Satire on the Southampton parliamentary election of 1830. A large parade of people, including ‘Tradesmen on the Grand Committee,’ ‘Inferior Tradesmen on the Kingland & Cossac Committee,’ ‘Publicans,’ ‘Brewers,’ ‘Itchen Ferrymen,’ ‘Fishwomen,’ and ‘Blidgeon Men employed from the Forest,’ all march, holding flags above their hats. In the center on being carried in a grand chair, appears to be James Barlow Hoy (1794-1843), Irish-born military surgeon and politician who represented the Southampton constituency in the British parliament and also served as Deputy Lieutenant Sheriff of Southampton. The print appears to also refer to the corruptness of the Southampton parliamentary election of 1830; John Story Penleaze stood as a candidate but resigned before the end of the poll. He had been proposed by William Lankester, an upholsterer and prominent radical, who headed a newly formed ‘Independent Committee’, and seconded by Bryant. Although Hoy was proposed by Rose, he affirmed his commitment to the independent political line he had hitherto pursued, for which even Stanton gave him credit, and cited his endeavours to obtain improved status for Southampton as a port. The Members were returned unopposed and chaired without incident.
- Title: Chairing the jolly god, or, A Southampton election in the modern times of 1830
- Creator: Skelton, Thomas Henry, active 1830-1844, publisher
- Publication: Southampton, England, approximately 1830
830.00.00.171+
Acquired June 2024
A copy after Hogarth’s print “Gin Lane” that first issued in 1751, with seven lines of text in letterpress below image warning of the evils of drinking gin: “The sin of drunkenness expels reason, drowns memory, distempers the body, defaces beauty … the root of all evil is drunkenness!
