Flintshire Memories: Wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the bicentenary of Liberal statesman, William Ewart Gladstone

By Flintshire Chronicle on Dec 27, 09 12:37 PM in 1800-1899

A WREATH-LAYING ceremony to commemorate the bicentenary of Liberal statesman William Ewart Gladstone will be taking place exactly 200 years after the date of his birth.

The Deputy Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Hazel Williams will lead the ceremony at Gladstone's monument in St John's Gardens, Liverpool at noon on Tuesday.

It will be followed by the opening of a three-month long exhibition about Gladstone at Liverpool's St George's Hall.

Representatives from St Deiniol's Library in Hawarden - the national memorial to Gladstone - as well as trustees and friends of St George's Hall will also attend the ceremony.

Gladstone was born in Liverpool on the December 29, 1809 at Rodney Street. He enjoyed an incredible parliamentary career becoming Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer many times. His policies and reforms soon became known as Gladstonian Liberalism and improved individual liberty and reduced political and economic restraints.

He is widely remembered for his support of Irish Home Rule and ethical foreign policy as well as for his clashes with Conservative leader Benjamin Disraeli.

Bicentenary celebrations to celebrate the Grand Old Man of British politics have been taking place throughout 2009 led by St Deiniol's Library in Hawarden, which Gladstone founded in 1894 and which is the only UK Prime Ministerial library.

The celebrations will culminate in a wreath-laying ceremony at Gladstone's tomb in Westminster Abbey on January 12.

The Deputy Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Councillor Hazel Williams, said: "It gives me great pleasure to honour the 200th anniversary of such an amazing man. I would like to encourage as many people as possible to join the city's celebration and view the Gladstone Exhibition at St George's Hall."

Peter Francis, warden of St Deiniol's Library, said: "2009 has been an incredible year to remember Gladstone - his lifetime's achievements have been debated and discussed in great detail at conferences, lectures and festivals.

"Gladstone continues to be a shining example to us all." and I hope that the work we are engaged with at present, will ensure that generations to come will also benefit from his wisdom and vitality."

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