Gladstone, William Ewart 1809-98
English Liberal statesman

Gladstone was born in Liverpool, the son of a merchant and MP. He was educated at Eton and Christ Church, Oxford. In 1832 he was returned by Newark as a Conservative to the reformed parliament, serving under Robert Peel. After several junior appointments, he was appointed President of the Board of Trade in 1843. In December 1845 he was made Colonial Secretary. He later gave up his seat, and did not re-enter parliament until the corn-law struggle was over; then, at the general election of 1847 he was elected by the University of Oxford, still as a Tory.

When Peel died in July 1850 Gladstone was brought more directly to the front; and he compelled the House of Commons and the country to recognize in him a supreme master of parliamentary debate. His first really great speech in parliament was made in the debate on Disraeli's budget in 1852. On the fall of the short-lived Tory administration, Lord Aberdeen formed the famous Coalition Ministry, with Lord Palmerston for Home Secretary, Lord John Russell for Foreign Secretary and Gladstone for Chancellor of the Exchequer. His speech on the introduction of his first budget was again masterly.

Gladstone was again Chancellor in 1859 when Palmerston was Prime Minister. In 1865, on Lord Palmerston's death and Lord Russell's accession to the premiership, Gladstone became Leader of the House of Commons. A minor reform bill was introduced enlarging the franchise in boroughs and counties. The Conservative Party opposed it, and were supported by a considerable section of the Liberals. The bill was defeated: the Liberals went out of office (1866).

The serious condition of Ireland, however, and the Fenian insurrection brought the Liberals to power with Gladstone as Prime Minister in 1868. He was frequently in office until 1894, when he resigned. He disestablished and disendowed the Irish Church. For the first time in English history a system of national education was established. He also introduced a measure to improve university education in Ireland, but Catholic members voted against it, and it was rejected (1873). Gladstone offered his resignation, but Disraeli declined to undertake any responsibility, and Gladstone had to remain at the head of affairs. But the by-elections began to tell against the Liberals; Gladstone suddenly dissolved parliament and Disraeli came back to power (1874). For some time Gladstone took the opportunity to concentrate on his literary studies.

Parliament was dissolved in 1880, the Liberals came in with an overwhelming majority, and Gladstone (now member for Midlothian) became Prime Minister once more. He succeeded in carrying out a scheme of parliamentary reform, which went a long way towards universal male suffrage. After a further period out of office, he attempted to introduce a Home Rule bill for Ireland, but a split was caused in his party, the bill was rejected and after an appeal to the country he was defeated at the polls. In 1893, after his final return to office, the Home Rule Bill was carried in the Commons, but was thrown out by the Lords. His advanced age made him resign in March 1894. He died at Hawarden, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.

Bibliography: Roy Jenkins, Gladstone (1995); H C G Matthew, Gladstone 1875-1898 (1995) and Gladstone 1809-1874 (1986); E J Feuchtwanger, Gladstone (1975); P Magnus, Gladstone (1954).