Life Horatio Bottomley

1 life

1.1 family background , childhood
1.2 career

1.2.1 first steps
1.2.2 publishing entrepreneur
1.2.3 hansard publishing union


1.3 company promoter, newspaper proprietor, would-be politician
1.4 parliament, john bull, bankruptcy
1.5 sweepstakes , lotteries
1.6 first world war: orator , propagandist
1.7 postwar career

1.7.1 parliament again
1.7.2 downfall


1.8 final years

life
family background , childhood

charles bradlaugh, facial resemblance bottomley helped foster rumour latter s biological father

bottomley born on 23 march 1860, @ 16 saint peter s street, bethnal green in london, second child , son of william bottomley, tailor s cutter, , elizabeth, née holyoake. william bottomley s background obscure, elizabeth belonged family of well-known radical agitators—her brother george jacob holyoake founder of secularist movement , in later life leading figure in growth of co-operative societies. among holyoake s close associates charles bradlaugh, founded national republican league , became controversial member of parliament. longstanding friendship between bradlaugh , elizabeth holyoake led rumours he, not william bottomley, horatio s biological father—a suggestion bottomley, in later life, prone encourage. evidence circumstantial, based on marked facial resemblance between bradlaugh , bottomley.

william bottomley died in 1864 , elizabeth year later. horatio , elder sister, florence, looked after uncle william holyoake, artist living in london district of marylebone. after year boarded out foster-parents, @ uncle george jacob s expense. arrangement lasted until 1869, when florence formally adopted foster-family. @ point holyoake felt unable continue supporting horatio financially, , arranged him admitted josiah mason s orphanage in erdington, birmingham. horatio s home following 5 years. biographers have emphasised cruelty , humiliation of time there; while discipline harsh, horatio received useful basic education, , won prizes sporting activities. in later life showed no resentment towards institution, visited, telling children success have achieved in life started @ place.

in 1874, when horatio 14 , due leave orphanage, ran away without waiting formalities. aunt caroline praill—his mother s sister—who lived in nearby edgbaston, gave him home, while worked errand boy in birmingham building firm. arrangement lasted few months before horatio, impatient reunited sister whom had been separated 6 years, went london began apprenticeship wood engraver.

early career
first steps

bottomley gave apprenticeship, , after series of humdrum jobs found work in offices of city firm of solicitors. here picked working knowledge of english legal procedures, , carrying workload far exceeding normal duties of office junior. uncle s encouragement learned shorthand @ pitman s college, skill helped him better job larger legal firm. came closer contact holyoake circle, acted unpaid assistant in group s publishing activities. met bradlaugh, encouraged young man read more , introduced him ideas of charles darwin, thomas huxley , john stuart mill. bottomley influenced bradlaugh, whom considered political , spiritual mentor.

in 1880 bottomley married eliza norton, daughter of debt collector. bottomley s biographers have tended regard early, unambitious marriage mistake on part; not equipped, intellectually or socially, him advance in world. in same year, bottomley left job become full-time shorthand writer walpole s, firm provided recording , transcription services law courts. competence impressed employers sufficiently them, in 1883, offer him partnership, , firm became walpole , bottomley. bottomley emerged adolescence maturity began show signs of characteristics in evidence in later life: greed fleshly pleasures, thirst fame, spontaneous generosity, combined charm that, according biographer julian symons, tempt banknotes out of men s pockets .

publishing entrepreneur

bottomley s association bradlaugh had awakened interests in publishing , politics, , in 1884 launched first entrepreneurial venture, magazine called hackney hansard. journal recorded business of hackney s local parliament —essentially debating society mirrored proceedings @ westminster. advertisements local tradesmen kept paper mildly profitable. bottomley produced sister-paper, battersea hansard, covering borough s local parliament, before merging 2 debater. in 1885 formed catherine street publishing association and, using borrowed capital, acquired or started several magazines , papers. these included, among others, municipal review, prestigious local government publication; youth, boy s paper on alfred harmondsworth, future press magnate lord northcliffe, worked sub-editor; , financial times. last-named set rival financial news, london s first specialist business paper, had been started in 1884 harry marks, former sewing-machine salesman. in 1886 bottomley s company acquired own printing works through merger printing firm of macrae , co., , after absorption of advertising , printing firm, became macrae, curtice , company.

at age of 26, bottomley became company s chairman. advance in business world attracting wider notice, , in 1887 invited liberal party in hornsey candidate in parliamentary by-election. accepted, , although defeated, fought strong campaign won him congratulatory letter william gladstone. business affairs proceeding less serenely; quarrelled partner douglas macrae, , 2 decided separate. bottomley described quixotic impulse led him let macrae divide assets: printer, , journalist—but took papers , left me printing works .

