convictions.
RELATIONSHIPS An awkward and overly intense suitor in his twenties, Gladstone was turned down by two women he hoped to marry—put off by his overpowering moral earnestness.
At the age of 30 Gladstone married the serene, beautiful, and quick-witted Catherine Glynne on July 25, 1839, at Hawarden Church. Catherine was the daughter of Sir Stephen Glynne of Hawarden Castle.
Their marriage lasted 59 years, ending only with Gladstone’s death in 1898. Catherine was deeply devoted to her husband. The match brought Gladstone personal happiness and anchored him in the aristocratic ruling class.
They had eight children—four sons and four daughters. One child died in infancy, and their youngest son, Herbert, was born while Gladstone was serving as Chancellor and would go on to become a prominent Liberal statesman himself.
Though deeply attached to one another—he affectionately called her “the ivy” and she called him “the oak”— William and Catherine often lived in separate houses and maintained their relationship largely through frequent, if formal, correspondence. His letters to her were typically signed “Ever yours affty., W.E. Gladstone” and addressed in the style of a business letter to “Mrs. W.E. Gladstone.”
Catherine outlived her husband, continuing to be a gracious and dignified figure in British society.
 |
| From a portrait of Catherine Gladstone by Frederick Richard Say. Completed 1856. |
Gladstone maintained many strong political and personal friendships, though his intense focus on politics could sometimes strain relationships.
He was much mortified by the coolness of his last official interview with Queen Victoria, who so intensely detested him that by this time she could hardly conceal her feelings.
MONEY AND FAME Gladstone was born into a wealthy merchant family whose fortunes were bolstered by compensation following the abolition of slavery. When over 2,000 enslaved people on family-owned plantations were freed, the Gladstones received more than £100,000—a vast sum at the time. By 1852, he was “beginning to be a rich man in his own right,” combining inherited wealth with his own growing influence and financial acumen.
During the 1840s, when out of office, Gladstone turned his attention to transforming the Hawarden estate into a profitable enterprise. He was also heavily involved in rescuing the Glynne family estates, which had become entangled in the financial panic of 1847.
As Chancellor of the Exchequer, a role he held for a remarkable 14 budgets, Gladstone revolutionised British public finance. He was a fierce proponent of balanced budgets, minimal government spending, and economic discipline. His attempts to abolish income tax—though ultimately unsuccessful—reflected his lifelong belief in limited taxation. At the same time, he was resistant to expansive social reforms that required large-scale public expenditure.
He was a master orator, at a time when public speaking rivalled sport in popular appeal. His speeches stirred the passions of ordinary people and helped build support among grassroots voters. As he once declared in Liverpool in 1886, “All the world over I will back the masses against the classes.”
Despite his wealth and rising political status, Gladstone declined Queen Victoria’s offer of an earldom, preferring to remain “plain Mr Gladstone.”
FOOD AND DRINK Gladstone’s tastes in food and drink reflected his blend of austerity, eccentricity, and refinement. His preferred tipple was an unusual concoction of sherry mixed with a beaten egg—markedly different from his rival Benjamin Disraeli, who favored brandy and water.
As Chancellor, Gladstone championed the reduction of duties on cheaper wines, which led to the popularity of “Gladstone claret” and “Gladstone sherry.” He also encouraged the consumption of “lighter and more innocuous drinks” as part of his broader push for moderation and public health.
During the Irish Famine, he instructed his own household to reduce their food intake as a gesture of Christian solidarity, urging them to “economize the consumption of food.”
Gladstone enjoyed entertaining at breakfast, often inviting a mix of literary figures, politicians, and churchmen to his home for 10 a.m. gatherings—an early start that reflected both his discipline and his fondness for stimulating conversation.
A creature of habit, Gladstone chewed each bite of food exactly 32 times—once for every tooth.
He was not a restful sleeper and devised a peculiar solution: he filled a stone hot water bottle not with water, but with tea. When he awoke in the middle of the night, the tea was still warm enough to sip—his own version of midnight comfort. (2)
MUSIC AND ARTS Gladstone had a lifelong love of music and the arts, with a particular passion for opera, which he attended regularly. He was also drawn to classical art and architecture, and his home at Hawarden Castle reflected this taste—filled with paintings, cultural artifacts, and objects of aesthetic interest.
