Very rare English porcelain plate, made for Viscount PALMERSTON
PRIME MINSTER OF UNITED KINGDOM. Kerr and Binns Worcester.
Measures approx 9.5 Inches wide.
Superbly decorated.
Central arms of the City of Bristol. Monogram 'P' surmounted Viscount's coronet.
 
Henry John Temple, Viscount Palmerston (1784-1865) was the first Liberal politician elected to be Prime Minsister of the United Kingdom. He served from 1855-1858 and 1859-1865.
 
He successfully advanced British Interests, was an abolutionist who insisted the Royal Navy could inspect any ship for slaves and moved the granting of divorces away from the church to the court.
His manner was brash, his nick name was 'Lord pumice stone' but knew the right words for the right time. He was popular amongst the people, but clashed with the Royal family. He knew how to use the media to gain support. Some of his policies were controversial at the time.
 
In a changing Europe, Karl Marx had written the communist manifesto, Louis Philipe had been dethroned  in France, he had a fluid diplomacy that protected Britain's interests at that moment.
Earlier, he had overseen the transition of power from the East India Company to the British Government.
 
He was one of the defining political figures of the great Victorian age.