hansard publishing union

sir henry hawkins, judge before whom bottomley appeared, , acquitted, on fraud charges in 1893

undismayed loss of papers, bottomley embarked on ambitious expansion scheme. on basis of lucrative contract print hansard reports of debates in westminster parliament, @ beginning of 1889 founded hansard publishing union limited, floated on london stock exchange capital of £500,000. bottomley boosted company s credentials persuading several notable city figures join company s board of directors. these included sir henry isaacs, lord mayor-elect of london, coleridge kennard, co-founder (with harry marks) of london evening news, , sir roper lethbridge, conservative mp kensington north. board approved purchase bottomley of several printing businesses—he used intermediaries disguise considerable personal profits these transactions. persuaded board give him £75,000 down payment publishing firms in austria negotiating, although firms not acquired. these outgoings , other expenses absorbed union s capital, , few significant revenue streams ran out of money. nonetheless, without statement of accounts, in july 1890 bottomley announced profit year of £40,877, , declared dividend of 8 per cent.

the funds dividend payment raised debenture of £50,000. end of 1890 many city figures suspicious of hansard union, , calling bottomley s swindle . despite bottomley s outward optimism, in december 1890 company defaulted on payment of debenture interest , in may 1891, amid growing rumours of insolvency, debenture holders petitioned company s compulsory winding-up. in same month bottomley, had taken @ least £100,000 company, filed petition bankruptcy. under examination official receiver, not money had gone, , professed total ignorance of company s book-keeping. after further enquiries, board of trade instituted prosecutions fraud against bottomley, isaacs , 2 others.

the trial began in high court of justice on 30 january 1893, before sir henry hawkins; bottomley conducted own defence. observers case against him seemed impregnable. established that, through nominees, bottomley had repeatedly bought companies far less prices approved hansard union directors, , had pocketed difference. bottomley did not deny this, insisting use of nominees accepted commercial practice, , actual profits had been smaller reported; expenses, said, had been enormous. helped in case slackness prosecution presented evidence, , failure call key witnesses. further helped indulgence hawkins showed him, , own convincing oratory. essence of argument was victim of machinations official receiver , debenture corporation, had been determined win prestige bringing bottomley down , wrecking company. on 26 april, after hawkins had summed massively in favour, bottomley acquitted, along other defendants.

company promoter, newspaper proprietor, would-be politician

the hansard union case, far damaging bottomley s reputation, had left general impression financial genius. avoided stigma of bankruptcy arranging scheme of repayment creditors, , swiftly embarked on new career promoting western australian gold mining shares. discovery of gold in kalgoorlie , adjoining areas in 1890s had created exploitable investment boom; bottomley s biographer alan hyman observes, hole in ground ... boosted promising gold-mine, , investors found had backed loser after mine had been floated public company , had paid hard cash shares . 1897, through skilful exploitation of demand , frequent reconstruction of failing companies, bottomley had accumulated considerable personal fortune. was, historian a.j.a. morris asserts, amazing success story, product of reckless audacity, astonishing energy, , extreme fortune . bottomley won plaudits when announced pay £250,000 creditors of hansard union; bulk of payment offered in shares in 1 or other of mining promotions.

bottomley s country home, dicker , photographed in 2010. forms part of st bede s school.

as wealth increased, bottomley adopted increasingly ostentatious lifestyle. in london lived in luxurious apartment in pall mall. took numerous mistresses, whom visited in several discreet flats in different districts of london. owned several racehorses, achieved prestigious victories—the stewards cup @ goodwood, , cesarewitch @ newmarket—but lost large sums through unwise bets. quite in rise wealth bought modest property in upper dicker, near eastbourne in east sussex. called dicker , , on years extended , developed large country mansion, entertained extravagantly.

bottomley had retained parliamentary ambitions , in 1890, before hansard union crash, had been adopted liberal candidate north islington. according symons, when resigned candidature on commencement of bankruptcy proceedings, had constituency in pocket. 1900 star again in ascendant, , invited hackney south liberals candidate in year s general election. lost 280 votes, after bitterly fought campaign in bottomley described in newspaper article bare-faced swindler ... [whose] ... place @ old bailey, not @ westminster . subsequently awarded £1,000 libel damages against writer, henry hess.

