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(1/2) Although spokespeople had existed before, the first official 'Speaker' of the House of Commons was elected in 1377?

His name was Sir Thomas Hungerford, and you can read his bio here... https://t.co/1PWYNLIQCp

6 9
2020-03-28

‘Opposition are in great want of a leader & a general system. One set are so candid, another so violent, a third so dissatisfied, that the scene is dreadful'
John Calcraft MP to the earl of Chatham 1771

2 4
2020-03-26

19 Mar 1649: The Commons abolish House of Lords as 'useless & dangerous to the people of England'

25 56
2020-03-19

Between 1714 and 1721 there were 5 chancellors of the exchequer. In spring 1721 the role, combined with the office of 1st lord of the treasury, returned to Robert Walpole (who had held them before 1715-17).
He kept them for the next 21 years

5 11
2020-03-11

1764 debated the issue of general warrants in response to the Wilkes affair. Several MPs, normally supporters, deserted over the issue
https://t.co/5TmZRKaYIk

0 3
2020-02-15

Hard on the heels of William & Mary's proclamation as King & Queen 1689 there began a major of the great offices of state, clearing out the majority of James's old ministers & functionaries

8 15
2020-02-13

1766 the marquess of Rockingham urged the king to offer Pitt the Elder a place in
"the events of yesterday in the House of Commons have shown the amazing powers & influence which Mr. Pitt has whenever he takes part in debate"

7 14
2020-01-15

Horace Walpole was encouraged by the new parliamentary intake:
"The rising generation does give one some hopes... The young William Pitt has again displayed paternal oratory. The other day, on the commission of accounts, he answered Lord North & tore him limb from limb"

3 5
2020-01-08

1781 21-year-old William Pitt the Younger was elected for as MP for Appleby. He had previously tried for while still underage but came bottom of the poll.
Three years later he was
https://t.co/uQuwdfEGeU

6 8
2020-01-08

North had every reason to resent the success of the younger Pitt. In summer 1781 H Walpole had noted:
"The young William Pitt has again displayed paternal oratory. The other day... he answered Lord North & tore him limb from limb"

4 10
2019-12-19

1783 Pitt the Younger became North's first opposition speech was clearly bitter:
"we carried on our advances regularly & above ground... not by mining in the dark & blowing up the fort before the garrison knew there was an intention to attack it"

18 20
2019-12-19

"the shining light or rather the blazing star of this country" - Richard Grosvenor (later Earl Grosvenor) on William Pitt the Elder 1758 when seconding the Address in in support of the Pitt-Newcastle "the glory of this country"

1 7
2019-11-23

Died 1723 "drowned in drink" Lord Carr Hervey, older brother of 'Lord Hervey' & MP for Bury St Edmunds
https://t.co/bL9vkaF4o9

8 5
2019-11-14

"when the does meet, I doubt, nay hope, it will make less sensation than usual"
Horace Walpole to the earl of Strafford, 1783

3 9
2019-11-02

Making the final touches to entry on Bishop Trelawny & struck by MG Smith's conclusion in 'Fighting Joshua':
"Like the his [Trelawny's] theology was uncomplicated, unadaptable & very vulnerable"

3 8
2019-10-22

The end of another reporting period, so totting up the new articles produced for the Georgian Lords: they include 'the Bug' duke of Kent; Viscount Cobham, creator of Stowe; Sir William Dawes, archbishop of York & the last of his line: Meinhard 3rd, duke of Schomberg

3 8
2019-09-30

In honour of the anniversary of the death of Charles James Fox, 1806, another chance to read 's blog on the 1788 election:
https://t.co/q6EYOJBT8k

7 6
2019-09-13

With talk of a current (in spite of the last 2 votes in another opportunity to read one of our earlier blogs on 'how to get elected' in the
https://t.co/yvVlLxWmM4

1 2
2019-09-12

Born 1676 Robert Walpole, ?first of Great Britain. Over the years he acquired various epithets among them 'Leviathan' & 'Colossus'. On his fall from power he was made earl of Orford
https://t.co/pqoeFVVVJ0

17 33
2019-08-26

Gillray, who was born 1756, caricatured the great & the good as well as depicting social scenes & more surreal subjects. He is particularly valuable for students of for his depictions of MPs mid-flow in the old House of Commons
https://t.co/ujT9ygCEKc

5 5
2019-08-13