View of the Hustings in Covent Garden, 15 December 1806
Scope and Contents
Artist: James Gillray. Published: Hannah Humphrey. Above the design, 'Publish'd for the History of the Westminster & Middlesex Elections, Novr 1806', and a folding plate from the book. A section of the hustings extends across the design, bisected by one of the vertical posts supporting the (invisible) roof. On this are two placards: 'Loyal Parishes of St Paul's and St Giles's' and 'State of the Poll - . Paul - Hood - Sheridan'. The base of the design is formed by the heads and raised arms of the mob below. Hood and Sheridan, with their supporters, are on the left of the post, Paull and his supporters on the right. The supporters wear favours (buff and blue on the left) with the names of their candidates. On the extreme left is a stout man holding a whip. Next, Hood in uniform, with his empty right sleeve, turns in profile to the left, away from Sheridan, putting his hand to his mouth to cover a smile. Sheridan stares in bewildered an speechless anguish, horrified at the shouts of the mob and at Paull's words Whitbread, standing behind, puts his left hand reassuringly on his shoulder and offers him a foaming tankard inscribed 'Whitbread new Loyal Porter'. His is 'Hood & Sheridan'. On Sheridan's l. a dog, its collar inscribed 'Peter Moore', barks savagely at Paull, who stands hat in hand, right arm extended towards Sheridan, addressing the crowd: " - the sunk, the lost, the degraded Treasurer" [Sheridan]. On Paull's left is Burdett; next, and on the extreme right, is Bosville. Between and behind Paull and Burdett stands Cobbett, holding an issue of the 'Political Register' on which the word 'Cobbett' is legible. These three have tickets inscribed 'Paull' in their hats. Behind Paull on the left, and watching him with a sly grin, stands the Duke of Northumberland, Sheridan's enemy. He holds a paper: 'To the Vestry of St Margaret'; in his hat is 'No Coalition' [i.e. between Hood and Sheridan]. Behind these first two rows on the hustings, heads recede until they merge in shadow. Three men behind Sheridan appear to be portraits; two have favours inscribed 'Sheridan' (one probably Lord William Russell, Sheridan's seconder); the third is a fat and grotesque man in uniform wearing a plumed death's head cap and a gorget. He is Downes, an undertaker, and a major in the St. James's Volunteers (of which Sheridan was Colonel): there were shouts of 'no major Downes the undertaker'. See 'Pol. Reg.' x. 810, 836. The rank and file of Sheridan's supporters look anxious, those of Paull are grinning. Below the hustings some of the mob hold up their hats to cheer their candidate, others flourish bludgeons or insulting emblems. From left to right: shouts are for "Hood [four times], Hood for ever; no Picton". Then (against Hood): "Two Faces under a Hood; no False Votes." Against Sheridan: "No Placemen in Parliament; No Harlequin Turncoat; No Stage Tricks!; No Vagabond Representative; Pay your Debts; Mr Treasurer; Where's my Renters share, dam' you." Next is a group with bludgeons inscribed 'Sherry' who shout: "Sherry & Liberty"; "Sherry for Ever"; "Sherry." Next, below Paull, a group which shouts "No Paul". A pair of shears, a smoothing-iron, and a cabbage speared on a stick, are held up, with the respective shouts: "no Paul Goose"; "no Stitching Representative"; "no Cabbaging Candidate". On the extreme right. are Paull's supporters, these wear bonnets rouges (coloured red and blue) with tricolour favours inscribed 'Paul'. They shout "Paul & Independence"; "Paul for Ever"; "Paul & Plumpers". Description from the British Museum.
Dates
- Creation: 15 December 1806
Conditions Governing Access
Available by appointment in our Reading Room
Extent
1 Item(s)
Language of Materials
English
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and Archives Repository
Western Bank Library
University of Sheffield
Western Bank
Sheffield South Yorkshire S10 2TN United Kingdom
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