1851. Lord John Russell pledges himself to bring in a Reform Bill next session. 1852. Feb. Lord John Russell introduces a Reform Bill, which is afterwards abandoned. [£20 rating franchise in counties, £5 rating in boroughs; small boroughs to be grouped together; taxpayers to the amount of 40s. per annum to have the franchise in both boroughs and counties.] Disfranchisement of St. Albans for bribery. 1854. March. A Reform Bill is introduced by Lord J. Russell, but withdrawn. 1857. Locke King's County Franchise Bill rejected by 192 to 179, and Property Qualification Abolition Bill by 204 to 145. 1858. Locke King's County Franchise Bill passes the second reading by 226 to 168, but is withdrawn. Abolition of the property qualification. 1859. Disraeli announces the proposals of the Government on the reform of the franchise. (Walpole and Henley had retired on account of these proposals.) March. Defeat of the ministry on the second reading of their Reform Bill by 39 votes. 1860. March. A Government Reform Bill is introduced by Lord J. Russell, but withdrawn later. 1861. The Government make no mention of reform in the royal speech. Locke King's and Baines' motions for the reduction 1864. Locke King's County Franchise Bill and Baines' Borough Franchise Bill are thrown out by 254 to 227, and 272 to 216. 1865. Baines' Borough Franchise Bill rejected by 288 to 214. 1866. March. The Government Reform Bill introduced by Gladstone. After many evenings' debate it is carried by 5 votes only (the division being 283 Conservatives and 32 Liberals against 318 Liberals and 2 Conservatives, including tellers), the small majority being chiefly owing to the seceding Liberal "Adullamites," led by Lowe. June. The Government is defeated by 11 (315 to 304) on Lord Dunkellin's amendment to the Reform Bill. The ministry resign. 1867. Feb. The new Government Reform Bill is brought forward by Disraeli. March. Gladstone indicates various changes in the Government measure which would be necessary to make it a sound measure. Most of these were ultimately adopted. July. The Reform Bill is read a third time without opposition. Aug. The Reform Bill (England) passes the Lords. 1868. Reform Bills for Ireland and Scotland passed. July 31. End of the last Parliament elected under the Reform Bill of 1832. 1877. Junc. Trevelyan's motion for extending county franchise is rejected by 274 to 218. The motion had been rejected in 1872 by 148 to 70; in 1873 it was talked out; in 1874 it was rejected by 287 to 173; in 1875 by 268 to 166; and in 1876 by 264 to 165. [In 1878 it was rejected by 271 to 219, in 1879 by 291 to 226.] 1884, 1885. Household Franchise extended to the counties, and a considerable redistribution of seats effected. (See Appendix III.) NATIONAL EDUCATION. [This summary is somewhat expanded from the outline given in the text.] 1805. Foundation of British and Foreign School Society. 1811. Foundation of National Society. 1833. First Parliamentary Grant in aid of Education (£20,000) on motion of Lord Althorpe. 1839. Formation of Committee of Council on Education. 1846. Publication of Minutes of Council laying foundation 1862. Introduction of Revised Code, by Robert Lowe, 1870, Elementary Education Act, introduced and passed by Forster. 1871. Introduction of New Code (Forster, Vice-President). 1876. Elementary Education Act introduced and passed by Lord Sandon. 1880. Elementary Education Act introduced and passed by Mundella. 1882. Introduction of New Code (Mundella, Vice-President). 1886. Royal Commission on Elementary Education Acts appointed. 1889. Technical Instruction Act and Welsh Intermediate Education Act passed. 1890. New Education Code issued, abolishing the system of payment by results. 1891. Free Education introduced into Elementary Schools. 1893. Evening Continuation School Code issued. 1894. Act for Education of Blind and Deaf Children in Act raising Compulsory Limit of Age for School 1896. Education Bill establishing a new Educational 1897. Voluntary Schools Act introduced and carried. Necessitous School Boards Act introduced and passed. 1899. Board of Education Act passed. Act raising the Age of Exemption from School from 1900. December. The Cockerton Judgment delivered. Education Act (No. 2) to meet the position brought 1902. Education Act passed, dealing with Higher and 1903. London Education Act passed. APPENDIX I LIST of some of the CHIEF OFFICIALS in CHURCH and STATE to the beginning of Anne's reign. A.-ARCHBISHOPS OF CANTERBURY FROM AUGUSTINE TO TILLOTSON. (From Stubbs' "Registrum Sacrum Anglicanum." B.-LEADING MINISTERS OF STATE [The leading Justiciars and Chancellors before the reign of LORD CHANCELLORS AND LORD KEEPERS. Henry VIII., 1509. 1515. Wolsey. 1529. Sir T. More. 1532. (K)Audley. 1544. Wriothesley. SECRETARIES OF STATE. .... Edward VI., 1547. 1547. (K.) St. John (created (In Edward VI.'s reign Petre, Paget, Sir T. Mary, 1553. Earl of Wiltshire Smith, Wotton, Cecil, and Cheke.] 1553. Gardiner, Bishop of [In Mary's reign Petre, Bourne, and Boxall. Winchester. James I., 1603. Viscount 1603. (C.) Ellesmere (created 1616. Winwood and Sir Thomas Lake. 1617. (K.) 1618. (C.) Bacon. 1621. (K.) Williams, after- 1624. Conway and Sir Albert Morton. wards Bishop of Lin- |