As a young man, Gladstone viewed the theatre with suspicion, once declaring it a pursuit “that really involve[s] the encouragement of sin.” Yet age softened his views: by his later years, he could often be spotted in a private box at the Lyceum Theatre, thoroughly enjoying the drama onstage. In fact, he became a devoted theatre-goer, and his enthusiasm for politics and performance frequently overlapped—one observer joked that for years he starred in the anarchic daily production of A Day in Parliament.
 |
| Gladstone in his private box at The Lyceum by Perplexity |
His admiration for the theatre extended to its stars: he offered the celebrated actor Henry Irving a knighthood—an unprecedented honour for a performer at the time.
Gladstone could also be unexpectedly exuberant. On becoming Prime Minister in 1868, he joyfully waltzed his wife Catherine around the room in celebration.
The artistic legacy he cultivated at Hawarden has been preserved by his descendants. The West End of Hawarden Castle today features more than 100 original artworks, including pieces by Damien Hirst and David Shrigley. His great-great-grandson Charlie Gladstone has filled the estate with what was described as “a magpie’s mish-mash of objects and curiosities,” and even curated a stack of vinyl records for guests to play—ensuring the house remains as culturally alive as it was in William Gladstone’s day. (3)
LITERATURE Gladstone was an insatiable reader, scholar, and diarist whose intellectual appetite defined both his inner life and daily routine. His study at Hawarden Castle—nicknamed his “Temple of Peace”—housed more than 32,000 books, many of which he had read. His daily reading lists, scribbled in his meticulous diaries, and his heavily annotated volumes are a testament to a man for whom reading was both a discipline and a calling.
It’s estimated that Gladstone read over 20,000 books in his lifetime. His interests ranged widely but centered on classical literature, theology, and political philosophy. He was particularly passionate about Homer, on whom he published a three-volume study, Studies on Homer and the Homeric Age (1858), and whom he could discuss for hours. He also admired Dante, Edmund Burke, and Sir Walter Scott’s historical poetry. Tennyson’s "The Princess and Guinevere" were among the works he read aloud to the women he hoped to “rescue” through his social reform work.
He often read the Bible as he dressed or undressed, and religious books were a staple of his daily routine. His reading habits were so intense that Winston Churchill once wryly observed, “So they told me how Mr. Gladstone read Homer for fun, which I thought served him right.”
He began his published writing career in 1838 with The State in its Relations with the Church, a high-minded argument for Anglican privilege. Over his lifetime, he wrote 15 books—mostly on religious or political themes—including Bulgarian Horrors and the Question of the East (1876), a passionate response to atrocities in the Balkans and the perceived indifference of the Disraeli government.
For Gladstone, books were not just sources of wisdom but physical companions. In 1890, he published On Books and the Housing of Them, a treatise on the proper shelving and arrangement of books—something he took seriously enough to wheelbarrow 32,000 volumes to establish St Deiniol’s Library in Hawarden.
He could speak fluent French, Italian, and German, and read Latin and Ancient Greek with ease. Even his extended family shared a love for language. The family of his wife, Catherine (née Glynne), were said to have their own idiomatic way of speaking—and were credited with coining the now ubiquitous phrase “over the moon.”
Gladstone’s intellectual life was not simply a private pursuit—it was the framework of his moral universe, and in many ways, the foundation of his political mission.
 |
| Image by Perplexity |
NATURE Gladstone lived much of his life in cities but "was a countryman at heart". His connection to nature was most famously expressed through his beloved Hawarden estate in North Wales, where he spent considerable time in the woodlands and parkland. (4)
PETS Gladstone enjoyed outdoor activities such as horse riding and dog walking, However, most references to Gladstone and animals note his fondness for the outdoors and animals in connection with exercise and recreation, rather than highlighting a famous pet or pets
HOBBIES AND SPORTS Gladstone's most famous hobby was tree-felling with an axe at Hawarden estate. This became so well-known that Lord Randolph Churchill once quipped to Parliament: "The forest laments, in order that Mr Gladstone may perspire". He would often be seen wielding an axe in the woods, and many Liberal supporters made excursions to Hawarden to witness the great man in action. His prowess as a woodman took on "something of the same cult status as Lincoln's respected skills as a rail-log splitter".
 |
| Gladstone Tree felling at Hawarden Source BADA |
His other hobby was book collecting - he personally transported his collection of 32,000 books from Hawarden Castle to his new library.
