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The Liberal Government and the Eucharistic Procession of 1908

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 March 2011

G. I. T. Machin
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Extract

In 1852 a Roman Catholic procession at Stockport, held in spite of the warning given by a recent royal proclamation, had caused widespread rioting, physical damage and the loss of a life. This was at the height of popular reaction to the main wave of Irish Catholic immigration and in the aftermath of popular Protestant upheaval over the restoration of a Catholic hierarchy. Other anti-Irish riots had subsequently occurred in industrial towns, for example at Liverpool frequently and at Tredegar, Monmouthshire, in 1882. Despite this, it may seem somewhat surprising that a serious crisis over a Catholic procession should have occurred as late as 1908. But the procession was intended to be a notable and explicit vindication of Roman Catholic sacramental beliefs, and there was a considerable and active residue of anti-Catholic feeling in Edwardian England.

Type
Articles
Information
The Journal of Ecclesiastical History , Volume 34 , Issue 4 , October 1983 , pp. 559 - 583
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1983

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References

1 Machin, G. I. T., Politics and the Churches in Great Britain, 1832 to 1868, Oxford 1977, 238–9Google Scholar. (A paper on the procession of 1908 was given by Dr S. P. Mews at a meeting of the Ecclesiastical History Society in 1972.)

2 Waller, P. J., Democracy and Sectarianism: apolitical and social history of Liverpool, 1868–1939, Liverpool 1981, 92Google Scholar; Denvir, J., The Irish in Britain, London 1882, 306–13Google Scholar.

3 For the anti-ritualist movement of this period, see Machin, G. I. T., ‘The last Victorian anti-ritualist campaign, 1895–1906’, Victorian Studies, xxv, 3 (1982), 277–302Google Scholar.

4 Jenkins, R., Asquith, London 1964, 189Google Scholar.

5 The Times, 3 Feb. 1908, 7 (all subsequent dates in footnotes refer to 1908 unless otherwise stated).

6 Ibid., 2 May, 16; 22 Aug., 7; Standard, 5 Sept., 7.

7 The Times, 4 Aug., 15:15 Aug., 4. Cf. Tablet, 5 Sept., 361.

8 British Weekly, 10 Sept., 538.

9 The Times, 8 Sept., 4.

10 Ibid., 7 Sept., 8.

11 Ibid., 24 Aug., 9; 7 Sept., 8.

12 Ibid., 7 Sept., 8; 12 Sept., 6.

13 Jenkins, Asquith, 189–90; The Times, 8 Sept., 4, and 12 Sept., 6; Daily Graphic, 10 Sept., 3; typescript account by Herbert Gladstone, Sept. 1908: Viscount Gladstone Papers (hereafter cited as GP), British Library, Add MS 46118, fo. 148.

14 Currie, R., Gilbert, A. and Horsley, L., Churches and Churchgoers – patterns of Church growth in the British Isles since 1700, Oxford 1977, 25Google Scholar.

15 The Times, 13 Aug., 9.

16 Ibid., 7 Sept., 8; 8 Sept., 4; 11 Sept., 9.

17 Ibid., 10 Sept., 6.

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19 The Times, 9 Sept., 10.

20 Ibid., 11 Sept., 9.

21 Ibid., 9 Sept., 10; Record, 11 Sept., 938, 944–5.

22 Daily Graphic, 12 Sept., 7; cf. The Times, 12 Sept., 6.

23 The Times, 9 Sept., 10.

24 Standard, 10 Sept., 4.

25 The Times, 9 Sept., 10. Cf. Eighty-second annual report of Protestant Reformation Society, for theyear ending 31 Dec. 1908, London 1909Google Scholar.

26 The Times, 10 Sept., 6.

27 Ibid., 11 Sept., 9.

28 Standard, 10 Sept., 5.

29 Daily Graphic, 9 Sept., 3.

30 The Times, 12 Sept., 6.

31 Cf. Binfield, C., ‘Asquith: the formation of a prime minister’, J. United Reformed Church History Society, ii. 7 (April 1981), 204–42, at pp. 204ffGoogle Scholar.

32 Asquith to Crewe, 10 Sept.; quoted Jenkins, Asquith, 191.

33 Parl. Deb., 4th ser., lix. 1073f.

34 Wolf, L., Life of the first Marquess of Ripon, London 1921, i. 354–5Google Scholar.

35 The Times, 14 Sept., 8.

36 Asquith Papers (hereafter cited as AP), Bodleian Library, XX, fos. 91–4 (translation of cipher).

37 Pencilled note ibid., fo. 96.

38 Pencilled note ibid., fos. 98–9, and telegram in Ripon Papers (hereafter cited as RP), British Library Add MS 43518, fos. 229–31 (cf. Wolf, Ripon, ii. 298). Roy Jenkins implies that Asquith only turned to Ripon when he did not obtain satisfaction from Gladstone (Jenkins, Asquith, 191). In fact it seems that he telegraphed Ripon before Gladstone. The latter also wrote to Ripon before he heard from Asquith.

