Gladstone
From The Arthur Conan Doyle Encyclopedia
William Ewart Gladstone (29 december 1809 – 19 may 1898) was a British Liberal politician. In a career lasting over sixty years, he served as Prime Minister four separate times (1868–74, 1880–85, February–July 1886 and 1892–94), more than any other person, and served as Chancellor of the Exchequer four times. Gladstone was also Britain's oldest Prime Minister; he resigned for the final time when was 84 years old. [..] A Gladstone bag, a light travelling bag, is named after him.
Conan Doyle and Gladstone
- On the Geographical Distribution of British Intellect (1888) : Arthur Conan Doyle mentioned William Ewart Gladstone as a great Lancastrian.
- The Home Rule Bill (1912) : Arthur Conan Doyle signed a petition against Mr. Gladstone's Home Rule Bills.
- Memories and Adventures (1926) : Arthur Conan Doyle was what was called a Liberal-Unionist, that is, a man whose general position was Liberal, but who could not see his way to support Gladstone's Irish Policy.
- Our African Winter (1928) : Arthur Conan Doyle made a counter-attack, pointing out that psychical research meant the study of the soul, that it was endorsed by Gladstone, Balfour, and many of the greatest minds, that the knowledge of the soul was the special job of the bishops and clergy, and yet that as far as I knew no bishop belonged to any Psychical Research Society the whole world over, save only one in Iceland.
In Conan Doyle stories
- Crabbe's Practice (1884) : Jack Barton asked Thomas Crabbe what did Gladstone do in '63, which was the start of their friendship.
- [SH] The Man with the Twisted Lip (1891) : Sherlock Holmes used a "Gladstone bag" to transport a very large bath sponge and remove make-up on Hugh Boone's face. (479)
- The Story of the Man with the Watches (1898) : John Palmer carried a brown leather Gladstone bag.
- A Duet, with an Occasional Chorus (1899) : The distance from the ear to the forehead is said to be only equalled by Napoleon and by Gladstone.