At Eton, he enjoyed cricket, football, sculling on the river (keeping his own boat), and walking. Walking remained a favorite recreation throughout his life - he walked very fast and went long distances, and even in old age, took long strolls.
SCIENCE AND MATHS At Eton, there was no mathematics teaching, so Gladstone devoted his half-holidays to teaching himself the subject.
Gladstone achieved a double first in both Classics and Mathematics at Oxford. However, he "personally had no interest in Maths as a subject and only added it to his degree because it was a subject he excelled in".
He was president of the Royal Statistical Society from 1867 to 1869 and used statistical methods in his analysis of Homer's use of color in poetry, counting and classifying every word used to indicate color.
When Gladstone once asked the scientist Michael Faraday, “But what good is this electric machine?” Faraday famously shot back with a twinkle in his eye: “What’s the use of a newborn baby? You’ll have to wait and see.”
PRIME MINISTER William Ewart Gladstone was an astonishing figure: a moralist, a workaholic, a ferocious reformer, and a man who often looked like he was late for a very important sermon. He could quote Homer in ancient Greek and had opinions on just about everything, from foreign policy to how many times one should chew a mouthful of food (32, in case you’re wondering). He was Prime Minister not once, not twice, but four times. This is not just unusual—it is, as of this writing, entirely unmatched in British political history.
The First Term (1868–1874): Gladstone Goes Full Reformer
Party: Liberal
Start: December 3, 1868
End: February 17, 1874
Gladstone came to power after Benjamin Disraeli’s brief stint in charge, and immediately started passing laws as if someone had set his trousers on fire. He disestablished the Church of Ireland , made elementary education compulsory (some children were grateful, eventually), and gave voters the secret ballot, allowing them to vote without everyone in the pub knowing their business.
He also reformed the army, universities, and the civil service, often personally drafting the bills. He didn’t just run the country—he practically proofread it. Unsurprisingly, some people thought this was a bit much. After six years of relentless righteousness, the voters politely asked him to take a break.
The Second Term (1880–1885): Reform, Rebellion, and Red Ink
Party: Liberal
Start: April 23, 1880
End: June 9, 1885
Undeterred, Gladstone bounced back like a Victorian yo-yo. This time, he expanded the electorate (through the Third Reform Act), fiddled with constituencies, and continued trying to fix Ireland, particularly through land reforms.
Unfortunately, this term was a bit of a downer internationally. The British Empire had one of its more embarrassing moments with the Mahdist revolt in Sudan and the failed Gordon Relief Expedition, which sounds like a pub quiz team but was in fact a tragic military disaster. Domestic politics weren’t much cheerier, and once again Gladstone was politely shown the door.
The Third Term (1886): Blink and You’ll Miss It
Party: Liberal
Start: 1 February 1, 1886
End: July 20, 1886
This was the political equivalent of a weekend city break. Gladstone returned with one big idea: Home Rule for Ireland. It was bold. It was principled. It also completely blew up his own party. Half of his MPs ran screaming for the exit and became the Liberal Unionists, who went off and became best friends with the Conservatives.
The Home Rule Bill was defeated, confidence was lost, and Gladstone was—once again—out.
The Fourth Term (1892–1894): The Grand Old Man’s Last Hurrah
Party: Liberal (with Irish Nationalist support)
Start: August 15, 1892
End: March 2, 1894
By now 82 years old and looking rather like a wise but slightly baffled owl, Gladstone returned to Downing Street for a final round. His energy may have flagged slightly, but his sense of purpose hadn't. He introduced a second Home Rule Bill, which passed the Commons but was murdered in cold blood by the House of Lords.
He also pushed for more social and electoral reform, but his health and influence were fading. In 1894, he finally retired, possibly the only Prime Minister to do so with Homer still fresh in his head and moral indignation still burning in his chest.
Gladstone’s political career was like a very long Victorian novel—full of dramatic returns, tragic partings, high ideals, and a lot of people arguing about Ireland. His passion for reform, relentless work ethic, and unshakable belief in the moral power of good government shaped the Britain we know today.
He remains the only person to have served as Prime Minister four separate times. And even when out of office, he never really stopped being William Gladstone—which, in many ways, was a job all by itself.
PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY William Ewart Gladstone didn’t merely believe in God. No, he believed in God the way some people believe in oxygen—essential, unavoidable, and very much involved in everything from elections to breakfast. Religion, for Gladstone, wasn’t just a Sunday affair involving nice robes and reasonably tuneful hymns. It was the "pole-star of his existence," which is a poetic way of saying that every decision, major or minor—from constitutional reform to what tie to wear—had to pass through a theological filter before reaching his conscience.
As a young man, he was a devout Evangelical and even considered going into the Church—though, given how much legislation he ended up drafting, one suspects the Church might have struggled to keep up.
Gladstone’s faith evolved over time into something called liberal Catholicism, which in his hands became a very serious intellectual affair, heavy on principle, theology, and good intentions. He had strong views on Christian apologetics—so strong, in fact, that he once described unbelief as “the one controversy which overshadows, and in the last resort absorbs, all others.” Which is the sort of thing you say when you’ve stayed up very late wrestling with St. Augustine and missed tea.
Gladstone once declared, “Nothing that is morally wrong can be politically right,” which probably made for very awkward Cabinet meetings. He was, to put it bluntly, a man dominated by moral principles and general ideas, which sounds splendid until you remember that actual politics usually involves very specific messes.
At home, Gladstone led family prayers, read the Bible at bedtime (and while dressing, undressing, and presumably brushing his teeth), went to church twice on Sundays, and maintained a prayer life best described as "relentless." He was a High Anglican who was also a hero to the Nonconformists—proof that if you’re earnest enough, people will respect you whether they agree with you or not.
But the most eyebrow-raising chapter in the Gladstonian spiritual scrapbook was his infamous mission to rescue fallen women. Yes, Gladstone, earnest as ever, founded the Association for the Reclamation of Fallen Women. This involved walking London’s less reputable streets at night, engaging prostitutes in tear-stained conversation, occasionally bringing them home to meet his wife (who, one hopes, had been warned), and generally doing all this with an intensity that made even his closest allies shuffle their feet and look away.
Sometimes he dashed straight from a House of Commons debate to the nearest alleyway, still in evening dress, to save souls with the same fervour he brought to budget reform. It was all terribly sincere—and terribly Victorian.
Despite all this, he could be surprisingly tolerant of other denominations. He believed that God had revealed Himself to ancient cultures as well, and often looked for biblical parallels in Homer. You can imagine him at breakfast, finding Moses in the Iliad and explaining it in great detail to a politely trapped houseguest.
By the end of his life, Gladstone had managed the rather remarkable feat of becoming both a devout man of faith and one of the most reform-minded Prime Ministers Britain has ever had. A living paradox wrapped in a prayer shawl, scribbling legislation by candlelight, quoting Homer in Greek, and rushing off to save souls in the rain.
It’s hard not to admire him. Exhausting, yes. Slightly alarming, certainly. But admirable in the way only a man can be who truly, deeply, almost inconveniently believes that everything—politics, theology, Greek literature, morality, and street-level redemption—matters.
POLITICS In his youth, Gladstone was hardly the champion of progress he later became. At Oxford, he was a staunch Tory, proudly opposing Whiggish ideas like parliamentary reform. When he entered Parliament in 1832 as the Conservative MP for Newark, his views were—let’s say—robustly old-fashioned. He defended slavery, distrusted democracy, and generally regarded "progress" as a dirty word.
In 1838, he published a book with the rousingly cheerful title The State in Its Relations with the Church, which—judging from the name—was unlikely to include punchlines or beach-reading potential.
Yet Gladstone would go on to perform one of the great ideological pirouettes in British politics. Over time, he transformed into the 19th century’s most important Liberal leader. His doctrine—“Gladstonian liberalism”—championed equality of opportunity, free trade, and a lean, moral state. Among his many reforms were the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland, the Education Act of 1870, secret ballots, an end to buying army commissions, and a vast extension of the voting franchise via the 1884 Reform Act.
His political career would be increasingly dominated by his fierce belief in Irish Home Rule, for which he introduced three separate bills—none of which passed. His persistence split the Liberal Party and kept it out of office for two decades.
In 1876, appalled by the massacre of 15,000 Bulgarians by Ottoman troops, Gladstone roamed Britain like a political bard, rallying the public with righteous fury and reinventing modern electioneering in the process.
All the while, his legendary rivalry with Benjamin Disraeli added drama to Victorian politics—a clash not just of policies, but of prose, posturing, and personality.