39 AP, XX, fo. 100.

40 Ripon to Bourne, 9 Sept.: copy, RP, 43545, fo. 112.

41 Ripon to Asquith 9 Sept.: AP, XX, fos. 107–8.

42 Gladstone to Ripon, 9 Sept.: copy, GP, 46018, fo. 44.

43 Pencilled note, AP, XX, fo. 101.

44 Cf. Gladstone to Asquith, 14 Sept., ibid., fo. 161; Gladstone to the king, 15 Sept.: GP, 45985, fo. 79.

44 Typescript autobiography, GP, 46118, fos. 145–8. Cf. SirMallet, C., Herbert Gladstone, a memoir, London 1932, 218–19Google Scholar.

46 AP, XX, fos. 103–6 (part quoted Jenkins, Asquith, 191).

47 Bourne to Ripon, 10 Sept., RP, 43545, fo. 116.

48 Ripon to Asquith, 10 Sept.: AP, XX, fos. 114–16; Asquith to Ripon, 10 Sept.: RP, 43518, fos. 235–7; Asquith to Ripon, 10 Sept.: second letter, ibid., 239–40; Ripon to Asquith, 10 Sept.: AP, XX, 118; Ripon to Bourne, 10 Sept.: copy, RP, 43545, 117–18; Bourne to Asquith, 10 Sept.: AP, XX, 117.

49 Bourne to Asquith, 10 Sept.: published in The Times, 14 Sept., 7.

50 Ripon to Asquith, 10 Sept.: AP, XX, fos. 122–3.

51 Ripon to Gladstone, 10 Sept.: GP, 46018, fos. 45–9.

52 Gladstone to Asquith, 10 Sept.: AP, XX, fos. 107–11.

53 Gladstone to Bourne, 10 Sept.: published in The Times, 14 Sept., 7; Mallet, Herbert Gladstone, 218; Oldmeadow, Bourne, i. 392.

54 Gladstone to Asquith, 10 Sept.: AP, XX, fos. 120–1. Cf. Ripon to Gladstone, 10 Sept.: GP, 46018, fo. 49.

55 Bourne to Asquith, 11 Sept.: The Times, 14 Sept., 7; Asquith to Bourne, 11 Sept.: ibid.

56 Gladstone to Asquith, 11 Sept.: AP, XX, fos. 127–9; Gladstone to Bourne, 11 Sept.: The Times, 14 Sept., 7.

57 The Times, 14 Sept., 7.

58 Pencilled note in AP, XX, fo. 125.

59 Col. Arthur Davidson, a secretary to the king, to Asquith, 11 Sept.: ibid., fos. 130–1; pencilled note translating cipher telegram from Davidson to Asquith, 11 Sept.: ibid., fos. 135–6.

60 The Times, 12 Sept., 6; Daily Graphic, 12 Sept., 7.

61 Bourne to Ripon, 11 Sept.: RP, 43545, fos. 119–20.

62 Bourne to Asquith, 11 Sept. (received 8.42 p.m.): AP, XX, fos. 139–40; The Times, 14 Sept., 7; Oldmeadow, Bourne, i. 393.

63 Asquith to Bourne, 12 Sept.: The Times, 14 Sept., 7; Oldmeadow, Bourne, i. 393–4; Bourne to Asquith, 12 Sept.: The Times, 14 Sept., 7; Asquith to Bourne, 12 Sept.: ibid., and Oldmeadow, i. 394.

64 Col. Arthur Davidson to Asquith, 12 Sept.: AP, XX, fos. 137–8.

65 ‘C’ [Crewe] to Asquith, 12 Sept.: ibid., fo. 154 (part quoted Jenkins, Asquith, 190). Cf. Davidson to Gladstone, 13 Sept.: GP, 45985, fo. 76.

66 Gladstone to Asquith, 12 Sept.: AP, XX, fos 141–4 (part quoted Jenkins, Asquith, 191).

67 Davidson to Gladstone, 13 Sept.: GP, 45985, fo. 75.

68 Davidson to Asquith, 12 Sept.: AP, XX, fo. 153; Asquith to Ripon, 12 Sept.: R.P, 43518, fo. 244.

69 Harcourt to Asquith, 13 Sept.: AP, XX, fos. 157–60. Harcourt also said: ‘though I was personally very hostile to the procession of the host, I took a very moderate & conciliatory line when I found how hot were the King's feelings’ (ibid., fo. 159).

