On a raised platform, the Devil sits on top of 3 casks, one labelled "small beer". He straddles a huge key, from which are suspended, as on a gallows, 2 gentlemen, the one on the right bearing some resemblance to George III. On the left 2 maids or washerwomen wave mop and broom at the hanged man (possibly Pitt?), saying "You tax maid servants no more". On the right Samuel House, standing before his tavern, offers a tankard to Jeffrey Dunstan, who is voicing his support of Charles James Fox. The Devil is uttering the words of the title
Alternative Title:
Key of the back stairs and the small beer etc
Description:
Title derived from text in image. and Mounted to 27 x 40 cm.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Geographic):
England
Subject (Name):
Dunstan, Jeffery, 1759?-1797. and House, Samuel, -1785.
Subject (Topic):
Devil, Keys (Hardware), Taverns (Inns), Women domestics, Hangings, and Clothing & dress
"Fox is being chaired (left to right) in a high-backed chair wreathed with laurel, according to the custom in Westminster at the close of an election. The three supporters of the chair (three quarter length figures in the foreground) are three ladies, all young and pretty, one of course the Duchess of Devonshire. On the third (left) is inscribed 'Portland Place', probably the Duchess of Portland, possibly Lady Archer, called 'the Portland Place Archer'. The other is probably Lady Duncannon. All three wear hats trimmed with a fox's brush. The foremost lady (right) holds a paper inscribed 'British Constitution'. Beside Fox in his chair is the cap of Liberty on its staff; he holds up a torn paper inscribed 'Rights of England'; in his left hand is a paper inscribed 'Privileges of the People'. A cluster of cherubs' heads beside him, emerging from clouds, is inscribed 'Voice of the People'; the principal cherub blows a trumpet from which issue the words 'Fox & Liberty'. In the background behind the chair (left) is a sea of heads; on the right is Sam House wearing his hat. Beneath the design is etched:'Friends freemen Britons all your strength be tried To quell oppression stem corruptions tide Let shouting plaudits fill resounding air And Fox & virtue set in freedom's chair.'"--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title trimmed from this impression? Title from earlier state published by W. Wall on April 12, 1784. Cf. Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires, v. 6, no. 6524., Sheet trimmed on the bottom within plate mark., Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires., and Countermark in center of sheet: T.W. [monogram].
Publisher:
Pubd. May 18, 1784 by W. Holland, No. 66 Drury Lane
Subject (Geographic):
England) and London.
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire, 1757-1806, Bessborough, Henrietta Frances Spencer Ponsonby, Countess of, 1761-1821, Portland, Dorothy Cavendish, Duchess of, 1750-1794, House, Samuel, -1785, and Great Britain. Parliament
Subject (Topic):
Elections, 1784, Musical instruments, Parades & processions, and Political elections
Title and printmaker from British Museum catalogue., "Phillips" identified as printmaker in British Museum catalogue., Temporary local subject terms: Trumpet blown by cherub -- Furniture: Chair wreathed with laurel -- Cap of Liberty -- Cherubs' heads -- Election litters., and Mounted to 29 x 23 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. April 12, 1784 by W. Wall, No. 31 Charles St. opposite Middlesex Hospittal [sic]
Subject (Geographic):
England) and London.
