A PARLIAMENTARY CANDIDATE
In April 1874, a few months after his return from Persia, Lieutenant Gill stood for the Conservative Party in a by-election at Hackney. This was a constituency ‘notorious hitherto as a hotbed of Radicalism,’ as the Independent newspaper put it. Gill stood against the Liberals, represented by the M.P. Sir Charles Reed and his running partner, Mr Holms. It was a tough job: in the previous election six years earlier, the conservatives had gained only 10% of the vote. Gill did better with 31% but still came bottom of the poll with 6,310 votes against Reed’s 6,968 and Holms’ 6,893. However, the ballot was so mismanaged that the result was voided.
The new election took place three months later. Sir Charles Reed had stepped down, his place being taken by Professor Fawcett, Holms again being the running mate. This time William Gill elicited 8,994 votes, raising the Tory share to 47%, and losing by only 1,500. His magnanimous and victorious opponent, Professor Fawcett, stated that Gill ‘fought a manly, straightforward, and upright fight’.
Here is a jingle used in the election by William Gill’s side, and entitled We’ll Run Him In. The P’s referred to are Parsons, People, Police, Porters, Postmen and Publicans:
The P’s are all out, and determin’d to win:
The Man of their choice they’re safe to run in.
They will, they will, you know they will,
They will run in Lieutenant GILL.
The Parsons, they say, are now taking the lead,
And sure, ’tis because they don’t want Charlie Reed.
They will, they will, you know they will,
They will run in Lieutenant GILL.
The People all round do most plainly declare,
They’ve had just enough of the ‘Liberal’
fare.
They will, they will, you know they will,
They will run in Lieutenant GILL.
The Police to be white-wash’d are never inclined,
For tho’ ‘low’ be their calling
they’re noble of mind.
They will, they will, you know they will,
They will run in Lieutenant GILL.
Porters have borne heavy burdens of late,
And now they’ve decided to prop up the State.
They will, they will, you know they will,
They will run in Lieutenant GILL.
Our Postmen are toiling by day and by night:
And shall they not have such reward as is right?
They will, they will, you know they will,
They will run in Lieutenant GILL.
The Publicans too have a tale to unfold,
More grievous to them than the loss of their gold.
They will, they will, you know they will,
They will run in Lieutenant GILL.
So Brother Electors we’re fully agreed,
No more to be charm’d with the sound of a
‘Reed,’
But closely united, determin’d to win
A Seat for our GILL, we are running him in.
We will, we will, you know we will,
We will run in our brave young Gill.