by turn of 19th–20th centuries boom in speculative shares had abated; of bottomley s fellow promoters, such whitaker wright, facing charges of fraud , misrepresentation. bottomley ceased operations, , resumed earlier role of newspaper proprietor. in 1902 bought failing london evening paper, sun, contributed regular column, world, flesh , devil . feature bottomley s employment of celebrity guest editors special edition; among these comedian dan leno, cricketer kumar shri ranjitsinhji , labour leader ben tillett. paper not financial success, , bottomley sold in 1904. had not given altogether on speculative money-making schemes, , in 1905 began association financier ernest hooley. among joint enterprises promotion of defunct, dry basingstoke canal major inland waterway, london , south-western canal . bottomley later made substantial out-of-court settlement of action brought investors had bought worthless shares in canal.

parliament, john bull, bankruptcy


horatio bottomley, maiden speech, house of commons, 20 february 1906

in general election of january 1906 bottomley again liberal candidate hackney south. after vigorous campaign defeated conservative opponent more 3,000—the largest liberal majority in london, informed house of commons in maiden speech on 20 february 1906. according hyman, speech received in chilling silence house aware of bottomley s chequered reputation. on following months , years overcame of initial hostility, partly self-deprecating humour (as when described himself more or less honourable ) because populist approach legislation attractive. proposed rational reforms of betting industry , of licensing hours, , introduction of state old age pensions. revenues raised, suggested, stamp duty on share transfers, taxes on foreign investment, , appropriating dormant bank balances. drew government s attention long hours worked domestic servants, , introduced private bill limiting working day 8 hours. privately confided journalist frank harris ambition become chancellor of exchequer.

ernest hooley, financier bottomley s partner in several schemes

alongside parliamentary duties, bottomley engaged in launching biggest , boldest publishing venture, weekly news magazine john bull, half of initial capital provided hooley. first issue on 12 may 1906 john bull adopted tabloid style that, despite occasional lapses in taste, proved immensely popular. among regular features, bottomley revived world, flesh , devil column sun, , adapted paper s slogan: if read in john bull, . bottomley persuaded julius elias, managing director of odhams limited, handle printing, chaotic financial management meant odhams paid. situation resolved when entire management of magazine, including handling of receipts , payments, transferred elias, leaving bottomley free concentrate on editing , journalism. circulation rose rapidly, , 1910 had reached half million copies.

in june 1906 bottomley announced john bull investment trust, in which, minimum subscription of £10, investors share special , exclusive information obtainable result of extensive city experience . bottomley s earlier city activities coming under scrutiny, particularly multiple reconstructions of now-bankrupt joint stock trust company. after long investigation, bottomley did frustrate, in december 1908 summoned appear @ guildhall justice room, before court of aldermen. hansard prosecution, case against bottomley appeared overwhelming; share issues in joint stock trust had been repeatedly re-issued, perhaps many 6 times. once again bottomley succeeded in obscuring details and, power of courtroom oratory, persuaded court summons should dismissed.

one of prosecuting team @ guildhall observed long time before risked prosecution against bottomley: might ... grow careless, , fail . despite adverse publicity, bottomley returned electors of hackney south @ each of 2 1910 general elections; tactics included recruiting men in boots tipped , heeled iron, marched outside opponent s meetings , rendered speeches inaudible. in june 1910 founded john bull league, mission promote commonsense business methods government; readers of magazine join league shilling (5p) year. although still nominally liberal, bottomley had become trenchant critic of party, , aligned himself conservative opposition in attacking asquith s government.

bottomley s parliamentary ambitions halted in 1912, when sued £49,000 1 of joint stock trust victims. unable pay, , massive debts, bankrupted liabilities totalling £233,000. since bankrupts ineligible sit in house of commons, had resign seat; after departure future lord chancellor, f. e. smith, wrote [h]is absence house of commons has impoverished public stock of gaiety, of cleverness, of common sense . prior bankruptcy, bottomley had ensured main assets legally owned relatives or nominees, , able continue extravagant lifestyle. john bull remained ample source of funds, , bottomley boasted although nominally bankrupt, never had better time in life—plenty of money , else want .

sweepstakes , lotteries

after leaving house of commons, bottomley denounced parliament in pages of john bull musty, rusty, corrupt system urgently needed replacement. through newly formed business league addressed large crowds called government run businessmen not politicians. always, bottomley s lifestyle required fresh sources of income, , in 1912 john bull began organise competitions cash prizes. bottomley sued secretary of anti-gambling league suggesting many of prizewinners john bull nominees or employees, received farthing in damages. these competitions helped raise magazine s circulation 1.5 million. in 1913 bottomley met birmingham businessman, reuben bigland, , began running large-scale sweepstakes , lotteries, operated switzerland circumvent english law. again doubts arose genuineness of declared winners; winner of £25,000 sweepstake 1914 derby proved on enquiry sister-in-law of 1 of bottomley s close associates. bottomley insisted coincidence; years later, revealed £250 of prize had been paid bank account controlled bottomley.