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire, 1757-1806, Bessborough, Henrietta Frances Spencer Ponsonby, Countess of, 1761-1821, Portland, Dorothy Cavendish, Duchess of, 1750-1794, House, Samuel, -1785, and Great Britain. Parliament
Subject (Topic):
Elections, 1784, Angels, Musical instruments, Canvassing, and Political elections
"Two men stand in the pillory on a small platform (left); over their heads is a cask, inscribed 'Small Beer', erected on a pole. Over the head of one left is Judas, indicating Sir Cecil Wray, over the other 'J.. k-s..n' indicating John Jackson, steward of the Duke of Newcastle and a prominent supporter of Wray, see British Museum Satires No. 6492. A large key hangs from the corner of the pillory, the emblem of the back-stairs by which Pitt and his supporters were supposed to have obtained office, cf. British Museum Satires No. 6564. Behind (right) walks a procession of maidservants who look scornfully at the victims; one carries a flag inscribed 'Tax on Maid Servants'; others, a broom, a mop, and a shovel. Immediately behind the platform the heads of a crowd, a row of staves marking the constables who stand in front, are suggested. Fox (right) stands in the foreground haranguing the crowd; he holds a Union flag inscribed 'The Rights of the Commons'. Behind him is a mob of men waving their hats, among whom Sam House is conspicuous. The scene is by the hustings in Covent Garden, the portico of the church (right) being lighdy sketched behind Fox."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Rights of the commons
Description:
Title from British Museum catalogue., Text on flag within image: The rights of the commons., Reissue, with new imprint statement that is antedated. See British Museum online catalogue, registration no.: 1851,0901.144., Date of publication based on earlier state with the imprint "Publish'd as the act directs, May 7, 1784." See British Museum catalogue., Temporary local subject terms: Hustings -- Taxes: Tax on maidservants -- Brooms -- Mops -- Shovels -- Hats -- Election flags -- Election slogans: 'The rights of the Commons' -- Covent Garden: Piazza -- Portico of St. Paul's Church, Covent Garden -- Pillories -- 'Small beer' -- Key of the Back Stairs -- Allusion to secret influence -- John Jackson, Duke of Newcastle's steward., and Watermark in center of sheet.
Publisher:
Publish'd as the act directs, June 26th, 1783, by H. Humphreys, No. 51 New Bond Street
Subject (Geographic):
England and London.
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, House, Samuel, -1785, Wray, Cecil, Sir, 1734-1805, and Great Britain. Parliament
Subject (Topic):
Elections, 1784, Servants, and Political elections
"A canvassing scene in a poor and disreputable district of Westminster, indicated by 'Peter Street' on the corner of the house. The Duchess of Devonshire canvasses a cobbler; she sits supported on Fox's knee, putting one foot on a cobbler's stall that he may do some imaginary repairs, for which she lavishly pays the man's wife, who leans forward, both hands held together to receive coins. The cobbler and his wife are behind a stall protected by a pent-house roof. On this is a notice, 'Shoes made and mended by Bob. Stichitt Cobler to her Grace the Tramping Dutchess NB Dogs Wormd Cats Gelded'. From an open casement window above it a man leans out waving a fox's brush; he holds a tankard and a long clay pipe in his left hand. Beside him a woman holds her head to vomit from the window, her elbows supported on the sill. A dog lies under the cobbler's stall. Fox, his right knee on his hat on the ground, the other supporting the duchess, turns round to give his right hand to a ragged man to whose mouth Sam House holds a tankard, his other hand pressed on the elector's head, who is shown by his long shovel to be a scavenger. Behind, a chimneysweeper with his brushes and his boy with brush and shovel are amused spectators. These figures fill the space to the left of Fox and the duchess. Behind are the irregular gabled roofs and casement windows of old Westminster."--British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Cobling voters and abject canvassers
Description:
Title etched below image., Printmaker and date of publication from British Museum catalogue., Plate reissued for The history of the Westminster election. See British Museum catalogue., Sheet trimmed mostly within plate mark., and Temporary local subject terms: London: Peter Street -- Old Westminster -- Gabled roofs -- Casement windows -- Coblers' stalls -- Dishes: Tankards -- Clay pipes -- Shovels.
Publisher:
publisher not identified
Subject (Geographic):
England and London.
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire, 1757-1806, House, Samuel, -1785, and Great Britain. Parliament
"The Duchess of Devonshire, intoxicated, walks arm-in-arm between two supporters, the one on her right being Fox, the other one of his more prominent adherents. Sam House (right) walks before them, acting as a link-boy with a lighted torch, his hat, decorated with a fox's brush, in his right hand. Fox says, "Hold up Georgiana another Qn [? quartern] an we shall soon be at Piccadilly". The Duchess says, "My Eyes & Limbs I shall Spew on the Duke to night". Her other supporter says, pointing to Sam House, "make hast Sam her Grace is taking short in the poop". Sam answers, "I will my lord Heaven bless her Grace". The Duchess wears no hat, but her hair is decorated with a plume ot three large ostrich feathers (cf. BMSat 6530); her breast is bare." -- British Museum online catalogue
Alternative Title:
Tipling duchess returning from canvassing
Description:
Title from item., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Temporary local subject terms: Elections: Westminster, 1784 -- Canvassing: Duchess of Devonshire -- Lighting: torches -- Trades: link-boy -- Intoxication., and Watermark in center of sheet: J Whatman.
