However, it was defeated in the House of Commons. ● The Conservative Party, and some of Gladstone’s Liberal Party, backed by unionists in the north of Ireland, combined to defeat the Bill combined to defeat the Bill.
1. What area of the country had no Home Rule MPs elected? Can you explain why?
2. Who was elected for your area? Do you know anything about him?
3. Why are there no women featured in the map?
4. Is this a primary or a secondary source?
Pigott forgeries
Soon after, the London Times published letters in articles called Parnellism and Crime. These letters seemed to show that Parnell supported the Phoenix Park murders when two high-ranking officials in the British Government were brutally murdered by a Fenian group in 1882. ● Parnell said the letters were forgeries. And so it was proved by a Special Commission, which showed the letters had been forged by Richard Pigott, a journalist.
● Parnell’s name was cleared and his popularity was at its highest.
Parnell and Gladstone Assessing Your Learning
1. What was Parnell’s attitude to the Land Act 1881? 2. Why was Parnell jailed? 3. How did he get out of jail? 4. How had Parnell improved conditions for tenants? 5. How did Parnell re-organise the Home Rule Party? 6. Why did he support Gladstone after the 1885 general election? 7. What was the Home Rule Bill? 8. Why was it defeated? 9. What were the Pigott forgeries?
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Nationalist (or Home Rule) MPs elected in 1886
See Chapter 13 in the Skills Book for further questions.