An authoritative biography already exists online on the website of www.liberalhistory.org.uk.
He was born in Rodney Street, Liverpool, the fourth son of John Gladstone, a successful merchant. According to the website, John Gladstone traded in corn with the U.S and cotton with Brazil, owning plantations in the West Indies.
John Gladstone's wealth expanded greatly, enabling his sons to be active in public life with financial independence.
Gladstone was first elected to parliament in 1832, as a Tory. In 1859 he joined the Liberals and in 1868 became Prime Minister for the first time. Electoral defeat for the Liberals in 1874 led to Disraeli becoming Conservative Prime Minister and Gladstone retired as Liberal leader.
Gladstone became Prime Minister for the second time in 1880. In 1885 his government's budget was defeated and Gladstone resigned. Yet he was to be Prime Minister a third (1886) and fourth (1892 - 1894) time. His crusade for home rule in Ireland occupied him greatly during his years in power.
Gladstone married Catherine Glynn of Hawarden Castle, Flintshire, in 1839 and the marriage was to last 59 years.
St Deiniol's residential library, the only one of its kind in Britain, was founded by Gladstone and this year celebrates the bicentenary of his birth with a programme of events:
your comments
L Westgaph
John Gladstone was a corn merchant from Leith. He came to Liverpool continuing in the business and then bought plantations in Jamaica and Demerara which were "worked" by slaves. His son William was born in Liverpool and entered parliament at 23, his earliest speeches in the Houses of Parliament were in defence of slavery.
Mon Apr 2 11:03:42 2007
kenny jones Chester
The Gladstones and the Glynnes, yes where very big families of the day and they did alot of work for the local community at the timr, but i am very intrested on how they made their vast fortunes at the time,can anyone out there help.
Sun Feb 5 05:49:27 2006
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Prime Minister no less than four times - 2009 marks the bicentenary of his birth.
