A volume of printed ephemera, broadsides, posters, cartoons, referring to elections in Northumberland, Newcastle and Tyneside divisions, 1826-1931: including a series of cartoons of Joseph Cowen which were collected by R.W. Martin, Rhondda House, Benton, Northumberland

This cartoon depicts the three candidates who stood for election in Newcastle upon Tyne (1880).

Joseph Cowen (1829-1900) is on the left. His family owned a brickworks factory in Blaydon Burn hence the play on words: “Who’ll have a go with the political egg warranted not te brik”. The hat he wears possibly illustrates his sympathies with revolutionary movements on the continent – Cowen promoted revolution and was friends with several revolutionaries, such as Mazzini. He also sympathised with the Chartists. When he had been elected as Liberal Member for Newcastle in 1873, the Liberal Party in Newcastle was split into a radical and a moderate faction.

Ashton Wentworth Dilke (1850-1883) also stood as a Liberal candidate in the 1880 election and won a seat. He was perceived to be an advanced Liberal and radical and is depicted on the right.

The defeated Conservative candidate, in the middle, was Charles F. Hamond. The woman’s cry of “Cum inte the hoose Charlie, an divvent play wi’ bigger lads than yorsel” summarises the political climate – Hamond is portrayed in other cartoons as an old man who has had his day and who cannot compete against the Liberals.