BEACONS FIELD

Benjamin Disraeli , 1 Earl of ( eld. son of Isaac Disraeli of London 1766–1848 ). b. London 21 Dec. 1804; baptised in parish church of St. Andrew, Holborn 31 July 1817; articled to Wm. Stevens of 6 Frederick’s place Old Jewry, solicitor 10 Nov. 1821; student of Lincoln’s Inn 18 Nov. 1824 to 25 Nov. 1831; M.P. for Maid stone 1837–1841, for Shrews bury 1841–1847 and for Bucks. 1847–1876; chancellor of the exchequer Feb. 1852 to Dec. 1852, Feb. 1858 to June 1859 and July 1866 to Feb. 1868; P.C. March 1852; introduced and carried Representation of the people act 1867; first lord of the Treasury 29 Feb. 1868 to 2 Dec. 1868 and 21 Feb. 1874 to 27 April 1880; lord rector of Glasgow University 1871–1875, installed 19 Nov. 1873; F.R.S. 10 Feb. 1876; lord privy seal 12 Aug. 1876 to Feb. 1878; created Earl of Beacons field and Viscount Hughenden of Hughenden Manor, Bucks. 21 Aug. 1876; first British plenipotentiary at Berlin congre 13 June to 13 July 1878; K.G. 22 July 1878; admitted to freedom of City of London 3 Aug. 1878; author of Vivian Grey 4 vols. 1827; The young duke 3 vols. 1831; Alroy 3 vols. 1833; Contarini Fleming 1833; The Revolutionary Epick, a poem 1834; Henrietta Temple 3 vols. 1836; Venetia 3 vols. 1837; Alarcos a tragedy 1839 which was produced on the stage at Astley’s; Coningsby or the new generation 3 vols. 1844; Sybil or the two nations 3 vols. 1845; Tancred or the new crusade 3 vols. 1847; Political biography of Lord George Bentinck 1851; Lothair 3 vols. 1870; Endymion 3 vols. 1880. d. 19 Curzon st. May fair London 19 April 1881. bur. Hughenden churchyard 26 April. Maclise Portrait gallery by W. Bates (1883) 164–72, portrait ; Lord Beacons field, a biography by T. P. O’Connor , 6 ed. 1884; The public life of Lord Beacons field by F. Hitchman, 3 ed. 1884; An appreciative life of Lord Beacons field, edited by C. Brown, 2 vols. 1882, portrait . Note. —He is the hero of ‘Vivian Grey’ the first edition of which novel has whole chapters not found in subsequent editions; he figures almost by name in Lady Bulwer Lytton’s novel “Behind the Scenes” 3 vols. 1854. His statue in Parliament sq. was unveiled 19 April 1883, Primrose day.