3-052-557 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The General Election: Conservative meeting at Hengler's Circus, Liverpool, 1880. 'The South-West Division of Lancashire, which rejected Mr. Gladstone in 1868, has been the scene of a very severe contest upon this occasion. The Right Hon. R. A. Cross, the Home Secretary, with Colonel Ireland Blackburne, the Conservatives, were opposed by two Liberals-namely, Mr. William Rathbone, who had relinquished his unopposed seat for Liverpool to Lord Ramsay, and the Hon. H. Molyneux, brother of the Earl of Sefton. This county election was partly fought out in the town of Liverpool and its suburbs, where many of the constituency were to be found, and one of the Conservative party meetings, at Hengler's Circus, in that town, is the subject of our Illustration. The polling, which took place on Tuesday last, resulted in favour of the Conservatives; the number of votes being, for Mr. Cross, 11,420; Colonel Blackburne, 10,705; against 9666 for Mr. Rathbone, and 9117 for Mr. Molyneux. In several other counties of the Midlands and North of England, Liberal candidates were returned'. From "Illustrated London News", 1880.