first world war: orator , propagandist

front page of daily mirror, 10 september 1915, illustrating bottomley s public meetings on behalf of war effort

bottomley misread international crisis developed during summer of 1914. after murder of austrian archduke franz ferdinand on 28 june in sarajevo, allegedly serbian complicity, john bull described serbia hotbed of cold-blooded conspiracy , subterfuge , , called wiped map of europe. when britain declared war on central powers on 4 august, bottomley reversed position, , within fortnight demanding elimination of germany. john bull campaigned relentlessly against germhuns , , against british citizens carrying german-sounding surnames—the danger of enemy within persistent bottomley theme. on 14 september 1914 addressed large crowd @ london opera house, first of many mass meetings @ deployed trademark phrase, prince of peace, (pointing star of bethlehem) leads on god —words according symons moved many hearts. @ great war rally @ royal albert hall on 14 january 1915, bottomley in tune national temper when proclaimed: fighting worst in world, product of debased civilisation .

during war, in self-appointed role spokesman man in street , bottomley addressed more 300 public meetings, in parts of country. recruitment rallies provided services free; others, took percentage of takings. influence enormous; writer d. h. lawrence, detested bottomley, thought represented national spirit , might become prime minister. in march 1915 bottomley began regular weekly column sunday pictorial. on 4 may, after sinking of lusitania, used column label germans unnatural freaks , , called extermination. britain s war effort, maintained, being hampered squeamish politicians; reserved particular venom labour party leaders, keir hardie , ramsay macdonald, opposed war, , demanded tried high treason. macdonald s riposte—to label bottomley man of doubtful parentage had lived life on threshold of jail —backfired when latter published macdonald s birth certificate showed labour leader himself illegitimate.

although government wary of bottomley prepared make use of influence , popularity. in april 1915 chancellor of exchequer, david lloyd george asked him speak shipworkers on river clyde, threatening industrial action. after bottomley s intervention strike averted. in 1917 visited front in france, after dining field-marshal haig considerable success troops, later when visited grand fleet @ scapa flow. hoped these morale-boosting activities lead formal government position, although time time there rumours of cabinet post, no appointment announced. in later stages of war bottomley regular critic of national war aims committee (nwac), cross-party parliamentary body formed in 1917 revitalise britain s commitment victory , underline justice of cause. bottomley described committee dodge doctoring public opinion , , in january 1918 told lloyd george, had become prime minister in december 1916, nwac had failed in purpose , should replaced director of propaganda—but no avail.

postwar career
parliament again

although in 1912 bottomley had expressed contempt parliament, privately hankered return. when war ended in november 1918 , general election announced, knew candidate in election needed discharge bankruptcy. payment of £34,000 in cash , bonds, , hasty reorganisation of outstanding debts, sufficient acquiescent official receiver grant discharge in time bottomley hand in nomination papers in hackney south. in general election on 14 december 1918 stood independent, under slogan bottomley, brains , business , , achieved massive victory, 80 per cent of votes cast. prepared proceed westminster run show , informed local newspaper. be, said, unofficial prime minister ... watching government s every move ensure acted in interests of our soldiers, sailors , citizens .

the 1918 parliament dominated lloyd george s liberal–conservative coalition, faced fragmented , unorganised opposition. in may 1919 bottomley announced formation of people s league , hoped develop fully-fledged political party programme opposing both organised labour , organised capital. no mass movement emerged, bottomley joined other independent mps form independent parliamentary group, distinct policy stance including enforcement of war reparations, superiority of britain on league of nations, exclusion of undesirable aliens, , introduction of business principles government . group reinforced through by-election victories of other independents—including charles frederick palmer, john bull s deputy editor, until premature death in october 1920. bottomley was, @ least year or so, diligent parliamentarian spoke on range of issues, , time time teased government when, during irish troubles, asked whether, in view of breakdown of british rule in ireland, government approach america view accepting mandate government of country . on other occasions helped government, when in january 1919, called upon in role of soldier s friend pacify troops in folkestone , calais in state of mutiny on delays in demobilisation.

downfall

john bull advertises bottomley s victory bonds scheme, 12 july 1919.