SCANDAL The most notable "scandal" associated with Gladstone was his "rescue work" with prostitutes in London. Driven by a genuine desire to rehabilitate and offer spiritual guidance, he would walk the streets late at night, engaging with these women and attempting to help them. While his intentions were seen by some as noble, the clandestine nature of these activities and the Victorian societal norms led to persistent rumors and accusations of hypocrisy or impropriety, which his political opponents often tried to exploit.
This and other eccentricities did little to endear him to Queen Victoria, who once complained that he addressed her as if she were "a public meeting."
Nor did it improve his standing when, in 1885, he was blamed for the failure to relieve General Gordon at Khartoum. The death of the beloved Gordon in Sudan sent Britain into national mourning, and the press, never one to miss a branding opportunity, began referring to Gladstone not as the “G.O.M.” (Grand Old Man) but as the “M.O.G.”—Murderer of Gordon.
His rivalry with Benjamin Disraeli was the stuff of legend. Disraeli thought Gladstone insufferable—once saying, when asked to define the difference between a misfortune and a calamity: “If Gladstone fell into the Thames, that would be a misfortune. If anyone pulled him out, that would be a calamity.”
Despite all this, Gladstone had a knack for rubbing powerful people the wrong way. In 1871, he was censured by the House of Lords for daring to advise the Queen to abolish the army's archaic system of purchasing commissions. Then, toward the end of his life, he found himself increasingly isolated. By 1894, he was sick, exhausted, and politically cornered—particularly over his principled (and lonely) opposition to increasing naval spending. His resignation was prompted by ill health and the creeping realisation that the cabinet was no longer listening to him. He proposed dissolving Parliament in a last-ditch effort to reclaim control—an idea met with such bewilderment that some insiders began wondering aloud whether he’d finally lost the plot.
MILITARY RECORD Gladstone had no personal military service record, but his political decisions had military consequences. Most notably, his delayed reinforcement of General Gordon during the siege of Khartoum led to Gordon’s death.
His great-grandson Will Gladstone served in World War I, being commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in 1914 and killed in action near Laventie in April 1915.
HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Gladstone maintained remarkable health and physical fitness throughout most of his long life, largely attributed to his rigorous lifestyle, including his famous tree-felling. Even in his eighties, he possessed considerable energy, though his health began to decline in his final years.
He lost the forefinger of his left hand in a gun accident in 1842 while reloading.
Gladstone generally valued sleep and, for most of his life, got more than four hours a night. However, records from his diary during periods of strain (notably in 1882–83) show nights when his sleep dropped to three or four hours due to insomnia, which he found concerning and abnormal. On other occasions, he aimed for seven hours and considered adequate sleep essential, but political and personal pressures sometimes caused temporary reductions.
By the 1880s, it became more acceptable—even expected—for Victorian professionals like Gladstone to take time off from work to recover energy and vitality. He sometimes retreated to Hawarden for rest and took time in bed to recover from fatigue or overwork, especially when urged by his physician. However, compared to most, he lost remarkably few work days to illness, according to his own calculations.
Gladstone's hearing deteriorated in old age. He would sometimes use his deafness to ignore or evade unwelcome comments or interruptions in Parliament, turning the ailment to his advantage.
Gladstone's eyesight deteriorated significantly late in life, and he underwent a successful cataract operation on his right eye in May 1894, but quickly developed cataract in the other. The loss of vision and physical decline were major factors in his retirement from public life
Gladstone's health began declining in early 1897, and he was diagnosed with cancer on March 18, 1898. He suffered from bad attacks of facial neuralgia in his final months.
HOMES Gladstone's primary residence from the time of his marriage was Hawarden Castle in Flintshire, Wales. This 18th-century gothic mansion belonged to his wife's family, the Glynnes. He never actually owned Hawarden - it belonged first to his brother-in-law Sir Stephen Glynne, then passed to Gladstone's eldest son in 1874. The castle included his famous study, the "Temple of Peace," where he housed his vast library of 32,000 books.
The estate remains in the Gladstone family today and has been developed into a luxury holiday destination.
During parliamentary sessions, he also maintained residences in London, including at 73 Harley Street and 10 St James Square.