Publisher:
Publish'd Aprill [the] 29, 1784, by A. Aitken, No. 2 Orange Court, Drury Lane
Subject (Name):
Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire, 1757-1806, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, and House, Samuel, -1785
Title from item., Printmaker from unverified data from local card catalog record., Not in the Catalogue of prints and drawings in the British Museum. Division I, political and personal satires., and Temporary local subject terms: Justice (Symbolic character) -- Royal Arms -- Scrutiny -- High Bailiff -- Crowns -- Allusion to House of Commons -- Allusion to royal prerogative -- Allusion to Grenville's Act -- Quills.
Publisher:
Pubd. as the act directs by J. Brown, Rathbone Place
Subject (Geographic):
England and London.
Subject (Name):
Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797, Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire, 1757-1806, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, House, Samuel, -1785, Pitt, William, 1759-1806, and Great Britain. Parliament
Two quack doctors address the crowd from raised platforms with the help of their zanies. On the left, Dr. Pittardo (Pitt) is aided by the Duke of Richmond, and George Rose, the new Secretary of the Treasury. On the right, Dr. Renardo (Fox) is helped by Burke holding an address "To the independent electors of West[minster]" and Lord North distributing "motion pills for members." In the crowd below Fox's stage is his staunch supporter, Sam House ("an MT house"). Two of the buildings in the background are inscribed, "India House" and "St. Stephens" [i.e., The House of Commons].
Description:
Title from item. and Mounted to 27 x 39 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. as [the] Act directs Feby 2, 1784 by B. Walwyn No. 2 Pedlars Acre West Bridge
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain
Subject (Name):
Pitt, William, 1759-1806., Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806., Richmond and Lennox, Charles Lennox, Duke of, 1735-1806., Rose, George, 1744-1818., Burke, Edmund, 1729-1797., North, Frederick, Lord, 1732-1792., and House, Samuel, -1785.
Subject (Topic):
Politics and government, Public speaking, Quacks, and Crowds
"Fox acts as barber to the Duchess of Devonshire; he applies a razor to her cheek, holding her chin. She is seated on a settee (left) covered with striped material. Sam House stands (right) holding a barber's bowl, a towel under his arm."--British Museum online catalogue
Description:
Title etched above image., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Printmaker from British Museum catalogue., and Mounted to 29 x 36 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. May 10, 1784, by J. Moore, No. 19 Hallon [i.e. Hatton?] Street
Subject (Name):
Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire, 1757-1806, Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, and House, Samuel, -1785
Subject (Topic):
Barbers, Chairs, Mirrors, Shaving, Shaving equipment, and Sofas
Title from item., Sheet trimmed within plate mark., Temporary local subject terms: Allusion to the Colossus of Rhodes -- Thunderbolts -- Allusion to gambling: crown decorated with playing cards -- Crowns -- Rising sun -- William Pitt, 1759-1806, as rising sun -- Allusion to East India Bill, 1783 -- Covent Garden: Hustings -- Canvassing: Duchess of Devonshire -- Butchers -- Election flags -- Asians., Watermark in center of sheet., and Mounted to 38 x 28 cm.
Publisher:
Pubd. as the act directs, May 28th, 1784, by F. Clarkson, 73 St. Pauls Church Yard
Subject (Geographic):
England and London.
Subject (Name):
Fox, Charles James, 1749-1806, Cavendish, Georgiana Spencer, Duchess of Devonshire, 1757-1806, House, Samuel, -1785, and Great Britain. Parliament