In Loving Memory

Small cards were often specially produced for family and friends to record the passing away of a loved one. This card for the famous Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone has a silver and black border with a central floral wreath with the words 'In Loving Memory'. It is unclear whether this was produced just for his close family or for general sale to the public. The inside cover carries a short verse: 'Gone from us but not forgotten,/Never shall thy memory fade,/Loving thoughts shall ever linger,/Around the spot where thou art laid'. The facing page has details of his date of birth and death and concludes with a couple by Wordsworth: 'This is the happy warrior, this is he,/ That every man in arms should wish to be'.

William Ewart Gladstone died on 19 May 1898. His body was placed in an oak coffin and brought to London from Harwarden, his family home in North Wales. It travelled on a special train as far as Willesden where it was transferred onto a District line underground train to Westminster. His funeral was paid for by Parliament. His coffin lay in state in Westminster Hall on Thursday and Friday 27 and 27 May. Gladstone was buried on the following day. His funeral procession was filmed, the first prime minister to be recorded in such a way.

This press ticket grants admission to Westminster Hall for Gladstone's coffin laying-in-state. It is printed on blue card with 'Press' stamped diagonally across centre in red and includes the embossed seal of the Earl Marshal's office.