in july 1919 bottomley announced victory bonds club , based on government s latest issue of victory bonds. normally, these bonds cost £5; in bottomley s club, subscribers bought units minimum payment of £1, , participated in annual draw prizes—up £20,000, said—funded accrued interest. contrary bottomley s public statements, not money subscribed used buy bonds. had ambitions become press baron, rival such lords rothermere , beaverbrook. in october 1919 used war bonds funds buy 2 obscure newspapers, national news , sunday evening telegram. papers not financially successful, , in 1921 bottomley closed telegram , changed name of national news sunday illustrated. bolster fortunes, transferred sunday pictorial column illustrated, , mounted expensive promotional campaign, little benefit. paper languished, while bottomley lost large income , readership went pictorial. fortunes declined further when, in 1920, odhams revoked pre-war partnership agreement , took full control of john bull. bottomley made editor life, year later odhams terminated arrangement final pay-off of £25,000, ended bottomley s connection paper.

meanwhile, dogged poor administration , inadequate accounting, victory bonds club sliding chaos. public unease grew, , hundreds of subscribers demanding money back—slipshod record-keeping meant repaid several times over. bottomley s position worsened when fell out bigland, after refusing finance former associate s scheme turning water petrol. 2 had quarrelled during war, when bigland had attacked bottomley in print. had later reconciled, after second dispute bigland turned vengeful. in september 1921 published leaflet describing war bond club bottomley s latest , greatest swindle . against advice of lawyers, bottomley sued criminal libel, , brought other charges against bigland of blackmail , extortion. preliminary hearing, @ bow street magistrates court in october 1921, @ bottomley s methods revealed, proved disastrous credibility. nevertheless, bigland committed trial @ old bailey on libel charge, , shropshire assizes on charges of attempted extortion. libel trial began on 23 january 1922; prevent further damaging disclosures in court, bottomley s lawyers offered no evidence, , bigland discharged. extortion case went ahead in shrewsbury on 18 february 1922, @ end of took jury 3 minutes find bigland not guilty. bottomley, himself under police investigation, ordered pay costs of trial. few days afterwards, summoned appear @ bow street, on charges of fraudulent conversion of victory bond club funds. after brief hearing committed trial @ old bailey.

final years

bottomley in court, after sentencing; depiction illustrated london news

bottomley s trial began on 19 may 1922, before mr justice salter. case beginning, bottomley secured agreement of prosecuting counsel, travers humphreys, 15-minute adjournment each day he, bottomley, drink pint of champagne, ostensibly medicinal purposes. faced 24 fraud charges, involving amounts totalling £170,000. prosecution produced evidence had regularly used victory bonds club funds finance business ventures, private debts , expensive lifestyle. bottomley, defended himself, claimed legitimate expenses in connection club, , repayments made victory bonds club members, exceeded total receipts @ least £50,000: swear have never made penny out of it. swear before god have never fraudulently converted penny of club s money . weight of evidence suggested otherwise; salter s summing up, described biographer masterly; lucid , concise, yet complete , went heavily against bottomley, , jury required 28 minutes convict him on 1 of charges. sentenced 7 years penal servitude. humphreys commented later: not floored him, drink .

after dismissal of appeal in july, bottomley expelled house of commons. leader of house, sir austen chamberlain, read out letter in bottomley insisted that, unorthodox methods, had not been guilty of conscious fraud; accepted predicament entirely own fault. chamberlain moved bottomley s expulsion, carried without dissent. 1 member expressed regret, remembering remarkable position [had] occupied in country . bottomley spent first year of sentence in wormwood scrubs sewed mailbags, , remainder in maidstone prison where, although conditions squalid, given lighter work. released on 29 july 1927, after serving on 5 years, , returned dicker, still family home.

although 67 years old , in indifferent health, bottomley tried resurrect business career. raised sufficient capital start new magazine, john blunt, rival john bull, new venture lasted little more year before closing, having lost money start. in september 1929 began overseas lecture tour, failed utterly, did attempt @ british tour during received indifference or hostility. 1930 again bankrupt; wife eliza died year, after bottomley s former son-in-law jefferson cohn evicted him dicker. remaining years of life lived long-time mistress, actress peggy primrose, whom bottomley, in years of riches, had vainly tried promote stardom.

bottomley s last public venture engagement @ windmill theatre in september 1932, performed monologue of reminiscences that, according symons, puzzled rather amused audience. following health breakdown, lived primrose in quiet poverty until final illness. died in middlesex hospital on 26 may 1933, , cremated @ golders green crematorium few days later. large crowd heard revd basil bourchier express hope no 1 here today forget mr bottomley did revive spirits of our men @ front . 4 years later, in accordance bottomley s wishes, primrose scattered ashes on sussex downs.

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