Presented by Iain Bruce at the 21st Stoke Newington History Talks event on 7 March 2024 in St. Matthias Halls https://stokenewingtonhistory.com/stoke-newington-history-talks/

1. The Duchess and the Butchers
1. The panel itself – street scene and characters
2. The pub’s name and date
3. Date of the panel
4. The General Election of 1784
• Political background
• The Duchess and Charles James Fox
• Conduct of the poll
• The campaign and the result
• A popular ballad to the tune of ‘The Roast
Beef of Old England’

4. 2024

6. First-floor level

7. First-floor furniture

8. Street-lamp
and pulley.

9. The
Duchess’
s coach

10. Shop name

11. Cobble stones and chips

12. Garnham Street ‘Blast Damage’ – ‘Minor in nature’

13. Dramatis Personæ: an overview
3
1
2
4
5
6
7 8
9
10

20. The Kiss

21. Naming the Pub

22. Jeremiah Ilsey at the
the Hand and
Flower in Church
Lane Licensed
Victualler … Two
houses only
adjoining near the
Three Jolly Butchers
Butchers at Stoke
Newington …
Sun Insurance Policy
20 June 1781
One or Three??

23. How Many Butchers?
• 1781 Three Jolly Butchers June 20th
• 1790 Three Jolly Butchers March 12th
• 1791 Three Jolly Butchers October 14th
• 1834 The Jolly Butchers November 27th
• 1877 Three Jolly Butchers October 18th
• 1877 Three Jolly Butchers October 18th
• 1879 Three Jolly Butchers July 17th
• 1883 Three Jolly Butchers May 30th
• 1890 Three Jolly Butchers September 11th
• 1891 Three Jolly Butchers December 3rd
• 1893 Three Jolly Butchers June 30th

24. But ….
aren’t there
four
butchers?

25. When was the panel mounted?

26. Change and redevelopment: Garnham Street created.
OS 25-inch map surveyed 1870 OS 25-inch map revised 1930
Jolly Butcher’s Yard P.H.
Dispensary and Invalid Female Asylum Dispensary and Asylum

27. The Jolly Butchers site before the creation of Garnham Street
OS 25-inch map, surveyed 1870

28. Lease dated 25th December 1877 between Robert Hanbury of Truman Hanbury
Buxton and Henry Hall the younger of the Three Jolly Butchers. Payment £1,500:
yearly rent £184-0-0 to be paid quarterly. Expires in 1898.

29. Indenture dated 11 August 1890 between Richard Hall and Truman Hanbury Buxton
‘Richard Hall recently expended a considerable sum of money in and above
the rebuilding and otherwise altering … the premises as now rebuilt.’

30. Plans on the 1890 Indenture showing the site before and after
rebuilding.

31. The General Election, May 1784.

32. The Duchess of Devonshire Canvassing
the Jolly Butchers for their Votes for
Fox.

33. Georgiana,
Duchess of
Devonshire
Gainsborough
Charles
James Fox
Karl Anton
Hickel

34. Liberty and Fame introducing Female Patriotism to Britannia
‘She smiles infused with a Fortitude from Heaven’ (The Tempest, Act 1, scene 2.)
The Duchess (aka ‘Female
Patriotism’) – in her
characteristic flamboyant hat
is led forward.
Liberty (left) carries the
Phrygian cap of freedom.
Fame (right) carries her
trumpet to proclaim freedom.
Britannia’s lion smiles.

35. Charles James Fox
• Foreign Secretary March to July 1782, April to December
1783 and February to September 1806.
• Fox was a gambling addict, womaniser, debtor, and dandy who
was forgiven his failings by many because of his defence of
civil liberty and his overwhelming charisma. He was Britain's
first Foreign Secretary. In fact, he was Secretary of State three
times, in 1782, 1783 and 1806; but each time he used the
position more successfully to fight for a constitutionally
stronger Parliament than to achieve foreign policy aims.
History of the UK Government [Gov.UK]

36. The Champion of the
People with his Shield
of Truth [fighting]
Tyranny
Assumed Prerogative
Despotism
Oppression
Secret Influence
Scotch Politick
Duplicity
Corruption
Thomas Rowlandson, 1784

37. Champion of the People
‘Friends & Fellow Citizens I
cannot find words to express
express my feelings to you
upon this victory.’
A speechless Demosthenes?
Demosthenes?