70 Gladstone to Bourne, 12 Sept.: The Times, 14 Sept., 7; Gladstone to Asquith, 13 Sept.: AP, XX, fo. 156.

71 Gladstone to Asquith, 14 Sept.: AP, XX, fo. 162.

72 The Times, 14 Sept., 7.

73 Ibid.

74 Ibid.

75 Ibid.; Annual Register, 1908, pt. I, 196.

76 The Times, 17 Sept., 9.

77 Ibid., 14 Sept., 8. Cf. opinions of the ultra-Protestant Record newspaper, 18 Sept., pp. 972–3.

78 Daily Graphic, 15 Sept., 7.

79 The Times, 1 Oct., 8.

80 Ibid., 10 Oct., 9; 14 Sept., 8.

81 Ibid., 18 Sept., 8. Cf. statement of archbishop of Paris after the congress: ibid., 19 Sept., 5.

82 Ibid., 14 Sept., 8; 21 Sept., 10; Daily Graphic, 15 Sept., 7. Cf. Tablet, 19 Sept., 441–2.

83 The Times, 17 Sept., 8; 18 Sept., 3; 22 Sept., 9.

84 Ibid., 18 Sept., 3.

85 Ibid., 21 Sept., 10.

86 Ibid., 28 Sept., 7.

87 Ibid., 1 Oct., 11.

88 Bourne to Ripon, 18 Sept.: RP, 43545, fos. 125–6; cf. Bourne to Ripon, 2 Oct.: ibid., fo. 131.

88 Bourne to Runciman, 24 Sept.: Runciman Papers, Newcastle-on-Tyne University Library, 35, I; copy in Bourne Papers, Archbishop's House, Westminster, box 1/181.

90 Ripon to Bourne, 27 Sept.: copy, RP, 43545, fos. 128–9.

91 The Times, 14 Sept., 9; Crewe to Asquith, 16 Sept.: AP, XX, fo. 167.

92 Standard, 14 Sept., 6.

93 Guardian, 16 Sept., 1522.

94 British Weekly, 17 Sept., 533.

95 Justice, 19 Sept., 1.

96 The Times, 18 Sept., 3; 19 Sept., 6; 21 Sept., 6; 22 Sept., 8; 23 Sept., 10; 26 Sept., 10.

97 23 Sept.: AP, XX, fo. 27.

98 Ripon to Bourne, 27 Sept.: copy, RP, 43545, fo. 129.

99 Typescript autobiography, GP, 46118, fo. 149; quoted Mallet, C. E., Herbert Gladstone, London 1932, 219Google Scholar.

100 Ripon to Asquith, 14 Sept.: AP, XX, fo. 163.

101 The Times, 15 Oct., 6; Pad. Deb., 4th ser., cxciv. 317–18. Cf. Archbishop Bourne to Runciman, 27 October: copy, Bourne Papers, box 1/181.

102 Part. Deb., 4th ser., cxcvii. 134–43, cxcviii. 510.

103 Ibid., 5th ser., iv. 2155–2231.

104 Ibid., iv. 1910–11.

105 Ripon to Asquith, 14 Sept.: AP, XX, fo. 163.

106 Ripon to Asquith, 14 Sept., enclosure: Wolf, Ripon, ii. 298–300.

107 Asquith to Ripon, 15 Sept.: RP, 43518, fo. 249; Ripon to Asquith, 20 Sept.: AP, XX, fos. 171–2; Ripon to Gladstone, 16 Sept.: GP, 46018, fo. 50; Asquith to Ripon, ‘secret’, 30 Sept.: RP, 43518, fos. 255–8; Ripon to Asquith, 2 Oct.: AP, XX, fos. 198–9; Ripon to Asquith, 7Oct.: ibid., fos. 203–4; Ripon to Bourne, 7 Oct.: RP, 43545, fos. 132–3; Ripon to Sir Edward Grey, 8 Oct.: ibid., 43640, fo. 150.

108 See above, p. 572.

109 Cf. Gladstone to Asquith, 21 Sept.: AP, XX, fo. 173.

110 Gladstone to the king, 15 Sept.: copy, GP, 45985, fos. 79–80.

111 Col. Davidson to Gladstone, 16 Sept.: ibid., fos. 81–3.

112 Crewe to Asquith, 16 Sept.: AP, XX, fos. 167–8 (part quoted Jenkins, Asquith, 192).

113 AP, XX, fos. 169–70.

114 Gladstone to Asquith, 21 and 24 Sept.: ibid., fos. 174, 190–1.

115 Asquith to Gladstone, 23 Sept.: GP, 45989, fo. 191.

116 Jenkins, 192.

117 Asquith to Gladstone, 20 Sept.: GP, 45989, fos. 188–9; Gladstone to Asquith, 21 Sept.: AP, XX, fos. 173–4.

118 Typed memorandum, undated: AP, XX, fos. 177–89, especially 184–6.

119 Gladstone to Asquith, 25 Sept.: ibid., fos. 192–3.

120 AP, XI, fos. 192–3.

121 Jenkins, Asquith, 192.

122 Sir Francis Knollys to Asquith, 28 Sept.: AP, XX, fos. 194–5.

123 Asquith to Gladstone, 29 Sept., ‘secret’: GP, 45989, fos. 196–7; Gladstone to Asquith, 30 Sept., ‘secret”: AP, XI, fos. 194–5; Asquith to Gladstone, 1 Oct.: GP, 45989, fo. 200.

124 Jenkins, 189, 192–3.

125 Typescript autobiography, GP, 46118, fo. 149.