William Ewart Gladstone Biography and Timeline

Birth of fourth son

Born at 62 Rodney Street, William Ewart Gladstone was the fourth son of the slave-owning merchant Sir John Gladstone, and his second wife, Anne MacKenzie Robertson

Education

Educated from 1816 to 1821 at a preparatory school at the vicarage of St Thomass Church at Seaforth, close to his familys residence, Seaforth House

Education

Follows in the footsteps of his older brothers and attends Eton College

Education

Matriculates at Christ Church, Oxford, where he read Classics and Mathematics, although he had no great interest in mathematics

Education

Graduates with a double first

Member of Parliament

Elected to Parliament in 1832 as Tory Member of Parliament (MP) for Newark, partly through the influence of the local patron, the Duke of Newcastle

Junior Lord

Appointed as a Junior Lord of the Treasury in Sir Robert Peels first ministry

Under Secretary

Appointed Under Secretary of State for War and the Colonies, an office he held until the Governments resignation in April 1835

Under Secretary

Appointed Under Secretary for War, serves under Sir Robert Peel

Role range: 1835-1835

The State in its Relations with the Church

Gladstone publishes his first book, "The State in its Relations with the Church", in which he argued that the goal of the state should be to promote and defend the interests of the Church of England

first book, "The State

Gladstone publishes his first book, "The State in its Relations with the Church", in which he argued that the goal of the state should be to promote and defend the interests of the Church of England

his

Gladstone publishes his first book, "The State in its Relations with the Church", in which he argued that the goal of the state should be to promote and defend the interests of the Church of England

Marriage

Marries Catherine Glynne, to whom he remained married until his death 59 years later

Role range: 1841-1843

Denounces the war as unjust and iniquitous and criticised Lord Palmerston's

Denounces the war as "unjust and iniquitous" and criticised Lord Palmerston's willingness "to protect an infamous contraband traffic."

Role range: 1839-1842 – 1841-1843

Gladstone lambasts Palmerston's Opium War and said that he felt in dread

Gladstone lambasts "Palmerston's Opium War" and said that he felt "in dread of the judgments of God upon England for our national iniquity towards China"

Role range: 1839-1842 – 1841-1843

Vice President

Appointed Vice President of the Board of Trade

Role range: 1841-1843

Income Tax

Income tax is reintroduced to cope with the budget deficit

Role range: 1841-1846

Reform of Taxation

Set at 7d in the pound with an exemption limit of œ150. Income tax is reintroduced to cope with the budget deficit

Role range: 1841-1846

Board of Trade

Appointed President of the Board of Trade

Role range: 1841-1846 – 1843-1846

Coal Vendors Act

Gladstone passed the Coal Vendors Act 1843 to set up a central office for employment

Role range: 1841-1846 – 1843-1846

Coal Whippers

Gladstone became concerned with the situation of "coal whippers". These were the men who worked on London docks, "whipping" in baskets from ships to barges or wharves all incoming coal from the sea. They were called up and relieved through public-houses and therefore a man could not get this job unless he possessed the favourable opinion of the publican, who looked upon most favourably those who drank

Role range: 1841-1846 – 1843-1846

Coal Whippers

Gladstone passed the Coal Vendors Act 1843 to set up a central office for employment

Role range: 1841-1846 – 1843-1846

Legislation

Gladstone passed the Coal Vendors Act 1843 to set up a central office for employment

Role range: 1841-1846 – 1843-1846

President of Board of Trade

Appointed President of the Board of Trade

Role range: 1841-1846 – 1843-1846

Reform of Government

Gladstone passed the Coal Vendors Act 1843 to set up a central office for employment

Role range: 1841-1846 – 1843-1846

Legislation

Gladstone passes the Coal Vendors Act 1843 to set up a central office for employment

Role range: 1841-1846 – 1843-1846

Legislation

Reforms the 1840 Railways Act controlling profits on railways. Provides for at least 1 cheap train to run each weekday

Role range: 1841-1846 – 1843-1845

Reform of Railways

Reforms the 1840 Railways Act controlling profits on railways. Provides for at least 1 cheap train to run each weekday

Role range: 1841-1846 – 1843-1845

Maynooth Seminary

Gladstone had previously argued that a Protestant country should not fund other churches, although he supported the increase and voted for it in the Commons.

Role range: 1841-1846 – 1843-1845

Maynooth Seminary

He resigned rather than face accusations that he had compromised his principles to remain in office.

Role range: 1841-1846 – 1843-1845

Maynooth Seminary

William Gladstone resigned over the Maynooth Seminary issue after Peel's government proposed increasing the annual grant for training Catholic priests.

Role range: 1841-1846 – 1843-1845

Resignation of William Ewart Gladstone

Gladstone had previously argued that a Protestant country should not fund other churches, although he supported the increase and voted for it in the Commons.

Role range: 1841-1846 – 1843-1845

Resignation of William Ewart Gladstone

He resigned rather than face accusations that he had compromised his principles to remain in office.

Role range: 1841-1846 – 1843-1845

Resignation of William Ewart Gladstone

William Gladstone resigned over the Maynooth Seminary issue after Peel's government proposed increasing the annual grant for training Catholic priests.

Role range: 1841-1846 – 1843-1845

Free Trade

Leaves the Tory Party with the Peelites in defense of free trade

Lord High Commissioner

Appointed Member of Liberal Party

Resignation of William Ewart Gladstone

Leaves the Tory Party with the Peelites in defense of free trade

Election

Elected for the University of Oxford (representing the MA graduates of the University) at the General Election

Glenalmond College

Gladstone helps to establish Glenalmond College, then The Holy and Undivided Trinity College at Glenalmond, set up as an episcopal foundation to spread the ideas of the Anglican Church in Scotland, and to educate the sons of the gentry

Glenalmond College

Gladstone helps to establish Glenalmond College, then The Holy and Undivided Trinity College at Glenalmond, set up as an episcopal foundation to spread the ideas of the Anglican Church in Scotland, and to educate the sons of the gentry