Shaftesbury - The Poor Man's Earl Quiz

Answer: The Conservative Party

The Conservative Party is generally considered to be the least open to social reformation (the clue is in the name), yet not only did they maintain Shaftesbury, who was a proto-socialist, they also managed to provide Britain with its first Jewish Prime Minister (Disraeli), and its first female Prime Minister (Thatcher).

However, it should be noted that for all his reforming zeal, Shaftesbury did not want to overthrow the class system, and probably would not have approved of anyone who did. At its best, the English class system involves everyone helping everyone else above and below them, but everyone knowing their place. So it was a mixture of this system combined with a Christian brotherhood of all believers that motivated his ideals.

Answer: Conditions in 'Lunatic Asylums'

Shaftesbury had been asked to join a 'Select Committee' to look into the terrible conditions in 'lunatic asylums'. Patients - or rather inmates - were kept in filthy surroundings, were often chained and unattended at weekends, and were found to receive no medical assistance for their conditions, although it was known by this time that mental illnesses were more likely to be helped by ocupational therapy type treatments than by harsh restraints such as strait jackets.

This quickly became Shaftesbury's first 'cause', one which he promoted vigorously for nearly sixty years.

By the way, Shaftesbury was actually against the Reform Bill to make the House of Commons more representative of the population.

Answer: 10 hours

Although 10 hours is a very long day, it was feared that if children were forbidden by law to work fewer hours, unscrupulous factory owners would work a shift system for children, which would then result in longer hours for adult workers. However, the reformers had no need to worry - the bill was heavily defeated. Nevertheless, the bill brought the matter to public attention, and later that year a different bill was passed which, although doing little to help adolescent workers, actually went further than Shaftesbury's bill to prevent very young children from working in certain industries.

Answer: Jerusalem

After reading prophetic writings in the Old Testament of the Bible, Shaftesbury became convinced that the Jews would return to 'The Holy Land'. At the time, this seemed improbable, but it was politically expedient for Britain to gain any hold they could within the Turkish Empire, which at that time controlled the area which is now Israel.

This was not Shaftesbury's motivation, but it did work to his advantage, as he was encouraged with his plans for a Jewish homeland. The plan crumbled within 50 years, but is generally considered to be a prototype for the state which was formed after WWII.

Answer: An assasination attempt on Queen Victoria and stalling in the House of Lords

Politicians can always be distracted by royal stories, and given that newspapers declared a constitutional crisis in November 2003 because it was discovered Queen Elizabeth kept her breakfast cereals in tupperware boxes, their distraction at this juncture can be understood. Stalling is just a way of life for folk in the Upper Chamber.

Answer: Portsmouth

Portsmouth is still a very poor city, and not long ago was officially voted the second worst city in the country, yet it is often overlooked for extra assistance as it is located in a generally affluent county. Consequently, despite the fact that it is the spiritual home of universal free education, it has some of the worst schools in the country.

Answer: Lord Ashley was Shaftesbury's title until the death of his father in 1851 ie Shaftesbury & Ashley were the same person

The Earl of Shaftesbury's name was Anthony Ashley Cooper, and until he succeded to the title of Earl on the death of his father, his official title was 'Lord Ashley'. It is easy to understand the journalist's confusion, if not his political viewpoint.

Shaftesbury, far from being wounded by the unfair attack, thought it highly amusing, and would tell the story to anyone who would listen.

Answer: False

As an experienced, intelligent and flagrantly honest politician, a succession of Prime Ministers tried to persuade the Earl to take posts in the cabinet, which he always refused. He came closest to accepting a ministry under the leadership of his father-in-law, Lord Palmerston, whom he knew to be having difficulties forming a cabinet.

It is reported that when Shaftesbury received news that at the 11th hour a substitute had been found, he danced for joy.

Answer: His agnostic father-in-law became Prime Minister and allowed Shaftesbury to choose all church appointments

Palmerston, in the words of his son-in-law, 'could not tell the theological difference between Moses and Sydney Smith'. He had absolutely no interest in Church matters, and seems to have been pleased to rid himself of the problem, by passing on the duty to his strongly Christian son-in-law, with whom he had a good relationship.

The transference of duty was rather obvious: until this point, bishops were usually chosen from academics within the 'broad church'. The so called 'Shaftesbury Bishops' were an utter anomaly - not only were they almost exclusively from the shrinking Evangelical wing of the Anglican Church, but most of them were relatively humble parish vicars.

Answer: Sunday evening church services in theatres

He was involved in all of these movements. The theatre services were, at the time, highly radical. To enable them to go ahead, Shaftesbury had had to get an old law preventing religious meetings in non-consecrated buildings revoked. The services were ecumenical, evangelical, and evangelistic.

They were specifically aimed at the very poorest of London's population, who were frequently unwelcome and uncomfortable in traditional services. Up to 18,000 attended these services across the capital each week.

Answer: The thief and the watch

He had done so much to help the very poorest classes, 'deserving' or 'undeserving', that the criminal gangs were horrified that he had been treated in this way. The young pickpocket had a note pinned to him, telling Shaftesbury to give him what he deserved. He sent him to school.

Answer: The River Thames

The first Shaftesbury Home was a large ship on the River Thames to house and train homeless boys for a career in the merchant navy, giving them shelter, education and a future. Boarding schools and homes on land were soon added for girls, and for those not wanting a sea-faring career.

It should be noted that this pre-dated the work of Dr Barnardo. Although it is frequently reported (not least by Barnardo) that the doctor opened the eyes of Shaftesbury to the plight of 'street kids', evidence shows that the reverse is true.

This scheme was already in the planning stages when Barnardo moved to London.

Answer: True

Although he passionately believed that all children had a right to education, he was against state involvement. He felt that learning should be based around Christian teaching, and that state interference would lead to secular education. Consequntly, he wanted schools to remain in the charitable sector.

Answer: The Watercress and Flower Girls Mission

Watercress and flower selling was seasonal work, which meant that during the winter, these girls had no way to support themselves. Small loans could allow them to buy equipment such as potato ovens or coffee stalls which would enable them to work all year round.

BTW: This mission also taught girls to make artificial flowers for sale during winter, and was the forerunner of all the charities (eg MacMillans, Royal British Legion) who now have flower days.

Answer: Safe in the Arms of Jesus

I'll leave with just a small sample of some of the charities he was linked to or founded:

Shaftesbury Society (www.shaftesburysoc.org.uk)
Shaftesbury Housing (www.shaftesburyhousing.org.uk)
Church Pastoral Aid Society (www.cpas.org.uk)
John Grooms Assocition for the Disabled (www.johngrooms.org.uk)
London City Mission (www.lcm.org.uk)
YMCA (www.ymca.org.uk)
YWCA (www.ywca.org.uk)
Barnado's (www.barnardos.org.uk)
NSPCC (www.nspcc.org.uk)
RSPCA (www.rspca.org.uk)
Seamen's Hospital Society (www.seahospital.org.uk)
And believe me, there are a lot, lot more...