38. The symbols of
liberty and fame –
cap and trumpet –
are now lodged
with Fox.
Fox clutches two papers:
papers: ‘Rights of
England’and ‘Privilege
‘Privilege of the people’.
people’.
The multi-cheeked
cherubim proclaim: ‘Fox
‘Fox & Liberty’.

39. 18th century
elections

40. Eating and Swilling at Eatanswill Election (post 1832 Reform
Act)
Mr. Pickwick looks on.

41. Voter List
Street by Street
1780
Analysis shows tactical voting.
Supporters of Fox tended
not to use their second vote
or when they did, invariably
voted for Rodney.
No Rotten Borough this.

42. The Election
Campaign,
William Hogarth, 1754
At the Hustings, a
swears on the Bible, a
scrutineer checks his
to vote. In the
the allegorical chariot
Britain collapses.

43. 1780 – a
fifteen-
day
election

44. The Forty Days
of Madness of a
General
Election,
London, 1784.

45. Purported sailors ‘with bludgeons’ hired by Fox’s opponents to intimidate voters – ‘seen
off by Chairmen, Butchers, Brewers and others … Mr. Fox, and the few friends with
him, had a very narrow escape of their lives.’
The fifth day
of voting
The Election Campaign,
William Hogarth, 1754

46. The Daily Tally: 1784 Election
‘The independence of the most distinguished city in Europe is yet in their
own hands; let them stand forth like Englishmen, and assert their rights.’

47. Anecdote. –
The Duchess of D--- asked a butcher for his vote, “I will give your Grace
plumper,” says the tradesman, “and procure you five more on a certain
condition.”
“What is that?”
“That your Grace will give me a kiss.”
“Why then,” says the charming Duchess, “take one.”
James Harvey, History of the Westminster Election, London, 1785.

48. Fox’s opponents – Lord Hood and Sir Cecil Wray
‘No Butchers Law, no Petticoat Government!
‘Marrow bones and
cleavers’
‘Peers and Peeresses’

49. Lips of the first quality

50. ‘The Duchess of Devonshire’s attendance at Covent Garden,
perhaps, will not secure Mr Fox’s election but it will at least …
make her a standing toast in all the ale-houses and gin-shops of
Westminster …. [ladies] ought to know, that it is usual, even in
these days of degeneracy, to expect common decency in a
married woman.’
[Morning Post, 8 April 1784]

51. Every liberal mind revolts at the wretched abuse now levelled at
the most amiable of our country women! The base and burring
hand of calumny, however, is raised in vain against the lovely
Devon and her sister patriots.
[Morning Herald and Daily Advertiser, 24 April 1784]
‘The base and burring hand of calumny’

52. ‘By George I’d
kiss the
Dutchess.’

53. THE TWO
PATRIOTIC
DUCHESS’S on
their Canvass.
Requesting the
the favour of an
an early Poll.

54. The Devonshire,
or Most
Approved
Method of
Securing Votes
‘Huzza – Fox
for Ever.’

55. Wit’s Last Stake or the
Cobling Voters and
Abject Canvassers
Shoes made and mended
mended by Bob Stritchett

56. Reynard Put To His Shifts.
‘My dear Fox get into
Cover.’
Thomas Rowlandson, 1784

57. ‘A Complete
State of the
Poll of the
City and
Liberty of
Westminster,
1784.’
Hood 6694
Fox 6234
Wray 5998

58. 13 x ‘Three Jolly Butchers’
Westminster Constituency – three pubs called the ‘Three Jolly Butchers’
• Mayfair
• Hungerford Market (site of Charing Cross Station)
• Newport Market (near Cranbourne Street and Leicester Square)
Nearest to Stoke Newington
• Hoxton Market Place – (demolished 1959)
But 13 in all from Edmonton to the City.

59. For more information ….

60. Hackney History
volume 23 – out
next week.

61. The Female Patriot or the Devonshire Duchess