TRAVEL William Gladstone was a tireless traveller throughout his life, both for pleasure and politics. After graduating from Oxford in 1831, he embarked on a Grand Tour of western Europe with his brother John, visiting Belgium, France, Germany, and Italy.
In 1839, while in Rome, William Gladstone proposed to Catherine Glynne—a romantic gesture that reflected both his personal affection and his fondness for the continent.
Beginning in 1859, his increasingly liberal outlook and expanding role in European affairs created even more opportunities for travel abroad. Gladstone particularly enjoyed visiting spa towns and seaside resorts across the continent, often combining leisure with political strategy. He was known to return from places like Biarritz just in time to launch vigorous campaign efforts back home, seamlessly blending his private interests with public duty.
At home, Gladstone was equally determined to see the British Isles firsthand, visiting nearly every region—though he notably never set foot in the coalfields of South Wales.
He was also an early adopter of new technology: on January 9, 1863, he was among the 600 dignitaries who took part in the inaugural ride on the London Underground from Farringdon station—the world’s first underground railway.
So synonymous was Gladstone with travel that the sturdy, leather-hinged "Gladstone bag" was named in his honour.
DEATH William Ewart Gladstone died on May 19, 1898, at Hawarden Castle, Flintshire, Wales, at the age of 88, two months after he was diagnosed with cancer. He was pronounced dead around 5 AM with nine members of his family and three doctors surrounding his bed.
His body was placed in an oak coffin and brought to London from Hawarden on a special train. He lay in state in Westminster Hall on May 26-27, 1898, and was buried in Westminster Abbey on May 28, 1898. His funeral was paid for by Parliament, and his funeral procession was the first of a Prime Minister to be filmed.
APPEARANCES IN MEDIA
Gladstone embraced new technology, and by the 1860s he was one of the most photographed men in Britain. Studio portraits and cabinet cards of him were sold to the public, who saw him as a moral statesman and cultural hero. His distinctive look—tall collar, somber suit, intense gaze—made him instantly recognizable.
Gladstone was a regular subject of satire in Punch magazine, which portrayed him with exaggerated features—particularly his jutting collar, aquiline nose, and animated gestures. The magazine often lampooned his high-minded morality, intense religiosity, and shifting political allegiances. One Punch cartoon famously depicted him as “The People's William,” chopping down a tree labeled “Privilege” with an axe of reform.
 |
| A political cartoon depicting Gladstone "kicked out of office" in 1886 by https://wellcomeimages.org/ |
William Ewart Gladstone has made occasional appearances in modern media, though more as a reference point than a central character. Here are some of the more notable ones:
1. Television and Film:
Doctor Who (2008): In the episode “The Unicorn and the Wasp,” set in 1926, Gladstone is mentioned by name as a historical figure emblematic of Britain's moral standards.
Victoria (ITV Series, 2016–2019): Gladstone is portrayed by actor Nigel Lindsay from Season 2 onward, showing his complex relationship with Queen Victoria. The show dramatizes his moral rigidity and political passion, particularly in his clashes with Disraeli and his reformist zeal.
Disraeli (1978): In this BBC television film, Gladstone (played by Jeremy Brett) appears as Disraeli’s foil, emphasizing their legendary rivalry.
2. Literature and Theatre:
George Bernard Shaw references Gladstone multiple times in his plays and essays, often as a symbol of moral seriousness or high-minded political idealism.
Gladstone has been depicted in numerous biographies, including major works by John Morley (1903), Colin Matthew (1986, 1995), Richard Shannon (1982, 1999), and Roy Jenkins.
The musical Disraeli and Gladstone was an offbeat, lesser-known production exploring their contrasting ideologies through satire and song.
3. Pop Culture References & Satire:
Gladstone’s famously bushy eyebrows, moralistic tone, and Christianity have made him ripe for parody in British satire. He’s occasionally caricatured in publications like Private Eye and featured in political cartoons comparing modern politicians to his statesmanlike demeanor.
His intense rivalry with Disraeli is often evoked in contemporary discussions of political polarisation, drawing comparisons to modern adversarial figures in British politics.
ACHIEVEMENTS Four-time Prime Minister of the UK
Architect of Britain’s free trade policy
Advocate of elementary education
Reformer of public finance and civil service
Longest budget speech in British history
Britain’s oldest serving Prime Minister (resigned at 84)
One of the defining voices of Victorian morality in politics
No comments:
Post a Comment