Images Dated 2005

'Telescopic Philanthropy', 1865. Artist: John Tenniel

'Telescopic Philanthropy', 1865. 'Little London Arab. Please 'M, Ain't We Black Enough to be Cared For? (With Mr. Punch's Compliments to Lord Stanley.)' In his novel, Bleak House, Dickens had highlighted and satirised the growing numbers of the middle classes who expended much time, effort and money on raising funds to 'civilise' (particularly black) foreign peoples, rather than concentrating on the problems of the poor at home. This 'telescopic philanthropy' was epitomised by Mrs Jellyby in Bleak House, but here is represented by Britannia who has her eyes fixed so firmly on the distant horizon that she fails entirely to see the three children at her feet who, like Dickens' Jo, represent the estimated 30, 000 homeless children living on the streets of London. From Punch, or the London Charivari, March 4, 1865

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Count Otto von Bismarck, Prusso-German statesman, 1870. Artist: Unknown

Count Otto von Bismarck, Prusso-German statesman, 1870. Otto Edward Leopold, Count von Bismarck (1815-1898) was Chancellor of Prussia and architect of modern Germany. His ambition was to unify the various independent German states into a single nation under Prussian leadership. The catalyst to bringing this about was the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, when the other German states fought alongside the Prussians. France was defeated, and in 1871, the German Empire was established, with Bismarck as Chancellor. Cartoon from Vanity Fair, London 1870

© Ann Ronan Picture Library / Heritage-Images

'The Divided Skirt', 1886. Artist: Joseph Swain

'The Divided Skirt', 1886. This cartoon shows the Liberal Prime Minister, Gladstone. Now 76 years of age, and in his third term in office, Gladstone was undoubtedly the grandee of the Commons. By now, he had been dubbed the 'Grand Old Man' by Henry Labouchere in 1881, and this had been shorted to GOM by many. He is fitting a decidedly matronly Britannia with her first divided skirt. This relates to one of Gladstone's first Bills on regaining office early 1886. However, the Irish Home Rule Bill was deeply divisive, even though it was apparently designed to settle all outstanding matters once and for all. It did lead to the resignation from the Cabinet of the Radical, Joseph Chamberlain who cited the blow to 'the security of the Empire' as his primary reason. From Punch, or the London Charivari, April 24, 1885

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