Radical Jack

‘RADICAL JACK’

a.k..a. John George Lambton, First Earl of Durham.

by

Joan Teasdale

John George Lambton was born in 1792, at Berkley Square, - his father William was a wealthy land and coal mine owner. He was the Whig M.P. for Durham City, and being a radical, was also active in the ‘Society of Friends of the People’. William Lambton died when his son ‘Jack’ was five years old, and his mother subsequently re-married. ‘Jack’ was sent to live with, and be educated by a radical family friend, Doctor Beddoes, a scientist, who was an excellent tutor. He taught ‘Jack’ a wide curriculum, including the art of clear speech, and the skill of economy of words in both writing, and speech. At the age of thirteen ‘Jack’ was sent to Eton school, but did not fit in with the school’s Tory ethos, and philosophy, and was only noted for his debating skill on popular principles of government. After Eton, and declining University, he had a short military career. 

In 1812, he, and Lady Harriet Cholmondly, eloped to Gretna to be married, and subsequently had three daughters?’ Harriet died in 1815, and in 1816, ‘Jack’ re-married Lady Louisa, the daughter of the Second Earl Grey. They had two sons, and three daughters. Earl Grey had been a friend of ‘Jack”s father, and Jack respected and loved Grey. At the age of twenty-one ‘Jack’ inherited the family Estate, and was also elected as the Whig M.P. for Durham County, representing them from 1812 to 1828. As the M.P. he was important in influencing the Social, and Economic life of the county. Miners in these times had dismally hard lives, being poorly paid, bonded, - suffering dangerous working conditions, and frequent disasters. ‘Jack became Vice President of the Society for the Prevention of Accidents, and invited Humphrey Davy to visit his collieries, who consequently tested his Safety Lamp in one of his pits. After the repeal of the ‘Combination Act’ of 1825, trade unions were formed, and strikes began. 

Despite threats, Jack’s miners continued to work, which was mainly due to the qualities of Jack’s agent, Henry Morton, and Jack’s abilities to maintain good working relationships with the miners? Both men established the Lambton Colliery Association which was mainly financed by Jack, and provided accident insurance, a pension scheme, schools for miner’s children, and libraries for the elderly. Jack, who was a good employer, paid close attention to wages and working conditions, and provided new machinery, and drainage of the pits‘? He also funded the Chester-le-Street branch of the Mechanics Institute. In contrast to this benevolence, Jack never restricted his own personal comfort and wealth, spending ninety thousand pounds to complete Lambton Castle. 

Lampton Castle

He was a committed radical Whig, as shown by his maiden parliamentary speech in the House of Commons slating Lord Liverpool’s government for sanctioning the annexation of Norway by Sweden. Other parliamentary speeches by Jack denounced the barbarism of the Yeomenry‘ at the Peterloo Massacre, and speaking out about the Government’s Six Acts, which forbade public meetings, and seditious publications.

He then gave notice for radical parliamentary reform, but, by that time George III had died, causing Parliament to be dissolved. Jack was now considered as a dangerous revolutionary, and was opposed in Durham by the Tory Chief Whip. However, - Jack won.

Despite his autocratic streak Jack held democratic views, advocating equal electoral districts, household suffrage, and triennial parliament terms. In 1821 he made his first great speech in the House of Commons trying to introduce a Reform Bill, - but this was defeated? Although Jack did not advocate Universal Suffrage, he promoted the interests of the upper and middle classes, since he understood their important role in the Industrial Revolution, - being himself an aristocrat, without a title. He became a Baron in 1829, to which he expressed loud disappointment, since he longed for the peerage his grandfather had declined. 

In 1830, Earl Grey, the Prime Minister asked Jack to prepare a Reform Bill, and awarded him Lord Privy Seal to allow him to complete the task. Jack chaired the committee of four, comprising Russell, Graham, and Duncarron. The group met secretly every day at Jack’s home in Cleveland Row, with Jack, as Chief Author providing the overall inspiration. The only research document used was the current population in the 1821 Census, provided by Jack. With Russell completing the detailed task, the first draft was completed in two months, and did not differ much from Jack’s 1821 original suggestion. Jack had made concessions in agreeing to a five year Parliament, but was passionately insistent in the secret ballot. When Russell, as chosen by Jack, submitted the Draft to Cabinet, Jack was unable to attend due to his great distress over both his son’s incurable illness, and his personal health problems. Although the abolishing of the Rotten Boroughs, and the granting of household suffrage were accepted, the secret ballot proposal was thrown out. The third draft was passed, but Jack felt betrayed, and resigned, - officially due to ill health. The truth appears to be that he was at odds with Grey on many policy issues. Grey saw moderate reform as necessary for his class to maintain control, which may explain his refusal to end open elections. However, he did use his political skills to secure it. 

Jack was a man of bright vision, having possessed good radical principles, which some thought would eventually make him Prime Minister, but as a colleague he could be intolerable, and probably too radical in his actions and thoughts. After his resignation in 1833, he became Earl of Durham, and since his colleagues wanted him out of the way, he was sent as  ambassador to St. Petersburg. After this period, he was appointed Governor of British North America, to resolve issues in Upper and Lower Canada, where he recommended that the provinces be united under one Parliament. This was the ‘Durham Report’, and was later accepted. The Canadian Act of Union was passed after Jack’s death.

Master Lambton: Lambton's eldest son (until his death, aged 13) Charles William, painted by Thomas Lawrence and later known as The Red Boy.

Jack, throughout his life, experienced many personal tragedies. His father, first wife, and four of his children, - had died of tuberculosis. He, also suffered from tuberculosis related illness, the whole of his life, and subsequently died in 1840. His funeral, in Chester-le-Street parish church, was attended by 50,000 mourners, including lines of miners, who felt great affection, and loyalty towards him. It was they who had nicknamed him ‘Radical Jack’ because of his democratic views. He had also been popular in Glasgow, where he had addressed a crowd of 100,000, on Glasgow Green. He was also given the Freedom of the City.

Penshaw Monument

Penshaw monument, often wrongly believed to be a ‘folly’, is a memorial to Jack, which was paid for by public subscription, with ten thousand people there to watch the laying of the foundation stone.

Although Jack remains historically important in Canada, it is to the shame of British History, that Jack, the great advocate of early Parliamentary Reform, now remains largely forgotten

References

1 John Lambton First Earl of Durham. ‘Wikipedia’ free Encyclopaedia.

2 John George Lambton Quebec History Marienopolis Biography —Lambton John George, First Earl of Durham, 1988-2013 University of Toronto / University Laval.

3 John Lambton. First Earl of Durham, Britannia Concise Encyclopaedia.

4 Washington History - England, North East, An Encyclopaedia of North East England. Richard Holmes. 2009.

5 ‘Those Lambtons’ - A most unusual family — Sir John Colville.

6 Lord Grey 1764 — 1845. E.A. Smith. Reform — The fight for the 1832 Reform Act. Edward Pierce. 2003.

7 Durham Biographies Vol. 3 Edited by G.P. Bathe. Durham County Local History Society 2003.